Ranking B1G teams with the toughest 2024 football schedule.
February 17th, 2024 at 11:21 AM ^
Was Jalen Milroe all that? I was scared of him going into the game, but our defense did pretty well against him.
If we’re going to Fred Jackson Orji, I prefer Big Denard, but more accurate.
February 17th, 2024 at 12:14 PM ^
I mean more in the way of actually 'threatening' the defense with his unique skillset, which right now is mainly he is a tank that can run. If we actually run him (10-12 designed runs a game) and let him take some deep shots, tailor the play calling to suit his strengths I think that gives us a solid offense to pair with what should be an elite defense again.
Bama ran Milroe, on purpose and didn't seem to put the breaks on his legs - like we did with JJ.
We refused to make the QB run game a regular part of our gameplans with JJ, if they can do that with Orji and create some simple RPO reads for him and let him take some deep shots now and then, I think the offense could be good enough to help us get to the playoffs.
February 17th, 2024 at 1:15 PM ^
One key, IMO, was the difference / gap between the starting QB and the #2.
The last two seasons it seemed that gap was notable - so, keeping JJ as healthy as possible was a high priority - which translated to fewer QB runs - either designed or improvised.
It wouldn’t surprise me if the “gap” between 1 and 2 is smaller this season - and, as a result, more QB runs might be part of the play calling.
February 17th, 2024 at 9:32 AM ^
11-1 plus a 4th consecutive B1G Championship and we likely get a first round bye.
11-1 and a championship game loss probably gets us a first round home playoff game.
10-2 and we're in (also likely a home playoff game, depending upon how bad the losses). 10-2 might or might not get us our 4th straight B1G Championship trip.
9-3? I think we're probably in, but very likely facing a first-round road trip.
February 17th, 2024 at 6:02 PM ^
I'm starting to think we will have at least 1 loss due to the caliber of good teams we will be playing this season. The Defense should be great. 1 to 3 losses possible against UT, WA, OSU. Oregon also worries me since they may cone into the big House with a high octane offense. I think we lose to WA and OSU on the road. Finish 2nd to OSU but play OSU in Indy where we will beat them for the B1G championship. We will probably lose a quarter final game to UGA in the playoffs.
February 17th, 2024 at 9:35 AM ^
The team that really got lucky with the schedule is Penn State, who doesn't have to play us or Oregon. At least OSU has to go to Eugene and Happy Valley.
February 17th, 2024 at 9:45 AM ^
It's going to be funny when there's a five-way tie at 8-1 at the top of the league between us, Oregon, Ohio, Penn St and Iowa
We will beat Ohio (again) but they'll back into a big ten title game somehow and even tho half the teams haven't played each other the BTCG will be a rematch and people will complain about it and everyone will claim they are co champs and there will be an opinion pieces about how we should return to divisions and it'll be dumb and glorious
February 17th, 2024 at 9:54 AM ^
Michigan’s schedule is tough - no question about that. I would enjoy seeing the Ducks win when they host the Buckeyes in Eugene.
Michigan plays - arguably - the three toughest “new additions” to the B1G - Oregon, @ Washington, and USC.
Why the schedule? Eyeballs - viewership - people WILL watch those games - which means large numbers of viewers and that translates into media / commercial rates & dollars.
So, what time of day should we expect these games to be played - with the new additions to the conference - west coast time zone - and travel? My guess - west coast teams travel east and you can eliminate the noon kickoff. So - those “west in the east” matchups will be 3:30 or night games. When “east travels west” - the same timing should probably apply - perhaps favoring the 3:30 kickoff to avoid red eye travel after the game.
The season will be enjoyable - and, I’m coming out of my cage for all of it.
Go Blue!
February 17th, 2024 at 11:28 AM ^
I agree with most of that, but I do think that Washington minus DeBoer and a ton of that roster is suddenly a lot less threatening. Hot take, but I think getting PSU off the schedule and replacing them with Washington is a net win for us.
