Bowl Predictions

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/bowls/predictions

I'd be happy with that.

I can't see an undefeated season this season that would allow for any better of season than that prediction.

Then again, I don't think anyone thought we had a shot in Hell at a perfect season before the '97 season.

We'll see.

It's crazy how early bowl or season predictions come out now.....


2027 UM vs South Carolina - Outback Bowl


anyway, I would take the Rose Bowl this year but I really think UM at Nebraska is the deal breaker. Possibly another BCS bowl but not the Rose Bowl. Nebraska vs Wisconsin in the B1G championship. Wisconsin vs Oregon repeat in the Rose Bowl. That is my WAY TO EARLY PREDICTION (<--- notice all CAPS)

Who will be the QB at Wisconsin? I think Wisky is going to take a step back this year. Key losses at QB, OL and coaching staff.

Wisconsin almost has the same situation with their QB as Sparty does. They have a talented leader leaving but a talented, capable QB ready to move into that position (Budmayar). Yes the OL will be a setback and who knows what's going to happen with the new staff. The staff situation could go either way for them (see Michigan 2008 vs Michigan 2011).

While Wisconsin isn't the recruiting powerhouse that USC or Alabama is, they have guys in the program that they can plug in that fit their system well so they should be fine. (not to mention Ball is coming back)

I don't see anyone else ready to step up in the Leaders division and challenge them this year except maybe O$U but they have a lot of question marks too so that will really help Wisconsin get to the B1G championship game again this year.

JMO

Disagree though that Neb is going to be the div winner. Who do they have next year that they didn't havethis year on a good but not great team? I think its down to UM and MSU.

Wisc lost maybe the best QB in school history and was still beatable. Its wait and see if the new guy is anywhere near as good. Make no mistake Meyer will have OSU back. There's talent on that team and Miller will be much improved. If soomeone put a gun to my head right now I'd pick OSU, but Wisc certainly has a shot no question and gets OSU at home.

UM could and should be a better team this year than last and its record not be as good. Don't think we beat Bama and ND at ND is always a big problem even when UM is better which they are ths year. At OSU will be trouble too. Neb is tougher at home than on the road and MSU in Aa will be a crucial game.

As for bowl predictions come on!

Sad to say this but I see 8-4 next year. Losses to 'bama, ND, Nebraska, and suckeye. We may squeak out a game or two of those but unfortunately Michigan seems to blow a game that they should have won just to even things out. Unfortunately sparty could be one of those games this year, I also see NW as a potential stumbling block.

Of course I would absolutely love a 4-0 NC record but 2-2 is more likely (MAYBE 3-1).

2ndComing, I'm going with FBF on both ND and Nebr. ND will not have the level of talent returning which we do, and they will have all the pressure in the world to end the losing streak in their own stadium. (And we all know how well Kelly helps his players handle PRESSURE, eh?). Sure, as Wolverine Historian painfully points out, weird things happen to us in that stadium, but hell---if RICHROD could do it...

As for the Huskers, I agree with FBF's assessment of them as well, and want to add: if they are to challenge for any kind of title, within and without the Big Ten, their QB better (1) learn how to throw, period...or (2) be replaced. And at this point I doubt Pellini will replace T.M...who has, after all, very good speed (though I'm STILL chuckling at the TV commentator who claimed TM's faster than DR!). Even if they could bring up (or in, off the bench) a very good passer, NU doesn't really have the receivers to complement him, and even if they did---I can never envision Nebraska as a deadly passing team; somehow, that pattern just doesn't fit their image.

I'm expecting us to be 2-0 in those two...but will be the first to admit Nebraska at Lincoln will be NOTHING like the time we had with them at the 'House last year. (Even though I'm of two minds on that, too; look what they did to Sparty at Lincoln; then, look what they did(n't do) to NW there.)

flabluefan1 wrote:

Disagree though that Neb is going to be the div winner. Who do they have next year that they didn't havethis year on a good but not great team? I think its down to UM and MSU.

