Any non Michigan-related CFB storylines that interest you this season?
Is Texas back? The O/U is 8 wins.
Which is the real LSU?
Will ISU keep it up?
Clay Helton gonna do just enough to keep his job again?
Ohio State had the 123th ranked pass defense last year.
Indiana or USC legit?
Does TCU need to win some more games this year?
Miami...looking like a boom or bust type season, opening against Bama.
If Ole Miss plays defense, they might be pretty good.
Random trivia fact: Mississippi St won the CWS to get their first national title in any sport. There are now 2 Power 5 schools that have never won a national title. Do you know who they are?
I'll put the answer in the comments.
Is Harbaugh .500 against B1G teams with a pulse? What about bowl wins? Harbaugh can’t do it when it matters, which is why people want him gone and I can’t blame them for wanting to take a chance on a new coach.
Campbell has more top ten wins at Iowa State than Harbaugh has at Michigan.
None. My interest in college football is sadly minimal these days. Michigan not being nationally relevant for so long may be the principle reason, time will tell. I havent watched NFL game in 6+ years which Im sure the Bengals stinking hasnt helped. Started coaching little league again for my football fix. The plus side is my weekends are much more productive.
the Bengals are going to be good again. I wasn't a fan of Burrow but he was slinging it before he got hurt. They now have 2 really good wr's and Chris Evans to pair with Joe Mixon. IF they get their defense together, by next season they could be a playoff team, in a very tough division.
They also boast one of the worst, if not THE worst, offensive lines in the NFL. Unless somebody teaches your skill position players to block I think this season's going a lot like last season for the Bengals.
It's going to come down to the Browns or the Ravens in the AFC North. I wouldnt be shocked though to see Cinci actually pull ahead of the Steelers this year or next. They got very old in a hurry and the rotting corpse of 300 pound Big Ben isnt going to do them any favors at QB.
I'm interested in the return of home field advantage and the affect fans/crowds have on the games. There was something eerily calm about playing in empty/mostly empty stadiums last year that just felt wrong.
When will the steamrolling juggernaut that is bama show any signs of slowing up a little bit? Will Saban go until he's 80 years old? If not, who is the eventual successor? It's going to be so weird when the tide play like it's the mid-aughts again.
I could be wrong but Saban strikes me as a guy who will hang it up when he feels he doesn't have it anymore. I don't think he'll linger for years like Paterno and Bowden. Hell, even with what he's done, Bama fans would probably turn on him in a hurry if things drop off.
Can Chip Kelly manage to find his own ass with two hands, a flashlight, and a map and lead UCLA to actually winning vs. just showcasing his offensive "genius"?
What the hell is Tennessee going to look like this year?
Can Scott Frost get out of his own way at Nebraska?
Will Mario Cristobal's recruiting at Oregon translate into him learning how to plan/manage a game?
How batshit will Mississippi State be under Leach?
These are all good. Dorian T-R is ok, but a lot of people say he plays too much hero-ball at UCLA.
I have no reason to dislike Tennessee, but I do. I hope they win 2 games.
Nebraska could easily have another .500 season. Wisconsin, Iowa, OSU, and Oklahoma all losses. Michigan SHOULD beat them...then they have to win 2 of NW, Minnesota & Purdue..plus MSU in EL. They could start 3-0 and it's possible they could lose their last 9 games.
I still don't understand why it's so hard to win at UCLA. It's an elite academic institution with a beautiful campus in an area with a lot of high school talent. Obviously USC's success under Carroll hurt them but they ought to be better than they are.
Facilities, off campus stadium, resources, basketball school.
I think the outside world thinks this should be a top 10 or top 15 job. My guess is that it barely rates in the top 25.
Institutional investment in the past mainly. They've fixed that, now they just need to find the right coach. I thought it was Kelly, but I think he's too in love with proving how much smarter he is than everyone else.
Despite USC's stranglehold on top LA talent, there's more than enough in California to create another great program if you do it right and UCLA has always been able to pull guys out of Arizona and Texas.
I agree with the lack of institutional investment it wasn't as great of a job as it seemed, but now with the Wasserman center, etc. I'd say it's really now Top 15.
