About 60 days away on August 30 the Utah Utes will play the Michigan Wolverines in the Big House.
Records won't be in play yet. The teams will be 0-0.The Utes last year were 9-4(5-3)Michigan was 9-4(6-2). Michigan Stadium will likely be packed after last season ended on a good(not great) note after beating the Heisman winner Tim Tebow in Florida in the Capital One Bowl. Alot of things will change. No Mike Hart. No Chad Henne. No Mario Manningham. No Jake Long. No Lloyd Carr. And from what I here no Nike. A spread offense. But at least one thing will be the same. It's Opening day at Michigan Stadium. Last year's opening day was a shock, and an eye opener.
I predict this years opening day will be the opposite. It will likely be a solid defeat. I'll say because of the holes in the Michigan defense the score will be
Utah Michigan
27 38
Next game, Sept, 6. Miami(ohio).
This wont be as close. Miami only one 1 game outside of it's conference. Michigan's D will clamp down.
Miami(ohio) Michigan(2-0)
10 35
Two victories to start the season. Next is the big challenge. Notre Dame ended the season with 2 wins and has a great recruiting class. Jimmy Clausen might just start to develope this year.
I'll say Michigan wins but not quite as easy as it was last year.
Notre Dame Michigan(3-0)
24 28
So I've got Michigan Starting 3-0. Stay tuned for part 2,3, and 4.
TrueBlue, I hope you're right. Utes have a good program and will be shooting for the upset. Miami of Ohio should be no problem. ND will be a true measure of both teams and both coaches. If ND beats Michigan they are on the way back. If Michigan is 3-0 after ND then RR is making the right changes. Looking forward to your take on the only important game of the season, the Buckeyes.
I agree that Michigan will open 3-0. Utah will be the toughest of the 3 games. Considering the App. St. debacle last year and this is the first game of the RRod era, I expect Michigan to come out geeked up and take care of business versus the Utes.
When RRod was at WVU, he employed an unconventional 3-3-5 defense. Utah will not have any film to study with Michigan personnel. Even though RRod had some good players on the WVU 'D', he'll have even better players at Michigan to execute his schemes.
RRod was bemoaning a lack of toughness at Michigan this spring but he also did the same thing when he started at WVU. I think 5 Big Ten wins for the Wolverines is a reasonable prediction, especially playing difficult road games versus Penn State (I'm aware of the 9 straight wins versus the Nits; Michigan will lose to them eventually, possibly this year.) and Ohio State.
If we are prepared we can win, but if not...see last year.
ND game will be interesting, how far along will they have come since last years 3 wins season, but at the same time how far along have we come with our new system and coaches.
3-0 not a reach, but 2-1 quite possible.
Go Blue!
Last edited by DezzNutz on August 20th at 9:58 AM.
I think Notre Dame will beat you guys. I think the will be much improved. You guys will be running a new offense and I dont think it will go smoothly your first few games. I can't wait to see what you predict for the big game. Ive never been more sure Ohio State will beat Michigan in my entire life. Not that I'm trash talking but you guys lost alot of talent. Even with that talent Michigan couldn't get it done. Im anxious. Good luck.
I'm not sure you will have as good of a season as you think. It will take time before that offense clicks. I highly doubt it will be very efficient until another season or so. You don't have the right personnel to run the spread yet.
michigan will be alright! New system for offence? All new guys so nothing new on a new system--checkmate!....Defence will will be there.....and A NOT TOO EARLY PREDICTION-------OSU-24-MICH-31---- -------OUCH YOU BUCKNUTS!!!!
Honestly, I think Utah's odds would be higher at winning this game against Michigan if App State hadn't happened last year. I think you're right in that Michigan will come out hyped up and looking to win at all costs. I think Michigan would rather lose to OSU again than lose the season opener to Utah.
That being said, I wonder how Michigan players will adjust to a spread offense style of play. I am certain most of them were recruited with the mindset that they would play traditional Big 10 football and the spread offense is a significant adjustment from this style of play. Can RR get the offense to jive in time for the season opener? That is the HUGE question mark for me. I hope the don't because that will give Utah a chance at winning the game.
