USA Today has Michigan #3 for next year

Submitted by Maizen on

Surprised? Don’t be. There’s no reason to think Michigan won’t be capable of making this climb in the follow-up to Harbaugh’s successful debut. Another season in his unique system will yield an even stronger, deeper, tougher and more physical team, and one that will be right in the mix for the national championship.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/rankings/2016/01/12/projecting-college-footballs-top-25-teams-2016-clemson-alabama-michigan-baylor-florida-state/78659756/

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Maizen

January 12th, 2016 at 2:03 AM ^

I don't get what's so outrageous about it. Who is the B1G favorite? Iowa who got their ass beat by Stanford and beat no one last year? OSU who returns 6 starters total? MSU who loses practically their entire offense?

People have battered wife syndrom from the Hoke/Rich Rod years.

Jim fucking Harbaugh is here. We're back.

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Yooperwolverine

January 12th, 2016 at 5:05 PM ^

Dude, I'm a huge pessimist because of all the sports heartbreak I've endured, but this should be a playoff contending team next year. Basically everyone back on offense except for Rudock. Losing Rudock is big, but we have a plethora of options who've spent all year with Harbaugh. Plus the quarterback can ease into the job due to the easy schedule and the fact that everyone else around him will be so experienced. The D should be very good as long as we have capable linebackers.

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Btown Wolverine

January 12th, 2016 at 8:16 AM ^

I agree, but I'm still waiting until we see O'Korn (and the other QBs) in the spring game to buy into the top 5/playoff contender hype. Jake Rudock was amazing this year and we really have no current data on his replacement.

I think we're easily in the discussion for B1G favorite, though.

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Champeen

January 12th, 2016 at 8:24 AM ^

It is not at all.  I wrote a post in another thread stating why Michigan will finish top 5 next year.

In a nutshell, they will be undefeated and ranked top 5 heading into the @MSU game (as long as they beat Wiscy at home).  They will most likely be favored in that game.  They travel to Iowa which will also be tough, but Iowas success was more a byproduct of soft schedule this year than anything.  Still a tough game.  @OSU will be difficult - by then all their 5* and high 4* new starters will have chemistry.  Wish we had OSU early.

Anyway, not counting Bowl game and potential B10 Championship game, this is at MINIMUM a 2 loss team - probably 1 loss.

The DL we are returning is potentially the best in Michigan program HISTORY.  The OL, which turned out to be an above average unit, is returning 4 of 5 starters.  We return a Star studded secondary.  We are returning ALL recivers/TE's of importance. Same with RB.  Willie Korn already played a ton of successfull football at Houston, and has a full year practicing at Michigan under Harbaugh.

The ONLY worry is LB.  We go to a 4-2-5 - problem alleviated somewhat.

Its a 10-3 team that annhialated a divisional SEC champ that is returning almost everyone (most returning starters not only B10, but maybe the nation in P5 convferences?).  It does not take a damn rocket scientist to see this.

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Caesar

January 12th, 2016 at 6:42 AM ^

Michigan definitely has areas where things need to get figured out--QB, linebacker, one safety spot--but this is the schedule for it. 

The team will have 4 games against not-awesome opponents before things get a little more difficult against Wisconsin, and a few games later, a weakened Michigan State team. 

Aside from a gutted Ohio State that will get much better by the time Michigan plays them, who else is a real threat? 

 

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MGoStrength

January 12th, 2016 at 7:49 AM ^

I'm as excited as the next guy about next year's team, Harbaugh, and the future in general, but our offensive line is meh, our RBs are meh, and we're probably going to start a QB that has yet to complete a pass to a single pass to a UM WR.  And, if that's not the case, then we start a QB with a ton to prove.  And, don't assume we will go injury free all year.  It's almost a certainty that some significant starter will miss significant time if not be out for the year with an injury.  What if our QB is injured, Lewis, Peppers, etc? 

 

There's certainly reason for excitement, but let's keep expectations in check until it actually happens.  You're setting yourself up for disapointment and frustration.  We haven't beaten OSU in Columbus in 15 years.  Half of our board probably wasn't even old enough to remember it.  We haven't beaten MSU in EL in 8 years.  When is the last time UM beat Iowa on the road?  I know the conference re-alignment means they don't play as much, but I don't even know.

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Richard75

January 12th, 2016 at 8:06 AM ^

Have some faith!

Other teams have problems, too. We magnify ours because we're familiar with them. Sure, we haven't fared well in EL or Columbus in recent years, but how relevant is that history? How many times did we actually bring a competent team there?

We will this time—you can bank on that.



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MGoStrength

January 12th, 2016 at 6:48 PM ^

Agree that we magnify our own problems, but we also magnify our own potential because of our "insider" knowledge of recruits, practice buzz, etc.  For example, do you think anyone else is worried that Drake Harris or Lawrence Marshall had a bunch of practice buzz?  No, because neither one has seen a significant snap.  Now, we know they were highly rated recruits and we hear the buzz and think they will all of a sudden be great players over the course of one offseason, but the reality is that rarely happens.

 

In regards to recent history, of course it bears on futre liklihood of outcomes.  I agree I like our matchups in each game more than recent memory, but that doesn't mean we'll win.  I'd still put beating MSU at 50/50 and OSU at like 35/65, which means winning both is a pretty low probability.  I have faith we'll improve.  I am cautiously optimistic we'll win one.  I have very little faith we'll win both.  I'd guess this is a 10-2 regular season team if relatively healthy.  But, seriously, what if O'Korn, Lewis, or Peppers gets injured?  Heck what if O'Korn just turns out to be a turnover machine?  We're hinging an awful lot of our expectations on him being good. What if we don't get Gary, Henry declares, and Wormley gets injured?  These things happen.  We don't have the depth yet at a lot of positions and probably won't for another 2 more years.

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MichiganMAN47

January 12th, 2016 at 8:20 AM ^

Particularly when we were on offense. Running the ball as effectively as we did against what was deemed to be an elite defensive front was quite an accomplishment. We has a higher ypc than Alabama did, plus it seems like the offensive line may get even better because only Glasgow is lost. I would not be surprised if we find ourselves with an elite run game next year. Smith is a very tough running back when healthy. If we can have good linebacker and quarterback play, we will be tough to beat next year. We are looking at a floor of 9 wins and a ceiling of 15. .

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JTrain

January 12th, 2016 at 8:54 AM ^

I think we will have an excellent team this year. I am really curious to see how we look in 2017 thought. I think that will start to tell more of the tale. We lose a lot of seniors after this year. Hope our coaches can develop that Oline into a menacing group of maulers. I miss having a punishing running game.



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