What ARE our chances against Michigan?

It'll be on your defense and the momentum/confidence you'll have coming into the game. If you guys have a good game at Penn State then I'd bet on the Huskers. Michigan will be coming off a road stretch where they could drop some games and they'll be looking forward to OSU, you could easily win. Contain Robinson and make him throw. You'll pick some off if the defense is worth a damn. Pretty good chances I think. Michigan's probably wondering the same thing.

 
We won't stop them often and they won't stop us often. But I believe our defense will be improved.

 
Robinson could really hurt us on the ground. He doesn't scare me too much through the air, but he could be doing damage there against us this year unless either our secondary or front four really step it up by then. One of those two needs to be lights out in order for us to succeed against Michigan, hopefully both.

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS COURTNEY OSBORNE???

Also did Josh Mitchell play yesterday?

 
The Minn game should be a no brainier for us but keep in mind Michigan held Minn scoreless and then racked up 58 points on them. So the Minn game could be a good litmus test for us in regards to Michigan. Lets also not forget we have to play Michigan St. and Penn St. Michigan St. held Ohio St. to just 10 points so we better show up prepared because we very well could have lost that Ohio St. game if not for some second half heroics by Levonte David, and our O line stepping up and allowing Rex and Martinez to break open some runs.

Penn St.'s D is gonna own us plain and simple. The good thing is their offense is rather low scoring. I predict a rather low scoring game that will depend on the foot of Maher to win. Before anyone says well Penn St. hasn't played anyone. Remember they held Alabama to just 27 points. In all honesty Penn St. stayed closer to Alabama then both Arkansas and Florida did.

So that's 2 potential losses before we even make it to the Michigan game. The talking heads picked us to win that game early in the season because they expected our D to be on par with it's past performances. Our O has improved slightly from last year but not by much. Our D on the other hand is no where near the level it was last year. Michigan's D on the other hand has improved greatly from it's performance last year. They have held opponents to 10,31,3,7,and 24. Our D on the other hand has been letting opponents like Fresno St. sustain drives. The only opponent Michigan had trouble with on D was Notre Dame. Notre Dame soundly beat Michigan St.

It's going to be an interesting game but I don't believe our D as it's playing right now has a chance at stopping Denard Robinson, and our O is going to have to bring it's A game to keep up. Michigan's D isn't playing at the Pop Warner level this year like last year. Their D isn't great but against our offense they don't really have to be. Also this game is going to be played in Ann Arbor. That and I think the B1G teams have some extra incentive in beating the new guy on the block and attempting to put us in our place. I wouldn't be surprised if we walk out of this season with 3 or 4 losses. Wisc, Michigan St., Penn St., and Michigan.

 
Stop Shoelace, and you stop UM. I have confidence that Bo will have something cooked up to stop their offense. Their defense is a little overrated IMO. The next few weeks are very important, and if we win out until UM we will beat them.

 
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If we can run the ball, use long drives and time of possession to keep their offense (namely Robinson)off the field, then I think we could win that game. If their offense is on the field a lot though, I expect them to score almost every time they have the ball. This game is pretty far off though, so who knows what could change by then.

 
Does Michigan have many playmakers besides Robinson? I knew last year was a case of "if you stop Robinson, you stop Michigan". I really doubt Bo will treat him any different than any other QB so it's a moot point, really.

 
aspeedlin4589 said:
Stop Shoelace, and you stop UM. I have confidence that Bo will have something cooked up to stop their offense. Their defense is a little overrated IMO. The next few weeks are very important, and if we win out until UM we will beat them.
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Stopping Denard is a lot easier said then done. Lets not forget until Braxton Miller got hurt he ran for 91 yrds and threw for 95 yrds against our D. Personally I think if Miller hadn't been injured we very well could have lost that Ohio St. game. Braxton Miller isn't in the same caliber as Denard either.

 
The Dude said:
Does Michigan have many playmakers besides Robinson? I knew last year was a case of "if you stop Robinson, you stop Michigan". I really doubt Bo will treat him any different than any other QB so it's a moot point, really.
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Hemingway is a pretty good receiver and Toussaint is shaping up to be a pretty good back this year. His running gets over shadowed by Denard's yardage but his average is on par with Rex and surpasses Martinez.

 
Husker_in_Tarheel_land said:
aspeedlin4589 said:
Stop Shoelace, and you stop UM. I have confidence that Bo will have something cooked up to stop their offense. Their defense is a little overrated IMO. The next few weeks are very important, and if we win out until UM we will beat them.
Click to expand...
Stopping Denard is a lot easier said then done. Lets not forget until Braxton Miller got hurt he ran for 91 yrds and threw for 95 yrds against our D. Personally I think if Miller hadn't been injured we very well could have lost that Ohio St. game. Braxton Miller isn't in the same caliber as Denard either.
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True, but Dennard has been turnover prone for the last two years. Some of his throws against NW were just awful. It is easier said than doen, and I never said we ARE going to stop him. But like I said I have faith in Bo to put together a good game plan for UM.

 
aspeedlin4589 said:
Husker_in_Tarheel_land said:
aspeedlin4589 said:
Stop Shoelace, and you stop UM. I have confidence that Bo will have something cooked up to stop their offense. Their defense is a little overrated IMO. The next few weeks are very important, and if we win out until UM we will beat them.
Click to expand...
Stopping Denard is a lot easier said then done. Lets not forget until Braxton Miller got hurt he ran for 91 yrds and threw for 95 yrds against our D. Personally I think if Miller hadn't been injured we very well could have lost that Ohio St. game. Braxton Miller isn't in the same caliber as Denard either.
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True, but Dennard has been turnover prone for the last two years. Some of his throws against NW were just awful. It is easier said than doen, and I never said we ARE going to stop him. But like I said I have faith in Bo to put together a good game plan for UM.
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True Denard does cough up the ball a bit. Live by the sword die by the sword. We have the same problem with Martinez and imho Martinez isn't near the caliber of Denard. Maybe in a year or two he will be, but he's not there yet.

 
DaveH said:
Depends on which team shows up. The OSU comeback has the ability to be a turning point. Will they use it to get better or will we relive 2007?
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I think you are spot on here. If the right NU team shows up the Huskers could very well win that game.

About a week ago I moved the Michigan game from a toss up/potential loss to a certain loss --- but that was predicated upon what we had seen up to that point --- then, NU had not played an intense, focused, physical game with great effort and heart for the last about 8 straight games. So... at that time, it appeared as though the Michigan game would be clearly going the other way. BUT... Saturday has now come and passed and, in that game, heart, passion to play and character was exhibited by the NU squad (for the first time in a long, long time). IF that is the team that shows up --- and if the defensive secondary experimentation settles out (guys like Jean-Baptiste have settled in, Evans and Green and Cooper get more seasoned and comfortable) then NU has a real decent chance. It will be a toss up.

What really will be enlightening is seeing what happens in games against Michigan State, Northwestern and Minnesota --- if NU plays with the fire and passion that they exhibited in the second half against Ohio State --- and if the secondary settles out somewhat... well NU could be a real decent team comes the Michigan game.

It all hinges upon what NU team shows up. Fired up and focused... we'll be fine. Flat and unprepared (that which has characterized the NU squad for the previous 7-8 games prior to the OSU 2nd half)... and we get smoked.

 
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