February 17th, 2024 at 12:23 PM ^
Washington without DeBoer is not as worrisome but on the road will still be tough. USC has literally no defense so as long as we have some semblance of offense we should win that one. But who knows how the offense is gonna look.
Texas, Oregon and OSU are the ones that concern me - I think we lose 2 out of those 3 and then maybe a game like Minnesota (sandwiched between USC and Washington).
Texas and OSU seem like the most likely losses to me. Texas because it's so early in the season and unless our QB is a bonafide stud that is gonna be tough to win. OSU, in Columbus after making some additions to their D, like Caleb Downs, and Day's job is on the line here - he can't suffer a 4th straight loss to us.
February 17th, 2024 at 10:02 AM ^
Interesting but how do they just ignore the home/ road splits?!?
February 17th, 2024 at 10:13 AM ^
I think the schedules should be looked at in “pairs”.. a two year view - to see what “home and home” are like within the conference.
Michigan has eight home games this season. In ‘25 they only have six home games. Enjoy!
February 17th, 2024 at 10:21 AM ^
In case anyone missed it because it's in the Diaries section (Sickos rejoice!...), Blue@LSU analyzed schedule difficulty based on SP+ and put it in a delightful, easy to digest CHART.
February 17th, 2024 at 10:41 AM ^
Sorry, but I hate the way he put these teams into tiers based on the rankings and not the SP+ scores. This makes it look like USC is close to, say, Penn St. in quality when, in fact, they're nowhere near close.
Penn State, the 4th best B1G team, has an SP+ score of 25.6. USC's score is 11.5. That's a difference of 14.1 points. That's the exact same as the difference between USC and Colorado (SP+ score of -2.6) and is close to the difference between USC and UNLV (SP+ score of -2.9), So USC and Penn St. are "similar" in the same way that USC and UNLV are similar. They're not.
It's even worse for Washington (SP+ score of 9.2). The difference between Washington and Penn St. (16.4 points) is the same as the difference between Washington and Arkansas St. (SP+ score of -7.2).
If you look at the SP+ scores (not rankings), there's a clear tier 1 (OSU, Oregon, Michigan, Penn St.) and then a HUGE GAP before tier 2.
/rant
February 17th, 2024 at 10:44 AM ^
I woulda said it was easily USC & Mich as the toughest but UCLA should be up there. Maybe ours is slightly less because we get most games at home - Texas, USC, Oregon with roadies @ Wash & @The Ohio. 8 home games doesn't suck.
USC gets LSU (Vegas), home vs. Wisky, PSU, ND with roadies @ Mich & @ Wash. They get 6 true home games plus the Vegas & Pasadena games.
UCLA will be racking up the most flier miles with games @ Hawaii, @ LSU, @ PSU, @ Rutgers, @ Nebrasker, @ Wash, with home games vs. Oregon, USC, Iowa
February 17th, 2024 at 10:59 AM ^
I've been a fanatical UM fan since 1981. The 2024 schedule is the toughest schedule Michigan's faced during my fandom.
I hope UM fans keep their expectations low. UM is putting up to 18 players into the NFL, has a bunch of new coaches, and the toughest schedule in the country.
I am predicting 8-4 next season. Hope I am wrong. If UM can somehow finish 9-3, UM will make the 12-team playoff. UM's mind-bogglingly difficult schedule would make it tough to keep UM out of the 12-team CFP if UM finishes 9-3.
#GoBlue
February 17th, 2024 at 12:17 PM ^
Difference between 8-4 and 10-2 (which I think is the ceiling for this team given all its offensive losses) is finding a good QB option.
If we don't have a QB that can threaten a defense in some way (with his legs or his arm) I don't think we can just rely on our running game to win games against the better teams on the schedule.
Like many, I am hopeful Orji can be that guy but we probably won't know until after the Texas game (which I think we lose unless it turns out we have real stud at QB).
