Into the wood-chipper we go - Michigan's 2018 schedule vs OSU, MSU & PSU
Yesterday Brian, Seth and the guys looked at whether we were "on track" and if we should be optimistic for 2018. The general consensus of the group was yes we were and that the team should be quite a bit better next year. What was not discussed, however, was our 2018 schedule and just how insanely brutal it really is. And when you compare it to our chief rivals (sorry Rutgers & Illinois you didnt make the cut) you see that while we might be much, much better as a team we also might not have a much better record than we do right now.
Take a look at what we've got next year vs the other teams on our side of the conference (as of this week's rankings)
Michigan | OSU | PSU | MSU |
@ #9 Notre Dame | @ #10 TCU | # 8 OSU | # 23 Northwestern |
@ #23 Northwestern | @ #12 PSU | # 5 Wisconsin | #8 OSU |
#5 Wisconsin | @#21 MSU | #21 MSU | @ #12 PSU |
@ #21 MSU | |||
#12 PSU | |||
@ #8 OSU |
I said it when it was announced and I'll say it again now, scheduling Notre Dame as an away game in 2018 was insane. We play (as of now) six ranked teams and four of them on the road. Compare that to PSU & MSU who only play two three ranked teams and get both of them at home.
Yikes.
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:10 AM ^
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:11 AM ^
November 22nd, 2017 at 7:09 PM ^
AND next year, AND every freaking year after that
We GOT this next year. Good to have ND early--that way we can benefit from their annual overrated status to begin the season.
Why you people worried about schedule? The schedule is the thing that will cement our CFP status, when we beat everybody!
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:13 AM ^
Looked at the damn chart for about 20 minutes for errors - couldnt find any.
You looked at it for about 3 seconds - found one.
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:21 AM ^
MSU and PSU also obviously play each other....
Also, Michigan is fringe Top 25 now and should improve next year. I'd say you could put MSU/OSU/PSU's games (especially PSU's road game; they have only won in Ann Arbor once in the past twenty years) against us as "tough" games.
November 22nd, 2017 at 5:48 PM ^
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:14 AM ^
Thanks Dave.
Hopefully Michigan figures out its road game and underdog funk before that.
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:14 AM ^
The Notre Dame game is courtesy of Warde - not Brandon.
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:25 AM ^
I know, but I'm still salty about having our two main rivals be on same scheduling.
Idk how much leeway Warde had in making the first leg of the home-home a home game for Michigan, so I'll cut him some slack especially since we ditched Arkansas for ND at the last minute.
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:42 AM ^
November 22nd, 2017 at 8:46 PM ^
Will be as good as they are this year. They're even more up and down than we are as a program
November 22nd, 2017 at 12:01 PM ^
I like Warde, but it still irritates me that we apparently had to rush headlong back into playing Notre Dame like we did. I really could do without it myself, but I suppose once in a while gets at most a "Whatever" from me. That they did this on the short track and with the sacrifice of some other games is perplexing, to say the least.
November 22nd, 2017 at 1:09 PM ^
and also having to pay Arkansas millions to cancel with them!
November 22nd, 2017 at 9:20 PM ^
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:10 AM ^
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:24 AM ^
If you can't solve it in 3 years, I'm not sure it will ever be solved by this staff
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:34 AM ^
November 22nd, 2017 at 1:39 PM ^
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:10 AM ^
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:24 AM ^
yes- somehow
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:12 AM ^
I demand an investigation!
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:16 AM ^
That baffles me as well. As two of the top four teams in the East Division, that is a crime that they don't play each other.
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:18 AM ^
I f'd up the chart. Now fixed - they do play each other.
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:18 AM ^
October 13th
November 22nd, 2017 at 1:25 PM ^
And none of our divisional rivals has to play Wisconsin. I hate the unbalanced schedule. As newly appointed Big Ten czar I am kicking out Rutgers, Maryland, Ped State, and Nebraska. We go back to ten teams and we play every single one of them every year.
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:12 AM ^
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:13 AM ^
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:16 AM ^
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:14 AM ^
I only included ranked teams
We're not ranked.
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:17 AM ^
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:22 AM ^
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:29 AM ^
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:39 AM ^
Should I then extrapolate which teams will turn bad as well? Because last time I checked we were all SURE MSU would suck big time this year what with all their personal losses and off-season upheaval. How'd that turn out?
I have a unpleasant prediction for you. If we lose Saturday (and I'm really hoping we dont) we wont be ranked at the end of this year and who knows where we'll start out next year.
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:45 AM ^
November 22nd, 2017 at 7:22 PM ^
we'll be next year.
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:12 AM ^
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:25 AM ^
totally agree- its the test
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:12 AM ^
November 22nd, 2017 at 12:56 PM ^
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:13 AM ^
What about MSU vs. PSU?
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:16 AM ^
Slowly but surely I will get it mostly right
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:26 AM ^
jeez you are paying for that error
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:30 AM ^
And one (the MSU/PSU miss) was pretty stupid on my part.
Take my lumps, fix the mistake and move on. The fact remains we have a BRUTAL 2018 schedule and far harder than the other three teams on our side of the bracket.
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:14 AM ^
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:14 AM ^
Ohio State is playing TCU in a neutral site (AT&T Stadium). Not a road game.
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:27 AM ^
with a new OSU QB
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:28 AM ^
TCU is In Ft. Worth. It's as close to a home game as a neutral site game can possibly be, that being said, the ticket allotment should be even.
November 22nd, 2017 at 12:09 PM ^
The ticket allotment is what matters.
It'll be split evenly and OSU fans travel very very well. If OSU beats us and has a great postseason, and TCU falters down the stretch this year, I could see there being more Buckeyes in that stadium.
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:15 AM ^
Include MSU v PSU.
Was Michigan not included on the schedule for the other teams because this is only looking at ranked teams? If so, bravo on the self trolling...
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:17 AM ^
It's unfortunately true. We're not ranked.