Thursday, January 31, 2013

Illinois at Michigan State Breakdown & Prediction


Illinois at No. 13 Michigan State
Time: 7 p.m.
Venue: Breslin Center
TV: ESPN
Records: Illinois 15-6, 2-5 Big Ten; MSU 17-4, 6-2
Illinois stat leaders: Points – Brandon Paul (17.9 ppg); Rebounds – Nnanna Egwu (4.9 rpg); Assists – Tracy Abrams (3.2 apg); Steals – D.J. Richardson (1.6 spg).
Michigan State stat leaders: Points – Keith Appling (13.5 ppg); Rebounds – Adreian Payne (6.9 rpg); Assists – Appling (4.1 apg); Steals – Branden Dawson (1.9 spg).
Current Streaks: Illinois L1; MSU L1
Point Spread: Michigan State -8.5
Prediction: Michigan State had a nice showing at Indiana, but the Spartans tend to play to their level of competition, so I expect this game to be somewhat close throughout. Illinois can be a dangerous team if they get hot from behind the arc, but I don’t think that will be the case at the Breslin Center. Look for Keith Appling to have a big game after his struggles at Indiana. He will lead MSU to the victory. Michigan State 66, Illinois 59

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Northwestern at Michigan Breakdown & Prediction


Northwestern at No. 1 Michigan
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Venue: Crisler Center
TV: Big Ten Network
Records: Northwestern 12-9, 3-5 Big Ten; Michigan 19-1, 6-1
Northwestern stat leaders: Points – Reggie Hearn (14.0 ppg); Rebounds – Jared Swopshire (6.6 rpg); Assists – Dave Sobolewski (4.3 apg); Steals – Hearn (1.3 spg).
Michigan stat leaders: Points – Trey Burke (17.9 ppg); Rebounds – Glenn Robinson III (6.0 rpg); Assists – Burke (7.1 apg); Steals – Burke (1.4 spg).
Current Streaks: Northwestern L1, Michigan W3
Point Spread: Michigan -18
Prediction: I can’t say I expect Northwestern to put up too much of a fight, but I do think that Michigan could be looking ahead to Saturday’s game at Indiana a little bit. The Wolverines haven’t been overly impressive in their last few home games against lesser teams and the Wildcats will come out motivated after the thrashing they took at home to the Wolverines to open conference play. Michigan will win comfortably, but I think Northwestern will cover the 18-point spread. Michigan 75, Northwestern 60

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Updated Big Ten Power Rankings


We are now in the thick of Big Ten play and the clouded picture that was the conference outlook is starting to clear up a little bit.
Here are my updated Big Ten college basketball power rankings:
1. Michigan (19-1, 6-1) – I still feel that the Wolverines and Indiana are the top two teams in the Big Ten, but both teams have to show they can win some big games on the road. Michigan has three of its next four on the road against Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan State.
2. Indiana (18-2, 6-1) – The Hoosiers don’t have that same image they had coming into the start of the regular season. Though it still has tremendous talent, Indiana has looked average at times and has appeared very beatable at home. Though their toughest road games are still later in the season, the Hoosiers host Michigan on Saturday in a huge game.
3. Michigan State (17-4, 6-2) – Michigan State looked impressive in a loss at Indiana. The Spartans have been the most surprising team to me, in a good way. I didn’t expect MSU to have the talent to compete night-in and night-out in the Big Ten. MSU has competed, and it showed at Indiana that it can possibly win this conference.
4. Ohio State (15-4, 5-2) – I still have my doubts about the Buckeyes, especially when it comes to winning on the road. Ohio State still has to head to Ann Arbor and Bloomington, and they still have to host the Hoosiers on Feb. 10.
5. Wisconsin (14-6, 5-2) – The Badgers have established themselves as a contender thanks to a big win at Indiana. Despite that, Wisconsin still lacks a lot of scoring, which sets up losses to teams like Iowa. If the Badgers can find more consistent scoring, they can be a tough team to beat going forward.
6. Minnesota (15-5, 3-4) – The Gophers have been the most disappointing team in the conference so far. They had a big win over MSU to go with a great non-conference performance. Yet, Minnesota has lost four straight. Three of the losses have been on the road and three have been to three of the top five teams on this list. With the schedule getting a little lighter going forward, look for Minnesota to work its way up the standings.
7. Purdue (11-9, 4-3) – The Boilermakers are young and have had trouble keeping pace with the high-scoring teams in the conference, but they still have beaten the lesser teams in the Big Ten. It’s possible Purdue could make the NCAA Tournament if it continues to beat the bottom half of the conference.
8. Illinois (15-6, 2-5) – The Fighting Illini had a great non-conference season, beating the likes of Butler and Gonzaga, but Illinois has not been very good in conference play. The Illini have some talent, but it isn’t translating into wins right now. Illinois has MSU, Wisconsin and Indiana in its next three games.
9. Iowa (13-7, 2-5) – The Hawkeyes have been a team that have been pesky for the top teams in the conference. Only Michigan was really able to blow Iowa out of the water, as the Hawkeyes lost to Indiana by four and MSU by three. Iowa has beaten the likes of Northwestern and Wisconsin and now have a stretch of winnable games.
10. Northwestern (12-9, 3-5) – The Wildcats have been hot and cold. They have beaten the likes of Illinois and Minnesota but suffered a 20-point loss at home to Iowa and a 15-point loss at Nebraska. If Northwestern can find some consistency, it can perhaps play spoiler for a few Big Ten teams in the second half of the conference season.
11. Nebraska (11-10, 2-6) – Not much was expected of Nebraska in basketball when it joined the Big Ten, and the Cornhuskers haven’t provided much. But, they can be happy they are not Penn State.
12. Penn State (8-12, 0-8) – There really is nothing positive to say about the Nittany Lions right now. Penn State can’t even get past Nebraska. Seven of the eight conference losses have been by at least nine points.

