The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MAIZE N' VIEW MICHAEL SPATH M 2015 Schedule Could Be Best Ever thing special about the announcement, made June 27, that U-M will face both Utah (on the road) and Oregon State (at home) in the first four weeks of the 2015 season. That year's slate will also include home games against Notre Dame, UNLV, Wiscon- sin, Minnesota, Nebraska and Ohio State, and road trips to Michigan State, Illinois, Northwestern and Iowa, in what might just be the best 12-game schedule in program history. "There are a lot of objectives when 1983, splitting contests with Washing- ton State and Washington. Though the Wolverines have met two Pac-12 foes in the same year multiple times, it has happened only four times dur- ing the regular season — 1966, 1970, 1973 and 1983 — with the major- ity of the second match- ups occurring in a bowl game. Thus, there is some- ichigan last played a pair of Pac-12 opponents in the same non-conference campaign in State, meanwhile, would likely be a pushover if the game was played in 2012, going 8-16 its past two seasons, but the Beavers were 26-17 from 2006-09. Overall, they have produced six winning records and are 5-1 in bowl games during Mike Riley's 11- year tenure. The Wolverines faced eight ranked foes in 2003, producing a 5-3 record that was highlighted by a 35-21 victory over No. 4 Ohio State. you're putting a schedule together, but part of the objective is to create contests that are interesting to people, fascinating to people … contests peo- ple want to talk about," U-M athletics director David Brandon said. It is possible Michigan could face off with eight ranked teams in 2015, though of course much depends on who is up, and who is down. For instance, will MSU, which won the Fighting Irish, accumulating a 65-25 record in Kyle Whittingham's seven full seasons, with a 6-1 mark in bowl games that included a 2008 Sugar Bowl victory over Alabama. UNLV, on the other hand, is 4-21 in Utah may be a better bet than even PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN through five ranked Big Ten enemies, including No. 9 Michigan State and No. 4 Ohio State in November. Over- all, U-M was 5-2 against the top-25 opponents, but dropped its eighth meeting, 28-14, to No. 1 USC in the Rose Bowl. 2. 1991 (six ranked opponents): After opening at Boston College, U-M faced three consecutive top-10 op- ponents — the first time that had happened since 1940 — in No. 7 Notre Dame, No. 1 Florida State and No. 9 Iowa. The Maize and Blue went 2-1, losing to FSU. They also squared off with No. 25 Illinois and No. 18 Ohio State, and for good measure took on second-ranked Wash- ington in the Rose Bowl. 3. 1997 (seven ranked opponents): The Maize its past two seasons, and hasn't seen a head coach come through Las Vegas capable of winning more than he lost since Harvey Hyde stalked the side- lines from 1982-85 (26-19-1 for a .576 winning percentage). But it is feasible that Utah, Notre tent power over its first five seasons in the Big Ten as Penn State did (51-10 from 1993-97) or does it struggle to maintain its relevancy? Michigan's eight Big Ten oppo- a share of the Big Ten title in 2010 and played for the championship in 2011, remain a consistent Legends Division contender, or will the Spartans fade? Does Nebraska emerge as a consis- nents are less of a question mark than its four non-conference foes, though, because their track records over the past 10 years are a strong indicator of what to expect in league play. Oregon 90 THE WOLVERINE AUGUST 2012 Dame, Oregon State, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Iowa and Ohio State are all ranked opponents; U-M last saw eight ranked foes in 2003, though only seven in the regular season. It has never seen eight from September-November. Here is a look at some other regu- lar-season campaigns that could stack up to the potential 2015 has to offer. 1. 2003 (eight ranked opponents): Michigan met an unprecedented seven ranked opponents during regular-season action, including No. 15 Notre Dame and No. 22 Or- egon in back-to-back weeks to close out the non-conference portion of the slate. Then the Wolverines had to go U-M had never started a season with three ranked foes (and it hasn't hap- pened since either), but did so in 1985, opening up with No. 13 Notre Dame, No. 11 South Carolina and No. 17 Maryland. U-M swept the three en route to a 9-1-1 regular sea- son that included top-25 matchups with No. 1 Iowa and No. 12 Ohio Sate. The Wolverines then earned their fifth win over a ranked oppo- nent with a 27-23 Fiesta Bowl victory against No. 8 Nebraska. ❏ and Blue opened the season with No. 15 Colorado and also faced a Notre Dame team that was preseason No. 11, though unranked when the two rivals met after a 1-2 start. The Big Ten was especially grueling, how- ever, with five ranked foes standing between Michigan and perfection, including No. 3 Penn State and No. 4 Ohio State. U-M has had to face five top-25 conference opponents only one other time, in 2003. 4. 1985 (six ranked opponents): Associate Editor Michael Spath has been with The Wolverine since 2002. Contact him at mspath@comcast.net and follow him on Twitter @Spath_ Wolverine.