Prediction Thread
OK, that was really the worst I've ever felt during the Harbaugh era. Even worse, I was there in person. It was brutal and the Michigan fans I saw were all shell-shocked.
Now, let's do some predictions. I will track these and come back at the end of the season so we can see who was right and who wasn't.
1 - Will there be a major shake-up on offense, starting this week?
2 - Will there be a major shake-up on defense?
3 - What will Michigan's final record be? (exclude any postseason, not that postseason is seeming likely at this point)
4 - What will the score of the OSU game be?
I'll share my predictions further down the thread, that is, if it doesn't get deleted.
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:49 PM ^
We match up perfectly with MSU. On one side, our shit DL versus their shit OL. On the other, our shit OL versus their super solid DL. Mork has got to be licking his chops for that game. It's probably going to save his job.
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:45 AM ^
1 - Will there be a major shake-up on offense, starting this week?
They’ll definitely try to air the ball out against Rutgers. Our receivers will combine for 6 TDs and we’ll all be crying that they waited til the 4th quarter against Wisconsin to figure this out.
2 - Will there be a major shake-up on defense?
No. Our D-line is bad and Wisconsin’s O-line is elite. That’s all that really happened.
3 - What will Michigan's final record be? (exclude any postseason, not that postseason is seeming likely at this point)
8-4 is most likely. Will definitely have losses to PSU and OSU. Probably MSU too. They will beat ND at night though.
4 - What will the score of the OSU game be?
54-45
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:52 AM ^
I’ll go with the same thing I picked (and put $500 on) preseason for #3....
losses: UW, PSU, ND and OSU
final record: 8-4
looking at the schedule and the team it felt eerily similar to me as two years ago going into this year. That’s not me being down on the team it’s that they lost their entire defense and they have a tough schedule.
What I am disappointed in is the pure lack of discipline leading to bonehead mistakes.
osu wins 37-21 as of now.
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:53 AM ^
7-8 wins is realistic with 9 the ceiling.
OSU is going to demolish Michigan. Absolutely no push by the UM d-line and the UM LBs are flicking terrible. OSU will have 500 yards of offense.
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:54 AM ^
1. I think it depends on the health of Charbonnet. JH will want this team to show more toughness. With Dylan injured and Shea looking dinged-up and lost, I suspect JH will call the plays, and out of stubbornness, run it on every 1st and 2nd down. A tough-nosed hard-working Karon Higdon carried this team last year. Looks like Charbonnet is injured, so not sure he can become a work-horse like Karon until he gets back to 100%, but RB by committee should do it against Rutgers.
2. No. It won't matter against Rutgers (or it shouldn't). I could see Don attacking and blitzing more moving forward like previous seasons, but it will burn this inexperienced D over the course of the season.
3. 6-6 or 7-5. We will roll Rutgers next week and get a false sense of turning the corner. Out of the remaining "tough" games (Iowa, PSU, ND, MSU, OSU) we might win one (Iowa or MSU). Should beat Illinois. @Maryland & @Indiana are toss-ups at this point. Indiana gives us fits and Maryland has speed.
4. Shouldn't be close, but it's a rivalry game at home and weird things happen. A neutral field and it's a BLOWOUT.
I think what's most shocking about the start of this season is after watching 4 weeks of NCAA football, Michigan doesn't even look like a top 100 team. They look utterly inept in all facets of the game except maybe punting.
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:42 PM ^
You know, it's interesting, with Charbonnet. It feels like the M media spent the week mocking the fans for all of the hoopla around the supposed Charbonnet injury and after what we saw yesterday, something is clearly off.
The M media also made a point of openly making fun of the fans for freaking out after the first two sub-par performances. It's actually kind of therapeutic to see them seeing what we've all been seeing.
September 22nd, 2019 at 2:06 PM ^
Charbonnet was the most consistent player over the first two games and barely saw the ball yesterday. He's clearly hurt or he's been disciplined for something. Most likely, he's hurt as the rumors suggested.