So, now that you have seen my rankings, who do you see as the favorite to win the Big Ten right now?

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Michigan at Illinois Breakdown & Prediction


No. 2 Michigan at Illinois
Time: 6 p.m.
Venue: Assembly Hall
TV: Big Ten Network
Records: Michigan 18-1, 5-1 Big Ten; Illinois 15-5, 2-4
Michigan stat leaders: Points – Trey Burke (17.8 ppg); Rebounds – Glenn Robinson III (5.9 rpg); Assists – Burke (7.2 apg); Steals – Burke (1.3 spg).
Illinois stat leaders: Points – Brandon Paul (18.0 ppg); Rebounds – Paul (4.8 rpg); Assists – Tracy Abrams (3.2 apg); Steals – Abrams/D.J. Richardson (1.6 spg).
Current Streaks: Michigan W2, Illinois W1
Point Spread: Michigan -6.5
Prediction: There was a time during non-conference play that this game looked like it could be a real issue for Michigan. However, the Illini have gotten off to a slow start in Big Ten play and they come into this game with a below-average defense, which doesn’t bode well against a team like Michigan. The Illini have some scoring ability, especially with Paul. Look for Illinois to hang tough for most of the first half before Michigan pulls away in the second half. Michigan 74, Illinois 63

Michigan State at Indiana Breakdown & Prediction


No. 13 Michigan State at No. 7 Indiana
Time: 1 p.m.
Venue: Assembly Hall
TV: CBS
Records: Michigan State 17-3, 6-1 Big Ten; Indiana 17-2, 5-1
Michigan State stat leaders: Points – Keith Appling (14.1 ppg); Rebounds – Derrick Nix (6.9 rpg); Assists – Appling (4.3 apg); Steals – Branden Dawson (1.8 spg).
Indiana stat leaders: Points – Cody Zeller (16.4 ppg); Rebounds – Zeller (8.2 rpg); Assists – Kevin Ferrell (4.6 apg); Steals – Victor Oladipo (2.3 spg).
Current Streaks: Michigan State W6; Indiana W2
Point Spread: Indiana -9
Prediction: This game will give us a little insight as to how legit Michigan State is in the Big Ten title race. The Hoosiers are still considered to be one of the best, if not the best, team in the conference. Winning at Assembly Hall will be tough, but Michigan State can do so if it continues to play well on defense. Wisconsin was able to beat Indiana on the road with solid defense and timely shooting. Unfortunately for the Spartans, I don’t think they will get the offense they need. I also think that Indiana will give MSU problems in the post on both sides of the ball. MSU will keep it close, but Indiana will prove to be too tough in the end. Indiana 67, Michigan State 61

