Less than a week before the season and no prediction thread?

[Killian]

This place must be fucking dying. Anyway, I'll get it started:

Aug 31 TEMPLE - Notre Dame should be able to sleep walk through this game. Hopefully they shake off the rust quickly and establish some sort of running attack between Atkinson, Carlisle, McDaniel and Bryant.

Sep 7 @ Michigan – Yes, this game is under the lights. But Gardner hasn’t played well against good teams, and the new players on the interior of UofM’s line will have trouble with Louis Nix. Toussaint’s first real action after a leg injury and the loss of their #2 WR won’t help matters. I think ND will win another close, low scoring game. 2-0.

Sep 14 @ Purdue – Purdue gave ND a scare last year; I don’t think they will this year. 3-0.

Sep 21 MSU – MSU is a disaster on offense, but they have a very good defense. I think ND will score enough to win this game. 4-0.

Sep 28 OKLAHOMA – OU is starting a rFR QB because the Bell-dozer can’t hit water if he fell out of a fucking boat, and their front 7 doesn’t seem to have the firepower it once did, but they are still OU and whatever magic spell ND has over OU won’t last forever. Rees also struggles against athletic defenses, and I think OU will pull this one out in the end. 4-1

Oct 5 ASU – ASU has a bunch of returning players including those who formed a pretty explosive offense last year. This one will be high scoring, but ND will pull it out in the 4th. 5-1

Oct 12 USC – USC is starting to get hit by the sanctions. Marquise Lee is dangerous, but can anyone get him the ball? I think ND will beat USC at home for the first time since 2001. 6-1

Oct 26 @ Air Force – The first of two straight option teams, they don’t have the size to compete with ND. 7-1

Nov 2 NAVY – See above. 8-1

Nov 9 @ Pitt – Pitt should have won this game last year, and Rees has struggled against this team his entire career. If there was a “step on your dick game” left for Tommy Rees in his Notre Dame career, this is it. Toss up, but I’ll go with the win. 9-1

Nov 23 BYU – Bronco always has his team ready to play ND, and with a good defense, they will give the Irish fits. Do they have anything on offense? This was Rees’s lone game he played start to finish, and he didn’t play well. Hopefully the defense will limit BYU and the rushing game will have found its rhythm. 10-1

Nov 30 @ Stanford – BCS game will be at stake for both teams, possibly the difference between the Rose Bowl, and playing a week later for Stanford. ND will be playing for a guaranteed birth in possibly the Sugar (awesome ). Stanford still has the tail end of Harbaugh’s classes that loaded up on the lines. Last year’s game was one of the most fun games I have watched in a long time. I think this one will be similar, but Rees can’t make plays with his legs like Golson so Stanford will pull away in the 4th. 10-2

This season completely depends on how Tommy Rees takes care of the football. If he can play smart, limit his turnovers and not make situations worse, ND should have a season similar to the one I described above. If he is the same as he was in 2011, ND will be an 8-4 team with losses to ASU and UofM.

[Left Seater]

Do any of you really care about RICE? Unlikely, but here it is anyway.

8/31 @ATM - Johnny Cash likely doesn't play and after the first qtr it doesn't matter. ATM wins big. 0-1

9/14 Kansas - Toss up, but look for Kansas to win late. 0-2

9/21 Cougar High (Reliant) - Another toss up, I see this as a late loss as well. 0-3

9/28 FAU - Big win for the Owls for the first win of the season. 1-3.

10/5 @Tulsa - The winner likely wins the west div of C-USA. I think this is a close game and could go either way. The fact that it is in Tulsa likely is the difference and Tulsa pulls out a late win. 1-4.

10/12 @UTSA - This was a close game last year till the 4th qtr when we pulled away. Similar this season. UTSA will be a force in C-USA shortly but not this season. 2-4.

10/19 @New Mexico St - Easy win for the Owls. 3-4.

10/26 UTEP - Close for a half before RICE puts it away in the 2nd. 4-4.

10/31 @ North Texas - Trap game for sure after a short week, (Thurs) night game. Owls should win, but with only one practice day who knows. 5-4.