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:56 AM ^
OSU's offense looks better this season than last. Our defense is markedly worse. I fear they may score into the 60's again. No way our offense train wreck is fixed by season's end. OSU 63, M 21. I really hope I am wrong but right now this is based on all the data I have.
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:56 AM ^
Additional prediction to throw out and discuss - how will Brian approach this game in the recap? Any sugarcoating whatsoever will raise a serious question of credibility.
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:58 AM ^
1 and 2, nope.
3. 6-6, 5-7 if we don't beat Maryland. We beat Rutger (comfortably), Iliinois (reasonably comfortably), and Indiana (just because). Maryland away determines bowl eligibility.
4. 62-17. Their narrative will be, "let's beat them worse than last year". Our narrative is, "well, we take it one game at a time".
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:09 PM ^
7-4 osu wins by 40.
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:14 PM ^
There will be no changes, they play Rutgers all will look better, 7-5, losses to notre dame, psu, MSU, osu. Bye harbaugh
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:22 PM ^
Harbaugh wins 7 games, loses the bowl, and isn’t fired - even though he should be. Brown moves on and everyone pretends like Jim isn’t the problem.
Thsts my most likely prediction. My most favored is that Jim tells Warde he’s done at the end of the season and then fucks off somewhere else.
At this point, I think Harbaugh shouldn’t be the coach, but could probably do a lot of good in an admin role in the AD.
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:25 PM ^
Nothing will change until the offseason, including qb position.
OSU smokes Michigan.
Taking my 12 year old son to his first game against Rutgers. We were both so excited before season! Doing our best to find some anticipation for this game now.
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:33 PM ^
1 - no
2 - no
3 - win against Rutgers and probably Illinois and Indiana embarrassing losses to MSU, ND, OSU also loss to PSU
4- 55-14
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:43 PM ^
Michigan might end up 5-6 heading into the Ohio game. What irony that would be that he has to finally beat Ohio just to become bowl eligible....
September 22nd, 2019 at 1:14 PM ^
How about let’s start next week without fumbling it on the 1st drive. That would be a start. You could see it when Mason fumbled on that 1st drive the game was over. We can talk about why he was in there later. It seems like everything Harabaugh tries backfires.
September 22nd, 2019 at 1:14 PM ^
How about let’s start next week without fumbling it on the 1st drive. That would be a start. You could see it when Mason fumbled on that 1st drive the game was over. We can talk about why he was in there later. It seems like everything Harabaugh tries backfires.
September 22nd, 2019 at 1:30 PM ^
September 22nd, 2019 at 2:57 PM ^
You sound like a fun guy.
September 22nd, 2019 at 3:15 PM ^
No
no
6-6
70-16
September 22nd, 2019 at 7:44 PM ^
- Grouping the games:
- Definite Win: Rutgers
- Likely Win: @Illinois, @Indiana
- Lean Win: @Maryland
- Tossup: Iowa, MSU
- Lean Loss: Notre Dame
- Definite Loss: @PSU, OSU
I'm 50-50 between 7-5 and 8-4.
More qualitatively: I think we'll look better against Rutgers next week and the loyalist crowd will crow and go on the offensive, conveniently forgetting that Rutgers is Rutgers. Michigan will beat Iowa in a close, ugly game reviving some of the hope. Momentum continues at Illinois and with a three game winning streak people start to get excited again....then we get CLOBBERED in the Happy Valley White Out, similar to the Wisconsin game (can't show up in hostile road environments). ND game is close and decent but Michigan finds a way to lose in a heartbreaker. Maryland is the one I'm least sure of, could see anything from a big UM win to a big Terps win. Bye week into the rivalry stretch. MSU will be a 10-7 or 9-6 or 12-9 type final score in a total sludgefart game (à la MSU 2012 or NW 2013/2014), I'd give the edge to them because they're much more mentally tough, will want it more, better coached and we are a turnover machine. Indiana will be horribly stressful, but Michigan will somehow win as always. The Big House will be 50% red for The Game. Michigan will hold their own for 1-2 quarters just enough to make us believe (like 2014 and 2017), and then get wrecked in the second half, final margin is 20+.