Game 1 -- Middle Tennessee State at Michigan -- 7:30 PM August 31, 2019 -- BTN

[Hannibal]

The college football season is nigh. Not at all a fan of the night start. Did they sneak this in there or what?

We are favored by 31.5. MTSU is a good CUSA team so I was sort of surprised to see the line that high. But they are losing their QB and their running game was pretty unimpressive last year. Their FEI efficiency ratings last year were pretty good for a Sun Belt team. They ended up at 74. That's higher than Rutgers (107), Maryland (84), WMU (94), and SMU (97) so this isn't a terrible team. They have had winning seasons 6 out of the past 7, albeit hovering in the 8-6, 7-6 range most of the time.

Rivals ranks their last four classes at 75, unranked (>100), 79, and 84.

The line sounds about right to me but I think that we have a better chance of covering than not. We have had a lot of big blowouts in the Harbaugh era against bad teams.

[Jeff Buchanan]

....... I also read:

Last year: 8-6 (7-1 CUSA), lost to Appalachian State in the New Orleans Bowl 45-13.

Recap:

[Jeff Buchanan]

M has lost two likely starters to illness (CB, Ambry Thomas) and injury (RT, Andrew Stueber). Jaien Mayfield, who reportedly had a slight edge at the RT spot will probably get the start. Even though since Grant Newsome's injury, JH has required all OL to don knee braces. So, Stueber got injured wearing one of these. The braces are very good in protecting lateral and A/P mechanics types of knee injury. The do not protect well in twisting mechanics injury. So, that's what he has most likely. Those are usually MCL or LCL injuries, MCL injuries being more troublesome because they are attached to the Meniscus in the knee joint itself. Now you get to strain v. rupture. If it's a strain he'll get some treatment and return in 2-3 weeks. Partial Rupture in an athlete usually but not always requires surgery. Complete Rupture requires surgery. In the last two surgical circumstances, he'd be out for 4-6 months. My guess from the phrasing on the reported injury is a strain.

Who's backing up Thomas? From Mgo a week or so ago, It's Vincent Gray and Jalen-Kelley-Powell. In this same Mgo report, Thomas was reportedly back to Thomas weight and working out but not practicing with the team. Conditioning will be the issue. You can expect early opponents with Thomas out will test Gray or JKP. I seem to remember JKP getting torched a time or two last season when he was put in late in the game. That may or may not have been on him as Brown's back-end D requires a lot of communication between the Ss and CBs. But, more up-tempo offense requires more time on the field for the defense; depth and experience is an issue on the back-end. I can see some ugly pass defense things happening early in the season.

[Hannibal]

Yoder is reporting that Steuber is out for the season.

Mediocre CB recruiting will cost us this year and for another few years after that. OSU will eat us up, as usual.

[WM Wolverine]

Dax Hill is needed at corner with our inability to recruit them, wouldn't surprise to see him start at nickel... Losing Myles Sims hurt, he was a blue chipper.

[lineygoblue]

I think the night game opener is fine. If the temps are in the 80's as expected this time of year, the game will be better for the players after sundown.

Michigan will cover.

I hope Dylan gets some meaningful snaps, but not at the cost of any injury to Patterson. Got to get Shea out as soon as things are under control.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Yoder is reporting that Steuber is out for the season.

Mediocre CB recruiting will cost us this year and for another few years after that. OSU will eat us up, as usual.

I listened to Isaiah Hole's John Runyan Interview the second question was about Stueber. Just reading between the lines (Runyan's tone, facial expressions, wording) the injury seems to be pretty serious. OTH, Jansen's interview with Warriner was more positive about then nature of the injury -"hoping to have him back as soon as possible and he's already working toward that goal." That sounds like a non-surical injury to me.

Joel Honigford, projected as OG, has been practicing at OT since Steuber's injury. Ryan Hays, Trente Jones, Trevor Keenan are also available per Warriner.

I agree with Hanni on the CB situation. The issue on the back end has been as much of a defensive problem up front as a lack of the potential to develop shut down corners from the basket of CB recruits. There's been a few questions coming out of camp reports about Dwumfor's health and some kind of nagging injury that does not seem to be improving. Last season, when he played, he was not an overpowering force inside and neither was Carlo Kemp at DE. The inability to get any kind of pressure on opposing QBs late last season was a factor in exposing the CBs and Ss to the extent that they were exposed in Brown's defense. It will be interesting to see how Brown adjusts to that reality. There's been talk of playing Dax at CB but from what I can tell that's not going to happen as he's a S by build and skill set.

[*JD*]

Why would anyone follow Yoder?

[WM Wolverine]

Some people enjoy speculation/rumors reported as facts & second hand info passed as his own over reliable sourced information.

He's the buffoon who the the Athletic department called out and stated he has no ties to the university, athletic department.

[*JD*]

Some people enjoy speculation/rumors reported as facts & second hand info passed as his own over reliable sourced information.

He's the buffoon who the the Athletic department called out and stated he has no ties to the university, athletic department.

Yeah. He's pretty much a Twitter joke.

[THE_WIZARD_]

HARBAUGH!!!!! 45 mtsu 9

[iam416]

What happens in the final 3 quarters?

[AlabamAlum]

Take M and don't be scared of -31.5. This is easy money. MTSU is not a good team. M 47, MTSU 0.

[THE_WIZARD_]

Tainted...HARBAUGH!!!! will find mercy in his wretched soul and call off the dogs at the end of 1. They need to save themselves when the boys from West point come knocking the next week...

[lineygoblue]

Tainted...HARBAUGH!!!! will find mercy in his wretched soul and call off the dogs at the end of 1. They need to save themselves when the boys from West point come knocking the next week...

You have no say in this sir, .. until divine providence grants you the strength to sire a male child.

in other words ... stfu

wiz: hi!