Can Chip Kelly manage to find his own ass with two hands, a flashlight, and a map and lead UCLA to actually winning vs. just showcasing his offensive "genius"? I think Kelly is kind of like Rich Rod. Offensive genius, but just not a great head coach anymore.
What the hell is Tennessee going to look like this year? Tennessee will continue to be mediocre. They have a long way to go before they are relevant again. Probably 2-3 years before they are truly competitive.
Can Scott Frost get out of his own way at Nebraska? Frost had a good thing going in Florida. Loads of recruits to pick from and nice weather. Nebraska has none of that and is extremely hard to recruit to. I have a feeling he'll never be more than mediocre.
Will Mario Cristobal's recruiting at Oregon translate into him learning how to plan/manage a game? Mario is an A+ recruiter and a C+ at best coach. He's kind of a slightly better version of Ed O at LSU. He needs a strong staff around him and he could do something.
How batshit will Mississippi State be under Leach? Leak is always good for an upset or two a year in a conference where it is that much more fun for people to be upset.
PAC12 After Dark games should be interesting this year with Jedd Fisch & Don Brown at Arizona.
Good job posting that. (I was planning on doing so if I didn't see any 'Zona.)
Which school will land Jim Harbaugh?
Sorry, had to.
If Harbaugh wasn't coach at Michigan would he get a NFL job? I'm sure that would be his preference but has the NFL passed him by? It's hard for me to imagine Harbaugh coaching at any other school but it's even harder for me to imagine him not coaching.
My answer is yes, but I'm not super confident about it.
The NFL is a weird business. Once you get in, you are a lifer. You see the same coaches, generally, getting recycled over, and over, and over again. That's why guys like Urban Meyer make a ton of news because college coaches generally do not land in the NFL, and if they do, don't do well.
I think Harbaugh did enough where some struggling franchise may see what he did at SF and want to kick the tires again. He's not old by coaching standards. And I think even since he's been here, his heart hasn't- all speculative, but I think he has always had his eyes on the NFL.
I do see him landing a job if he left Michigan this year and a few coaching spots opened up in the NFL; that's just how it works in pro football- once you get in, you can get a job.
Pioneer
...and have .500 seasons.
I believe he is burned out on coaching the game well-is no longer willing to put in the work required to compete at an elite level.
Bama, Clemson, & OSU are favorites to make the playoffs again. Bama is the favorite to win the NC again. The same as it's been for the last 12 years. Rinse and repeat. CFB is boring and predictable and I enjoy it less each year. There are few interesting story lines that actually matter in terms of teams that have a legitimate chance of winning anything.
Who the fourth playoff team will be is always an interesting storyline!
Trying to bring some optimism to your day.
Of course, the fourth playoff team always loses in a blowout....but...I'll just stop there.
I would give my left arm and testicle just to see Michigan get blown out as the fourth playoff team at this point!!
I guess of your questions the whole where will Texas be is most interesting to me - I went to A&M and think they’ll continue to be the premier cfb program in Texas.
But Texas always has been so it’s a concern.
Otoh look at recruiting - and I’m convinced being in the SEC now is a huge advantage.
All of which is to say Sark better get stuff done for them in the next year or two or it might become the same damn near insurmountable situation we’re facing against osu.
Cheers.
I agree with this. Every new coach has this type of enthusiasm, especially at Texas. But with OSU recruiting Texas...and Clemson/Bama/LSU/Oklahoma...plus A&M being really good, and probably a QB (and some offensive creativity) away from being a playoff contender...also Clay Helton hired a number of Texas coaches to USC, with strong recruiting ties to the state. I could see Sark having a lot of buzz for 2/3 years, but peaking and then being stagnant. Although with the 12 team playoff, a playoff appearance could give a boost.
Can Texas A&M win the SEC this year? Their offense is ridiculously loaded.
They are really good...everything I'm hearing is that they really need to get more creative with their offensive play-calling before taking the next step.
Interested to see how it goes with Nebraska now that Scott Frost's boss is gone. Think he's sitting waaaaaay out on a limb.