11/16 LA Tech - Another toss up. But hopefully RICE learned from a few of the early season losses and pulls this one out at home, but I just don't see it. 5-5.

11/21 @UAB - Yet another short week with one practice day. The should win this one as well. 6-5.

11/30 Tulane - Pretty easy home win to wrap the season. If they slip along the way, say in one of the short week Thurs games, this can help them get to .500 and another bowl berth. 7-5.

RICE has a shot at the C-USA title game if they can upset Tulsa. Most will write them off when they see the early 1-3 record, but they get a much easier finishing schedule. 6-6 on the low end to possibly 8-4 on the high end.

[Shoalzie]

The Notre Dame game would be the only potential loss leading up to the State game at the beginning of November. They'll survive without Ryan for the start of the season but like I said, the Irish pose the biggest threat in the early going. Revenge will be on their minds but it is at the Big House again. I'll say they lose two games out of the Michigan State, Nebraska and Ohio State games. They'll mix in a third loss in there which could be against Notre Dame, the game in Happy Valley could be tricky and you can't overlook that game in Evanston.

I see a 9-3 season...a lot of new faces on both sides of the ball. I've got a pretty good level of trust in Gardner. I'd feel a lot different had he not had the games last year to get his feet wet. This team can stop running gadget players for Shoelace and play "Michigan football (TM)". I'm trying really hard to not take the bait on the hype machine with some of the youth and I want to see this team actually perform. Ohio State will win the B1G...to me, everyone else is playing for second place.

[Goober McTuber]

Badgers' OOC schedule is an embarrassment as usual. Big 10 schedule does not include Nebraska or either of the Michigan schools tOSU is the major test. People are going to be surprised by the defense.

BTW, Gary Andersen's Utah State team covered the spread each of the first 11 weeks last year. They were favored by about 41 in the season finale, and only won by 36. That tells me that he has his team ready to play every week. This team should go 11-1.

[WolverineSteve]

Michigan wasn't as good as their record two seasons ago or as bad as it's record last year. Year three of Hokemania is still a work in progress. The transition to a pro style offense won't be complete for another year or two when the whole roster will be Hoke's, complete with great depth on the line, and blue chippers at all the skill positions. That said, this could be an interesting year.

-Central Michigan....w
-Notre Dame....tough game, under the lights. My tailgate will be open for business by noon. Michigan's defense will force turnovers and Gardner will do just enough.....w
-Akron...w
-@UCONN...big road test ...w
-Minnesota (homecoming)...w
-@Penn St....will the Nits feel the sanctions yet? Tough place to win but Michigan has always played well in Sandusky Gulch......w
-Indiana...they've got a cute little program going, too soon though...w
-@MSU...tough one. The first of two straight trips to E.L. (thanks to realignment). there is no scenario that would allow me to pick Sparty. The team that rushes better almost always wins this one. It's gonna be a squeaker....w
-Nebraska...second game of a tough three game stretch. The division title will be won on this day. Nobody wants to see Nebraska in that game after last years gang rape in Indy...w
-@Northwestern...Fitz and his squad are getting the darling treatment since beating an SEC team in a low level bowl game. Excuse me if I don't get caught up in the hype. They do play tough and that offense is a pain in the ass. They had the game against Michigan in the bag last year before snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Everybody has NW in this one. Not I....w
-@Iowa...all I know about Iowa is that Jon is a pussy...w
-OHIO...the first of back to backs as both teams will have clinched their respective divisions. Some say this weakens "The Game". Will Urban and Hoke give their all, show their best, open the entire playbook to win "The Game" before "The CC Game"? You bet your ass! There is no lack of ego on the visitors sideline. Urban would love nothing more than to pimp slap Michigan twice in seven days. for his part, Hoke would love nothing more than to continue his undefeated home game streak against the hated bucks. Can Mattison formulate a plan to contain Miller, this is the game that vaults stars to Heisman winners. I smell overtime. Michigan in a classic....w.

