Time: 3:30 EST
Location: ATT in Dallas
Weather:86 partly sunny
TV: ABC
Line: Michigan -5
It is finally here my friends, Michigan Football is back! The Wolverines will lace up their shoes, strap in their helmets, and throw on the shoulder pads tomorrow afternoon in Dallas and get to hit another team for a change.
Florida is full of athletes but has lost over 10% of their team to suspensions including their #1 WR and RB. Michigan is replacing a boat load of players that are currently in the NFL and need to reload with young players at the WR and DB positions.
Tale of the Tape:
UF DL vs. UM OL = Florida
UM DL vs. UF OL = Michigan
UF passing game vs Michigan DB's = Push
Michigan WR's vs Florida DB = Push
Special Teams = Florida
Coaching advantage = Michigan
Full Roster = Michigan
Location = Push
As you can see this should be a defensive battle with two offenses trying to find themselves this season. Florida last year barley had a passing game and Michigan will be rolling out new guys on the offensive line and at the WR position.
You want to know an early key to victory for either team? Which offense line plays the best will win this game. Both teams will want to run the ball and throw short passes for long drives and first downs. If either line is effective in opening holes for the RB and keeping the QB clean will have a huge advantage.
Party with Stephen Ross and Jerry Jones and a bottle of Johnny Walker Blue if.................
- Wilton is picking apart the young Florida secondary
- The offensive line is protecting and opening holes for the Michigan RB's
- Michigan DL is dominating the UF OL
- Michigan has 3 or more sacks
- Defensive gets two turnovers
- Wilton is clean with his throws
- The young WR's are as good as advertised
- Florida's DL is better then FSU's last year in the Orange Bowl
- Florida really has a good QB in the 3 they are expecting to play
- The suspensions don't hurt them at all
- Michigan's offense struggles to score points/TD's
- Michigan loses field position battles
I know everyone that reads this blog regularly knows that I'm not a fan of these neutral site games. I think it takes the college football experience out of the game. I want to see Michigan play in the Swamp and the Gators in the Big House, not in some NFL stadium with $40 parking.
Michigan housed Florida over a year ago in the Citrus Bowl when Florida looked like they didn't want to be there. I think they will be ready to play this year but will be leaving a ton of talent in the Swamp running the bleachers.
Michigan is the better coached team and Jimmy and staff have been preparing for this game for months. The Wolverines seem healthy and ready to play football. Florida has been full of suspensions and QB controversies, as much as I would like to discount that, it does have to be a distraction at some level. Michigan's offense is going to execute better then Florida's, Wilton is a seasoned QB at this point and we will be looking for a huge jump forward. I also expect Michigan will surprise the UF defense with a ton of "west coast offense" quick throws and strong RB play.
I like Michigan to put up some points in this one and have the defensive line protect the young DB's learning on the job. Either way, our wait is over and its time again for some Michigan Football. Enjoy they day!
Michigan 28 Florida 13
1 comment:
You know it's difficult to gage a team when they haven't played a game and there are no preseason or inter-team scrimmages between college teams. However, what we do know is that Florida has always had a lot of talent from their SEC footprint and you can always expect to see that talent and athleticism when they play.
Harbaugh has been quietly upgrading the team to reflect, talent, size, power, speed and athleticism. Now about three quarters of this team are his own recruits. They reflect his image and attitude. I think it was Mike McCray that just said in an interview how this team is different than the last couple of years and he is awed by what they can do on the field in spite of their youth.
Even the youth is saying that they want to prove that this team is not taking a step backward in spite of the young changing of the guard. I am excited for this team and the future of Michigan football. I think we are about to see the unveiling of that very thing that other coaches were afraid of when they heard Harbaugh was coming to Michigan.
In this game I think Florida is going to try to do and show things that Michigan has never seen before because they are desperate for a win over us. What that will look like I don't know, but I also think that Michigan will also show some new things at least in the offense which will reflect the new coaches input. My concern would be penalties because of youth and that southern home cooking that is still in SEC country. I would also like to keep an eye on special teams play. If we had our stuff together Michigan would have had been prepared for the final FSU kick off last year. To me, that was a coaching issue.
The question overall has been, which is better, talent or experience? Some coaches have said they'd rather have the talent. However, since both teams have talent the better question might be, which does better the experienced talent verses the better coached young talent? In a fairly officiated game (no osu mess), I am going with Michigan.
IMHO!!! GO BLUE!!!
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