So, there have been a few threads lately on expectations for 2015. Seems like we have 2 discrete camps: the 7 and 8 win people (the "wait and see" crowd) and the 9 and 10 win people ("Jimmy will save us" crowd).... with a smattering of extremes on the 6 win and 11 win ends of the discussion.
Let's do some analysis here and get into some details. Here are the games I think most would say are >80% confidence in being comfortable wins: UNLV, Maryland, Oregon State, Rutgers, and Indiana. Oregon State is a Pac-12 team but they are plain awful. So, there are 5 "should wins" for Michigan.
That leaves Utah, BYU, Northwestern, Minny, and PSU in the next tier of "should be competitive". I think these are the games that we are mostly likely to see mental lapses and off games. We know what Utah did to us at home last year. BYU smacked Texas (granted... not vintage Texas but still...) at Texas. Northwestern, Minny, and PSU have always been a challenge in recent years. Minny will be improved. Northwestern always gives us Fitz (yea... couldn't resist).... and so does PSU. Personally, I think we lose to Utah (first game out of the chute with a new QB on the road will be tough) and 1 of the other 4. I know many think this is 5 wins.... which I don't see happening. So, that's 8-2 for me.
For sparty and bucknuts- being at home- I think we will beat one but not both. We just don't have the firepower yet.... especially on offense. We were actually much more competitive with the nuts than sparty under Hoke. So, I will go with the "win of the 21st century" against the nuts. That win will negate the bucknuts' ability to go to the CFB playoff. Jimmy carried off the field.
9-3.
Let's do some analysis here and get into some details. Here are the games I think most would say are >80% confidence in being comfortable wins: UNLV, Maryland, Oregon State, Rutgers, and Indiana. Oregon State is a Pac-12 team but they are plain awful. So, there are 5 "should wins" for Michigan.
That leaves Utah, BYU, Northwestern, Minny, and PSU in the next tier of "should be competitive". I think these are the games that we are mostly likely to see mental lapses and off games. We know what Utah did to us at home last year. BYU smacked Texas (granted... not vintage Texas but still...) at Texas. Northwestern, Minny, and PSU have always been a challenge in recent years. Minny will be improved. Northwestern always gives us Fitz (yea... couldn't resist).... and so does PSU. Personally, I think we lose to Utah (first game out of the chute with a new QB on the road will be tough) and 1 of the other 4. I know many think this is 5 wins.... which I don't see happening. So, that's 8-2 for me.
For sparty and bucknuts- being at home- I think we will beat one but not both. We just don't have the firepower yet.... especially on offense. We were actually much more competitive with the nuts than sparty under Hoke. So, I will go with the "win of the 21st century" against the nuts. That win will negate the bucknuts' ability to go to the CFB playoff. Jimmy carried off the field.
9-3.
