  Zulu_warrior Member Username: Zulu_warrior Post Number: 2956 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.251.27.41 |
Little over a month away from the start of the Big Ten football season. Any predictions? Will MSU Finally beat Michigan? Will OSU continue to lead the pack, or will Penn State take them to school? Will Lloyd Carr be relased at the end of another disappointing season, or will he be around to compalin about the officials? Will Northwestern return to its form of several seasons or slump bak into the Big Ten Cellar? and last but not least, will Ron Zook prove his mettle with the Fighting Illini and blow the conference open? | ||
The_rock Member Username: The_rock Post Number: 1341 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 68.42.251.225 |
LLoyd Carr will NEVER be released. Watch Carlos Brown, the Blue's true freshman halfback out of Georgia, a more experienced QB in Henne, a healthy Hart,and a more trim Kevin Grady. Back field should be explosive. Receivers must step up, same for the offensive line. Defensive line will be tops. Toughest part of the schedule? Just getting there from the eastside for the games. I-94 at US 23 remains a zoo and the M-14 construction will not be completed til early November. Leave early. | ||
Gary Member Username: Gary Post Number: 168 Registered: 02-2004 Posted From: 66.73.238.3 |
Ohio State looks like the pre-season favorite according to the "experts", but what do they know? | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 1921 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 68.248.13.92 |
Yeah, UM was way overrated going into last season. My prediction (I'll be at the Big House just like last year) is 11-2 for Big Blue, losing to Ohio State again (sad to say) and losing another bowl game (this time a BCS bowl). Ohio State will run the table in the Big Ten, losing only to Texas in non-confrence. We will restore the sanctity of the Big House by going undefeated at home this year, unlike 3 losses last season. I just got my tickets today! The_rock--just arrive at sunrise and join in the pregames at the frat houses. Oh it sure is nice to only have to walk a mile down State St. to get to the Big House. Oh yeah, look for UM to blow out MSU in Ann Arbor. The Wisconsin and Iowa games will be nailbiters, though. What I'm looking foward to is fall 2007--Notre Dame, Oregon, and Penn State all come to the Big House three weeks in a row. What a time to have tickets! | ||
Jsmyers Member Username: Jsmyers Post Number: 1811 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 209.131.7.68 |
Or take the train, and hang out all day in Ann Arbor without paying for parking. http://www.amtrak.com/ http://www.amtrak.com/timetabl e/apr06/W22.pdf You can get on at Pontiac, Birmingham, Royal Oak, or New Center. Get tickets in advance (week +, maybe longer) and they will be about $20 round trip (Compare to driving time, mileage, and parking). The Ann Arbor station is about a 45 minute walk north of the stadium (through downtown or past central campus). There is a Saturday farmer's market not far from the train station on the way. Make a day out of it. The only traffic you will be stuck in is the sea of people walking north after the game, if you leave in a hurry. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 1924 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 68.248.13.92 |
excellent point. I've liked my experiences on that A2 to Detroit link. | ||
Motorcitymayor2026 Member Username: Motorcitymayor2026 Post Number: 1075 Registered: 10-2005 Posted From: 67.38.7.225 |
Lets Go Spartans. | ||
Umstucoach Member Username: Umstucoach Post Number: 68 Registered: 04-2006 Posted From: 64.12.116.204 |
If you don't want to walk too much, AATA runs a shuttle to and from the stadium before and during the game. It won't go to the station, but you can pick it up at the Campus Inn or at a couple places in Central Campus. Then after the game take it back in town and find a place to eat. The price is steep at $2 one-way, but considering how much you'll save on gas and parking using the train, it can be a fun day (if M wins of course). | ||
Umstucoach Member Username: Umstucoach Post Number: 72 Registered: 04-2006 Posted From: 205.188.116.137 |
Big Ten media day today in Chicago... | ||
Tayshaun22 Member Username: Tayshaun22 Post Number: 294 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 69.14.101.116 |
Mackinaw, I hate to burst your bubble, but there's no way we go into ND and beat them. | ||
