Big Ten Preview Week 8

Ohio State loses on the road when they traveled west and the NCAA changes the rule for 12 players on the field.  I'm still waiting for the Big Ten to address when they sent a bunch of Columbus refs to officiate the Michigan - Ohio State game.  

Friday Night:

Oregon (-27.5) @ Purdue: I don't know if Purdue has it in them but this is the trapiest of trap games.  Big win, short week, and with the ranked Illini coming up next.  Oregon 45 Purdue 10

Saturday:

Nebraska @ Indiana (-6.5): Sneaky good game with two Big Ten upstarts.  Is IU the most quiet undefeated team in the country? Are they good?  Nebraska 28 IU 23

Wisconsin (-7) @ Northwestern: Enjoy the views!  Northwestern played well at Maryland last week and this might be a close one.   Wisconsin 20 NW 17

UCLA @ Rutgers (-4.8):  Rutgers is doing what they do every year.  UCLA is not that good and travels a ton this year.   Rutgers 24 UCLA 14

USC (-7) @ Maryland:  USC has a good team they just can't seem to find it.  This has not been a good year for Lincoln Riley fans.  Luckily, the Lincoln Lawyer Season 2 comes out on Netflix today.  USC 40 Maryland 21

Iowa (-5) @ MSU: This will be a good test for MSU for their Super Bowl against Michigan.  I can't believe Iowa has a better offense than Michigan.  (that sentence almost made me throw up).  Iowa 24 MSU 18

Michigan Thursday: The Michigan Difference

I grew up in Ann Arbor in the shadow of the Big House.  Being a Michigan fan is in your blood.  There is a Michigan Difference but sometimes it's hard to explain to people that are not familiar with U of M or Ann Arbor.   I think this video does it for me.

Hutch visits Mott's Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor often and writes the kids names on his water bottle before games.  They have returned the favor with words of encouragement. 

.@aidanhutch97 visits kids at the Mott Children's Hospital and has written many of their names on his water jugs before games.

After his injury on Sunday, those kids sent him some beautiful words of encouragement. 🥹💙 (via @MottChildren) pic.twitter.com/BMMSdL9SxW

— NFL (@NFL) October 16, 2024

Wolverine Wednesday: Hitting The Portal Early

The secret sauce in finding the best talent in the portal takes really two things: money and relationships.  Michigan was very high on four-star Indiana transfer wide receiver Donaven McCulley last off season and Donaven decided to stay in Bloomington. He has is back in the portal and now Michigan is expecting him to visit for the MSU game. Yes please!

Now, how can we get Kansas State's QB to enter the portal and head to Ann Arbor?

Here are a list of changes I would like Michigan to make during these bye weeks:

• Give Tuttle all first team snaps
• Have Tuttle throw with all RB's, WR's, and TE's on off days
• School Tuttle on not running in between the tackles.
• Stop being so damn predictable on offense
• More passing plays to Edwards
• Play action!
• Is there some law about Michigan running a traditional RB screen?
• More zone run blocks for the offensive line
• Consider more options in the secondary including Safety

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• 5 star Michigan Basketball recruit Trey McKenney from Orchard Lake will commit on 10/9

• MSU game is a 7:30 kick at the Big House.  Not a great decision.

• I hope the Michigan coaches studied the Purdue - Illinois game from last weekend.  Purdue should've of not been able to put up 50 on them. 

Michigan Tuesday: College Football News and Notes

• What an honor!  Josaiah Stewart has been named a team captain!  Don't forget Tom Brady says the top honor he ever received playing football was being named Team Captain at Michigan.  Well deserved, Stewart has played great this season! 

• Dan Lanning confirmed the 12 men on the field was actually something they had game planned for but rarely comes up.  Coaching matters folks! 

• Hawaii is going to be a full-time member of Mountain West, I had always assumed they were already. 

• Utah's QB Cam Rising is out for the year with an injury.  He is now eligible for his 8th year of college football. Or maybe he wants to hit Linkedin?

• Michigan recruit 4-star LB from IMG Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng was at Colorado over the weekend and enjoyed the electric atmosphere. 

• Reports are that Hutch had a rod placed in his leg during surgery to repair his broken Tibia and Fibula.  Its an expected 6-9 month recovery cycle.   Hutch is now Iron Man!  

• Get the first glimpse at Michigan's new Basketball program against Oakland this Sunday at the Pizza Palace in downtown Detroit. 

• This is not a joke, The Lions have signed DE Isaiah Thomas off the Bengals Practice squad.  Welcome home Zeek! 

• Big Ten and SEC are looking to have a challenge series in football.