Semi-Early Michigan Season Predictions
Written By: Jared Bouck (@MichiganBoyAA)
Can you feel it Michigan football fans? The season is almost here. In a little more then a month, 42 days to be exact, players donning the Maize and Blue, and Blue and Orange will lace up the cleats, put on the fitted helmets and kick-off what should be another great year, starting in Jerry's World. As the great Bob Ufer once said "football is a religion and Saturday is the holy day of obligation". Michigan is poised for a rebuilding year, according to national pundits, but I like the word "reload" much better. This team is going to be faster and stronger then any team we've seen in awhile, BUT, much like with every new team, we will have some growing pains. We're going to go through the schedule one by one and see if we can find them in this edition of early season predictions.
September 2nd, Florida
Here it is folks, game one, and it's not the sisters of the poor. This is our first chance to see all the progress and work these young kids have put on during the summer. Florida, much like us, is a very young team. This game is strength on strength, two powerhouses going at it on national TV. Expect to see a defensive slug fest in the first half, with Florida taking a 17-7 lead at halftime, showing their more experienced offense. Michigan adjust's just enough in the second half and scores 2 TD's in the 3rd, making it 21-17. Florida gets an early TD in the 4th to take the lead once more. But Michigan finds magic late as they score the final TD with 2 minutes left.
W-28-24
September 9th, Cincinnati
Luke Fickell will lead this team into the Big House, in his first season. Not exactly a good welcoming. I don't expect much from a team that went 4-8 last year, even though they did earn a nice win over Purdue. Expect this game to be over quickly.
W-45-13
September 16th, Air Force
This is the tricky one, a potential trap game before Big Ten play starts. Air Force runs the triple option, a very tough offense to stop in its own right, even harder when most of the defense is new. Expect some defensive frustration in the first half. I could see Air Force easily scoring 20+ on this Michigan defense. But expect the Michigan offense to make up for it in a big way.
W-41-27
September 23rd, Purdue
Jeff Brohm, oh boy, what did you get yourself into? I have a tremendous amount of respect for what Brohm was able to do at WKU, that being said, the B1G schedule makers did Purdue absolutely no favors as Brohm's first B1G game is Michigan. Hey at least you get them at home! All in all, it's Purdue. Don't expect much more then a little "first year confidence" and a tad bit more fight then usual. This should be an easy win for Michigan
W-48-7
October 7th, Michigan State
What an off-season for our rivals to the west, after an absolutely dismal 2016 season in which we saw the Spartans plateau at 3 wins and 9 losses. After allegations against players for issues that I won't get into, it seems that Mark Dantonio will hardly have a team to field this year. That being said, Michigan is the circled game on that green and white calendar in East Lansing. They are going to come at us with everything they have. After a close first half, expect to see Michigan's superior strength, speed and overall talent to show up as they start to pull away.
W-31-14
October 14th, Indiana
Indiana hasn't beaten a Michigan team since 1987, for those counting, that's 30 years. Indiana has given us some scares over the years, and some absolute instant classics, that won't happen this year. After a late season scandal that booted Kevin Wilson, Tom Allen took over and gave Utah the fight of their life in the bowl game, but let's be honest, Allen has an uphill climb in Bloomington, the defense should be stingy but lack of overall talent, and frankly coaching, is going to be tough to overcome. Michigan sails.
W-38-10
October 21st, Penn State
Oh boy, this is a big one. Last year, Penn State cruised to victories over Ohio State and Wisconsin and claimed A Big Ten Championship, something that has eluded the Wolverines since 2004. Michigan dismantled Penn State last year 49-10, after that game, the two teams went in two completely different directions, Michigan lost 2 games by the end of the season and Penn State rolled until an eventual loss to USC in the Rose Bowl. Don't expect a beat down like that this year. Happy Valley will be rocking for this white out game, this will be the Wolverines first real test in a hostile environment. This will be a great game, but Michigan is still too young. It will take everything in Penn States power to beat Michigan, but I think they get it done and hand a likely top 10 Wolverines team their first loss of the season.
L-27-24
October 28th, Rutgers
After a heartbreaking loss to Penn State, Michigan will have a chance to exercise some demons against the team we've all come to love, Rutgers. After a 78-0 skull dragging in last years game, Rutgers is going to want some revenge, but they're going to be disappointed. I don't think I need to say much else, it's Rutgers.
W-56-3
November 4th, Minnesota
P. J. Fleck, you've made quite a name for yourself good sir! After taking every Michigan fans second favorite team, Western Michigan, to one of the greatest seasons they've ever had, he finally gets his chance at the big boy table. I have tremendous respect for Minnesota and what they became under coach Kill and coach Claeys, I really hope to see that continue under coach Fleck, just not against Michigan. Minnesota should be a good team this year with maybe the best group of runningbacks in the Big Ten. The potential for another thriller like in 2015 is exciting, but shouldn't happen this year. Tough battle but Michigan pulls away late.
W-34-17
November 11th, Maryland
What a job coach Durkin has done at Maryland, it seems as though some of the Harbaugh magic has rubbed off on Durkin, he took Maryland from dumpster fire to average in just one year, will he make another jump in 2017? Only time will tell. This game is AT Maryland so that poses a bit of an advantage, but much like other teams on this list, overall talent and coaching leads to a rather easy win for Michigan.
W-41-17
November 18th, Wisconsin
Michigan and Wisconsin played an absolute instant classic last year, with Michigan winning 14-7 in a defensive slug fest of two heavy hitters, and I expect the exact same this year. This game scares me for many reasons, one of them being that I think Chryst is the most underrated coach in the Big Ten, another being Hornibrook. The freshman QB had his fair share of playing time last year and was above average for a first timer. I expect another year of development will make him one of the best in the Big Ten this year. Camp Randall is one of the toughest places in America to win a football game and much like the Penn State game, that might be a tad much for this still young Michigan team. I'm taking Wisconsin this year.
L-21-17
November 25th, Ohio State
This is it folks, The Game, the greatest rivalry in Sports. "That school up north" and "the suckeyes". Who doesn't love a good old fashioned rivalry like this? Hmm well us Michigan fans haven't been too keen on it for awhile now, and that's because Ohio State has had our number, period. I'm one of the 90% around America who believe last years game was an atrocity, and a shame to great college referees everywhere, the better team lost that day. But forget about all of that, it's a new year and two new teams, this is the game where everything is put on the line, hearts and dreams are left on that field, the two states stop for about 3 hours for the most glorious rivalry in sports. This is a home game for Michigan and you better believe they want revenge. Ohio State is Ohio State, they're elite. The great thing is, Michigan proves they can play with the best every year, and that's why Michigan finally gets its win against Ohio State, its first win in 6 years against the dreaded scarlet and grey. Michigan needs to fight "tooth and nail". For every yard Ohio State gets, Michigan needs to get two. No more interceptions, no more fumbles or bad mistakes, take the game out of the refs hands. Play better then the refs ref -Rich Eisen. Michigan will get this win, believe it.
W-34-31
At 10-2, does Michigan get into the B1G championship? Let me know what your predictions are for the season @MichiganBoyAA on twitter
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