What result against Iowa would renew your confidence in the team, and/or your optimism for the season?
I was discussing the game with a colleague today, and he's full BPONE. However, he stated that if Michigan were to beat Iowa by 2 touchdowns on Saturday, then he would have renewed hope in the team.
So, what result against Iowa would restore your confidence and optimism in the team? I'm not now, and have never been, a pessimist. The Wisconsin result was shocking, but I believe in Coach Harbaugh and his ability to get this Michigan team back on a continual upward trajectory.
My confidence is steady. A ten point win on Saturday steels my resolve even more. If Michigan wins in blowout fashion (21+ points), I'm making plans for Indianapolis to exact revenge on the Badgers!
Go Blue!
October 4th, 2019 at 5:29 PM ^
100+ yard differential in Michigan's favor. No more than 1 turnover. Efficient days from the QB and run game. Putting up 27+ points, and winning by 10+ points. If all of this happens, I'll be excited for the chance to go into Happy Valley and get a monster road win there.
October 4th, 2019 at 7:24 PM ^
Not bad.
October 4th, 2019 at 9:12 PM ^
Winning 56 - 0 !!!!!!!!!!
October 4th, 2019 at 9:57 PM ^
I don't see why this can't happen. People keep talking about how good Iowa is but who have they really played yet? They barely beat Iowa St.
The above is possible and I would be happy with that as well.
October 4th, 2019 at 11:15 PM ^
Nearly everyone said the same thing about Wisconsin and Wisconsin rolled Michigan like a mid-major team. Michigan hasn't beaten a team with a pulse this season so far.
October 4th, 2019 at 5:29 PM ^
The only way to salvage the season is if we beat all remaining teams in such embarrassing fashion that they fire their coach immediately, a la Rutgers.
Barring that, I'm happy with any win, but I start to elevate my expectations for the team with a 14+ point margin of victory.
October 4th, 2019 at 5:48 PM ^
The post game press conference after we beat PSU in Happy Valley during the Whiteout will be better than him getting fired.
They'll have to beat OSU to overshadow that. Don't think beating MSU for only the 2nd time will cut it, unless MSU miraculously beats OSU tmrw and/or Wiscy the following week.
October 4th, 2019 at 5:51 PM ^
3rd time.
October 4th, 2019 at 7:34 PM ^
Would be nice
October 4th, 2019 at 10:13 PM ^
How embarrassing would a loss have to be for Iowa to fire Ferentz?
October 4th, 2019 at 5:30 PM ^
Just win!
October 4th, 2019 at 9:27 PM ^
316 to negative 8
October 4th, 2019 at 5:31 PM ^
Any non-fluke win. Iowa is a top 15 team that is going to play fundamentally sound, if bland, football. Win the game and it should be celebrated.
It's a little hard to say how good either team is right now. Michigan was handed a rough L and the computers think Iowa lost the game against Iowa State, the only halfway decent opponent they've faced.
We have two common opponents, which is wild this early in the season. Michigan is +71 and Iowa is +75 against MTSU and Rutgers.
Both teams have some talented guys, both teams have had some injuries. Should be a good one, but should be a Michigan win.
October 4th, 2019 at 5:37 PM ^
I agree with you that any comfortable win is a good sign that shows progression but I don't Iowa is a top 15 team. If Michigan truly has it in them to make a run at an actual championship and not just like a solid 9 win campaign its a team they should beat like 35-10 with the outcome not in double for most of the second half.
October 4th, 2019 at 5:43 PM ^
Don't know if the margin will get there, but I agree that Michigan should pull away, given the talent gap, home field, and supposed program aspirations. Heck a 31-17 game that never feels in doubt would make me feel great.
Honestly, Michigan should hold Iowa to less than ISU did. That would be a nice measuring stick for the defense to feel like they're capable of remaining a nationally good unit.
Hold Iowa to 17 or less and score 30 and I will feel amazing come Saturday evening.
October 4th, 2019 at 5:50 PM ^
I'm with you on the non-fluke win thing, but I wouldn't mind if we beat them so bad they fired Kirk Ferentz. With his buyout that'd be saying something. Let's get a streak going!
October 4th, 2019 at 6:17 PM ^
I can't even fathom what would have to happen tomorrow for that dude to get fired. Honestly Kirk would probably have to be caught on a hot mic saying the N word, and even then...50/50.
October 4th, 2019 at 6:38 PM ^
For the first time in recorded MgoHistory I'm actually more optimistic than you Dr. I think we're going to see the Michigan team we all expected when the season started.
Michigan 31 - Iowa 17
Onward.
October 4th, 2019 at 6:45 PM ^
Praise be to [deity redacted]! We're really doing this.
October 4th, 2019 at 9:06 PM ^
Who are you and what have you done with MGrowOld?
From your lips to God’s ears!
October 4th, 2019 at 9:10 PM ^
We're doomed!!
/s
October 4th, 2019 at 10:07 PM ^
I'm not sure how to feel about this.
October 5th, 2019 at 9:34 AM ^
MGrowOld is optimistic? I need to balance this obvious disruption in the space-time continuum:
Iowa 26 Michigan 24
October 4th, 2019 at 5:31 PM ^
Honestly a win period as I am not expecting Michigan to win this one.
October 4th, 2019 at 5:32 PM ^
No margin of victory or domination would make me feel comfortable until and unless we beat psu in happy valley in a couple weeks.