Big Ten Championship Game....sure victory against anyone not named Ohio. If it goes as planned and there is a rematch from the week before it's hard to see anyone beating Ohio two weeks in a row. If you can only win one or the other I'd prefer this one, though I'll be at the 11/30 clash. Like the Sparty game, I cannot pick Michigan to lose against Ohio, so...w.

As Marcus Allen told me all these predictions are best case scenarios with regard to injuries. Since we all know they happen and teenagers do dumb shit like fumble punts, throw into triple coverage, whiff on blocks, commit dumb penalties, etc., there will likely be a couple losses. Conventional wisdom from "pundits" has them coming from the Neb, Sparty, NW, or Ohio's on the slate with PSU and ND being honorable mention. I like UM going into EL undefeated and that game being the catalyst for the rest of the year. A loss there will linger where I think a win sets them up for a B10 title run.

[Screw_Michigan]

Why would you guys play Ohio U the last week of the season?

[WolverineSteve]

Why would you guys play Ohio U the last week of the season?

Twice no less.

[L45B]

Mark it down.

Ohio State will win the MNC (in Week 3).

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Michigan State:

Western Michigan, W 31-6
South Florida, W 24-10
Youngstown St, W 41 - 3
@ Notre Dame, L 13-20
@ Iowa, W 19-10
Indiana, W 28-24
Purdue, W 21-10
@ Illinois, W 26 - 6
Michigan, W 17-14
@ Nebraska, L 21-24
@ Northwestern, L 19-22
Minnesota, W 31-14

9-3 (6-2)

I'm not sure MSU is a 9-3 team, but they have a 9-3 schedule. No OSU. No Wisky. No PSU. Get Michigan at home. I think they will be 7-1, or worse case 6-2, heading into the UofM game.

I think there's a decent chance the game @ Nebraska is the de-facto championship game for the division (in large part because NU also has a favorable schedule), and if that's the case, I like Nebraska to win the game and the division, for the right to get cunt punted by OSU. The 'Skers simply have MSU's number, and the game is on the road, where they laid the wood to a pretty good MSU team in 2011. MSU will get them eventually, but I don't think it will happen this year.

Defensively, MSU should be about as good, if not slightly better, than last year.

Offense is still a huge question mark right now, pretty much across the board. The good news is there are a ton of returning starters back, but who the hell knows how much improvement those guys make. Conventional wisdom says they'll be improved, but by how much is uncertain. I think the most promising thing at this point is that the offensive line is finally healthy entering the season. Injuries up front was one of the biggest issues last year. Just running out different patchwork o-lines for every game, the offense could never get into any sort of flow. I'll say this though, MSU really only needs marginal improvement on offense to be good this year. If they can find a way to ascend from god awful to just average, then they'll be fine. The defense should keep them in every game.

[Goober McTuber]

Badgers' OOC schedule is an embarrassment as usual.

You mean Wisconsin is in the SEC now?

Over the next several years we've scheduled games with Alabama and LSU. We'll probably add Auburn to soften the impact.

[Carr Guy]

Great topic guys!! Here is how I see Michigan's season shaking out...

VS CMU W 52-10
VS NOTRE DAME L 24-27
VS AKRON W 44-7
AT CONN W 32-17
VS MINN W 38-10
AT PENN ST W 24-17
VS INDIANA W 38-14
AT SPARTY W 28-13
VS NEBRASKA W 28-27
AT NWESTERN W 23-20
AT IOWA 35-3
VS OHIO W 27-23

11-1

B1G CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: WIN OVER OHIO 35-24

ROSE BOWL: WIN OVER OREGON 38 - 35

As you can tell I'm pretty high on my Wolverines this year.

I just think Devon Gardner is going to have a year like Braxton Miller had last year and the defense is going to be STOUT. The Notre Dame game will be tricky because they have a strong front 7 and I'm not sure we'll be quite ready enough for them that early. But we've got them at home, so who knows!! NO WAY we're losing to Sparty or Ohio this year. Not gonna happen. The days of losing to Sparty are OVAH. They have no offense and their defense is overrated. Gardner will roll them up. Ohio is not nearly as good as people think. Yeah they went 12-0 but they needed all kinds of luck to do that. Won't get those same fortunes this year.

3 days!! GO BLUE!!!

