OT: Pre-Season ][v][uppet Baby Games and other random ramblings.

There a somewhat growing notion that Michigan hasn't won many (and to some, any) big games recently. While I don't agree with that, I also won't waste time arguing against it. I'll instead take a different route. (Tl:dr people can skip to the ☆☆☆☆)

We all see the Pre-season team rankings, the lists of Top coaches, and Top whatever else that every off season. Somehow that's all forgotten at the end of said seasons, as if it doesn't matter to whichever narrative is trying to be pushed. 

The B1G East is, in some circles, regarded as--top to bottom one of the top 3 toughest divisions in college football. Surely there has to be quite a few big games on the schedule. Anyhow, Michigan only lost "1" B1G game last year. 

Because of this, the narrative changed to-- The only "big" B1G game Michigan had last year was The Game. OSU happened to win that game... The "1" big game out of the whole conference for the whole B1G season. And people question why the B1G gets shut out of the playoffs. (Legendary, controversial Bucks coach keeps choking against teams not even anywhere near the CFP radar.)

Somehow, the other highly regarded B1G teams and coaches, who survived the off-season unscathed (How Franklin gets to still feed off of '16 for recruiting), got a pass for sucking last season. They're back ranked in the preseason polls again. So they can be considered a big game if Michigan stumbles to one of them but fade back to the background if Michigan beats them.

☆☆☆☆For the other than "Wake me up when we beat OSU" or "Nothing matters besides OSU" or "The season is an utter failure if we lose to OSU" people. 

To make the whole season fun, I want to know which games you think would qualify as Muppet Baby games ...Before the season starts. 

These would be the really tough games that have a little more weight than a generic trap game for various reasons.

• You count it as a win one day but might change it to a loss the next day because you have to find another loss on the schedule somewhere to seem realistic.
• Beating them means a lot to Michigan's season momentum so you breathe a huge sigh of relief after, but know it will undoubtedly be downgraded from "big game" when Michigan wins, e.g. Wiscy, PSU, MSU, Indy the before the week The Game last year.  
• Destroying a weaker team who thought they had a shot leading up to the game, e.g.  Frostybraska, Minneflecka, Rutger, Fickellcats 2 years ago, Purdue.
• Whatever personal reason you may have disdain for a particular school. 

Seems like every team on our schedule this season now has some kind of significance or a storyline. 

1. Night game kicks it off
2. Armed forces game
3. Camp Randall
4. White Out
5. Gattis/Don Brown-Locksley Battle
6. Irish revenge
7. Hawkeye Homecoming
8. Playing against, not with Peters
9. Away game at Indy before "The Game", before turning around and having to play in INDY 2 weeks later. (Knock on woodson??)

All of those storylines are known before the season even starts.

In other words, with this fanbase, Michigan pretty much has to go undefeated. Any game lost before The Game will see Harbaugh get destroyed everywhere. There's almost so much pressure that there is none, which is probably why he seems the calmest he's ever been.

I definitely wouldn't want to be in his spot and I can't think of anybody I'd rather have in his spot. 

#GoBlue!