Wisc lost maybe the best QB in school history and was still beatable. Its wait and see if the new guy is anywhere near as good. Make no mistake Meyer will have OSU back. There's talent on that team and Miller will be much improved. If soomeone put a gun to my head right now I'd pick OSU, but Wisc certainly has a shot no question and gets OSU at home.

UM could and should be a better team this year than last and its record not be as good. Don't think we beat Bama and ND at ND is always a big problem even when UM is better which they are ths year. At OSU will be trouble too. Neb is tougher at home than on the road and MSU in Aa will be a crucial game.

As for bowl predictions come on!

Couple of things....

UM plays Neb on the road. You can guarantee Neb won't have a billion turn overs next time and you can guarantee they won't have epic special teams melt downs next year either. that alone makes the score much closer than last year.

Wiscy did lose a good QB but really his numbers weren't that great. Ball and White did most of their damage and when Russell did throw, it was mostly to Toon (who is now gone). From what I saw abraderis (sp?) was just as capable at WR and can be just as good as Toon and they have good TE too (pederson). So the new QB will have options like russell did but you can bet Ball and White will be the major part of their offense again. I do agree that OSU could easily win that division but at this point I have Wiscy.

UM's road play at nebraska will be for the division, period. We end sparty's run next year and Nebraska will be our only test to get to Indianapolis. I just think Neb will be too hard to beat. Of course give ask me again 3 or 4 games into the season and I may think otherwise.

Like Bo is see a slight digression. 9-3 with losses to Bama, ND and Neb. ND at south bend always worries me for some reason and it's not like the last few years we've dominated them. UM has won close games so I expect it to be close with ND getting a little luck of the irish.

I don't think we lose to OSU next year. Miller will be tough and his best target is gone and his OL has some depth issues. Granted we lose Martin and RVB but our secondary play should be greatly improved by that time next year and to beat a good, shifty QB like that you have to have a solid secondary.

JMO

Sandy, while I disagree (about Neb. and ND), I would like to set this out there: if, for whatever multitude of reasons, we DO go 9-3 in the regular season as you foresee---those are the three teams the losses to which would bother me the LEAST. Alabama because of their perennial talent, Nebraska because it would be like a home-and-home, home-team-take-all**, and ND because I know the streak has to end SOMEDAY...and where likelier than at South Bend at night?

Now I didn't say any of them (L's) would NOT bother me, damnit! I was just setting the "relative degree" thing in perspective (or trying to).


**-and because, from what I've read/heard, from U-M fans and players alike, the Husker fanbase is so classy.
(Our players also say that about the Cornhusker players themselves).

michmike- While it is very true that we have an absolute ton of talent returning this year there is one key point that you are over-looking. Both our O and D lines and going to be basically new. I'm not as worried about the D-line though. We will give up more yards on the ground this year, that is definite. In addition, I do not think that we put enough pressure on the QB, meaning our DB's will have to step-up. A few years ago I would have wrote the season off right there but our young guys are learning and actually have talent. I think that our D will be a minor amount worse statistically speaking but all in all, pretty serviceable.

What concerns me is the O-line. The O-line is the foundation for everything. We've all seen how Denard gets rattled under pressure and that isn't good. The O-line is also supposed to open up running lanes for RB's, tht concerns me. Fitz really showed promise last year but that was with a veteran O-line. I'm having flashbacks of '08 when Molk went down, please say it isn't so.


I'm not saying that we are bad on either line, we can hang with most teams, but can we last throughout the entire game? Can our O-line sustain a time-consuming drive? Can our D-line stop the other team when needed?

But to close on a positive note, always close on the positive, Gibbons seems very reliable. It was nice last year being able to watch a game and not hold your breath during an extra-point attempt. I also am holding onto my hope that we beat 'bama. Please note, I do not expect it but wow would that piss off sparty (and that is what I live to do)...

2ndComingOfBo wrote:

...We will give up more yards on the ground this year, that is definite...

Found this http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-footbl/stats/2011-2012/confldrs.html

Mich was 3rd in the B1G with 131 a game. If we do give up more on the ground lets hope it's not that big of slide.