Michigan 51, Colorado State 7 -- Post game Discussion Thread

[Hannibal]

Game #1 approacheth.

Colorado State is really bad. This is the first of three games in which I hope not to see the first stringers finish the game. They started off OK but then their defense took the last six games of the season off (giving up 470 ypg -- ouch).

They did put a scare into Iowa but this one really shouldn't be close. We've got pretty much the whole offense back so there shouldn't be a long ramp-up period for them. Defense has some big holes to fill but probably won't be tested here.

[iam416]

CSU is probably best of their OoC opponents….for this season AND next.

[AlabamAlum]

I would take M and give the points. It will be a 50-10 kinda game .

[lineygoblue]

Michigan historically starts slow. M will win, but I think it'll be somewhere in the 38-9 range. They won't break 50.

Everything I'm reading has McNamara hanging on to the QB position, but barely. That's not a bad thing. McNamara won't be at the Heisman ceremony, but he's a decent, servicable QB who doesn't often hurt his team with mistakes. That will likely get him the nod over JJ. McCarthy has made a good run at it, and will get snaps.

Ronnie Bell has been running full speed at WR and has looked good in practice. That's very good news. If he stays healthy, he could be one of the best WR's in the conference.

[THE_WIZARD_]

CSU could line up their best 22 players of all time and still lose by double digits to M.

[iam416]

M's OoC scheduling is unbelievably embarrassing. Again, this is probably the best OoC game they have for the NEXT TWO SEASONS. Though, I guess, that depends on whether or not ECU is a .500 team next year.

Bill Snyder is blushing a little at this shit.

[WM Wolverine]

This and next was supposed to be a series with UCLA I believe.

[AlabamAlum]

As long as your overall SoS is strong (read: the BigTen is strong), you’ll be okay.

[Hannibal]

Our SOS this year is pretty bad overall. Our in-conference schedule is pretty tough though. The B1G this year is looking brutal. I expect OSU, PSU, MSU, Iowa, Wisky, and maybe even Purdue, Minny, or Nebraska to be ranked. Depending on how schedules work out, we coild have 11 or 12 bowl teams. Even Illinois might not be an easy out now that Bert is in his second year fhere.

[Jeff Buchanan]

M football in the play-off era has a history of downplaying the importance of SoS - they are playing what amounts to a continuation of college football prior to the BCS. Chalk up wins and everything else takes care of itself is a persistent M football mantra.

Of course, none of us have any idea of what sort of messaging comes from the coaches and support staff but from the outside looking in it appears to me that in the case of arranging an OoC schedule that strengthens claims for a play-off berth in the post season on the basis of SoS isn't given a lot of weight.

I'd also add that the appearance that M's football program hasn't weaponized NIL or the portal to the extent of other teams that have obviously done that has impaired M's competitiveness v. those teams. That M's admissions department has arguably hamstrung JH's ability to sign recruits or transfers that can't meet what appear to be secretive and not well defined admissions standards - some of these being subjective issues of character involving qualifications for entrée Harbaugh has established himself - creates M football team rosters that are filled with players high on "character," transferable academic credits and, at the very least, higher GPAs than those established as NCAA standards. That begets a roster with comparatively lower levels of position dependent football skills.

Sure, I know that successful player recruiting that produces championship teams, advantaging NIL and the portal, involve a lot more than what M fans are typically criticized for - this M takes the highroad sort of thing when it comes to who gets to play for M and who doesn't. A lot more. So, for M's opponent's fan bases, all of this sounds like convenient excuse making when it comes to explaining outcomes like 2022's ass-hammering at the hands of UGA in the play-offs. Nonetheless, what I'm speaking about here is a factor and probably a bigger one than it is among the teams that have dominated the play-off scene for the last decade. .

[Obi-Jon]

Michigan wins 6-3 in 2OT. Players are so embarrassed they make the coaching staff wear Scott Frost masks during the following week's practices.

[lineygoblue]

harsh, but fair.

[Tom W]

Michigan wins 6-3 in 2OT. Players are so embarrassed they make the coaching staff wear Scott Frost masks during the following week's practices.

That's just dumb

[Obi-Jon]

Just place holding for Hanni until his standard 3-9 season prediction.

[froot loops]

Everything I've heard is the qb competition isn't much of a competition, the ball never touches the ground when McNamara is taking the reps. They are humoring McCarthy to keep him around.