PFF prediction - Michigan in the CFP next season
They have Michigan slated in a 4. Mentions of "Harbaugh magic" on offense, and the D-line, Lewis and Peppers on D. Weakness at LB is mentioned as well.
On Peppers:
Spending time at safety and in the slot, Peppers is a dynamic weapon who can turn defense into offense in the blink of an eye, and does the basic things really well too. If he can continue to progress, he has a chance to be the best defensive player in the country next year, and he gets snaps on offense and as a returner too, such is his explosiveness.
January 12th, 2016 at 9:50 AM ^
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January 12th, 2016 at 9:50 AM ^
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January 12th, 2016 at 12:55 PM ^
How ya gonna pick a team to be among the final 4 with no idea who their QB will be? Now that it's been leaked, I feel great about our chances too!
January 12th, 2016 at 4:27 PM ^
the staff doesn't yet know who QB is - race is still wide open according to people I know involved with program. Multiple QBs considered "good enough" to be in contention by Harbaugh (Peter, O'Korn, Speight).
January 12th, 2016 at 4:51 PM ^
Well it seems like you didn't read the summary of Bellamy's radio appearance?
Doesn't sound like the competition, while still "open", is going to be much of one. Sorry if you're one of the other QB's Mom, Annie....
January 12th, 2016 at 9:53 AM ^
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January 12th, 2016 at 10:02 AM ^
I agree with you on everything but the championship game. I agree that it will be hard-fought, but think Michigan will come out on top.
January 12th, 2016 at 10:04 AM ^
January 12th, 2016 at 12:27 PM ^
I would agree with this except it means that Michigan would finish 3-3 in the CFP and that is an unacceptable success rate.
January 12th, 2016 at 1:34 PM ^
Best joke of the bunch.
January 12th, 2016 at 6:14 PM ^
Best 3 loss season ever?
January 12th, 2016 at 9:56 AM ^
January 12th, 2016 at 9:57 AM ^
it is hard to put us that high without knowing who our QB is for sure. I personally would like to start off a little lower in the rankings, but it shows the respect Harbaugh has regained for us.
January 12th, 2016 at 10:24 AM ^
(Guy with the Quarterback Whisperer Whispering in His Ear.)
January 12th, 2016 at 12:18 PM ^
Two things: First, look at the last 15 national champions. I would say, off the top of my head, that between 1/3 to 1/2 had very suspect QB play. Second, look at those same NCs, and be amazed at how many were coached by coaches in their 2nd season on the job for that school. Saban at LSU and Alabama, Miles at LSU, Tressel at OSU, Fisher at FSU, Stoops at Oklahoma, and so on. There is a lot of precedent for Harbaugh taking us to the promised land next year...
January 12th, 2016 at 12:25 PM ^
January 12th, 2016 at 10:01 AM ^
I just think it's so hard to predict our ceiling (such as reaching the CFP) without knowing how O'Korn (or any other QB) will play next season. I thnk all of the hype is once again predicated on the #HarbaughEffect. We have returning talent, but a question mark at the most crucial position leaves considerable doubt.
January 12th, 2016 at 10:16 AM ^
O'korn is not necessarily a question mark. We have 1+ seasons of data on him and Harbaugh's mastery with Rudock should be reason for optimism.
January 12th, 2016 at 10:31 AM ^
The Riddler is a Question Mark.
January 12th, 2016 at 11:38 AM ^
O'Korn passed for 3,000 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2013, his true freshman season. He's shown he has the talent.
January 12th, 2016 at 10:02 AM ^
January 12th, 2016 at 10:05 AM ^
Yes, luck and all, but they still did it. Teams do it all the time. If you're great you will overcome and not need homefield for that.
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January 12th, 2016 at 10:07 AM ^
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January 12th, 2016 at 10:14 AM ^
but only because you told me to
January 12th, 2016 at 10:18 AM ^
I for one am tired of saying "next year will be OK but X year is the year we will be REALLY good". Live for the day!
January 12th, 2016 at 11:11 AM ^
January 12th, 2016 at 10:05 AM ^
January 12th, 2016 at 10:06 AM ^
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January 12th, 2016 at 1:36 PM ^
I don't care about the rank they get, I want them to get in and win the whole thing.