Utah's offense hinges on one thing - can Brian Johnson recover from shoulder surgery and build up his arm strength in time for this game? If he can, then he is capable of averaging 330 yards/game like he did his sophomore year. If he can't, then the game will come down to defense. I know Michigan's defense is in better shape than the offense. The same is true about Utah. So we could end up with a low scoring defensive battle with a final score similar to the last time these two teams competed in 2001, which was a 10 - 7 victory for Michigan ... not exactly a dominating performance for Michigan and a respectable loss for Utah.
Your crazy...new spead offense, overated coach, hard hit in graduation and defection of offensive lineman to Ohio State????????? You should be thankful Miami is on schedule...sorry Einstein...you'll be 1-2.. Go Bucks!!!!!!!!
I agree with Utes4ever that Utah will give us a tougher game than Notre Dame. The Irish are climbing back, and We've started a reloading era, so ND will play us tougher than the last 2 clobberings we gave them, but we should still beat them by at least 10.
I'll give us a TD over the Utes. 27-20.
Further, I don't think it'll be a whole season before we get used to the new offense. I'm looking forward to hopefully shutting up a few buckeyes in The Game. Keep in mind: for all of the offense we lost to the draft, and the no-name o-lineman we chased off to OSU, we have a really tough looking defense.
GO BLUE!!!
Last edited by krjones226 on July 21st at 11:09 PM.
youre not smart at all. utah isnt just a pushover d-II school like appalachian state. oops...er i mean, michigan will die by the hands of the utes. meow
You can win every game this year michigan . All tho i doubt it . But if you do you still will not beat us !!!! Jim will not lose to rich in there first go round . Osu wins big and then we role on to win the nc game !!!! O-H-I-O!!!!!!!
It is great to see MI fans have a "the glass is half full" attitude. Even if things had not changed as dramatically as they did, it would be a tough season for them. Now with the new system and key losses, they will start 1-2 (hopefully beating Miami). The Motor City Bowl will be a major accomplishment for this team.
My daughter went to WVU when RR was there. He's a great coach and doesn't deserve all the flack he's gotten since leaving West Virgina. Their administration is just simply not being honest. Michigan will be a power soon again BUT
Big Blue will go at least 10-2 maybe even 11-1, without a doubt RR knows the passing game very well and i think the new off. will pick up on it fairly quickly. And also a little prediction about the BIG GAME we'll beat ohio state by at least 10 points or more and they'll never see it coming.
I think a lot of "Critics" are forgetting that Michigan has been practicing the spread offense, RRod isn't going to just go out there half-assed. You can't say that they don't have the right personnel because when you get a different coaching style you have to train differently. They have been taught and trained for the spread, all they have to do is execute. I'm positive that almost every Michigan opponent is going to get caught off guard, and will loose to the Mighty Wolverines. OSU is going to be punished!!
3-0 sounds like a good start as far as all the hype about a new coach,new offense, ect I couldn't disagree more Michigan will possible drop 2 games. Michigan recruits top notch players on both sides of the ball and we all saw what they are capable of against florida. If anyone out there thinks that RR didn't give input in that game they are smoking a buck pipe
tisk tisk... Utah 25, Michigan 23..... mountain west once again underrated and overlooked.. im not saying michigan isnt good.. but look at the facts Utah gave away a LOT of penalties and still found a way to win... those mormons are ballin'. god must be on there side. (humor)
While one win a season does not make, Utah could well make a strong case for a BCS berth should they run the table. Good win by the Utes. It shows the Mountain West has greatly improved; even New Mexico is stronger. And this is coming from a WAC homer.
Love Michigan football. Carolina Panthers. UNC Basketball. Detroit Tigers/Red Sox. Actually I'm not a Tiger guy. My parents love them but my uncle(who i was close with) gave me a Sox hat for my 6th B-day. When I saw MY hat on TV. I guess that was the moment. I'd like to see more successful Tiger seasons but at least I've got the Red Sox to cheer me up(although they don't look too good).
I guess my story is Born in Michigan moved to North Carolina at 13 and saw first ever home panthers game. I loved them for some reason.