[L45B]

^ Get ready for a lot of disappointment. I heard your five star running back's been hitting the buffet... errrrr... the weight room pretty hard. So much that he could play o-line? Good luck.

[WolverineSteve]

^ Get ready for a lot of disappointment. I heard your five star running back's been hitting the buffet... errrrr... the weight room pretty hard. So much that he could play o-line? Good luck.

He is a bit porky but he'll trim down. I doubt his optimism was based on a true Frosh RB.

not to mention...there's another 5* coming behind him.
http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.s ... cart_river

[Dinsdale]

OK, I'll play.

8/31 vs Nicholls. I thought Nicholls was making the jump to 1-A ball... guess not. A "FCS" (still can't get used to the new nomenclature) team against the #3 ranked "FBS." Yeah, that should be a good one. Whole bunch of scrubs are going to play snaps, which is nice in Week 1. Just a matter of how Thomas Tyner's ankle is feeling, since I have a feeling Helfrich wants to fire a shot across the bow of the CFB world, and say "you thought LaMike and Kenjon were good? Check out the Oregon Boy."

9/7 @ Virginia. Better-than-average OOC roadie. Virginia hasn't been too bad the last couplefew years... Oregon has been extremely good. I think UVA hangs for 1-2 quarters, then the lack of depth chasing the high octane offense gets to them, and the scrubs run up the score on them. 2-0.

9/14 vs Tennessee. First, huge props to the Vols for not doing the SEC thing (go fuck yourself, Georgia). I'm sure Slive is quite pissed off they're getting on a croos-country flight. Tenn has been getting better... but not good enough. It'll be every bit the beating QQMF laid on them at their house, and then some. That'll make it 4-2 against the SEC in the last decade or so. 3-0

9/28 vs...


KAL!!!!! Let's see... a bye, then a cupcake at Autzen. Am I missing something here? Duh'O will deal Kal one of their 7 losses on the way to Kal's 12th straight MNC. Lots of freshmen get in on this one. Great start to open the PAC season. 4-0

10/5 @ Colorado. The score will be a Mile High by halftime. Enough keystrokes on this one. 5-0

10/12 @ Those People. The onetime archrival has now become the Archbitch. While Sark has made big improvement, he hasn't made enough. There will be more fights in the stands (started by Those People) than points on the scoreboard, but both numbers will be huge. This will make it 10 straight over the Fuskies. Stupid fucking retards will probably still do The Wave the whole time 6-0.

10/19 vs Wazzu. I think the last time Wazzu beat Oregon, Reagan was president and Rypien was QB... OK, maybe not, but close. I think the Cougs will be too obsessed with their Fat Little Girfriends to do anything but Coug It from the opening kick. 7-0

10/26 - vs UCLA. A program on the rise. Will be the toughest test to date, and UCLA is decent on both sides of the ball. In the end, their D will get gassed, and the Ducks pull away by a couple of tuddies or so. 8-0

11/7 @ Stanford. So, anyone planning on watching this Thursday Night Extravaganza? Unfortunately for Furd, they got stuck with the tough game at home on a thursday night. Gonna be one knock down, drag out clash of styles. Last season, Tree's roided-up LB's were just too much. I don't see Helf letting that happen again. Like most Stanford/Oregon matchups of late, the first 3.5 quarters are just for show, and it's won in the last 7 minutes... by Oregon. 9-0

Utah, Zona, Beavs? Puhleez.

PAC12 Championship vs I don't give a shit. UCLA, USC... come to Eugene on a Friday night and see what happens. 13-0


tOSU runs their laughable schedule, and TPTB find a way to fuck the Most Fucked Team of the BCS Era out of a shot.

Rose Bowl it is. 14-0, since no one in that joke of a conference is going to hang.

[Python]

the Most Fucked Team of the BCS Era out of a shot.

Yep, extreme SEC bias has kept Oregon out of the BCS title game for the last few...wait...ahh crap. Scratch that. Just win.

[Dinsdale]

Just win.

Or lose 2 games and still go?

[Python]

Or get into the NCG, lose and claim your team always gets screwed over?

