Michigan's loss to Alabama effectively
knocked the wolverines out of National Championship contention. In
1998, UMass won our National Championship after we had lost 3 regular
season games and were ranked #11. What do you think about playoffs
for FBS? Would the Michigan administration support it? Michigan fans?
1. I hadn't thought too much about the
"being knocked from BCS contention" angle until you brought
it up -- I guess that's what happens when you consistently find ways
to lower your expectations for the season. It is funny how that
works. I would like to think that if Michigan won out it would
have a good argument for going to the BCS championship as long as
there weren't two major undefeated conference teams, but judging by
the performances around the Big Ten thus far, that could be a hard
argument to make.
As for the playoff I think that
Michigan and the Big Ten are as supportive as we are going to get,
but at this point that should be enough. The big question is --
as always -- money. Now that the conferences and school
presidents have some idea of the money that they can make from a
playoff in college football, things are changing. I'm not sure
a four-team playoff is the answer, but if it is the first step (I
think it is) then things should work out in the long run.
The Big Ten has a dominate record
against the MAC. How do you view the relative strength of the two
leagues?
2. The Big Ten has had quite a bit of
success against the MAC, and I don't foresee that changing for the
same reason that college football is about to have a playoff: money.
The Big Ten is a lucrative television
product capable of filling some of the largest stadiums in the
country, and with all the marketing, ticket revenue, and now BTN
revenue that won't change for some time. With that kind of
money comes better facilities, better coaches (on average), better
day to day infrastructure for student athletes (academic,
athletic, and rehabilitative), and ultimately better recruits.
The level of athletes at Michigan or
Ohio State is just always going to be better than that of Eastern
Michigan or Miami (OH). Even schools like Indiana, Minnesota,
and Purdue can consistently rake in better players than the MAC.
Such is life in major college football where the rich have
inherent advantages not only from the money they make now, but the
fact that they've been rich for so long.
If Michigan gets a big lead in
Saturday's contest, how much do you think Michigan will play their
first team?
3. It will depend on how quickly
Michigan gains the lead, but history says that Michigan will probably
look to bench its primary guys early. Once Michigan is up by
three or four scores I imagine Robinson and Toussaint will hit the
bench, and I have to believe that Michigan will substitute more
liberally along the offensive line in an effort to keep seniors
healthy and get freshmen experience -- that's nearly all there is:
seniors and freshmen, it's scary thin.
My fear is that UMass makes a few plays
to keep it within a couple scores at halftime and Michigan has to
lean on its starters more, but that's the nature of the game:
injuries are always a risk. Hopefully both teams make it out
healthy.
Do you think Michigan and Umass will
play again?
4. I can see Michigan playing UMass
again -- hell, Michigan is playing App State again, so anything
possible. Michigan routinely schedules MAC teams, and with
things beginning to shift away from scheduling FCS teams and toward
more "real games" I think MAC teams are an
interesting substitute for the bodybag games that most BCS
teams have been living off of for the past decade.
However, this probably hurts UMass to
an extent. I can see Michigan wanting to schedule more of the
local MAC programs on the thinking that tickets will be easier to
sell with a built in fan base. UMass can't bring that and
therefore might not be as attractive an option as Central Michigan or
Toledo.
How do you think Saturday's game will
go?
5. I hope Saturday's game goes like it
should. By that I mean, Michigan gets a good deal of push with
both lines, Robinson puts up a couple touchdowns early and by
halftime Michigan is up by enough scores that you need two hands to
count them.
I don't think things are quite that
smooth though. Michigan's defense will probably struggle a
little early, and the offense still has yet to do anything with a
true running back this season. I think the first half looks a
little ugly but opens up in the second as Michigan gets comfortable.
I would expect a five TD win in the end with UMass putting up
10 or 14 points.
