Michigan vs Alabama

[Creed]

Is this a must win for the B1G considering:

• This is the biggest non-conf game for the B1G and no others come close (sorry games against ND haven't been eye catching since 1995). IMO, the B1G needs more of these big non-conf games. Winning over MAC teams and ND doesn't help.
  
• Barring a Mich win vs Bama and undefeated season, no B1G team is expected to be in the NCG race.
  
• No big non-conference wins for the B1G in the last 7-8 years. Maybe OSU over Oregon is Rose and OSU over Arkansas (vacated).
  
• With OSU & PSU out of the bowl picture the B1G bowl match ups will be terrible and record will reflect that.
  
• A win will help offset the negative publicity with PSU & OSU.
  

 

It's an uphill battle with Ala being ranked #1/2 and Mich around #10 (some saying that is too high) but a win would certainly help with the the B1G's poor reputation.

[Excel]

I fully agree, except for the bit about our 'poor' reputation. We need this win. That said I have Bama by two TDs.

[BlueInTheFace]

Is this a must win for the B1G considering:

• This is the biggest non-conf game for the B1G and no others come close (sorry games against ND haven't been eye catching since 1995). IMO, the B1G needs more of these big non-conf games. Winning over MAC teams and ND doesn't help.
  
• Barring a Mich win vs Bama and undefeated season, no B1G team is expected to be in the NCG race.
  
• No big non-conference wins for the B1G in the last 7-8 years. Maybe OSU over Oregon is Rose and OSU over Arkansas (vacated).
  
• With OSU & PSU out of the bowl picture the B1G bowl match ups will be terrible and record will reflect that.
  
• A win will help offset the negative publicity with PSU & OSU.
  

It's an uphill battle with Ala being ranked #1/2 and Mich around #10 (some saying that is too high) but a win would certainly help with the the B1G's poor reputation.

 

 

Way to layer the pressure on...

 

That being said UM wins by 40 and goes on to win every national championship forever after.

[Landlord]

We don't "need" anything. The B1G Conference will still exist and function as it has even if Michigan gets trounced by 28.

[NUance]

I would love for Meechicken to win this one. But it ain't gonna happen. Bamy will win big. At least three TDs.

[Comish]

I would love for Meechicken to win this one. But it ain't gonna happen. Bamy will win big. At least three TDs.

 

I will be mildly surprised if the Bama offense can outscore them by 21............

[exswoo]

I agree except for Michigan being the only team in the race - I think any one loss team has a great shot at the title game.

[Blackshirts007]

I'm not hott on Michigan, but if i had to choose one, i hate Saban more. I expect a low scoring game. I think Bama will be held to around 28-31 points, but Michigan will get shut down on offense. D.R will struggle with a LB spy on him who is just as fast as a DB. I expect him to throw at least 2 pics and with Fitz out this game, they will be very one dimensional, as is passing, which will be like feeding Bama candy. I think 31-14 sounds like a reasonable score.

[RedRedJarvisRedwine]

I'm not hott on Michigan, but if i had to choose one, i hate Saban more. I expect a low scoring game. I think Bama will be held to around 28-31 points, but Michigan will get shut down on offense. D.R will struggle with a LB spy on him who is just as fast as a DB. I expect him to throw at least 2 pics and with Fitz out this game, they will be very one dimensional, as is passing, which will be like feeding Bama candy. I think 31-14 sounds like a reasonable score.

16-13 Bama

[Nebula]

Michigan gets a big win, 24-21. How many guys did Alabama put in the League just from their defense alone last year?

 

(Of course, they'll probably get 10 defensive guys drafted this year, so that means nothing.)

 

There seems to be a few outliers from our conference checking out this thread, so I want to ask you a question. Growing up, I always rooted for our conference mates in the Big 8. That changed a little when we added the Sith from the South, but I still pulled for our conference in every bowl game. I heard somebody say (just a friend who has been a lifelong OSU fan) that the B1G is different. He speculated that B1G fans actually root against their conference mates a lot. I didn't put a whole lot of stock in that, because in a lot of ways that doesn't make sense. The stronger your opponent, the better the payoff for your team when you beat them, obviously. Just curious.

[SandhillshuskerW]

I'm not hott on Michigan, but if i had to choose one, i hate Saban more. I expect a low scoring game. I think Bama will be held to around 28-31 points, but Michigan will get shut down on offense. D.R will struggle with a LB spy on him who is just as fast as a DB. I expect him to throw at least 2 pics and with Fitz out this game, they will be very one dimensional, as is passing, which will be like feeding Bama candy. I think 31-14 sounds like a reasonable score.

16-13 Bama

 

24-14 Bama

[WoodyHayes1951]

Not happening.

 

maybe in 2 to 3 years. Right now it's laughable with the talent they have on their team.

[Comish]

Michigan gets a big win, 24-21. How many guys did Alabama put in the League just from their defense alone last year?

 

(Of course, they'll probably get 10 defensive guys drafted this year, so that means nothing.)

 

There seems to be a few outliers from our conference checking out this thread, so I want to ask you a question. Growing up, I always rooted for our conference mates in the Big 8. That changed a little when we added the Sith from the South, but I still pulled for our conference in every bowl game. I heard somebody say (just a friend who has been a lifelong OSU fan) that the B1G is different. He speculated that B1G fans actually root against their conference mates a lot. I didn't put a whole lot of stock in that, because in a lot of ways that doesn't make sense. The stronger your opponent, the better the payoff for your team when you beat them, obviously. Just curious.

 

That is the opposite of the standard league line. I've always heard the BIG always supports their bretheran. Of course, I have no idea if it's TRUE, just what they spouted when we joined.

[WoodyHayes1951]

Michigan gets a big win, 24-21. How many guys did Alabama put in the League just from their defense alone last year?

 

(Of course, they'll probably get 10 defensive guys drafted this year, so that means nothing.)

 

There seems to be a few outliers from our conference checking out this thread, so I want to ask you a question. Growing up, I always rooted for our conference mates in the Big 8. That changed a little when we added the Sith from the South, but I still pulled for our conference in every bowl game. I heard somebody say (just a friend who has been a lifelong OSU fan) that the B1G is different. He speculated that B1G fans actually root against their conference mates a lot. I didn't put a whole lot of stock in that, because in a lot of ways that doesn't make sense. The stronger your opponent, the better the payoff for your team when you beat them, obviously. Just curious.

 

That is the opposite of the standard league line. I've always heard the BIG always supports their bretheran. Of course, I have no idea if it's TRUE, just what they spouted when we joined.

 

 

 

It's not true...

[Nebula]

It's not true...

That's what I figured. Because it doesn't make sense. His claim was that the level of animosity between the teams was high enough to supersede conference loyalty, but I was strongly dubious because conference loyalty is really, in most ways, an extension of personal team loyalty. (But he isn't an idiot, and he's football obsessed and has been since he was a kid, so I felt compelled to ask.)

 

For the record, I've never seen anything to indicate that. (Meaning, teams rooting against conference mates.) It actually feels like a lot tighter of a knit than the Big 12 ever did, for pretty obvious reasons. Speaking for myself, I still feel a little of the "new weird guy" thing, but that will pass as time goes on. Already has a little. (It started after that comeback in Lincoln against OSU.) j/k

 

Anyway, thanks for answering. I was pretty sure that was the case.