[Dinsdale]

If ever there was a time for LSU fan to STFU (and what time isn't?), THIS would be it.

[Python]

Or you could just stop whining about your team. And quit losing to Auburn, Stanford. And quit worrying about the SEC. Yeah, that would be good.

[Mikey]

Guys, guys. This is all moot because Oregon won't be making it out of the Pac 12 North for the second year in a row.

[Python]

[Dinsdale]

Or you could just stop whining about your team.

I'm not -- I'm whining about yours.

And quit losing to Auburn, Stanford.

Should we lose to Kentucky, instead? Then maybe drop another one along the way?

And quit worrying about the SEC. Yeah, that would be good.

I'm not "worrying" about it. Merely asking for some semblance of fairness in the sport.

[Dinsdale]

Guys, guys. This is all moot because Oregon won't be making it out of the Pac 12 North for the second year in a row.

You guys have had a cute little run the last few years. But let's not get carried away. Just because our rich uncle decided your program sucked with a passion and propped your squad up, it doesn't mean your one-year fluke is anything but... a fluke.

[Mikey]

Three straight BCS bowl games and top 10 finishes may be a fluke, but it's not a one year fluke.

[Dinsdale]

Three straight BCS bowl games

Looks like you're still one behind.

[Mikey]

Three straight BCS bowl games

Looks like you're still one behind.

True, but we still have major bode over Oregon for 2009.

[MiketheangrydrunkenCUfan]

Sun, Sep 01 Colorado State (in Denver) W
Sat, Sep 07 Central Arkansas W
Sat, Sep 14 Fresno State W
Sat, Sep 28 @ Oregon State L
Sat, Oct 05 Oregon L
Sat, Oct 12 @ Arizona State L
Sat, Oct 26 Arizona L
Sat, Nov 02 @ UCLA L
Sat, Nov 09 @ Washington L
Sat, Nov 16 California W
Sat, Nov 23 USC L
Sat, Nov 30 @ Utah L

I'd be happy with four wins, although I'd like to see more come in conference play. I'm not sure any game on this slate is a lock, including Central Arkansas. Colorado is 1-2 all-time against FCS schools, for chrissakes. I think with Paul Richardson back and more experience and maturity throughout the roster, they will be an improved team from last year, but they're still going to be overmatched in the majority of their games. My heart says they can pull off an upset against UA at home or maybe at Utah, but my head says that four wins is pretty optimistic already.

[WolverineSteve]

I'd be happy with four wins.

That's the spirit!

[MiketheangrydrunkenCUfan]

I'd be happy with four wins.

That's the spirit!

That'd equal our total from the past two seasons combined. Just being realistic. I want to believe Coach Mac 2.0 is the answer, but he is a Bohn hire. Leave it to CU to let their shitty ex-AD hire one more coach before they give him the axe.

[Dinsdale]

Way to Pull A Mizzou, Colorado.

[L45B]

Quick predictions here, but shouldn't be much different than everyone else's.

Aug 31 Buffalo W 31-10
Sep 7 San Diego State W 31-10
Sep 14 @ Cal (MNC #1) W 56-10
Sep 21 Florida A&M W 31-10
Sep 28 Wisconsin W 31-10
Oct 5 @ Northwestern W 31-10
Oct 19 Iowa W 31-10
Oct 26 Penn State W 31-10
Nov 2 @ Purdue W 31-10
Nov 16 @ Illinois W 31-10
Nov 23 Indiana W 31-10
Nov 30 @ Michigan W 66-0
Dec 7 Nebraska (CGG) W 31-10
Jan 6 Alabama (MNC #2) W 31-10

14-0 National Champions (16-0 if you count the bye weeks)

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

No way Saban will let Urban have it.

You mean like 2008?

Funny thing, Auburn is actually the team that had Urban's number. He never beat Auburn when he was at UF.

[L45B]

^^ Not sure if you got the tone of my post, Sam, but I was going for both overly optimistic and overly lazy. :)

[Dinsdale]

Dins, your Ducks pounded a shitty as hell Tennessee team. And they lost to Auburn and LSU. So Oregon can beat the dregs in the SEC. When will they beat a quality team? I can't recall the other three wins you mentioned. Who were they against?