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Purdue at Michigan Breakdown & Prediction


Purdue vs. No. 2 Michigan
Time: 7 p.m.
Venue: Crisler Center
TV: ESPN
Records: Purdue 10-8, 3-2 Big Ten, Michigan 17-1, 4-1
Purdue stat leaders: Points – Terone Johnson (13.3 ppg); Rebounds – A.J. Hammons (6.3 rpg); Assists – Ronnie Johnson (3.4 apg); Steals – Ronnie Johnson (1.1 spg).
Michigan stat leaders: Points – Trey Burke (18.0 ppg); Rebounds – Glenn Robinson III (5.8 rpg); Assists – Burke (7.2 apg); Steals – Burke (1.2 spg).
Current Streaks: Purdue W3, Michigan W1
Point Spread: Michigan -15
Prediction: This would be a game to be concerned about in past seasons, and probably will be in future seasons, but not this season. Purdue has talent, but is young. Michigan shouldn’t have much trouble outscoring the Boilermakers. Purdue may keep pace early on, but eventually the Wolverines should overwhelm the Boilermakers with their offense and win comfortably. Michigan 81, Purdue 62

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

MSU defense making the Spartans a true contender

As I have watched Michigan State throughout the basketball season, I have been strong in my feelings that the Spartans aren’t a legit contender to win the Big Ten title.
When you watch their games, you just don’t see that “it” factor. I can’t say I can recall too many times where I have said out loud “that is some good basketball” when watching MSU.
However, the Spartans still find themselves 17-3 overall and 6-1 in the Big Ten. Michigan State may even be a top-10 team in the nation by the end of the week.
So, how are they doing it?
While the offense hasn’t always been stellar, the defense has been for the most part.
Michigan State is currently ranked in the top 25 in the nation in points allowed (57.8 ppg) and defensive field goal percentage (37.8%).
The defense has made up for the lack of offensive fire power and allows Michigan State to essentially be in the hunt to win every game it has played.
Outside of the loss to Minnesota, the Spartans have had a chance to win every game this season. They lost by eight to Miami (Wednesday night will tell us just how good the Hurricanes can be), and the loss to Connecticut to open the season was by just four points and could have easily been a win.
Michigan State still owns the top win of any Big Ten team this season in its win over Kansas. You could argue Wisconsin’s win at Indiana is bigger, but the Jayhawks are currently higher in the rankings.
Along with giving Kansas its lone loss, Michigan State held the Jayhawks to just 64 points, its third-lowest scoring total of the season.
On Tuesday night, Michigan State out-Wisconsined Wisconsin. The Spartans held the Badgers to a season-low in points in order to pick up a 49-47 victory, just the second win for MSU at Wisconsin in the Bo Ryan-era.
Since Big Ten play, the Spartans have held three opponents to their lowest or second-lowest total of the season (Wisconsin, Ohio State, Iowa). MSU also held Purdue to its fourth-lowest point total of the season and lowest total in Big Ten play.
Assuming the defensive effort will continue, if Michigan State can find its offense, the Spartans can be a very dangerous team in the Big Ten and nationally.
The Spartans’ biggest test comes on Sunday with a trip to Indiana. The Hoosiers struggled against the defense Wisconsin brought to the table, and Michigan State has better athletes than the Badgers.

Michigan State at Wisconsin Breakdown & Prediction


No. 13 Michigan State at Wisconsin
Time: 7 p.m.
Venue: Kohl Center
TV: ESPN
Records: Michigan State 16-3, 5-1 Big Ten; Wisconsin 13-5, 4-1
Michigan State stat leaders: Points – Keith Appling (13.8 ppg); Rebounds – Adreian Payne (7.2 rpg); Assists – Appling (4.5 apg); Steals – Branden Dawson (1.8 spg).
Wisconsin stat leaders: Points – Jared Berggren (12.7 ppg); Rebounds – Ryan Evans (7.6 rpg); Assists – Ben Brust (3.0 apg); Steals – Brust/Traevon Jackson (1.1 spg).
Current Streaks: Michigan State W5; Wisconsin L1
Point Spread: Wisconsin -6
Prediction: The Kohl Center has not been an easy place to play for any team, let alone Michigan State. Bo Ryan has always played Michigan State tough, but the Spartans have won three straight in this series, including one in OT at the Kohl Center. I think MSU would have had a better chance in this game had Wisconsin not been coming off a loss to Iowa. The Badgers should be pumped up and ready for this rivalry game. I think the Spartans will be up to the challenge, but I see the Badgers sneaking one out in a typical, ugly MSU vs. Wisconsin basketball game. Wisconsin 58, Michigan State 56

