Athlon 2013 Top 25

[irishfanjho15]

Originally Posted by Wolverine1997

This.

If Michigan swapped schedules with them, I assure you Michigan would have done similar. Pretty hard to bag on a team who wound up playing the two teams that are playing for the MNC. Michigan's combined opponent's record this year is 96-63. That is the best COR ever in program history. 5 teams with 10+ wins.

If Al Borges didn't decide to eat his playbook at halftime, Michigan may have won The Game. They held that all mighty prolific meyer offense to two touchdowns, on the road. They also kept miller in check.

I think Michigan beats them at home next year.

Louisville being in the top-15 is a freaking joke. They're going to get beaten like a 1950s housewife in the Sugar Bowl.

About time.

[Wolverine1997]

Originally Posted by irishfanjho15

About time.

I don't think there is much chance of that ever happening again unless the B1G somehow becomes the SEC. With ND cancelling the series with Michigan and Dave Brandon being anti neutral site games & non-conference road games, Michigan will most likely load up on mid-majors and/or crappy to average BCS conference teams. Take a look at their future non-conference-

2013: vs CMU, vs notre dame, vs akron, at uconn
2014: vs app state, at notre dame, vs miami university (OH), vs utah
2015: at utah (Thursday night), vs oregon state, vs UNLV, vs BYU
2016: vs hawaii, vs miami university (OH), vs colorado, vs ball state
2018: vs arkansas
2019: at arkansas

[irishfanjho15]

Originally Posted by Wolverine1997

I don't think there is much chance of that ever happening again unless the B1G somehow becomes the SEC. With ND cancelling the series with Michigan and Dave Brandon being anti neutral site games & non-conference road games, Michigan will most likely load up on mid-majors and/or crappy to average BCS conference teams. Take a look at their future non-conference-

2013: vs CMU, vs notre dame, vs akron, at uconn
2014: vs app state, at notre dame, vs miami university (OH), vs utah
2015: at utah (Thursday night), vs oregon state, vs UNLV, vs BYU
2016: vs hawaii, vs miami university (OH), vs colorado, vs ball state
2018: vs arkansas
2019: at arkansas

That's pitiful. But when you're a program that has made your history on winning at home and very rarely going outside of your Midwest comfort zone it's not surprising.

[Wolverine1997]

Originally Posted by irishfanjho15

That's pitiful. But when you're a program that has made your history on winning at home and very rarely going outside of your Midwest comfort zone it's not surprising.

Michigan had some nice scheduling back in Bo's time. I remember they got the defending champion miami in 1984 and beat them. Almost had them again in 1988 but blew a huge lead and wound up on the short end 31-30. Trips to south carolina, ucla, washington. That's about it though. Usually road games with big time opponents have turned out to be a disaster.

See: UCLA 2000, Washington 2001, Oregon 2003.

It's too bad the B1G-PAC-12 Challenge was called off by the PAC-12. Would have loved to make a trip out west to Husky Stadium or maybe the Rose Bowl.

[ulukinatme]

I'll give it to Michigan, Wolverine1997. They did play a tough schedule this year. They're better than the 8-4 record indicates. While we're a better team offensively than we were in September, Michigan held on despite the numerous turnovers in that game. The only head scratcher game for Michigan this year was the Nebraska game. I know they lost Robinson there, but...it's Nebraska, that defense is atrocious.

[BGIF]

8/31 TEMPLE
9/07 @ UM#20
9/14 @ PU
9/21 MSU*
9/28 OU#9
10/05 ASU (Dallas) #25
10/12 Bye
10/19 USC #21
10/26 @ AF
11/02 NAVY
11/09 @ PIT
11/16 Bye
11/23 BYU
11/30 @ SU#10

*Others receiving consideration for Athlone Top 25

Two in the Top 10 OU and SU, three ranked 20-25, and one on the cusp, MSU. strikes me as comparable to '12.

[Who'saWildManNow]

Originally Posted by Buster Bluth

Ohio State is going to be very very good in 2013. If they lose a game, Urban Meyer should be fired. If you thought their schedule was bad this year (and I did too), just look at next year's.

They are as close to a lock to go 13-0 as one can get.

I was flabbergasted, yes flabbergasted when I saw Ohio State's 2013 schedule. They will absolutely be undefeated at the end of the season if they get past their one game.. UM.