Michigan Game

P

PasadenaDreams

Well-Known Member
This is looking too far ahead but it's worth talking about now as no one seems to be worried about Ball State.

I didn't notice but we have a bye week before that game which I think would be the most important to have of any game we play. We have all seen what Norm can come up with with extra time to prepare his defense. It will be a lot like Georgia Tech....assignment football.

Noticing that bye week raises my confidence a whole bunch for stopping Robinson.
 
Would it be too much to think Norm has been studying and scheming for the Michigan game while laid up over the past couple of weeks? Maybe he will have near 3-4 weeks counting the bye week of planning for Michigan. Maybe?
 
I'd say this and the fact that we have Penn St at home for the first home game are the two best parts of our schedule for the Big Ten season. With Penn St starting a Fr. QB, no time like early in the season to play them.
 
I think the Michigan game is the key game to the rest of the season. If Iowa is anything they should win the next 2 games (Ball St, Penn St should be automatic wins by showing up to play). If Iowa loses those games, they are imploding.

I say Michigan is the key game because by winning that one, we keep a leg up in the Big Ten race and it will give the momentum needed for the next two big games at home (Wisco and Sparty). We go to Indiana and Northwestern on the road.....there should be plenty of motivation there to do better in those games.

Ohio St is the big one and could be for the Big Ten title if all goes well up to that game. Minny should be an automatic win if we show up.

Just like it always seems to be, you got to beat Michigan and Ohio St. We match up very well with Wisconsin, we will have to match the emotion and intensity that Sparty brings to that game and we have to play better when we go on the road. Ohio St is the only team on our schedule that I think is as good or better than us. We just have to play Iowa football every game and win that one at Michigan to give us the confidence going forward and the momentum we will need in the rest of our away and home games.

It would truly say a lot if we knock off Michigan and Ohio St in the same season.
 
Last edited:
PasadenaDreams said:
Noticing that bye week raises my confidence a whole bunch for stopping Robinson.
Click to expand...

I doubt we are going to "stop" Robinson. We just need to contain him, and our offense needs to score in the mid to high 20's. I'll be very surprised if Michigan is held to under 20 points in any game this entire season assuming Robinson stays healthy.
 
Iowa beat a Mich. team that had a 1-7 conf. record last year by 2 pts at home. Def. plenty to be worried about. But first need to win next 2 games before worrying about Mich.
 
I don't think its to much to wish for of stopping Robinson. Juice Williams I remember was getting all types of hype of the next coming of Michael Vick, and we slaughtered that kid.
 
Hawkeyes1982x said:
I don't think its to much to wish for of stopping Robinson. Juice Williams I remember was getting all types of hype of the next coming of Michael Vick, and we slaughtered that kid.
Click to expand...

Yeah but Juice never lived up to the hype...and never had the types of games that Robinson has had so far. While I don't think it's impossible to stop Robinson (See Georgia Tech) what I meant to say was containing him, slowing him down or not letting him play a factor into the outcome of the game. It is on the road and while it might not be like playing in the shoe...it is still a road game and will pose more of a problem than home again.
 
Michigan plays NO defense. They gave up 439 yards to Division I-AA Northeast (UMass) in the Big House. The biggest crowd UMass had ever played in front of before was in the low 50Ks at Texas Tech a few years back. The 110K+ at Michigan did nothing to help that D or intimidate their O. Until Rich Rod starts coaching defense, Michigan doesn't scare me. And considering the injuries they have all over that D, it would take an act of god to put up less than 400 yards.
 
I'll be at the Michigan game, so there is no way we lose that one. We are undefeated when I attend the away games (including Michigan St and the Orange Bowl last season).
 
MidnightBlueSix said:
Michigan plays NO defense. They gave up 439 yards to Division I-AA Northeast (UMass) in the Big House. The biggest crowd UMass had ever played in front of before was in the low 50Ks at Texas Tech a few years back. The 110K+ at Michigan did nothing to help that D or intimidate their O. Until Rich Rod starts coaching defense, Michigan doesn't scare me. And considering the injuries they have all over that D, it would take an act of god to put up less than 400 yards.
Click to expand...

They held Notre Dame to 24 points @ Notre Dame. The held Connecticut to 10 points (granted Connecticut is looking overrated).

My guess is we won't fair as well offensively as Division 1-AA Northeast (UMass) did in the Big House.