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Ohio State at Michigan State Breakdown & Prediction


No. 11 Ohio State and No. 18 Michigan State
Time: 6 p.m.
Venue: Breslin Center
TV: ESPN
Records: Ohio State 13-3, 3-1 Big Ten; Michigan State 15-3, 4-1
Ohio State stat leaders: Points – Deshaun Thomas (20.3 ppg); Rebounds – Thomas (6.6 rpg); Assists – Aaron Craft (4.6 apg); Steals – Shannon Scott (2.0 spg).
Michigan State stat leaders: Points – Keith Appling (13.7 ppg); Rebounds – Adreian Payne (7.2 rpg); Assists – Appling (4.5 apg); Steals – Branden Dawson (1.8 spg).
Current Streaks: Ohio State W2; Michigan State W4
Point Spread: Michigan State -2
Prediction: Ohio State can be a good team, but the Buckeyes haven’t been that strong on the road. They seem too reliant on Deshaun Thomas and don’t have the same balance that Michigan State has. With this game being at home, I see the Spartans getting the victory. They should be able to game plan around Thomas and force someone else on Ohio State to beat them, which won’t happen. MSU will continue to spread the wealth on offense and pick up a nice win at home. Michigan State 65, Ohio State 60

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Michigan at Minnesota Breakdown & Prediction


No. 5 Michigan vs. No. 9 Minnesota
Time: 7 p.m.
Venue: Williams Arena
TV: ESPN
Records: Michigan 16-1, 3-1 Big Ten; Minnesota 15-2, 3-1
Michigan stat leaders: Points – Trey Burke (18.0 ppg); Rebounds – Mitch McGary (5.9 rpg); Assists – Burke (7.1 apg); Steals – Burke (1.2 spg).
Minnesota stat leaders: Points – Andre Hollins (14.4 ppg); Rebounds – Trevor Mbakwe (8.1 rpg); Assists – Andre Hollins (3.6 apg); Steals – Austin Hollins (2.0 spg).
Current Streaks: Michigan L1; Minnesota L1
Point Spread: Minnesota -3.5
Prediction: You would expect that Michigan learned a few lessons in last Sunday’s loss to Ohio State. The Wolverines have to show better composure in the beginning of this game and learn from what went well against the Buckeyes. Michigan was able to overcome a large deficit to Ohio State with defense and aggressive offense. If Michigan hopes to win tonight, the Wolverines need to do more of the same against the Gophers. The issue is, Minnesota is coming off a tough loss at Indiana and has been very impressive at home. Both teams need this win, but Minnesota has the home-court advantage. I think the Wolverines will play better than they did last Sunday, but they are also facing a better team. Minnesota 72, Michigan 70

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

MSU at Penn State Breakdown & Prediction

No. 18 Michigan State vs. Penn State
Time: 7 p.m.
Venue: Bryce Jordan Center
TV: Big Ten Network
Records: Michigan State 14-3, 3-1 Big Ten; Penn State 8-8, 0-4
Michigan State stat leaders: Points – Keith Appling (13.8 ppg); Rebounds – Derrick Nix/Adreian Payne (7.2 rpg); Assists – Appling (4.6 apg); Steals – Branden Dawson (1.9 spg).
Penn State stat leaders: Points – Tim Frazier (16.3 ppg); Rebounds – Ross Travis (7.6 rpg); Assists – Frazier/D.J. Newbill (3.8 apg); Steals – Frazier (2.3 spg).
Current Streaks: Michigan State W3; Penn State L4
Point Spread: Michigan State -12
Prediction: There aren’t many “easy” games in the Big Ten, but this one should be one of the easier ones for Michigan State. Penn State has struggled against lesser teams, losing to Purdue by 18 and Northwestern by 16. The Nittany Lions are one of the worst offensive teams in the country and shoot just 38.9 percent as a team. The Spartans tend to play to the level of their competition, but this is a game that I see them winning comfortably as they look to build some positive momentum heading into a very tough stretch of Big Ten games. Michigan State 72, Penn State 54.

