I want to apologize to anyone looking here for "healing" after the beat down we suffered on Saturday. My son is going away to college next year. One of the schools he is considering attending is LSU, so I took my son to the LSU/Auburn game so we could see the campus and experience the gameday atmosphere.I did get to watch most of our game thanks to a very friendly group of LSU fans, a satellite dish mounted in a home depot bucket, and a 6:30CST kick off. If you are a college football junkie like myself, and you have never been to a game in Baton Rouge, I would strong suggest you do so.
When Michigan started the season with four straight wins -- everyone (including myself) was feeling euphoric. After the nightmare of 2008, we had returned to our rightful place amongst the top tier college football teams. The reality was something much different.
We lost to Sparty, but the feeling was still positive because we almost came back in miracle fashion and Tate was more than just an average exciting freshman. Then we lost to Iowa, but we could all still fell good, after all we lost to a top 10 team on the road by 2 points, and we turned the ball over 5 times. Even that was "respectable".Things took a dramatic turn in the rain on Saturday. Before the season started, the Penn State game was not one I placed a "W" next to. Our fast start and improbable victory over Notre Dame had me believing this was a game we could have won. If a couple of things went our way, we could beat these guys. The thud you heard on saturday was Reality setting in.
It is time for a sanity check:
1) We are a very young football team. As such, there will be more mistakes, strange turnovers, bad decisions, and losses on the way.
2) We are a much better football team than last year. We have infinitely more talent playing at the quarterback position. Our offensive line is more experienced and more capable.
3) It is going to take some time to get back onto the national stage. There is no quick fix to this situation. Acting irrational or overly emotional will not help.
The goal at the start of the season was 6 WINS and a bowl invite. Looking at the schedule we realistically have a shot at winning the next 2 weeks. Neither of those games is a "gimme". If we are going to get to the 6 win mark and a bowl bid - we have to get one of the two.Don't under estimate Illinois. I know they have looked terrible all year. I know Ron Zook is the village idiot. They still have a ton of athletes, they are playing at home, they have nothing to lose, and they kicked our asses last year. Expecting a win from our young team on the road is a risky proposition.
Purdue looks to be the most improving team week to week in the Big Ten. They took Notre Dame to the last minute and have already beaten Ohio State. Certainly not an automatic W.
The goal is still 6 wins. I still think we can get there. Anything more, don't count on it.
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14 comments:
At this point I'd almost rather the team go all Dantonio and make every week's practice for TUOS. Otherwise i'm just watching games from now on. Sure they'll probably get to a bowl game but it'll be one of the countless meaningless bowl games in the bowl season and thus the biggest problem with the BCS. They won't go to a playoff because it would eliminate bowl games and more importantly eliminate all that money that schools and cities get for it. A team that's 6-6 does not deserve to play in a post season game I'm sorry.
DO I HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING MYSELF?!
(whet- get moms permission before viewing)
http://www.bands.lsu.edu/golden_girls/index.php
Let's not kid ourselves about Ohio State.
I disagree with you. College football is more than just the 6 best teams. After a 3 win season - ANY bowl game is meaningful and a positive step.
If we win another game, you know will watch the bowl game. Even if it is played in Detroit.
hmmmm good post andy
i agree with bah, 6-6 with one of those wins being delaware state does not deserve a bowl game.
i was surprised at how bad you guys looked. and now molk is out for the year. yikes
Phil
The "Golden Girl" thing at LSU is pretty humorous.
You know something is off when your 17 year old son says: "Dad, they kinda look and dance like strippers"
T9 would not appreciate that tradition.
phil, I got mom's permission, but it was after you left for school. Your mom is kinda old fashioned that way.
Andy,
Are you saying T-9 doesn't like competition? I just can't figure that girl out.
Delaware State game aside I don't think ANY FBS college team that is 6-6 is deserving of a bowl game. No other sport does a .500 team go to the postseason unless it's been a very very bad NFL season. If they eliminated 10-15 of the "toilet bowls" then they would free up plenty of space and time for a playoff system and still be able to keep the major bowls available. But it will never happen.
"You know something is off when your 17 year old son says: "Dad, they kinda look and dance like strippers""
Andy your son has just chosen to attend LSU. Congratulate him for me.
We didn't make the rules that says 6 wins is the barrier to entry. We are just living by them.
My son has not "chosen" to go to LSU. We were just looking. He will likely go to Texas A+M... Which is fine with me. It will cost less.
There is no competition.
I'm getting tired of keeping the young turks at bay....
also, as an aside, how does Andy's son know about the ballet moves of the performers of the pole???
Back to football---
I completely agree with Andy's take on this season. It was exciting at first to get all swept up in the hype early on, but then youth and game film caught up with us.
It is easy to forget that this team is really really young, and that some of them are pure walk-ons. They aren't used to playing this long into a season, nor are they used to getting hit so darned hard....
not to mention the fact that they had midterms last week.
The magic number is definitely 6. We will have doubled last year's win total and get to bowel game....a pretty good goal/accomplishment given the wholesale re-build going on.
T9... Not sure if this was intentional or not but I love the reference to a "bowel" game. I guess at 6-6 any bowl game offered would be pretty shitty, so it fits.
I won't celebrate a 6 win season. I won't trash them either, because there is obvious improvement this year. Rodriguez's gaudy second year record in previous coaching stints was against far inferior talent (even considering the down-state of the Big 10). They're better, but with Delaware State on the schedule, 6 wins and a bowl game is not the accomplishment it should be. FCS teams should not count towards bowl eligibility.
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