Rich Rod turned the ball over 5 times last year against us in an ABC Primetime game at Kinnick and only lost by 2 points. They also had the ball with a chance to win it at the end of the game. If that doesn't scare you I don't know what will.

They are a better team this year, much more potent on offense. Rich Rod doesn't need to play good defense if they are outscoring their opponents every week. My guess is they'll improve on defense by the time our matchup rolls around.
 
briankaldenberg said:
They held Notre Dame to 24 points @ Notre Dame. The held Connecticut to 10 points (granted Connecticut is looking overrated).

My guess is we won't fair as well offensively as Division 1-AA Northeast (UMass) did in the Big House.

Rich Rod turned the ball over 5 times last year against us in an ABC Primetime game at Kinnick and only lost by 2 points. They also had the ball with a chance to win it at the end of the game. If that doesn't scare you I don't know what will.

They are a better team this year, much more potent on offense. Rich Rod doesn't need to play good defense if they are outscoring their opponents every week. My guess is they'll improve on defense by the time our matchup rolls around.
Click to expand...

You honestly think UMass has a better offense than we do? Seriously? What are you smoking and where can I get some? They "held" ND to 24 points...ND is a bad team too. That's kinda like "holding" Kansas State to 24 points. Same goes for Connecticut too. They're hardly an offensive juggernaut. But fact is, they gave up HUGE yardage to a significantly inferior O and only won that game by 5. Yeah, they got the win, but they were 1 TD away from an Appalachian State redux.
 
I tend to agree with you, but last year we played every game close. I think that was just the makeup of our team. Not to mention that Slingin' Dick gave them a free 7 points to start the game

briankaldenberg said:
They held Notre Dame to 24 points @ Notre Dame. The held Connecticut to 10 points (granted Connecticut is looking overrated).

My guess is we won't fair as well offensively as Division 1-AA Northeast (UMass) did in the Big House.

Rich Rod turned the ball over 5 times last year against us in an ABC Primetime game at Kinnick and only lost by 2 points. They also had the ball with a chance to win it at the end of the game. If that doesn't scare you I don't know what will.

They are a better team this year, much more potent on offense. Rich Rod doesn't need to play good defense if they are outscoring their opponents every week. My guess is they'll improve on defense by the time our matchup rolls around.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Michigan averaging 33.3 pts a game
Iowa averaging 33 pts a game

Michigan giving up 23.7 pts a game
Iowa giving up 16 pts a game.
 
Last edited:
MidnightBlueSix said:
You honestly think UMass has a better offense than we do? Seriously? What are you smoking and where can I get some? They "held" ND to 24 points...ND is a bad team too. That's kinda like "holding" Kansas State to 24 points. Same goes for Connecticut too. They're hardly an offensive juggernaut. But fact is, they gave up HUGE yardage to a significantly inferior O and only won that game by 5. Yeah, they got the win, but they were 1 TD away from an Appalachian State redux.
Click to expand...

Did I say UMass had a better offense than we do? I said I don't think Iowa will fair as well in Ann Arbor as UMass did.

Notre Dame isn't a bad team either. They have 2 very close last second losses to two good teams.

Our defense is about the same as last year. Michigan carved us up with Robinson and almost beat us. They had 5 turnovers. This year and I suspect for a very long time you better get used to hoping Michigan's offense beats itself and hoping your offense can score in the 30's.
 
briankaldenberg said:
I doubt we are going to "stop" Robinson. We just need to contain him, and our offense needs to score in the mid to high 20's. I'll be very surprised if Michigan is held to under 20 points in any game this entire season assuming Robinson stays healthy.
Click to expand...

Exactly. We need to wish for some luck in this game. Their offense is perfect to move the ball on our defense. One thing is for certain, our linebackers are going to have to get a whole lot quicker.

What do you peeps think about running the nickle package all game on this one? Substituting an LB for our hardest hitting CB/Safety that's in the 2-deep?
 
dmShortSaledude said:
Exactly. We need to wish for some luck in this game. Their offense is perfect to move the ball on our defense. One thing is for certain, our linebackers are going to have to get a whole lot quicker.

What do you peeps think about running the nickle package all game on this one? Substituting an LB for our hardest hitting CB/Safety that's in the 2-deep?
Click to expand...
Give Nielsen 1 job all game and tell him to make sure he breaks something.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Share this page

Top