If they don't win at least 6 games and make a bowl game, I'd say he's 60/40 odds to be fired. Nebraska has been patient given how far they've had to climb out of the gutter but now is when its time to show results or move on I would think
I was reading some of their blogs last year and they still seemed to be patient with Frost. Maybe that changes this year or has already started to change.
Part of the thought process has to be that if Scott Frost, NU legend and native Nebraskan, can't get this program back into the top 10, then the Nebraska program of yore is gone forever.
Teams that have been recruiting out of their minds: Notre Dame and Oregon
Teams that had a good week recruiting last week: You guys and Penn State
Teams that probably will not be as good as expected this year: USC, LSU, Texas
Who knows? Matt Campbell and ISU
Is Coach Jim on the hotseat? I think the admin likes him too much; barring a total meltdown, I'd expect to see him in 2022 as well. Biggest question mark: can he quit running up the middle in a tight game?
Team that scares me the most: Indiana. They have some really good players back and have done well with the transfer portal.
Is Keith Jackson really deceased?
Is gravy in a jar really better than gravy mix in a pouch?
Can Democrats and Republicans get along?
Can MGoBlog members get along?
What is the meaning of life?
EDIT - Oops, not CFB related.
allegedly
yes
yes
perhaps
be happy
Like I always say, it’s always something. If it’s not one thing it’s another. If it’s not bagmen it’s NIL. If it’s not handing off to your TE running up the middle when down by 3TD’s and he fumbles, it’s targeting your 4 star WR 3x per game and the QB gets flushed with little pressure and runs not realizing he’s wide open then he tweaks his knee and then the backup comes in and looks unprepared and play calls get more conservative and then the defense can’t get off the field and then…
Do we have any idea what COVID testing policies will be for this upcoming year? Michigan is requiring all student athletes to be vaccinated by the beginning of August. I'll be interested to see if any schools don't require vaccines and end up getting key players out or missing games because of COVID protocols. I'm hoping most players look at the NC State situation from the CWS and want to avoid a situation like that so we don't get these weird games where half the OL is unavailable and it all goes to shit.
From a pure football look I'll be really interested to see what 2nd year head coaches have their teams looking like. Washington went 3-1 but had COVID issues and somehow managed to play every one of their games at home last year so coming to Ann Arbor will be Jimmy Lake's first time head coaching away from Seattle. Rutgers was much improved in year 1, MSU wasn't but they've had significant roster turnover.
I also just can't wait to get back for a proper tailgate, fans in stands and being able to cheer my ass off for student athletes who chose to come to Michigan.
I'm looking forward to my Chips making the trip down to Baton Rouge on September 18. Can McElwain return to SEC territory and do the unthinkable? How cool would that be? I remember when CMU beat MSU in two consecutive seasons ('91 & '92), but a victory in Death Valley top top that. Gonna have to brave the heat and make it out for a tailgate for this one.
How is Harsin going to do at Auburn? He has a tough schedule: @PSU, @LSU, Georgia, @TAMU, Alabama, as well as Ole Miss and Mississippi. Will they regret getting rid of Malzahn?
I never thought expanding the playoff would lead to an even less competitive college football landscape.
I've heard the argument that expanding it to 12 would make it even worse since it'll just guarantee Bama/Clemson will get in, even with 3 losses. It'll allow for the little guys (UCF, Cincy, etc) to get a extra game in, but the actual winner will just keep rotating between the superpowers.
Bama hasn't lost 3 games in a season since 2010. Clemson hasn't lost 3 since 2014. I don't know that expanding will help parity but it's not like what's happening right right now helps. Every regular season game will also still matter because seeding will be massively important. And unlike the NFL, there will be no seeds "locked in" for the last week so teams won't be resting starters.
The penalty for losing the last week might be losing a bye or losing a first round home game so the argument that teams won't try hard during rivalry week or championship week because they're already in won't hold much water.
This is one of those years where I'll probably care more about what's happening with other teams more than what's going with Michigan since I predict this season will be pretty rough (not that I want the team to fail like some idiots around seem to think).
I tend to gravitate to several things.
