Stewart Mandel's College Football Pickoff: Bowl Season
GATOR: No. 21 Mississippi State (8-4) vs. Michigan (7-5)
With the vultures waiting to swoop in on embattled Wolverines coach Rich Rodriguez, the circumstances seem ripe for him to make AD Dave Brandon's decision more difficult. With five weeks' rest, star quarterback Denard Robinson will flash his September form with a 200/200-type day. The Bulldogs will do ample damage to Michigan's porous defense, but lack the comparable big-play guys.
41
33
Also of note:
- He has the Big Ten going 3-5 (4-5 if you include Nebraska).
- Michigan is the only Big Ten team predicted to win on New Year's Day (1-4 record)
- He picks Auburn to beat Oregon (boo, I hate Auburn)
December 18th, 2010 at 9:55 AM ^
Not sure about the rest of his picks but I think he's got the Gator Bowl nailed. He sees it the same way I do.
Healthy Denard = September Denard = Cam who?
December 18th, 2010 at 10:41 AM ^
I fully expect the offense to destroy, and Denard to cement his position on Heisman watch 2011...
Defense will be better than it has been, but not good enough for a blow-out.
M by double digits... Bet the over...
December 18th, 2010 at 11:01 AM ^
Agreed. Mississippi State does not have anyone comparable to 'big play' Ray Vinopal.
December 18th, 2010 at 11:05 AM ^
December 18th, 2010 at 11:56 AM ^
The new bowl diet...goes well with the post lifting chocolate milk.
December 18th, 2010 at 10:49 AM ^
dunno why everyone is so sure Oregon's going to win, seeing that they struggled against Cam Newton Lite last year in the Rose Bowl.
December 18th, 2010 at 1:48 PM ^
I wouldn't even call him Cam Newton Lite. That's an insult to Cam Newton - they're nowhere close, IMO.
December 18th, 2010 at 10:50 AM ^
I love his comment in the WVU game notes... "Coach-in-Awkwardness Bill stewart..."
December 18th, 2010 at 10:52 AM ^
He has us with 41 points. That would imply either five TDs and two FGs, or six TDs and a missed PAT. I would guess he is figuring the former but I think we all know what the more likely scenario is. Either way we win - and get a new kicker for next year.
Happy New Year!
December 18th, 2010 at 11:57 AM ^
Six touchdowns (unconverted)
One field goal (it could happen!)
One safety (Mike Martin)
December 18th, 2010 at 10:56 AM ^
I think it will be in the high-20s, with one team passing the 30-point mark. I hope we are that team. A bowl win would be most excellent.
December 18th, 2010 at 11:38 AM ^
I really feel that the defense will benefit the most from this month to recover and prepare. Healthy Martin, stress free freshmen who have finished finals and are 100% focused on football, and time for RR to fix some of what is broken on the defense. Maybe GERG has spent a little time studying the 3-3-5 as well.
Go Blue!
December 18th, 2010 at 12:01 PM ^
Does anyone know how the lines usually play out for bowl games? I'm curious if lines are more or less accurate for bowl games than for other games? Generally, odds makers do a pretty good job.
December 18th, 2010 at 12:27 PM ^
No one score 41 points on MS during the season. Arkansas scored 38 in double OT.
Also, MS has played at least five teams considerable better than Michigan.
December 18th, 2010 at 3:02 PM ^
Being better doesn't always mean higher score. Having a bad defense often means that the opponent scores faster and as a result there are more possessions for your offence too. And of course Michigan has a fast tempo quick strike O so they will result in more possessions even compared to most equivalently good offences. And I dare say MS hasn't played anyone this season with quite the combination of fast offense and bad defense that Michigan has.
December 18th, 2010 at 12:30 PM ^
At 41 points I would have a hard time believing UM lost. Don't see how MSU will be able to keep up in a shoot out
December 18th, 2010 at 12:33 PM ^
Did you think Illinois could score 65?
December 18th, 2010 at 12:49 PM ^
Well that includes 3 overtimes, so its more like 45 points in regulation which is what I think Mandel makes his predictions with
I did think illinois would be able to stay with UM going into the game, thought it was very likely to come down to the last team to score would win. With the way UM's defense was playing, how last year's game went, and some tendencies UM was beginning to show on offense, I wouldn't have been surprised to see UI pull out the win.
December 18th, 2010 at 2:23 PM ^
You thought Illinois would be able to "stay with UM" going into that game? IIRC, the general consensus was that Illinois was a favorite going into that game and most people thought we would need to get lucky to stay with them.
December 19th, 2010 at 9:40 AM ^
I viewed it differently
December 18th, 2010 at 12:56 PM ^
I'd like to think that a win makes Brandon's decision easier (meaning he's leaning toward keeping RR.) The way Stewart writes it makes it sound like DB is leaning toward firing RichRod.
December 18th, 2010 at 2:44 PM ^
A lot of people are thinking that DB is firing RRod. I am not one of those people, and I hope we keep Rich. But there is a group of people including scout who feel like DB is going to fire Rich.
December 18th, 2010 at 3:31 PM ^
DB was leaning towards keeping RichRod, this weird "your job is not safe til Jan 2" business wouldn't be in the news. I really think it's 50/50 or against RR, but a convincing win would hopefully do a lot in the way of keeping RR here for at least one more year to see if this experiment can take us to the promised land.
Also, is anyone else happy Dan Mullen didn't get the FL job? That would have made a victory over MSU hollow as the coaching staff would have been in disarray, making a victory more easily dismissable. This way, it's just mano a mano football.
December 18th, 2010 at 1:54 PM ^
Only if our defense gets a couple stops. MSU hasn't let anyone put 41 on them.
December 18th, 2010 at 2:30 PM ^
...this is it. While I hope and pray that RR is here next year, he and his staff better make sure his kids are ready and hungry to win at all cost for him on Jan 1st. His job is depending on it. And it would be nice to see the D actually look like it knows what it's doing.
Go Blue