2019 Michigan Season Thread

[MrNubbz]

Huh?

That was posted earlier on 11 Warriors - don't act like you don't know them

[FearlessF]

who?

[MrNubbz]

Bug Eaters Place

[Brutus Buckeye]

That was posted earlier on 11 Warriors - don't act like you don't know them

I do know them and have an account, but I never post there because I don't particularly care for their format. 

The only exception is the lacrosse thread in the spring, where participation is low enough that I can stomach their awful format. 

I already knew about that guy from previous big Michigan losses. 

[Brutus Buckeye]

Although MGoBlog is often entertaining....

"I feel like we are cursed. OSU gets a 5 star QB transfer and he looks like Cam Newton. We get a 5 star QB transfer and he looks like Steven Threat. OSU hires Urban Freaking Meyer and he wins a NC. We hire Jim and he looks like he’s one step away from smearing shit on himself and living in a dumpster. DAMN IT!"

[MrNubbz]

I already knew about that guy from previous big Michigan losses.

It's very interesting the schadenfreude between Spartans/Wolverines - lots and lots of delicious smack hurled

[FearlessF]

also interesting that Brutus and Nubbz have the majority of posts here lately

[Brutus Buckeye]

Heh, okay. I'll go back to my corner. 

[847badgerfan]

While I wouldn't necessarily say that Michigan is at a crossroads (it isn't), I will say it seems to have an identity issue. Maybe it's just the fanbase - don't know - but it seems to come from the top on down.

The head coach likes to recruit high-ranking recruits, but is he recruiting to fit, or just to STARZ? He makes a lot of positive headlines, mostly in the offseason. He gets the STARZ, for sure, but where are the Mike Hart's and those types? Those kinds of guys were the backbone. Tough, dependable, loyal. It's not there right now.

So far this season, the headlines are not positive.

Ohio State is on another level, and it's looking more and more like that will be the case for the foreseeable future. It's up there with Bama, Clemson and Oklahoma. The Michigan fan base (and coaches??) seem to believe they should be on that same level. It's probably not happening.

Of course, I'm an outsider, so I don't fully understand the need to be like Ohio State. But, what I do understand is from the standpoint of my own school and how Minnie fans feel about catching up to UW. Yeah, they can win once in a while, but it's not going to be the norm any time soon.

Michigan's peers are Penn State, Michigan State, Wisconsin and Iowa. This is reality. Maybe just embrace this and accept that the elites can't be caught right now? Michigan can and will beat those teams, mostly on a regular basis. But it's not beating OSU with any regularity. It's just not.

Might be better for the soul to embrace this.

[medinabuckeye1]

2018/11/24  Alabama   52  -  Auburn    21 W  
2017/11/25  Alabama   14  -  Auburn    26 L  
2016/11/26  Alabama   30  -  Auburn    12 W  
2015/11/28  Alabama   29  -  Auburn    13 W  
2014/11/29  Alabama   55  -  Auburn    44 W  
2013/11/30  Alabama   28  -  Auburn    34 L  
2012/11/24  Alabama   49  -  Auburn     0 W  
2011/11/26  Alabama   42  -  Auburn    14 W  
2010/11/26  Alabama   27  -  Auburn    28 L  
2009/11/27  Alabama   26  -  Auburn    21 W  
2008/11/29  Alabama   36  -  Auburn     0 W  
If this is a somewhat comparable rivalry, Bama is 8-3 over the last 11.  It changes prior to that obviously.  Going 3-8 has to be marginal, but then Bama has been Bama.

Exactly, nobody at Auburn should have the torches and pitchforks out because they are 3-8 in the last 11 against Bama.  Against those 11 Bama teams, 3-8 isn't bad.  Sure, you want to beat your rival all the time but when your rival is going through what is probably the greatest extended run in all of college football history you can't reasonably expect to go .500 against them.  

[FearlessF]

agreed, but 3-8 is a heckuva lot better than 2-14 with what appears to be another loss coming in November

[medinabuckeye1]

Expectations and reality.

That is exactly the issue and here is a chart that illustrates it:

This is the YTD change in B1G Power Rankings.  Michigan started out essentially tied with Ohio State for first place at about 1.65 and they are now down to sixth place at 5.73.  It would be worse if not for #7 Maryland's loss to Temple and #8 Nebraska's loss to Colorado.  

In my own rankings, I started Michigan out at #2.  I expected them to be a contender and probably to win the B1G-E.  Maybe they'll turn things around but at this point I expect them to be eliminated from the B1G-E race before Ohio State comes to Ann Arbor.  

What I have seen from Michigan so far this year, in all three games is well below what I expected.  

[Cincydawg]

It is interesting to ponder whether some of this is cyclical, or a long term trend (Michigan and Tennessee).  It takes a while to really know obviously, and one very good coaching hire and flip the script (just as one bad one after Saban or Meyer or Sabo can do the same).

Giving up 62 in Columbus has to be considered, as well as that Wisconsin debacle.  Maybe Michigan has simply slipped, and now should be considered a program that will range from 8-5 to 10-3/11-2 at the top end.  (Tennessee has obviously slipped a lot further with no clear sign of getting back to even 8-5, which was a realistic expectation for them this season with their OOC slate.)

So, how do upper level recruits view this?  (I'd cross the Vols off my list, but Michigan might still be there.)

And who knows?  Maybe they right the ship this year and somehow end up 12-1 and a playoff team.  It's possible.  But not likely.  10-3 would not be a disaster for them.

[Brutus Buckeye]