Michigan Football, the 2020 Abbreviated COVID Season

[AlabamAlum]

On both sides of the ball? Defense, yeah, but he was the best player in the country on offense?

[lineygoblue]

My point was that he was the best player in the country because of the versatility he showed by making impact plays on both sides of the ball, and special teams. In every major game Michigan won that year, he made a play, or plays, that turned the tide to Michigan's favor. In the game vs OSU, he made plays on all three. Offense, special teams, and defense.

And before The Wizard roasts me, I mean no disrespect to the Nebraska '97 team. They were a great team, and they had a great coach. They certainly deserved NC consideration. I just believe that Michigan had more overall talent, and big play capability with Woodson around, and that would have made the difference.

Today, I would rather see Nebraska dominating the Western Big Ten than Wisconsin or Iowa. I hope they get there.

[AlabamAlum]

Ahh, when you said he was the best player on both sides of the ball, it sounded like you were saying he was the best player on offense and defense. Defense, no doubt. And I supported CW for Heisman, not because I thought he was slam dunk better than Peyton, but because, well, fuck Tennessee.

As far as M vs UNL, I would have loved to see it. If I had to pick a winner, probably the Huskers, but they had some bad games. It’s not like they were invincible.

[Hannibal]

Nebraska would have been a bad matchup for UM. ND did to Jim Hermann what Nebraska would have done 8 months earlier given the chance.

[WM Wolverine]

Should've been decided on the field, M's defense was too good to get blown out.

[iam416]

M would not have been blown out. Personally, I'd probably set it at UNL -2'. Their 1997 team was good, but it wasn't 1995.

Florida State was, IMO, the best team in the country that year. But, they were flummoxed by Spurrier in the Swamp. Having watched OSU at M and then OSU play FSU in the Sugar Bowl, I'd say FSU -7' in that game.

That was a year where the CFP could have produced an entirely different champion.

[Hannibal]

We would have beaten FSU. Great matchup for us.

[iam416]

I very much disagree.

[WingsFan]

Michigan defense would keep them from getting blown out (I should have said that). If memory serves me Wisconsin didn't have Ron Dayne ( RUNNING WILD!) for the Michigan game so they ran some option in Madison that year - Michigan had a lot of trouble with that and escaped with a 10 point win (?) . I remember thinking - oh boy just think what Nebraska would do if Michigan cant stop Whisky's option and the probably the best (at the time) RB out for the game ?

[Hannibal]

I very much disagree.

FSU was a perfect matchup for us. Our defense would have eaten Thad Busby (probably the worst starting QB of the decade for FSU unless you count Weinke's first year) for breakfast. Their running game was complete trash. FSU's late '90s strategy of relying on super athletic receivers to make big plays in the downfield passing game would have been a disaster for them. Barring one or two times when our DBs fell down, our DBs didn't get beaten downfield all year. Wasu had a better offense than FSU and we held them to 16 points. Not a single team passed the ball on us successfully that year. Our short passing game was a good counter for the pressure that they could apply on defense too. I would have taken UM in a straight up matchup, sight unseen. I thought that the Sugar Bowl wasn't as uncompetitive as the score indicates. OSU ground out 21 first downs but IIRC gave up lots of sacks.

Nebraska OTOH was a really bad matchup for us. I thought that this was slightly evident at the time and, in retrospect knowing how shitty Jim Hermann was, it would not have gone well.

[Hannibal]

Seriously, our pass defense that year was hellaciously good. 4.9 yards per attempt allowed. 5 TDs, 23 INTs, 42 sacks. It was unreal. We would have effing destroyed FSU's offense.

[iam416]

Yeah, I don't agree. Personally, I think the B10 was meh. M played mostly garbage. Their signature win (@PSU) hot hamblasted by Florida and their other best win (OSU) was hamblasted by Florida State.

I don't think FSU would have scored a bunch of points, but M's offense would have struggled to score 10.

[WingsFan]

Not sure where to post this - Rico Beard to partner with Mike Valenti on 97.1 The Ticket afternoon --- lmfao

4 hours of Michigan bashing by 2 Spartan slappies (both woke AF) (FWIW). Hard pass



Doesn't make a big difference to me, Rico is the only person who blocked me on twitter after a few spats (pre Covid 19) I haven't turned on the station in about 4 years. Just watched a few Valenti clips .... people never stop talking about him around here.




Note: im going to have to block any people who show theses clowns on twitter --- insufferable.

[WingsFan]

LLLLoyds best game by far is the 97 game @ Penn Sate, 47 players went on to the NFL from that game. Michigan really looked like the best team in the country that day of the unbeaten (on the road). That first play set the tone, then that devastating hit Taylor on the PSU RB was unbelievable. Woodson said it was the hardest hit he ever seen. Neither player played another down of football after and both became coaches later in life..

[lineygoblue]

I think the PSU player did return and play again, but Daydrion Taylor did not, and as you said, he never played again. When I saw that hit, I thought there was no way that at least one of them was not dead. It was the most vicious hit I've ever seen in a CFB game.

That game showed that Michigan was the best team in the country. They didn't get much respect nationwide for that win, because PSU went on and lost a few other games, but at the time, it was the most impressive Michigan road win I've ever seen. PSU never had a chance.