This season has great potential. Tate Forcier has a year of experience under his belt, and Denard Robinson advanced in the system throughout last season. The defense received a massive retooling with a strong secondary coming in with this freshman class, not to mention Will Campbell, the monster defensive tackle from Cass Tech that spent last year developing as a freshman and Jibreel Black, who is said to be a Brandon Graham clone.
I doubt Rich Rodriguez hands out a lot of red-shirts this season. He needs players and he needs to win. His pretty three year contract is expiring, and unless he performs exceptionally, I doubt Michigan offers him an extension. So expect to see Rich Rod throw everything (including that kitchen sink) at every game. He needs to prove he can win in the Big Ten now, and he needs all the skill players he has to do so.
Now let’s look at the schedule. Opening at home against Connecticut should be a win, but do not overlook them. They played a tough game against Notre Dame last season that they won. Michigan beat Notre Dame as well, but it was a tight game. UConn is no pushover, but the dedication game should go well for the Maize and Blue. Home games against Massachusetts and Bowling Green should not prove difficult hurdles, nor should the game against Indiana in Bloomington. Playing the Fighting Illini in Ann Arbor is the edge the Wolverines will use to pull past Illinois, and with that, I can see those five games as marks in the win column.
Like most fans, I can make a good case for winning the remaining seven games, even Ohio State in Columbus. Realistically, Notre Dame in South Bend and Michigan State and Iowa at home are games that should be won. It will be Notre Dame’s second game under Brian Kelly, with a new quarterback, their top receiver gone, and a bunch of Charlie Weis’ players with a coach they may or may not have bought into yet. Assuming that’s true, that would make Michigan 7 – 0 to start the season (Illinois is after Penn State in Happy Valley), or 6 – 1 if they do drop one of the three between Notre Dame, MSU and Iowa. That start could be the motivation to beat the Nittany Lions in their house, but I’m not counting on it. JoePa puts solid team on the field year in and year out, and Happy Valley isn’t the friendliest of environments. Back-to-back-to-back games against Purdue in West Lafayette and Wisconsin at the Big House then traveling to the Horseshoe to finish the season is not to the Wolverines favor. Purdue is the weakest of the three teams, but they’ll be at home. Wisconsin is a stronger team, but that wraps up the home season for the Maize and Blue. Ohio State is, well, Ohio State. Records don’t really matter in that game. Unfortunately, it is in Columbus, but that won’t stop the Wolverines from putting out their best effort. Looking at those last three games, I can see one for sure win (not that I’d say which one that win would be), maybe two, but three is a long shot. That puts our Wolverines sitting at 9 and 3 (10 and 2 if they eke out that second win in the home stretch) and a bowl game. Assuming a strong bowl showing (preferably a win), I can see Rich Rodriguez getting at least one more season after this. Go Blue!
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