Nebraska opens as 2 point favorite
Nebraska opens as a 2 point home favorite. Thoughts? Link below:
October 21st, 2012 at 10:30 PM ^
They do but the game is in Lincoln. I think home field advantage will be enough for Nebraska to win a close game against PSU.
October 21st, 2012 at 11:33 PM ^
One thing I learned as a Michigan fan is "Don't underestimate the power of that pink locker room."
October 22nd, 2012 at 10:09 AM ^
Iowa already has 3 home losses this season. I don't think that pink locker room is going to make a difference this year.
October 21st, 2012 at 11:55 PM ^
October 21st, 2012 at 6:02 PM ^
After watching last year's game and knowing that Lavonte David has graduated, I'm having a hard time seeing Nebraska favored.
October 21st, 2012 at 6:16 PM ^
first of all, I find this game very hard to call. Both teams are very good but not great and have flaws.
You guys have lost to much better teams, but beaten much worse teams. In the B1G, your opponents are 1-9 and 9-13 overall, ours are 9-3 and 20-4. For all games, Nebraska's SOS is .666, 14th nationally and 2nd in the B1G, vs UM .555, 46th, 7th. Your best road win was Purdue who you totally dominated, ours against NW that we statistically dominated but constantly shot ourselves in the foot and barely won. The best team you beat was MSU who's only 4-4 but it was an intense rivalry game. Our best win was against Wisconsin who's 6-2 and ranked.
Denard is great and Nebraska certainly has trouble with dual threat qb's, but Martinez has really upped his passing game this year and has a much better receiving corps than last year. We've rushed the ball extremely well even with Burkhead out a lot due to a very talented RB group. Overall I think we have more weapons on offense.
On paper, Michigan looks to have the best defense we've played all year. It's a little hard to tell due to your schedule but I think they pass the eyeball test. We have one of the best offenses you've played except for Alabama. Our defense is streaky and some of the stats are deceiving because our offense keeps turning the ball over and committing dumb penalties which has given teams like Wisconsin and OSU lots of cheap points.
If Nebraska doesn't shoot ourselves in the foot like we have in so many games this year, we'll win this night home game. If we continue to be our own worst enemy, Michigan will win.
Did you know this game will be the first conference game in college football history where both teams have won at least 850 games all-time? Nebraska will also be commemorating 50 consecutive years of sellout crowds at Memorial Stadium, what better way than playing the all-timer leader Michigan in your first game ever at Memorial Stadium? (The Wolverines played in Lincoln in 1911, 12 years before Memorial Stadium was built).
Win or lose, I guarantee your team and fans will be treated with respect in Lincoln.
October 21st, 2012 at 6:21 PM ^
Or you could not shoot yourself in the foot and still lose. Teams can still play good football and lose games without being your own worst enemy, whether it's your team or mine.
October 21st, 2012 at 6:28 PM ^
but from most Nebraska fan's perspective, our MO this year against better teams has been digging our own hole and then succeeding or failing to climb out. Inconsistently has been our biggest weakness.
October 21st, 2012 at 6:41 PM ^
I just don't think your offense is that much better than last years, which we were able to contain pretty easily. In my mind we should hold our own against the run and Martinez is too streaky a passer to take advantage of the questionable Michigan cornerbacks. I still don't see an example where you guys scored a lot against a 'good' defense.
I'd be most worried about your defense. The difference between Braxton Miller and Denard isn't that great...Ohio demolished your front 7 and when Nebraska loaded the box they had no chance with the over the top passes. I just don't see how this defense will suddenly step up. MSU's defense played an amazing game and Michigan's effort against them should not be taken as the norm. I'd look more to how Michigan played against Nebraska last year (when Nebraska had a better defense)...
You state the records of the teams you beat but the only 'good' team right now looks to be Wisco. The nonconference games were expected blowouts and a tough loss to an okay UCLA team (who lost to Cal 43-17). Northwestern was a nice victory for you guys but they will get dominated in Michigan stadium. We won't be leaving guys wide open like they did the entire 4th quarter.
I think it will be more competitive than last year but I'm liking Michigan's chances.
October 21st, 2012 at 7:18 PM ^
Nebraska's passing offense is MUCH better than last year. Nebraska's offense was like UM's last year: totally one dimensional. Now they can beat you on the ground or in the air (I still marvel at the improvement in Martinez's passing this season) while UM remains completely one dimensional.
UM has the advantage on defense, Nebraska the advantage on offense, Nebraska has home field advantage. As our Nebraska visitor pointed out, if Nebraska doesn't shoot themselves in the foot with turnovers they should win this game. I expect it to be a close game regardless.
October 21st, 2012 at 8:52 PM ^
October 21st, 2012 at 9:05 PM ^
Disagree. If Michigan doesn't turn the ball over, they should win.
October 22nd, 2012 at 1:07 AM ^
I still don't think Martinez is that good at passing. He can hit open guys...and he can also throw terrible ducks. I don't think he will be better than Maxwell was.