I was counting a shitty (but slightly improved) Tennessee in 2 weeks. A few years ago, pounded Miss St. on both ends of a H&H. Georgia cancelled theirs. We'll start beating the SEC's best when they step up to the plate, which they won't. Ain't for lack of their phone ringing.

They'll beat a "quality team" in November, in Palo Alto.

Lost to Auburn and LSU, yup. Pretty much the best teams in the country at the time of the losses, no?

[Mikey]

overly lazy.

Oxymoron?

[Dinsdale]

Some of the best MNC matchups are in August.

I hope to see Bama in January. If it's a matter of an undefeated tOSU and U of O, SoS, "quality wins," and all that stuff goes out the window... tOSU gets the nod. Hopefully Wisky gives them some whatfor... be even better if Kal did it, common opponent and such.

This could be the best Ducks team ever... but let's go ahead and play the games anyway, right? The offense just gets better and better as we buy better recruits as the program builds, but the big difference is the defense, which keepos getting deeper and deeper, which is crucial when a team plays at such a breakneck pace. They're talking about 7 different guys in regular rotation on the D-line... and I'm pretty sure we're playing 3-4. While losing Dion Jordan hurts (whaaaa, like other teams didn't graduate stars), it's more snaps for Arik Armstead, who showed bigtime game buried behind the seniors last season. I look for him to have a breakout year. Colt Lyerla will remind everyone who the best TE in the country is (before he skips his senior year and bolts for the pros), which should piss Toejam off, since he's a local (to the Portland area) 5-star. Thomas Tyner (from the same league as Lyerla, also a 5-star) which is for Portland's western burbs, which has always been the dominant league in the state) should put up about 2500 yards, if healthy.


I'm pretty pumped about things.

[Mikey]

I don't think you'll have to worry about tOSU being undefeated. Just win all your games.

Like I said before, just like last year they won't get past Stanford's "roided up" LBs, or out of the Pac12 North.
Of course Stanford's success at stopping Oregon last year had nothing to do with Derek Mason's genius scheme for stopping the read option, or whatever it is they're calling that thing they use for an offense. This year I'm just afraid that those quick little Ducks might get hurt running into those big bad Stanford 'backers.

Without Mariota's 77 yard run (on which he got chased down from behind, BTW, and they didn't score) Oregon averaged a whopping 3 ypc in last year's game.

[Dinsdale]

Keep talking, Mikey. Just makes it all the sweeter.

[Cornhusker]

Quick predictions here, but shouldn't be much different than everyone else's.

Aug 31 Buffalo W 31-10
Sep 7 San Diego State W 31-10
Sep 14 @ Cal (MNC #1) W 56-10
Sep 21 Florida A&M W 31-10
Sep 28 Wisconsin W 31-10
Oct 5 @ Northwestern W 31-10
Oct 19 Iowa W 31-10
Oct 26 Penn State W 31-10
Nov 2 @ Purdue W 31-10
Nov 16 @ Illinois W 31-10
Nov 23 Indiana W 31-10
Nov 30 @ Michigan W 66-0
Dec 7 Nebraska (CGG) W 31-10
Jan 6 Alabama (MNC #2) W 31-10

14-0 National Champions (16-0 if you count the bye weeks)

Consistency is soooo important in CFB..

[Harvdog]

Texas has a chance to win the Big XII. We have a decent schedule.

Sat, Aug 31 New Mexico St W
Sat, Sept 7 at BYU W
Sat, Sept 14 Ole Miss W
Sat, Sept 21 Kansas St W
Thu, Oct 3 at Iowa St W
Sat, Oct 12 Oklahoma W
Sat, Oct 26 at TCU L
Sat, Nov 2 Kansas W
Sat, Nov 9 at West Virginia W
Sat, Nov 16 Oklahoma St W
Thu, Nov 28 Texas Tech W
Sat, Dec 7 at Baylor W

We will lose to either TCU, Baylor or Oklahoma. I put TCU on here for giggles. I think we go 11-1 and make a BCS bowl.