- Will a dominant program start to fall apart? Looking at Alabama, Oklahoma, Ohio State, & Clemson (probably not happening this year)
- Will a team close to the top tier break through? Looking at Georgia, Texas A&M, Texas, Penn State, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, UNC, Oregon
- How will the up-and-coming head coaches fare? Looking at Matt Campbell & Iowa State, Lance Leipold & Kansas, Jeff Hafley & Boston College, Mo Linguist & Buffalo, Billy Napier & the RAGIN CAJUNS, Tom Allen & Indiana
- How will these head coaches do in their first seasons at a new school: Bret Bielema & Illinois, Bryan Harsin & Auburn, Gus Malzahn & UCF, Josh Heupel & Tennessee, Steve Sarkisian & Texas, Clark Lea & Vanderbilt, Jedd Fisch & Arizona
- Will any struggling blue bloods/elite teams show signs of life? Looking at Florida State, Tennessee, USC, UCLA, Miami, Nebraska
Other than that, just rooting for Ohio State, Michigan State, and Notre Dame to lose or suffer some sort of embarassment and then see what if any team surprises everyone with an unexpectedly great season
Georgia and Texas A&M are on a completely different level than PSU Texas Wisconsin etc.
I feel like being a Georgia fan would be almost as frustrating as being a Michigan fan - other than Alabama I don’t think anyone has recruited at their level over the last half decade - but they just haven’t had the results to match their on the field talent.
Cheers.
Who gets an NFL gig first, Lincoln Riley or Ryan Day?
I believe that MSU's attempt to build a team through the portal should get some following...at least, locally.
Two big things I'm monitoring:
When does USC pull the plug on this utter failure Clay Helton experiment and do they finally let the Pete Carroll era go and go find the next guy to revolutionize USC?
What does Clemson look like post-Trevor?
Of the three schools that have dominated the playoff discussion the past few years, Clemson is by far the most precarious of the three and the one most likely to fall out of that place. Their OL has been not-so-secretly trash for years now and getting by on Trevor making plays with guys in his face.
I'll save you time on #2, nothing will change. The beatings will continue until the morale improves.
Interestingly I think Clemson is the team everyone points to as being the example of “you can get there without top five recruiting classes”. If you look at their recruiting leading up to their first national championship it wasn’t really any better than Michigan has been doing.
Someone pointed it out above but I think one of the more interesting questions - not necessarily just for this year but over the next little while - is who can replicate that success with really good but not top five recruiting classes. Is it even possible these days where the majority of five stars go to just a couple established powerhouses? Will the playoff expansion actually bring a little more parity? How will NIL affect the balance of power?
I suspect our board has two types - folks that are only in on Michigan and folks that find cfb fascinating above and beyond that (*). For the second group these are definitely interesting times.
(*) speaking for myself half the love of cfb is the innovations we see on offense - I watch the nfl mostly for fantasy football reasons but enjoy the college game much more because of the variety of approaches.
Cheers.
Yeah Clemson's recruiting isn't THAT much better than Michigan's, the difference is they've consistently nailed the QB position and well, Michigan hasn't. Dabo has nailed three in a row, Tahj Boyd then DeShaun then Trevor. Tahj was the worst of those three and he was still all-conference and all that.
The secret sauce at Clemson has been nailing the most important position on the field consistently, what happens to their program if recruiting/development there tails off or even just falls back to Tahj Boyd levels.
Clemson has hit on recruiting where it matters - QB above all, and DL. Their success has been a direct result of two legendary college QBs and top 10 NFL picks. If you have a 5 star QB who plays like one, you can make up for recruiting holes across the rest of the offense. Similarly, a top-tier DL takes pressure off the rest of the defense.
That's the biggest difference between Michigan and the top tier. We've had 3-4 star QBs (Rudok, Speight, O'Korn, Peters, McCaffrey, Milton, and McNamara) that have been good enough to win 8-10 games but not rise up and beat OSU or win a Bowl). Shea Patterson was a 5 star but never lived up to his potential; he was a clear miss. JJ McCarthy is probably the key - if he can play up to the potential, we will have a chance. Maybe not this year, but by 2022.
The thing with Clemson is that the ACC is garbage. They don't need to be more than just "slightly better than good" to get to a playoffs - and at that point, anything can happen.