January 12th, 2016 at 10:09 AM ^
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January 12th, 2016 at 10:31 AM ^
We should (SHOULD) have the best team in the conference next year. Given who OSU and MSU lose, there's no way this team should not at the very least win the division and play in the conference championship game. Of course anything can happen in a one-off scenario, but I can't imagine the East champ not being the favorite.
I would be stunned if Michigan went into the conference championship game with more than one loss.
January 12th, 2016 at 11:13 AM ^
We need O'Korn to be as good as Jake Rudock was at the end of the season, for an entire season. We need the OL to take a step toward becoming the big nasty maulers that Harbaugh is known for. We need a quicker RB to spell Smith as an epic 1-2 punch. We need a Fullback that can execute the way Kerridge and Houma did.
On defense we need at least two linebackers to step up and be serviceable in a consistent manner. We need Willie Henry to come back to lead the best DL in football. We need to create more turnovers.
We need to make sure we don't drop off in special teams with the loss of Baxter. Special teams won the national title last night.
If most of the things I have listed come to pass, Michigan has a real shot at the playoffs. A brutal road schedule and cross division schedule has me thinking a very similar result to this year except we beat MSU for sure.
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January 12th, 2016 at 7:48 PM ^
January 12th, 2016 at 1:09 PM ^
and say that whoever wins in the Shoe next year in The Game will represent the East in the BIG Championship Game. Unfortunately, we very easily could have one loss and not make it, if that's our loss.
January 12th, 2016 at 10:36 AM ^
- O'Korn needs to live up to the practice team hype, nobody else will be ready to lead us to the playoffs.
- Someone not named Deveon Smith needs to have a break out year at RB. Smith is good but simply not fast enough to survive the beating he takes with his running style.
- We need two LBs to step up who play like Reggie Ragland and Reuben Foster: fundamentally sound, with speed and power.
- We need to master the "no huddle/hurry up" offense, on both sides of the ball. We need to be able to run it on demand on offense; and we damn sure need to know how to defend it in our sleep, which is why, after the OSU beat-down, I'm happy we exchanged D.J. Durkin for Don Brown.
January 12th, 2016 at 10:38 AM ^
January 12th, 2016 at 11:21 AM ^
I will believe it when I see it. Winning in the Shoe? Pinch me.
Love this team as much as the next guy, but c'mon. At home we lost by four TDs to the B1G standard. Question marks at important spots on the field, including QB. Road games to ELansing and Columbus. We will lose one of those, likely in Columbus. So 11-1, lose to the team likely 12-0
I can see being selected for the rose, or equivalent as the replacement for tOSU. But until the day comes where we beat tOSU. I'll remain realistic.
January 12th, 2016 at 11:34 AM ^
Lets start and learn how to beat msu and osu again, then go from there.
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January 12th, 2016 at 1:34 PM ^
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January 12th, 2016 at 2:07 PM ^
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January 12th, 2016 at 11:46 AM ^
Michigan - talent, coaching and experience.
LSU - absolutely stacked everywhere, Aranda, QB transfer coming in, Alabama/Ole Miss at home.
Baylor - by default in a weak BIG 12
FSU - as much talent as Clemson, all tough games at home.
I think the PAC12 gets left out again. It's probably the best conference top to bottom, but I don't see a jugernaut. Standford looses too much, Oregon is a year or two away, USC isn't good.
January 12th, 2016 at 12:05 PM ^
Maybe PFF just figured it would be the same final four as last year. Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma, that good football team from Michigan.
January 12th, 2016 at 12:12 PM ^
January 12th, 2016 at 12:26 PM ^
Per Alfred in Topeka that is 3 slots too low.
January 12th, 2016 at 1:59 PM ^
It's time for Peppers to become Reggie Bush. He would vastly improve the offense if he moved to RB. Not only bringing game breaking ability to the RB position but he would also open up the passing game. The drop off from him not being on D 100% of the time would be barely noticable IMO. He takes the offense to a new level and would more than make up for his absences on D.
January 12th, 2016 at 2:13 PM ^
No way on this planet we would've lasted more than 2, maybe 3 quarters against Alabama or Clemson with the way those teams played last night. It would've been a bloodbath, IMO.
I think we're a year from having the talent to get to the playoffs, but 2-3 years from having a real shot of winning it. simply put, we need more talent and more importantly, more depth.
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January 12th, 2016 at 3:08 PM ^