Hagglerock Member Username: Hagglerock Post Number: 294 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 12.214.243.66 |
Tayshaun, ND fans were saying that say exact same thing last year. Look what they did, stopped Henne, injured Hart and came out with a win before + 110,000 stunned fans. Sure we don't have a big fat dynamo that is Charlie Weis, but we have a team this season that isn't so overrated in the polls as last seasons. It's easy to be a skeptic but I have hope this season is going to be a wild one for Michigan! BTW with only two defensive starters I feel OSU is only going to move one way in the polls. | ||
Zulu_warrior Member Username: Zulu_warrior Post Number: 2972 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.251.27.41 |
Michigan is ranked number 10? in the SI poll? | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 2073 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 69.221.33.103 |
Yes they are and that suprised me. I like being ranked 15, because the last time we started that low, we won the national championship 4 months later. SI seems to favor big names/perennial powerhouses in their rankings. I thought ND at no. 2 was wayyyy high. The opener is one week away! Here are my Big Ten top 6 bowl teams: OSU- to BCS Bowl unfortunately, 12-1/8-0 UM- to the Rose Bowl, 11-2/7-1 Iowa- Capital One (aka Citrus) Bowl; 6-2 in Big 10 Penn State- Outback Bowl; 5-3 Wisconsin- Alamo Bowl; 5-3 Michigan State- Sun Bowl or whatever it's called; 4-4, 7 wins overall. Things to watch for with UM football: 1) if Mike Hart isn't injured, he will be the team MVP. 2) Mario Manningham will turn himself into a household name if he doesn't have a sophomore slump. 3)Chad Henne will do a lot of things different...he will evolve and in the end be better. 4) Steve Breaston will provide several big plays, and remain a solid WR. 5) Michigan better have someone step up at the TE position--this could mean Tyler Ecker finally making the catches when it counts, or one of the younger guys taking his place. 6) Let's see if Michigan starts running with the fullback again, like they did in the old days. I wouldn't be suprised to see split-back formations with Grady and Hart. 7) Watch out for Freshman RB/QB/DB Carlos Brown to fill in for Antonio Bass as an all-purpose player with speed. 8) If Henne goes down, it will most definitly be mobile quarterback Jason Forcier that steps in, and all of a sudden we will look like Penn State of 2005. 9) The linebackers, lead by Prescott Burgess, will need to step up big, and be quicker to the tackle than they were last year. 10) The defensive backfield will be outstanding if healthy. They are fast and tough, but let's hope they are smart and stay on their toes unlike in some of last year's games. Sorry I don't have much to say about the other teams, as UM football is the other team other than the Tigers which I truly "follow." | ||
Hagglerock Member Username: Hagglerock Post Number: 315 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 12.219.76.44 |
Nice write up mackinaw. I'm worried about Henne's passing game, especially for this weekend's game vs ND. Granted it's not vital with a successfull ground attack, but it seems QB's are the ones carrying teams into championships these days. If we can't go deep vs Vandy or CMU how will we against the Irish? The Irish defense stepped up to the plate with their trouncing of Penn State, so it'll be a good battle this weekend. Will Carr's losing streak in South Bend finially come to an end? | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 2103 Registered: 02-2005 |
^^Today should have melted away those fears re: the passing game. Go Blue! | ||
Hagglerock Member Username: Hagglerock Post Number: 320 Registered: 03-2005 |
^^^ Wow, they sure did! What a great day for college ball. FSU vs Clemson and U of F vs Tennesee, were great down to the wire games. Also good win for MSU too, my money is on them when osu comes to East Lansing. | ||
Rjk Member Username: Rjk Post Number: 503 Registered: 11-2003 |
State falling apart late in the game, I've never seen that happen before. Exciting game to watch, but what a tough loss. It'll be interesting to see how State responds in the coming weeks. This is the type of a loss that in the past would send them free falling, losing 2 of 3 or 3 in a row. | ||
Zulu_warrior Member Username: Zulu_warrior Post Number: 3016 Registered: 10-2003 |
Are you kidding me, State lost that game?!!!! I couldnt believe it, when I read RJK's post. I fell asleep just knowing that MSU had pummeled the Irish.... |
