The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MICHIGAN FOOTBALL 2012 Predictions Favor The Wolverines T he predictions have already be- gun for 2012, and Michigan is earning favorable reviews. Colleg- eFootballNews.com tabbed quarter- back Denard Robinson to win the Heisman in his senior season and Michigan to meet LSU in the national championship game. "Michigan will lose to Alabama to start the season, but it's not going to get blown away," CFN.com opined. "Then the run will come with high- profile wins at Notre Dame and Ne- braska wrapped around blowouts over Air Force, UMass, Purdue, Illi- nois, Minnesota, Northwestern, and Iowa. The Wolverines will get by the home battle with Michigan State and will do just enough to avoid the upset bid, in what'll be Ohio State's bowl game, to get to the Big Ten Championship Game 11-1. They'll beat Wisconsin in the title game. "The big controversy will be whether or not Alabama should get yet another rematch, or if a Michigan team that al- ready lost to the Tide should play for it all. This time around, the pollsters will give the nod to the Maize and Blue, who'll move up to the No. 2 spot after the Tide's loss to the Tigers." FoxSports.com also forecasted Michigan's participation in next year's BCS title game, opposite Southern Cal. "Michigan will shock the world by beating Alabama, and will roll through the Big Ten, including a close win ver- sus Nebraska," the site declared. FoxSports.com picked Robinson to be a Heisman favorite, but ultimately awarded the trophy to Alabama tail- back Trent Richardson (who subse- quently declared for the NFL Draft). Rivals.com predicted next year's U-M'S RANKING IN EARLY 2012 TOP 25 LISTS Site/Media NBCSports.com Rivals.com USA Today AthlonSports.com CBSSports.com ESPN.com Rank No. 5 No. 8 No. 9 No. 9 No. 10 No. 11 SportsIllustrated.com No. 11 44 THE WOLVERINE FEBRUARY 2012 No fewer than seven media outlets have head coach Brady Hoke's squad pegged as one of the nation's top 11 teams in early 2012 rankings. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN season opener between the Maize and Blue and Crimson Tide will fea- ture two top-10 teams, ranking U-M eighth and Alabama third in the site's preseason Top 25 for 2012. "The offense again should be po- tent," the site stated. "QB Denard Robinson has one more year, and TB Fitzgerald Toussaint became a de- pendable option as this season wore on. Refining the passing attack will be important during spring practice. So will rebuilding the defensive line. "The back seven on defense has a ton of promise, and it will be inter- esting to see how coordinator Greg Mattison deploys his guys." NBCSports.com also jumped on the bandwagon, ranking U-M fifth while including Robinson among the Heisman finalists. "Compared to his breakthrough 2010 season, Robinson's 2011 season was rather ho-hum and seemingly a step back in his progression as a quar- terback at this level," the site posted. "Don't buy that logic for even a nanosecond, however. Robinson, one of the most electrifying and athletic players in the country, was in his first year under a new coaching staff and new offensive system. With that year under his belt, Robinson will be poised to make a significant run at the Heisman, especially if the Wol- verines can either repeat or exceed their 10-win success of 2011." ESPN.com and SI.com were a little more tempered with their enthusi- asm, slotting Michigan No. 11 in the respective sites' preseason Top 25 rankings. ESPN.com had U-M opponents Ala- bama No. 3, Michigan State No. 9, Ne- braska No. 13 and Notre Dame No. 23. Additionally, Wisconsin rated No. 19. SI.com ranked Alabama fifth, Mich- igan State sixth, Wisconsin 12th, Ne- braska 16th and Notre Dame 22nd. "The Wolverines may be better in 2012 than they were in 2011, but their record may not reflect it," SI.com wrote. "Quarterback Denard Robin- son and company open against Ala- bama in Arlington, Texas, and then have to turn around and prepare for Air Force's option the next week. The Wolverines get Michigan State — owner of a four-game win streak against Michigan — in Ann Arbor, but they'll have to go to Notre Dame, Nebraska and Ohio State. "Still, Michigan has the talent to win the Legends Division and play for the Big Ten title. IN SUGAR, BUT LOOKS AHEAD Michigan's 11-2 Sugar Bowl cham- MICHIGAN REVELS pions were justifiably caught up in the moment during the aftermath of their Jan. 3 triumph over Virginia 2012 Football Schedule Date Sept. 1 Sept. 8 Sept. 15 Sept. 22 Oct. 6 Oct. 13 Oct. 20 Oct. 27 Nov. 3 Nov. 10 Nov. 17 Nov. 24 Opponent Alabama* Air Force Massachusetts at Notre Dame at Purdue Illinois Michigan State at Nebraska at Minnesota Northwestern Iowa at Ohio State * at Arlington, Texas