Friday, January 11, 2013

Just how good is Michigan? Time to find out.


Michigan is off to an amazing start in the basketball season. The Wolverines are 16-0 overall and 3-0 in Big Ten play.
Coming into the season, most of us expected the Wolverines to be strong, but we didn’t quite know how strong they would be.
Even though Michigan is ranked No. 2 in the country and undefeated, there is still a little big of doubt as to just how good Michigan really is.
That should all be settled over the next week.
The Wolverines have a pair of tough road games over the next seven days, meeting No. 15 Ohio State on Sunday before heading to No. 8 Minnesota on Thursday. These will be the two toughest games Michigan has had thus far in the season.
The 3-0 start in Big Ten play is nice, but the Wolverines have had the luxury of facing some of the worst teams in the Big Ten to open conference play. Despite that, the Wolverines have won, and won impressively for the most part.
In a season that started with some big expectations, this 16-0 start has created great expectations for Michigan. The Wolverines truly look like a potential contender for the national championship this season. The key will be seeing how the Wolverines handle these next two games. Both will be very hostile environments, especially Ohio State on Sunday.
Michigan has passed every test thus far with flying colors, but now it is time for an even bigger test.
Can the Wolverines pass it?

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

What was disappointing about Michigan's football season


The 2012 season is now completely finished with last night’s BCS Championship Game.
Michigan finished the season No. 24 in the AP Poll and completely out of the USA Today Poll. The Wolverines were behind teams like San Jose State and Northern Illinois in both polls. While you can argue that Michigan isn’t worse than those teams, the point is that Michigan didn’t live up to expectations this season.
The potential was there all season. Outside of the loss to Alabama (which was only strengthened by the Tide’s performance against Notre Dame), the Wolverines could have won all of the other games they lost.
Each loss had a different story. One loss was about the offense turning the ball over. Another loss was about the defense struggling. Other losses were about injuries and preparation.
Coming off an 11-win season, it was clear that an 8-5 record wasn’t expected this fall. It could have been expected, but Brady Hoke has set a high standard for himself and the program, and this year didn’t live up to that standard.
It’s hard to really point the blame in any one direction. The offense, defense and special teams all had high points and low points. Ultimately, the blame probably falls on the coaching.
It’s not that I think Michigan has bad coaching, quite the contrary. But, when a team has a letdown and there is no single reason why, that tends to fall on the coaches.
I think Michigan will improve on this season and Brady Hoke seems to be the right man for the job, but Wolverine fans didn’t like 8-win seasons when Lloyd Carr was around, so they probably won’t accept many of them from Hoke.
So, where does your blame fall for the season?

Thursday, January 3, 2013

2012-13 College Football Bowl Live Chat

Digital First Media is holding a live chat on Friday at 10:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. to discuss the college football bowl games and the upcoming national championship game. You can join in on the chat at this link:

http://bit.ly/UkbNte

Here is the schedule of writers that will be featured in the chat:

10:30-11           Drew Ellis             Oakland Press
11-11:30           Nate Schneider     Morning Sun
11:30-12           Randy Castro and Mike Feld        Heritage Newspapers
12-12:30           John Kamf            News-Herald
12:30-1             Jimmy Durkin     Bay Area News Group
1-1:30               John Henderson   Denver Post
1:30-2               Matt Osborne   Trentonian
2-2:30               Scott Wolf           LA Daily News
2:30-3               Marcus Fuller     St. Paul Pioneer-Press

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Who deserves the most blame for MSU's 2012 football season?


