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M Football 2011-A Football Night To Remember-M 35,ND 31

By Andy Andersen

At first it looked like AD David Brandon had set up the Wolverines to fail on the biggest possible stage, in prime time, under the newly installed lights.  Before over 114,840 energized spectators,  at home, and with ESPN’s game day on the premises.   It looked like the Coach Hoke “honeymoon” was about to end, and worse yet, the team was going to do something it had not done the two prior years.  Get dominated and lose to the Irish.

In the end, as you know, the first night football game at Michigan Stadium ended in such spectacular fashion that even the pre-game honoree, Desmond Howard could appreciate being honored before the game.  Desmond became the first player in Michigan history named a “Michigan Football Legend”.  His spectacular game winning, 4th down, 4th quarter lay out TD reception of an Elvis Grbac desperation pass against ND, happened twenty years ago.

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M Football 2011-Broncos Busted In Storm Shortened Opener- M 34-Western Michigan 10

By Andy Andersen

Brady Hoke’s debut as the Head Football Coach of the Michigan Wolverines was twice interrupted by thunderstorms and heavy rains.  There were also some uncooperative Western Michigan Broncos when the game was on, at least  in the first half.

During the second lightening delay, the  threat of strong winds, hail, much lightening, and cloudbursts, extended the game delay until 7:30 PM.  Before that, the game was cancelled at 1:27 of the third quarter, at 7:10PM.  How about 137 degrees F on the field at the start of the game?

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A football game had never been cancelled previously in Wolverine history.  It was unbearably hot on the field, and stands, for most of the game, until the rains came.  The score at the time of cancellation was 34 to 10, and became the final.  There is no question that cancelation was the appropriate thing to do, for team and fans.

The Broncos were a tough nut to crack in the first half.  They led 7-0 at the end of the first quarter.  It seemed that maybe Michigan’s defense was as inept as last year’s defense.  In the end that did not prove to be true.

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Anytime, Anywhere? Appalachian State will return to the Big House

From the Appalachian State Athletic Web Page:

While the Appalachian State University football team garnered three NCAA Div I FCS national championships between 2005 and 2007 – and upset the University of Michigan in 2007 – Mountaineer athletics has more to brag about than just its gridiron success.

The Michigan Wolverines will attempt to avenge their 34-32 loss at the Big House in the 2007 season opener by scheduling a return visit by Appalachian State to open the 2014 season.

It makes perfect sense. Michigan fans are itching for a rematch to clean the bitter aftertaste of the last meeting between the Wolverines and the Mountaineers. Appalachian State is in line for a big payday and a chance to show the world that the 2007 game wasn’t a fluke.

But I wish it wasn’t happening- at least not in Ann Arbor.

Imagine that when Michigan AD David Brandon called down to the Boone, North Carolina his counterpart had declined a return visit to Ann Arbor but instead issued a challenge for the Wolverines a play a game at Kidd Brewer Stadium (max capacity 31, 000) .

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M Football 2011-The Proof Is In The Winning

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Another football season is fast looming larger for the Wolverines, their 132nd.

Another new season, repleat with new coaches, new defensive and offensive schemes, and to compound the imponderables, it is also the advent of the now split in two twelve team Big Ten with Legends and Leaders  divisions, a championship title game, and a new adversary in the formidable Nebraska Huskers.

Obviously first year Head Coach Brady Hoke faces real challenges in his first go round as the head Wolverine football cheese.  Serious challenges.  Recent Swiss cheese Wolverine defenses were aggravated by recruiting defiencies which in turn diminished the defensive talent pool.  This, with other problems, resulted in a last place defensive finish in the team’s previous season. There was a problem implementing schemes, and inexperience.  Special team debacles were at times a catastrophe.

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2011 University of Michigan Football Season Predictions

Yeah, it’s me, the “basketball guy”, back for more.  It’s time for my annual attempt to predict how the University of Michigan’s football season is going to go.

I’ve been quite good at it for the last 3 seasons, during the ill-fated Rodriguez Era.  I correctly predicted 11 of the 12 results last season, all except the opening UConn win.  Many people haven’t liked my predictions, but they’re just predictions, not what I want to happen.  I would love for UM to go 13-0 every season, but that’s not the way it looks, yet.  I’m expecting the offense to be slightly less productive than last season, and the defense to be significantly less embarrassing.  Special teams?  Who knows…

Here are my predictions for the 2011 season:

 

Date Opponent W/L Record Comments
09/03 Western Michigan Win 1-0 Other than that unfortunate Toledo game in 2008, Michigan has always beaten MAC teams.  This WMU team is nothing special.  A nice first win for Hoke.
09/10 Notre Dame Win 2-0 This is the first home night game in Michiganhistory, and the team will deliver a big win in a close game.
09/17 Eastern Michigan Win 3-0 Eastern isn’t even as good as WMU.  No contest.
09/24 San Diego State Win 4-0 An intriguing matchup, since Hoke coached SDSU last year.  It could be a tough game, but UM should prevail.
10/01 Minnesota Win 5-0 (1-0) Minnesota will be better than they were last season, but not good enough to beat Michiganin the Big House.
10/08 at Northwestern Win 6-0 (2-0) After 5 home games in a row, UM hits the road. This will be a tough, hard-fought win.
10/16 at Michigan State Loss 6-1 (2-1) Yikes! It’s going to be tough to lose to MSU for the 4th year in a row.  It’s hard to win on the road in the Big Ten.
10/22 Bye The bye week comes at a good time, after 2 tough road games in a row.
10/29 Purdue Win 7-1 (3-1) Purdue has been slipping the last couple seasons. UM beat them at their place last season, and they should beat them inAnn Arbor this season.
11/05 Iowa Loss 7-2 (3-2) Back to earth for UM. With a 7-1 record and a decent ranking in the polls, people will be talking about a Big Ten Divisional (Legends) Championship before this game.  I’m afraid thatIowa is just too tough.
11/12 at Illinois Win 8-2 (4-2) This will be an emotional game, after last season’s triple-overtime thriller. Illinois wants this one bad, but UM wants it even more.
11/19 Nebraska Loss 8-3 (4-3) Sure, Michigan has playedNebraska before, but this is their first Big Ten meeting.  It’s a huge game, but Nebraska is just too good.  Nebraskawill probably win this game, the Legends division, and maybe the Big Ten title game.
11/26 Ohio State Win 9-3 (5-3) Finally, after losing to the (cheating) Buckeyes way too many times recently,Michigan has the team and the attitude to win. It won’t be easy.

 

That should be good enough for 3rd place in the Legends division of the Big Ten, and a good New Year’s Day bowl game.

It’s possible that UM might beat MSU or Iowa, but I doubt it.

It’s also possible that UM could lose to Ohio State, but I think we’re due.  They could also lose the Notre Dame game, but that seems less likely.