#8 Michigan vs. #2 Alabama

[XFactah416]

Tough to bet against a Nick Saban prepared team.

I think Michigan gets stomped 31-10 in one of those early "statement" games. Maybe close at the half, like 17-7 or so.

[Yung Goat 404]

Quote: Originally Posted by XFactah416

Tough to bet against a Nick Saban prepared team. I think Michigan gets stomped 31-10 in one of those early "statement" games. Maybe close at the half, like 17-7 or so.

Exactly Saban has had to much time to prepare for Michigan. I think they will be ready and prepared to deal with Denard Robinson.

[justblaze09]

I know Alabama has a lot more depth and all, but I think y'all are forgetting that Michigan has two of the best coordinators in the nation. Yes it might be the homer in me, but I think y'all are really taking the "Saban has had too much time to prepare" overboard.

[lonewolf371]

Quote: Originally Posted by Yung Goat 404

Exactly Saban has had to much time to prepare for Michigan. I think they will be ready and prepared to deal with Denard Robinson.

It's hard to prepare for Denard no matter how much time you have. You can't simulate his speed in practice.

[fishepa]

I'm still trying to figure out how Michigan is ranked #8 other than a reason for the TV networks to take the hype to mass hysteria.

[fistofrage]

Quote: Originally Posted by lonewolf371

It's hard to prepare for Denard no matter how much time you have. You can't simulate his speed in practice.

You stop him by not overpersuing and keeing your lanes, make him make lateral moves so he can't get his straight line speed to kick in. Michigan State and VT held him in check last year and Alabam has twice the team speed. I think he's going to get hit early and often if the go out and try read options right off the bat. He'll have to show Bama he can throw the ball early or Michigan is going to get rolled.

[ImTellinTim]

Quote: Originally Posted by fishepa

I'm still trying to figure out how Michigan is ranked #8 other than a reason for the TV networks to take the hype to mass hysteria.

TV networks don't vote in the polls.

It's a combination of name, winning a BCS bowl last year, winning double digit games last year, and returning a lot of skill position players. All reasons preseason polls are rubbish.

[fistofrage]

Quote: Originally Posted by fishepa

I'm still trying to figure out how Michigan is ranked #8 other than a reason for the TV networks to take the hype to mass hysteria.

If you didn't watch them last year and saw they won 11 games and had a senior QB heisman candidate starting, you'd think it would make sense.

If you watched them play last year you'd realize they had a lucky horseshoe in their helmet or stuffed somewhere else. They only had 170 yards of total offense in the Sugar Bowl against VT and scored their TD's basically on Arm Punts that the WR came down with. If they get a few bad breaks this year, they could lose 4 games with their schedule.

But that said, I would say outside of the top 4, its really hard to say how everyone will do. But if you start in the top 10, you basically get a mulligan on an early loss.