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No way this coaching staff is looking past the number 13 team in the country.
I mentioned this before - the BIG is all whacky right now. Iowa does not play Michigan, MSU, PSU or OSU so not sure what pollsters will think when you don't play 3 of the Top 5 teams in the BIG. Northwestern does not have to play OSU or MSU. Wisconsin does not have to play Michigan, OSU, or MSU. Nebraska does not have to play OSU or Michigan. BIG is messy right now unfortunately. OSU and MSU have the easiest remaining schedule in the East.
As for Michigan playing NW - Jim H. will not look past Northwestern. I think Jim knows he can have a really special season and that does not mean just beating MSU, it means potentially winning a lot of games this season. I tell you what, if we keep playing the way we have been - consistently solid on D and inconsistently consistent on O, we will win about 9-10 games after all is said and done. I mentioned this in another post, Michigan is the only team in the BIG besides probably Iowa that has an established identity. MSU has been so inconsistent as has OSU. Northwestern did great this past weekend but almost lost the weekend before. On any given week a team can light it up but over the course of a season inconsistencies will catch up to you, so I am optimistic about Michigan this year.
As for Michigan playing NW - Jim H. will not look past Northwestern. I think Jim knows he can have a really special season and that does not mean just beating MSU, it means potentially winning a lot of games this season. I tell you what, if we keep playing the way we have been - consistently solid on D and inconsistently consistent on O
, we will win about 9-10 games after all is said and done. I mentioned this in another post, Michigan is the only team in the BIG besides probably Iowa that has an established identity. MSU has been so inconsistent as has OSU. Northwestern did great this past weekend but almost lost the weekend before. On any given week a team can light it up but over the course of a season inconsistencies will catch up to you, so I am optimistic about Michigan this year.It's not the coaches that you need to worry about. It's the players. Michigan's players will have a hard time fully respecting this NU team. They are coming off impressive performances vs. BYU and Md. So despite what the coaches are saying, the players feel pretty good about themselves. Many of the players were recruited by NU. Isaac, Chesson and Butt come to mind. All three of those kids were "above" going to NU once Michigan offered. It's just human nature. Nearly impossible to get young men with Michigan pedigrees to fully respect NU and its players. Then you have MSU next up, and that game is already on their minds. And don't forget that Jake destroyed this same NU team last year in Iowa City. He too has to be feeling pretty good about himself as the team approaches its "tune up" for MSU.I mentioned this before - the BIG is all whacky right now. Iowa does not play Michigan, MSU, PSU or OSU so not sure what pollsters will think when you don't play 3 of the Top 5 teams in the BIG. Northwestern does not have to play OSU or MSU. Wisconsin does not have to play Michigan, OSU, or MSU. Nebraska does not have to play OSU or Michigan. BIG is messy right now unfortunately. OSU and MSU have the easiest remaining schedule in the East.
As for Michigan playing NW - Jim H. will not look past Northwestern. I think Jim knows he can have a really special season and that does not mean just beating MSU, it means potentially winning a lot of games this season. I tell you what, if we keep playing the way we have been - consistently solid on D and inconsistently consistent on O
Harbaugh has done everything fans could ask of him in a very short time. Michigan is again playing Michigan football ... even though better days are still ahead of them. It's only a matter of time before the Harbaugh vs. Meyer games return the Michigan vs. OSU series to its rightful place as the game's most intense and consequential rivalry. Saturday will be a real test for Harbaugh and his players. The NU defense is for real. The offense struggling even more than what Wolverine fans have endured. You have the more experienced QB, and the more capable big play weapons. Advantage Michigan on offense, by a wide margin. Advantage Michigan on defense by a slim margin. Advantage NU if Michigan can't overcome the trap game nature of the day. NU is just good enough to take advantage of the opportunities that come vs. a team playing less than mentally sharp football.
GOUNUII
You NU guys play the "respect" card far too often. I'm pretty sure Harbaugh respects your squad and is preparing accordingly - he's not looking past you.
That way lies madness.
That way lies madness.
Hey toku ... you may want to read a post before responding next time. What I wrote clearly had nothing to do with Harbaugh's view of the game. Indeed, his biggest challenge this week will be getting his players to buy into his respect for NU's ability to play the game and win. If he can do that, there is absolutely no reason to believe Michigan won't get the W. If he can't, and it only takes a few key players to take matters for granted, NU is just good enough to make it a game where a break here or there could decide the game. Kinda like 2012, 2013 and 2014 where the key breaks went Michigan's way and were the reason they beat the Wildcats.
GOUNUII
I did catch that, thanks. But I don't care if our players consider your players pond scum or if they walk on water. The coach is the one who will give direction - not the players, and I have no doubt our coach respects your team and is planning accordingly.
And my opinion about respect (or rather the Cats' fan perception of disrespect) is lifted right from your board.
