The college football season is just around the corner and
the anticipation for the 2013 season is great for both Michigan and Michigan
State.
The Wolverines have high hopes to make a run at the Big
Ten title and the Spartans are hopeful to get back in the mix after a
disappointing 2012.
Putting MSU aside for today, one thing that really looks
like it could stand in the way of Michigan’s chances to win the Big Ten this
season is its schedule, mainly its final five games.
The Wolverines will play five consecutive weeks of
challenging games to end the season, then have to play the following week in
the Big Ten Championship, if it hopes to win a conference crown this year.
Here is what the final five games look like for Michigan:
Nov. 2 at Michigan State
Nov. 9 vs. Nebraska
Nov. 16 at Northwestern
Nov. 23 at Iowa
Nov. 30 vs. Ohio State
Let’s start with the first game against MSU in East
Lansing. The Wolverines have lost their last two meetings with the Spartans on
the road and Michigan hasn’t won by more than a touchdown at Spartan Stadium
since 1997. Win or lose, this game will be a physical battle and the Spartans
will be treating it like their biggest game of the year. It will be a very
tough start to a tough stretch.
Then Michigan heads home to face Nebraska. The
Cornhuskers are arguably right there with Michigan in regards to winning the
Legends Division in 2013. This will be the toughest game Nebraska has on its
schedule. The home team has dominated both meetings, but the Cornhuskers come
in with a veteran offense and one of the top playmakers in the Big Ten,
quarterback Taylor Martinez.
Next up is Northwestern. The Wildcats will be coming off
a bye week and eager to get a shot at Michigan after last season’s 38-31 loss
in overtime at The Big House. Northwestern hasn’t exactly been a problem for
Michigan in the past, but the Wildcats look to have a promising team this
season. Beating the Wildcats at home could be a problem.
Following that tough road game, Michigan then heads to
Iowa the following week. The Hawkeyes have won three of their last four against
the Wolverines, and winning in Iowa City hasn’t been an easy task for the
Wolverines as of late. Iowa may be the worst team on paper in the group, but
beating the Hawkeyes in Kinnick Stadium is no small feat. Prior to last season,
Iowa was 23-5 at home from 2008-2011.
The schedule closes with the big rivalry game against Ohio
State at home. Certainly anything can happen in this game and Michigan will
definitely be ready, but there isn’t much arguing that Ohio State comes into
the season as the Big Ten favorite. Braxton Miller looks to be the Big Ten’s
top player and quarterback this season and Urban Meyer has the most success of
any coach in the conference. It will take everything Michigan has to win this
game, and even if it does, can it possibly have anything left to win another
game the following week, especially if the Wolverines face the Buckeyes again?
I think when you look at each game on paper, you can
argue that Michigan can win each game. But winning all five in consecutive
weeks seems like too great of a challenge.
How do you think Michigan will do in its final five games
of the season?
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