Michigan's offense may have looked stagnant yesterday, but MSU has the perfect defense to stop mobile quarterbacks. They held OSU to 17. How much did Nebraska let up to OSU? 63? Yea...Michigan will score easy against the vaunted "Black Shirts"
October 21st, 2012 at 8:00 PM ^
October 21st, 2012 at 8:05 PM ^
and I don't see a lot here that I disagree with. I would say that, if both teams play mistake-free football, you have to give Michigan the edge because of the defense. Nebraska's offense is better this year than last, but its defense is not nearly as good, especiuially against the big play (Nebraska is giving up 4+ PPG more this year than last). Michigan is probably a bit down on both sides of the ball from where it was this time last year, but neither falloff is nearly as marked as Nebraska's defensive falloff.
That said, the edge in Michigan's favor won't be much of one.
I wish I could make it to Lincoln, if only to see the game in a new (to me) stadium. You Husker fans have an excellent rep as hosts, as well.
Here's to a clean, hard-fought game with the best team in winged helmets the winner! :)
October 22nd, 2012 at 2:12 AM ^
October 21st, 2012 at 6:14 PM ^
Does anyone else think Abdullah may be a bigger threat than Burkhead, if he's injured? If we don't defend the option well on one play, Abdullah has the speed and athleticism to house it. That's what worries me the most.
Plus, we don't have The Hulk to blow up options by forcing the pitch by himself as a DT.
Kovacs will be the man as usual.
October 21st, 2012 at 6:21 PM ^
He could be. We seem to have done a good job stopping power backs (Bell yesterday). Our defense will have to play disciplined in order to contain Abdullah. Fortunately this should be the best defense they have faced this season so far. It'll be a good test.
October 21st, 2012 at 6:23 PM ^
Rex is a between the tackles runner though not huge but runs hard and grinds, Martinez fits the 'lightening' part of their ground attack to the edge. Abdullah is no inside runner and as long as Michigan can contain they're not going to grind out yards up the middle. They're going to want to get to the edges or hit it quick up the middle. Rex was the starter for a reason. He's a poor man's Mike Hart. Not the fastest guy, or the strongest, but he gets you the tough yards consistently. He does all the little things and is a heads up player.
October 21st, 2012 at 8:21 PM ^
I agree. If Burkhead is out they won't be able to run between the tackles very well, and our D-line should be able to handle their O-line pretty well and keep contain, and our LBs are good enough to make the plays they'll need to. Our front 7 has really stepped up, I can't wait to see them destroying fools and making plays against these guys!!
October 22nd, 2012 at 1:23 AM ^
...for multiple reasons, especially the nebulous "intangibles", but the main reason I hate having Burkhead out is that we can't run the special Wildcat package that's built around him. It seems that when the offense goes into an extended funk, running a short series with Burkhead under center or in the pistol often snaps the offense back to life. Plus, it's a hell of a lot of fun to watch (which doesn't really have anything to do with winning).
October 21st, 2012 at 6:25 PM ^
I'm hoping that we will be able to run and control the clock next week. Examples:
Braxton Miller (OSU): 16 carries for 186 yards (11.6 avg)
Carlos Hyde (OSU): 28 carries for 140 yards (5.0 avg)
Johnathan Franklin (UCLA): 26 carries for 217 yards (8.3 avg)
Northwesterns RB had over 100 yards as well, but his long was 80 so it's skewed a little bit.
If we can run the ball and if our defense can limit them enough on offense, we'll have a great chance to win (duh?).
October 21st, 2012 at 6:41 PM ^
October 21st, 2012 at 6:55 PM ^
I don't see a shoot out, but I think M will have to score more than 12 to win. I just think M wins going away. It won't be a blow out like last year, but around 10-11 points seems about right to me.
October 21st, 2012 at 8:06 PM ^
with road losses to Alabama, ND, NE, and OSU. If those games had been at home, I would have picked Michigan, with the exception of Bama. NE and OSU will be close losses.
October 21st, 2012 at 9:42 PM ^
October 21st, 2012 at 8:27 PM ^
As is the case in almost all road games, if UM wins the turnover battle, especially against Nebraska, they will have a great shot.
If we see the 2012 ND Denard in this game, it will probably be the same result.
October 21st, 2012 at 9:33 PM ^
Denard, at night, on the road, has not exactly been a recipe for success. He gets himself too jacked up hanging around all day. Someone needs to give him a Valium at about 3:00 PM and take him to a movie.
October 21st, 2012 at 9:19 PM ^
Can someone explain why a night game has a special atomosphere?
I didn't play football past middle school, so I missed Friday night games. I can't understand how there is a difference for the players. As a fan, yes it is more exciting because the lights, daylong build up, and the fact that there are less games going on at the same time.
October 22nd, 2012 at 12:44 AM ^
October 21st, 2012 at 9:41 PM ^
Seems a little steep, I think.
October 21st, 2012 at 9:52 PM ^
Haven't you guys payed attention to THE KNOWLEDGE? we won't be losing anymore games this year, no worries
October 21st, 2012 at 10:28 PM ^
October 22nd, 2012 at 1:30 PM ^
I'm not sure what people are seeing with Nebraska that would make them a 2-point favorite. They just look to me like a somewhat talented, but piss poorly coached team. They give up 188 yards per game rushing. Now that, my friends, is some really sucky run defense. Their general demeanor and the way that they make an adventure out of every punt reminds me of the 2008 Michigan team.