Michigan Football - 2025 Season.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Right now, Bard, Google's competitive response to OpenAI's ChatGPT are both AI systems in their infancy. I just started trying to understand emerging AI concepts last week. 60 Minutes ran a full program on Sunday that interviewed Googe's CEO, Pichai Sundararajan. I get the gist of what AI can do and it's limitations in the social media space. Beyond that small slice of AI's applications, what it can do beyond that is still being fully realized. Developers of this capability have called it the most significant technological advance in human history - a pretty big claim.

[Cody_Russell]

I’m thinking 11-1 regular season. Win the B10 championship game. Then hopefully Harbaugh gets over his recent playoff/ postseason slump. So over on the Vegas O/U at 10.5. Not as worried with at Nebraska because year 1 Matt Rhule teams haven’t been good. Maryland late in the season is a lucky draw because the Tagovailoa family tree of QBs are injury prone. It comes down to Penn State and Ohio State. Split those games and M should be fine barring one of those teams being elite/ undefeated. Then the CFB playoff could be interesting.

September is going to be VERY boring for Michigan. I used to like watching my college football team blowout lesser opponents. However, it’s very hard to keep track of the depth in the transfer portal era. The game against Hawaii last year was awful TV for example IMO. Adding on how that game was at night. Gross.

Yeah, I LOL'd when it said that Aiden Hutchinson and Josh Ross were going to be key players. I'd love to have Aiden back, but somehow, I don't think he'd agree to the pay cut. And the "other" Harbaugh, (John) wouldn't likely give up Josh Ross at this point. I think he'll stay with the Ravens.

ChatGPT showed some disrespect to Aidan Hutchinson there. He has to be up there as best Michigan player in the last several decades. Him and Woodson perhaps.

[Mike]

I think the season will play out just like last year. Both Michigan and Ohio State will be 11-0 for the third time in history. Rubber match!!

Agree 100% on the September games (sans Nebraska on the 30th). Once the playoff expands next year, what little quality remains in those September non-con games will evaporate completely and serve only as glorified scrimmages/pre-season games. We might try to trick ourselves into thinking games like Oklahoma - Michigan will be needed for SOS but they won't be. A boring 40 point win over Colorado St. will always of greater benefit on the resume than a competitive loss to a good team. I HOPE those games are played from a fan perspective but with conferences and the playoff both expanding there will be enough quality matchups every year, it'll just be backloaded.

Had an interesting conversation with an informed fan recently and he brought up the possibility that in the not-to-distant future the early season non-con games might just be scheduled by the conferences. If you've noticed, they are increasingly being run by TV executives. Even Notre Dame is replacing Swarbrick with a guy from NBC. The entire enterprise of CFB is predicated on live sports broadcasting and the subsequent TV revenue. I could definitely see a scenario where the Big Ten makes a deal with the MAC, for example, to send X # of teams per year to play 2 Big Ten teams each on some sort of rotating basis and the schools just play whoever is scheduled. Basically, just buy the tomato cans in bulk.

[Cody_Russell]

I just want to watch quality college football games in September. It’s the ultimate first world college football fan problem, but it’s so uninteresting to watch blowouts. Specifically with how a significant portion of backups will transfer portal out of the program. There’s hardly any point in getting to learn about the depth chart nowadays. I will give Sparty a rare compliment… very jealous how they get to play Washington. Hypothetically, I wish Michigan would be playing against Michael Penix Jr. and that tough Washington team in September for entertainment purposes.

Maybe it’s just me…. Nothing too exciting until later in the season. We can all lock in a comfortable 4-0 start for M.
Anyways… I was talking to my dad about M’s upcoming season. He’s been following M since the 70s. Quote: “If Michigan is going to win a title, it’s this season more than anything.” Go Blue!

[THE_WIZARD_]

We can all lock in a comfortable 4-0 start for M

Uh...5-0...

dumbass

[Tom W]

As much as I'm not a fan of CFB playoffs, the expansion to 12 teams should open the door for more interesting games in September.. Teams will have a margin for error- losing a game against a quality opponent in September isn't going to sink your title hopes.

[THE_WIZARD_]

EFZ

Look...the expanded playoff was inevitable...although I loved CFB of old...the bowl tie-ins...old conference rivalries...that day is long gone...the money is just too damn big not to do this. The CFB playoff is going to make March Madness look like chump change...

Not even sure conferences need to have a champ game anymore...but I'm sure they will...again...mula...

But there also are very good things...yes it should open the way for more interesting non-conference games in the future...it would be cool maybe in the future we dedicate one weekend to a B1G-SEC challenge weekend...like hoops does...seed them from 1-16 and have one weekend of a North-South "let's get ready to rumble"...weekend...let's face it...all you rebels are hungry for revenge against US Grant...aren't ya?

[Mike]

That's the conventional wisdom. I think conference expansion blows that up, though. For example, we'll now have Michigan going to L.A. to play USC next season and Texas - Alabama who are in the middle of a home-and-home will be in the same conference as well. The edition of those games works to negate the need for big name OOC clashes. My prediction is some of those games will be moved to September so the TV schedule isn't total crap early in the season. The 16-team "super conferences" will provide for inter-regional matchups among name brand schools.

Just the Big Ten and SEC will have:

Michigan
Ohio State
Penn State
USC
Nebraska
--------------
Wisconsin
Iowa
UCLA

Alabama
Georgia
LSU
Oklahoma
Texas
Texas A&M
Florida
Tennessee
---------------
Auburn

You survive a 12/13 game schedule through that just to get into a 12 team playoff where you might have to play 4 straight games against teams in the top 12 of the final regular season poll.

[Da Geezer]

I think the season will play out just like last year. Both Michigan and Ohio State will be 11-0 for the third time in history. Rubber match!!

Agree 100% on the September games (sans Nebraska on the 30th). Once the playoff expands next year, what little quality remains in those September non-con games will evaporate completely and serve only as glorified scrimmages/pre-season games. We might try to trick ourselves into thinking games like Oklahoma - Michigan will be needed for SOS but they won't be. A boring 40 point win over Colorado St. will always of greater benefit on the resume than a competitive loss to a good team. I HOPE those games are played from a fan perspective but with conferences and the playoff both expanding there will be enough quality matchups every year, it'll just be backloaded.

If the playoff system became able to reward challenging non-conference games rather than record alone, that would be great. I doubt that will happen. Let's just keep in mind that the last two years of UM football have been terrific, and have resulted in making the "final four". It is in UM's interest for the OSU game to be between two top-5 undefeated teams. Same for OSU.

Frankly, I enjoy easier games in September because I follow recruiting carefully, and I like to see some of the underclassmen and non-starters perform.

[lineygoblue]

As much as I'm not a fan of CFB playoffs, the expansion to 12 teams should open the door for more interesting games in September.. Teams will have a margin for error- losing a game against a quality opponent in September isn't going to sink your title hopes.

Teams are rarely punished for early season losses. That's been a historical procedure.

[THE_WIZARD_]

I wish someone would punish you early...

[lineygoblue]

I wish someone would punish you early...

You do that 24/7 buddy ...

[THE_WIZARD_]

Just checking pal...

Now go get me a Blimpy Burger...

[lineygoblue]

Fire up your tractor and lets go. Pick me up on the way.

[THE_WIZARD_]

No. Just order from Doordash...have them bring it here...I tip well...