Michigan National Champions?

Sep 11 01:26 UTC 1994

After Watching the Michigan-Notre Dame Game,I think Michigan has a chance in
becoming the National Champions this year. With Wheatly coming back for the
Colorado,if they win that.. hey,they got a very good Chance!

response 2 of 49:

Sep 11 09:48 UTC 1994

Michigan *always* has a chance at being Nat'l Champs. Unfortunately, very
little separates the champs from the not-so-champs, and Michigan usually slips
up somewhere. Even in this game against Notre Dame, they very nearly gave the
game away in the closing minutes, much like the Illinois game last year. Plus,
there the annoying habit of Michigan teams (in nearly EVERY sport) to play to
the level of their competition. I wouldn't be terribly surprised to see U-M
tripped up by a "nobody" like Minnesota or Northwestern.

response 4 of 49:

Sep 12 19:39 UTC 1994

Don't forget we also have to play the Illini on the road.  They held
Missouri to 1 first down and less than 50 yards total offense this past
weekend.

But throw away the schedule.  We've got to win these one game at a time.
Colorado is up next.  On one hand there is an extra week to prepare (and
recuperate), but a week off can also induce a loss of momentum.

response 6 of 49:

Sep 14 04:29 UTC 1994

It's a huge "if" but IF Michigan goes 11-0, I will be supremely confident
that they will win the Rose Bowl.

Admittedly the track record is counterindicative of this, but I think
the difficulty of the Schedule combined with the lack of a strong
Pac-10 showing outweighs this. This is a special UM team, able to focus
better than any we've seen in a long time, IMO.

Leeron is right. The Illinois game is up there, too, and I shouldn't
have failed to mention it. If there ever was a UM team that could
go through a season one game at a time mentally, I think it's this one.

A better track record for injuries would ease my mind a bit tho.

response 8 of 49:

Sep 16 05:06 UTC 1994

I appreciate your big sacrifice, but what good is a national championship
if you miss the whole thing? I will do no such thing.
They will have to win despite the fact that I will go to the home games
and watch the remainder on TV.

response 10 of 49:

Sep 18 16:04 UTC 1994

Michigan will do better than Wisconsin did. It was pretty sad last night.
On the other hand, Colorado is the best team I have seen so far, and
a much stronger team than Notre Dame. Your assessment, Carson, is right on.
Michigan has their work cut out for them next week.
I think I posted earlier that the Colorado and Penn State games will be
the toughest tests.

It will be interesting toee if the Colorado play translates well from
altitude 5300 ft. to altitude 800 ft. It will also be interesting to see
if 106000 fans can have any impact. McCartney is quite familiar with
the environs, though, and I'm sure the Buffaloes will know exactly
what to expect.    I wouldn't miss it.

response 12 of 49:

Sep 19 19:32 UTC 1994

re #11: looked fine on my screen...

has Penn State had any sort of real challenge yet? I think this year they
could once again be overrated and unprepared for the Wolverines. Michigan
State, however, should remain a joke this year... 

Suppose Northwestern or Indiana go undefeated in the Big Ten this year.
Wouldn't they win a TB with Michigan, thus sending Michigan to another
bowl? Would such a bowl be more or less desirable than the Rose?

response 14 of 49:

Sep 20 07:31 UTC 1994

OK, so *maybe* Northwestern going all the way is far-fetched, but
Indiana *could* concievably do it.

If Michigan can't quite put it together this year, there is next
year as well, which offers up a JOKE of a schedule. Who put
Miami *OH* on the schedule? Is it supposed to be some sort of homage
to the school that gave us Bo? BWAH!!

response 16 of 49:

Sep 21 05:29 UTC 1994

toons makes a point. why *is* Florida ranked ahead of both Miami and
FSU this year? do the polls know something I don't? Florida, while
nearly always a good team, has never to my knowledge finished No. 1
in the STATE, much less overall. I think I'd read that somewhere. It'd
be kind of funny, since FSU was a girls' school up until a relatively
short time ago.

response 18 of 49:

Sep 23 07:32 UTC 1994

I'd wondered what the reason for that was. You've helped to explain why
U-M has the weak schedule they do for next year.

response 20 of 49:

Sep 24 10:38 UTC 1994

I wouldn't say "only today". Michigan has often shown promise in the preseason
only to be tripped up when everything _isn't_ on the line.

Also, Michigan historically has been known for its defense rather than its
offense, and its conservative style of play rather than its experimental.
This all went to pot a couple of years ago during a certain Notre
Dame game, but I still suspect that Michigan doesn't emphasize offense
as much as Florida or Nebraska (the Florida State game comes to mind...).
On the other hand, I'd guess that Michigan's defense is much stronger.

response 22 of 49:

Sep 24 23:24 UTC 1994

it's moot now.

response 24 of 49:

Sep 25 06:45 UTC 1994

Two great teams. One great game. Wrong team won. I'll get over it.
So will the Michigan team, but it won't be easy. The hunt for the
national championship is over. It is theoretically possible to win it
with one loss, but it is not something anyone expects. It's very very
unlikely. Now they will focus on the Big Ten championship, and that is
certainly in doubt. 

This was one game that I was worried about. The other is Penn State.
UM showed it can play with top ranked teams. They'll get to prove that
in again in 3 weeks. In the meantime, they will have to focus on one
game at a time. Neither Iowa nor MSU is a power, but I believe they
will be ready to play and beat those teams before getting to Penn State.