Perhaps the BEST B1G Forum anywhere, here at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

Time to start this. Durkin's Canada's kids come to the Big House to face the Big Ten's #5 offense (27 nationally) and #1 defense (4 nationally) in S&P+. For its own sake, Maryland brings the #8 offense (76) and #10 defense (50).
The opening spread was something like 17.5, which seemed right.

Unreal. Michigan is getting shafted. They need to just present this information and raise hell with the B1G offices and Delaney and hopefully it starts to change.

As for this game. I am thinking it will be a lot like Northwestern unfortunately. Closer and uglier than it should be with Michigan pulling a tight one out of their asses.

As Einstein is quoted as saying, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

All we've seen from Harbaugh on offense is doing more of the same and hoping the results will be better. Sticking with the same OL line-up. Playing bad players like Sean McKeon or Jon Runyan Jr instead of more talented younger players. Not making needed personnel changes. Calling the same terrible offensive plays. Trying to force a run game inside that isn't there. Throwing it only 22 times a game on average.

Pretty obvious. The guy is insane.

Barely throwing it against Western, SMU, and Nebraska and not benching the tackles for all 3 games was a huge mistake. Huge. Perfect opportunity to work out the kinks in the passing game and try new personnel. Wasted opportunity really.

OSU fan site The Ozone nailed it once again in their weekly Michigan Monday column. https://theozone.net/2018/10/michigan-monday-northwestern/

"It also means that Jim Harbaugh missed an opportunity to work out the kinks with the passing game. They threw the ball just 18 times against both Western Michigan and SMU, which isn’t how you get chemistry going with your quarterback and receivers (tight ends).
That chemistry was missing against Northwestern and would have definitely come in handy in the red zone.

When Michigan hosts Maryland on Saturday, it will mark 23 months since the Wolverines last put up 500 yards of total offense. That’s a span of 22 games without hitting 500 yards. Brady Hoke’s longest stretch was 11 games — and those just happened to be the final 11 games of his Michigan coaching career. Even Rich Rodriguez’s streak was “only” 18 such games.

With Michigan’s defense, it’s not like they need to put up 500 yards of total offense on average, but with their defense, why not be more open to it?
Jim Harbaugh doesn’t have to protect his defense like they are constantly on the brink. They are the brink.
This offense could be so much more, and because Harbaugh doesn’t want it to be, this program will always be limited.
Chase Winovich and Devin Bush aren’t going to be here forever. Don’t waste ’em."

I agree the passing game is behind schedule though. So far, I've been OK with that in the interest of getting the OL and running game right. And I think that's working. But at some point a developing offense does have to try for prolific. It's a hard step. They won't get there this year. But Harbaugh does have to prep the program to be the type that gets more than zero 500 yard games per year. The defense doesn't require it. Balance does. Back-up plans do.

sounding like Rashan Gary and Chris Evans will sit this one out.

Also, Harbaugh says freshman Michael Barrett has been moved from Viper/LB on defense to Wide Receiver on offense. Compared him to a guy he coached in San Fransisco- Anquan Boldin.

edit: speaking of Boldin....didn't realize this but the guy has 1,076 catches for over 13,700 yards and 82 TD's. Dang. Lots of receivers in the NFL Hall of Fame with numbers that don't approach that.

OSU fan site The Ozone nailed it once again in their weekly Michigan Monday column. https://theozone.net/2018/10/michigan-monday-northwestern/

Some Quotes I loved:
Comparing Northwestern's early lead to a horror movie - 
"Then the insane asylum has a breakout and the rest of the movie is Chase Winovich murdering dudes with a pick axe."
Talking about concerns for M*ch*g*n's other road games - 
"(I would also list the road trip to Rutgers here, but we all know that you throw the records out in rivalry games.)"

Who is gonna spend more time bellyaching about the Zebras? McwTerps? Or Michigan fans? 

A. WHAT IT'S NOT

• It's absurd to think Delany or his office has anything to do with it, imo. 
• And the odds that it is random chance are also low, given how extreme of an outlier it is (and how this outlier is not in the same direction as the other data would indicate/predict for great DLs).

B. WHAT IT COULD BE

• A symptom of some nuanced structural detail of Michigan's defense (would appear plausible but somewhat unlikely since 2014 until now spans three different defenses -- Mattison's, Durkin's and Brown's)
• An enduring consequence of Harbaugh having such bad sideline etiquette in 2015 and 2016 (caveats: 2014 wouldn't be expected to fit this then) (clarification: this idea wouldn't be about cheating but about a bias or distaste that refs - perhaps accidentally - can't shake)
• AND/OR something no one has thought of yet