October 4th, 2019 at 5:32 PM ^
The problem with Harbaugh's regime so far isn't wins at home. I wouldn't be surprised if this is a 38-10 blow out tomorrow b/c Harbaugh has shown that he can win at home against teams not named OSU and MSU.
The problem with his tenure so far has been on the road. I've seen this movie before. We blow out Iowa, go to Illinois and get chewed up by their RB (ala Rutgers last year), people suspect some things might be off with the defense and team in general only to be brushed off as "aw shucks it's Illinois (or Rutgers/Indiana years prior)." Fast forward... big road test against a PSU/Wisky/OSU and boom. Blow out loss exposing all the weaknesses that have been highlighted by everyone and their mother on MGoBlog which the coaches did not care about/fix with their hubris.
October 4th, 2019 at 6:16 PM ^
I only wish to mention that I can guarantee we don't struggle because of not caring or hubris. If Harbaugh has so much Hubris, why did he turn the offense over to someone else?
You may not like it, but the simple reality is coaching is hard. It's hard to be elite. Maybe we aren't, but it's simply insulting to say what you have.
October 4th, 2019 at 6:24 PM ^
OSU last year was an example of a staff who did not do their hw especially judging by what the players were saying prior to the game. OSUs weakest defense in years and Michigan managed to make them look like the 2000 Ravens taking advantage of nothing. Then Harbaugh doubles down on it by suggesting that Michigan should be the favorite to win the big ten this year. Just dumb.
Glad Brown and Harbaugh finally got around to fixing the offense and crossing route issues but consider me skeptical until it’s done on the road. I think Iowa gets blown out tomorrow.
October 4th, 2019 at 6:54 PM ^
You're either missing the point or dodging it. I am not saying we have it figured out or that our coaches are elite, only that there are reasons for not winning championships other than laziness or hubris, despite those being fan favorites. It seems quite apparent to me that Harbaugh is neither lazy nor incapable of getting over his own ego.
October 4th, 2019 at 7:54 PM ^
I just gave you two examples of Harbaugh’s ego making Michigan the laughing stock of the country.
October 4th, 2019 at 9:50 PM ^
None.
October 4th, 2019 at 5:33 PM ^
Coming out strong and winning comfortably. If its not within a one score game after the first quarter I'll think maybe we can get to 10 wins.
October 4th, 2019 at 5:33 PM ^
Win the Game.
October 4th, 2019 at 5:34 PM ^
A win in any fashion makes me believe we will go 9-3 or better. A comfortable win makes me think a big ten title is a 25% possibility.
October 4th, 2019 at 5:35 PM ^
I would not be surprised at all if they win by two scores or more. That would be fantastic but my confidence would remain tempered until I see how they perform against Ped State on the road.
October 4th, 2019 at 5:36 PM ^
I just want to see a well played/called game. No stupid penalties, no wasted time outs, almost no wtf playcalls. The things we took for granted for so long. I'm not even sure that's enough to get the win but it would be a huge step in the right direction.
October 4th, 2019 at 5:36 PM ^
Just win and don't look sloppy. That's it. It could be a 2pt win, just look like you're getting things together. That's it.
October 4th, 2019 at 5:37 PM ^
As long as we win and don't look like a bunch of slapdicks in the process I'll be happy.
October 4th, 2019 at 5:37 PM ^
I watch football to be entertained. It's fun to win; it sucks to lose. I'll be happy if we win.
October 4th, 2019 at 5:39 PM ^
Competence. Properly executing a coherent game plan in all 3 phases.
October 4th, 2019 at 7:28 PM ^
Sounds good. Because Michigan hasn't looked like that since 2016.
The team really has missed a player like Jabrill Peppers. The defense moved like a beautiful unit that year. You could feel confident the defense was going to be great every week. The line got push against every team. Taco and Wormley were in the backfield all the time.
October 4th, 2019 at 5:44 PM ^
A non sludge fart win. A 28-17 win would feel pretty good I think. I’ve accepted we are not gonna win 11 games or win the B1G, even if we blow Iowa out. But I think we could go 9-3 and maybe 10-2, if we do that it means we had to of beat some quality teams along the way.
October 4th, 2019 at 5:45 PM ^
A win, i.e. grit.
Each of the position group showing some progress towards being what we thought they'd be. (Not necessarily perfect, just progress.) i.e. competence
No turnovers on the first drive, and no worse than -1 for the whole game. (Winning may be impossible without this.) i.e. not catastrophically unlucky
October 4th, 2019 at 5:48 PM ^
A win with no significant injuries.
Iowa is a tough, well coached team. A win over them is a good win.
October 4th, 2019 at 5:52 PM ^
Complete control of the game with one of playmakers having a career day.
October 4th, 2019 at 5:52 PM ^
Michigan executes the fumblerooski for a Mike Onwenu 50-yard TD. I want a fat guy touchdown goddam it!!
#GrapesInSpace
October 4th, 2019 at 5:53 PM ^
if we did to iowa what wisconsin did to us.
October 4th, 2019 at 5:53 PM ^
A win where it appears that the team is building continuity and consistency. Not perfect play, but evidence that players are progressing and the coaches have put together a solid game plan.
October 4th, 2019 at 5:54 PM ^
31-7
250 yards rushing
Game not based on Iowa dorfs.
October 4th, 2019 at 6:00 PM ^
Any win. Win the game.