A coach's job is to provide motivation, etc. I don't think Jim is the kind of coach that is going to let his team look past anyone. Quite frankly Michigan players and coaches know that they have not won anything or any respect quite yet. Remember, since 2009 I think we have been 4-1 or better at least 6 times only to completely faceplant in the last 7 games. I can bet you Michigan will be prepared. If we lose the game to NW, it won't be because players were looking ahead or what have you, it will be because Northwestern will have out-executed us.
On the NW I am sure motivation is probably at an all time high when they should have gone the games against us the past 2 years but ended up somehow miraculously losing both, including one where Fitzpatrick took a time out without really needing one.
On the NW I am sure motivation is probably at an all time high when they should have gone the games against us the past 2 years but ended up somehow miraculously losing both, including one where Fitzpatrick took a time out without really needing one.
MSU plays @Rutgers, @Nebraska, @UM and @OSU. They have PSU, Maryland and Indiana at home.I mentioned this before - the BIG is all whacky right now. Iowa does not play Michigan, MSU, PSU or OSU so not sure what pollsters will think when you don't play 3 of the Top 5 teams in the BIG. Northwestern does not have to play OSU or MSU. Wisconsin does not have to play Michigan, OSU, or MSU. Nebraska does not have to play OSU or Michigan. BIG is messy right now unfortunately. OSU and MSU have the easiest remaining schedule in the East.
As for Michigan playing NW - Jim H. will not look past Northwestern. I think Jim knows he can have a really special season and that does not mean just beating MSU, it means potentially winning a lot of games this season. I tell you what, if we keep playing the way we have been - consistently solid on D and inconsistently consistent on O
UM plays @Minnesota, @Indiana, @PSU. They have NU, MSU, Rutgers and OSU at home.
Wanna trade schedules?
Eric - seriously at some point someone will, if not me, will call you out on all your nonsense. Look at the schedule again!!!
Let's took a look at the first 5 games first. Your premier game - Oregon, rest is crap. We have played BYU and Utah (ranked #1 by quite a few folks at Utah that too). Now you are telling me that playing Nebraska & Purdue is better then playing Northwestern & Minnesota? What alternate world do you live in? Nebraska sucks and Purdue is even worse. Northwestern is a Top 15 team in the country - yeah, you may want to check the rankings. Also, Minn until last week was ranked - granted they were overrated but I would argue that both Minn and NW are better then Purdue or Nebraska. I know you feel the need to justify everything your team does but the bottom line (and seriously look up remaining SOS from any site) is you guys have 2 tough games left on your slate and that's it. Michigan has to play #12, #4, and #1. You really want to have that arguement?
Also since I am in the mood to call you out - did you say Dantonio said "this is the best D I have ever had" - what happened to that complete utter nonsense you were spouting out? Your defense is AWESOME!!! World class actually! You also mentioned Narduzzi leaving won't matter - what happened to that comment? Seriously man, stop writing stuff for the sake of just defending your team - I love your passion about MSU but start looking at facts. Sparty may still very well end up going undefeated and/or beat Michigan but this team is not even close to being as good as they were last year, not even close.
So, playing at Nebraska, OSU and UM is an easier road than playing Northwestern, MSU and OSU at home? In the post of yours I responded to, you said OSU and MSU had the easier remaining schedules. Calling me out for saying I'd prefer to play our tough games at home instead of on the road? Ok. No where did I mentioned MSU's first five games.
Whatever floats your boat man.
Playing Nebraska on Pluto is still much easier then playing anyone anywhere. They are a terrible team.
And since you don't like looking at stats...I'll look at it for you...here you go!
Remaining SOS:
Northwestern - #42
Michigan - #52
MSU - #59
OSU - #62
Iowa - #65
But you are so right MSU has it so tough! Now go back to my original post and look at what I wrote - Michigan likely has the toughest test to move on versus anyone else.
And since you don't like looking at stats...I'll look at it for you...here you go!
Remaining SOS:
Northwestern - #42
Michigan - #52
MSU - #59
OSU - #62
Iowa - #65
But you are so right MSU has it so tough! Now go back to my original post and look at what I wrote - Michigan likely has the toughest test to move on versus anyone else.
Eric sounds like Mike Valenti. The only reason Michigan's defense has looked good is because they have not played a team with a good QB. Where as,
MSU's defense hasn't looked as good because they have played a number of teams with "power" offenses. The only power offense was Oregon, and their
QB played with a broken finger (which is probably why he missed a wide open receiver in the end zone to win the game). Oh, and Oregon's power offense
lost 62-20 to Utah.
Hmmm. You mean other than Northwestern. MSU's schedule is closer to um's than um's is to NU's. BTW, my issue is playing the big games on the road. All of um's marquee games are at home. All of MSU's are on the road. As for your take on Nebraska, hey, they may not be great, but they certainly aren't "terrible".
I don't remember saying any of that. What I did say is NU has had a tougher schedule than UM to date, and its D has performed just as well as UM's. Actaually, NU is the top scoring D in the nation. UM's is second. And the fact that NU's D has already shut down an extremely powerful Stanford O, an O similar to UM's, my guess is UM's O is held to under 14 points tomorrow.