February 17th, 2024 at 11:09 AM ^
Do you think Urban Meyer is going to cry again this year about the strength of schedule, or is he just going to pretend like there is nothing to see here?
February 17th, 2024 at 12:32 PM ^
He is guaranteed to be conspicuously quiet about The Ohio's schedule next yr.
They play a whole 5 teams who had winning records this year - Iowa, Oregon, PSU, NW, Mich.
Michigan will be playing 9 of their 12 games against teams that went to a bowl this yr.
February 17th, 2024 at 12:59 PM ^
And, only 3 of those 5 teams are any kind of a threat to have another good season in 2024.
February 17th, 2024 at 1:40 PM ^
Lets hope that = at least 3 losses for the fuckers pretending they haven't already been paying out $15mil for years.
Law of averages says PSU has to cash in a W at some point. They are on almost as bad of a streak as we had.
February 17th, 2024 at 11:26 AM ^
It is going to be great watching USC go 6-6.
February 17th, 2024 at 11:37 AM ^
Toilet paper soft schedule for the team that plays in a toilet
February 17th, 2024 at 12:00 PM ^
Typical Sparty with the shit schedule whereby they start 6-0 or so.
The two teams ahed of us don't play OSU so maybe we should be 1.
February 17th, 2024 at 2:15 PM ^
They go 6-0 and they’ll have wins over Maryland, Ohio State, and Oregon
February 17th, 2024 at 12:55 PM ^
It's like the B1G is fixing to favor a season for OSU a year after Michigan won it all the good-ole fashion way with talent and toughness.
If Sherrone can get Michigan to 10 wins with all the player departures, coaching changes and this schedule, then he needs to have a statue of himself outside of Michigan stadium.
February 17th, 2024 at 12:56 PM ^
OSU has a lot coming back and an easy schedule. I have a feeling they will lose a couple games, just a feeling. Johnny Utah ain’t walking through their door.
February 17th, 2024 at 1:34 PM ^
As long as they lose a game in the playoffs and to us the season would be a huge success. This year they are national champs or a letdown. If Day loses his job he can spend more time looking for Lou Holtz
February 17th, 2024 at 1:42 PM ^
OSU’s out of conference schedule is so bad 2023 Michigan is jealous.
February 17th, 2024 at 1:54 PM ^
At this point if you're in the B1G or the SEC you just have a really tough schedule.
Also, UM has the "problem" that they don't play themselves in conference, which inflates a couple of other schedules.
I do think people are overrating UW and Oregon a bit given the fact they're turning over decent chunks of their roster, particularly UW, and there's a good chance the replacement QBs they have will be worse than the QBs that just left. So they might not be as terrifying as they looked this year for stretches, particularly the Huskies.
February 17th, 2024 at 5:52 PM ^
IMO, that's not true about the SEC facing a really tough schedule until they go to 9 conference games.
February 17th, 2024 at 4:09 PM ^
In the words of the immortal statesman Dubya "bring it on"!!
February 17th, 2024 at 5:12 PM ^
Michigan football won't be undefeated in the regular season next year. I've already prepared myself for that.
But I'll continue to watch 2023 highlights of the national championship. That should get me through the inevitable loss(es).
February 17th, 2024 at 6:07 PM ^
But odds are we will make the 12 team playoffs, where the defense win championships.
February 18th, 2024 at 6:40 PM ^
This is a case where attempting to quantify the issue muddles it.
Ohio State supposedly has an easy schedule. A major reason for that is they play the three teams that the article projects to be the worst (IU, MSU and Purdue). But fi you’re OSU, there’s no functional difference between playing those three and playing, say, UCLA, Minnesota and Illinois (three middle-of-the-pack teams). They’re not losing to any of those teams anyway. If anything, spending home games on Purdue and IU is a waste.
Meanwhile, Ohio State has road games against 2 of the league’s top 4 teams. U-M has only one.