Even with a victory in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, this has been a disappointing football season for Michigan State.
Not many could have seen a 7-6 season coming into training camp.
The Spartans had one of the top defenses in the country on paper and were coming off back-to-back 11-win seasons. Despite some concerns about the offense, few would have expected what Michigan State turned out to be in 2012.
Perhaps as disappointing as the record is that the Spartans weren’t far off from having another strong season.
MSU’s five losses in Big Ten play came by a combined 13 points and the Spartans had ample opportunities to win each of those games. Michigan State went from a team that could snatch victory out of the jaws of defeat in 2010 and 2011, to a team that snatched defeat out of the jaws of victory in 2012.
It’s hard to put much blame on the defense. Despite allowing some big plays at inopportune times, the MSU defense still played well enough to have a successful season. When you rank ninth in the country in scoring, you would expect to be at least an 8-win team.
The real issue this season was the offense, which ranked 110th nationally in scoring at 20 points per game. The offense couldn’t consistently put up enough points for a number of reasons, but all of them added up to cost the Spartans five of their six losses.
To me, there are five areas of blame for this season, and all directly relate to the offense.
First is head coach Mark Dantonio. He has to take responsibility for the 7-6 record as he is the head coach. There were plenty of embarrassing moments during the season that were a direct reflection of the coaching staff.
Second is offensive coordinator Dan Roushar. He seems to be the top culprit in the eyes of many MSU fans. The Spartan offense is his responsibility and they were awful. The offense was even awful in the bowl game after four weeks of uninterrupted preparation.
Third would be quarterback Andrew Maxwell. Perhaps an offense, or an offensive coordinator, is only as good as his quarterback. Maxwell was not nearly as good as coaches and fans hoped he would be, throwing for 2,606 yards with 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions while completing just 52.5 percent of his passes. He consistently threw short of the sticks on third downs and showed little mobility when forced out of the pocket.
Fourth is the offensive line. Injuries played a role in their struggles, but they allowed Maxwell to be sacked 21 times and pressured countless other times. Despite having a solid back in Le’Veon Bell, the line failed to provide consistent running lanes for him, which stalled out a lot of drives.
Fifth is the receivers. Though the young and inexperienced receivers improved throughout the season, drops were an issue early on in the year and they cost the Spartans a few games. Was it bad hands, or bad throws?
What are your thoughts? Who should be held most responsible for MSU’s 7-6 season in 2012?

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Thoughts on Michigan's 33-28 loss to South Carolina


Well, it was a heck of a football game.
But, in the end, Michigan allowed too many big plays to the South Carolina offense and lost the Outback Bowl, 33-28.
After digesting the game for a few hours, I still stand by my initial feelings that this was Michigan’s game to lose, and the Wolverines did just that.
It became clear during the game that South Carolina was not able to really put a drive together on offense, and was living off the big play.
Seemingly all Michigan had to do was keep the South Carolina receivers in front of them to win, but the Wolverines couldn’t do it.
Offensively, I was pretty impressed with Michigan. I thought Devin Gardner struggled with his passing accuracy, but he made up for it with some big throws later in the game and he also had some really impressive runs that sustained drives.
Denard Robinson looked like a competent running back. It is one thing to run from the quarterback position, it is another thing to play the role of the running back. Robinson did that well. He took the handoffs well. He followed his blockers and made good reads on his running lanes. He was a consistent presence in the offense and didn’t do anything to really hurt the team.
Jeremy Gallon made some impressive catches during the day as well.
The offensive line wasn’t outstanding, but wasn’t awful. Obviously Jadeveon Clowney had some massive hits and a key fumble late in the game, but it is going to be a tall order to keep him from making a big play.
Michigan had 29 more plays than South Carolina and held the ball nearly 16 minutes longer than the Gamecocks, yet the Wolverines still lost.
The Michigan defense didn’t come through today. Three touchdowns of over 30 yards, a 64-yard run from Connor Shaw and even a punt return for a touchdown (not that that’s on the defense, but it is still a coverage unit). Those were the plays that Michigan had to prevent. It’s one thing to allow one or two, but five plays of that nature is not acceptable from this defense. Especially against an average offense in South Carolina, that had just 21 rushing yards outside of Shaw’s 64-yard scamper.
I will get into Michigan’s season in a few days, but this loss puts one last punch in the gut to the Wolverines’ disappointing season. You have to call it disappointing. Michigan wasn’t favored in this game, but it had a win there for the taking and lost. The Wolverines failed to beat any team of significance this season and will probably finish outside the top 20 in the rankings.
If Michigan is truly going to get back to being a national power, 8-5 seasons won’t cut it. I am not trying to rain on the Wolverines’ parade, because an 8-5 season isn’t that bad in the grand spectrum of college football. However, Michigan coaches, players and fans want to live by a high standard, so I am holding them to that standard.