Michigan Ranked #20 in Lindy's Preseason Countdown

Submitted by PeterKlima on

(Disclaimer - I didn't see this posted and I can't scroll back in these forum topics.)

Anyway, there is absolutely nothing informative in this team capsule.  It is just interesting because Michigan is ranked #20 heading into the season.  Don't bother reading it unless you are that starved for MOAR content about the upcoming season:

http://lindyssports.com/college-football/big-ten/michigan/column/college-football-look-ahead/lindys-top-25-countdown-no-20-michigan/233926

 

For fun, here is a Deadspin article on the accuracy of these types of polls from last August:

 

http://deadspin.com/whats-the-most-accurate-college-football-preview-magaz-1165703650

 

Whatever.

MGoBoard
Football
2014 football
Lindy's preview

jblaze

August 12th, 2014 at 3:33 PM ^

I don't see how Michigan finishes #21. I think we are top 10 or nor ranked based on our schedule and our 3 rivalry games. If Michigan goes 9-3 with losses to the 3 rivals, Michigan would (and should be unranked). If we beat say ND, but drop 1 more, likewise, we would be unranked, IMO.

Joined: 08/29/2008

MGoPoints: 19411

turd ferguson

August 12th, 2014 at 4:58 PM ^

I agree.  I think we have a moderately difficult, low-variance schedule.  We have three games that look really tough and nine that don't.  We just don't have many games that look like true tossups.

My guess is 9-3 with one win among the three supposedly tough games and one loss among the nine supposedly easier games.

Joined: 12/09/2009

MGoPoints: 26493

MayOhioEatTurds

August 12th, 2014 at 6:03 PM ^

I second the motion! 

Utah is going to come into the Big House motivated.  I can attest to this fact becuase I just took a job at Utah:  The entire campus is excited about playing Michigan, and feeling very good about their chances after their last trip to Ann Arbor.  

An insider here tells me that the team feels the same way about playing Michigan as students and faculty feel.  I hope Michigan can get themselves as amped about playing this game as Utah is. 

Joined: 06/29/2013

MGoPoints: 5893

alum96

August 12th, 2014 at 9:58 PM ^

Major trap game for me as well.  I see this as a 21-17 type of game, so that type of game can swing either way.  You look at Utah's losses last year and a lot of them were close against very top end Pac 12 oppontents (I believe ASU was 20-19, they lost to a quality UCLA team by only 7 - the same UCLA team that went into Lincoln and destroyed a healthy Nebraska) and of coure they beat Stanford, the type of team that would have manhandled UM's lines last year.  So it tells me Utah has some strength at areas we are challenged which worries me.

They did do most of their damage at home last year but they are not a cupcake like many are assuming.

Joined: 04/28/2012

MGoPoints: 82781

LSAClassOf2000

August 12th, 2014 at 3:40 PM ^

You know, what stood out to me in the second article was how the vriability between the studied publications over 5 years was eerily similar on average. Nearly 12 spots of variability (with a 9.5 spot median error) is pretty significant as well. Actually, this is probably a good article for anyone who posts some of these rankings to read beforehand, even though I think many here are aware of the pitfalls. 

Joined: 01/07/2011

MGoPoints: 130800

MChem83

August 12th, 2014 at 3:42 PM ^

But 8-4 probably not, so this is a reasonable ranking at this point. Based on our performance last year and the proven talent we have coming back, I don't think we deserve to be any higher, but that's fine. Better to start the season underrated than overrated.

Joined: 04/17/2014

MGoPoints: 414

Mgodiscgolfer

August 13th, 2014 at 9:51 AM ^

When a guy says this team is #20 and said team ran the table. He can at least say "well I had them in my top 20" and save some face. So I hear him saying UM has a chance but so do the other 19 teams. I don't have the Dumb and Dummer Clip (So you think there's a chance) insert here.

Joined: 01/13/2011

MGoPoints: 5322