The Official MICHIGAN vs MTSU Score Prediction Thread

[TheVictors]

Well its finally here ? Week 1....

?Michigan Marching Band, Take the Field!!!!?

Week One opponent Middle Tennessee State should be a name familiar to many in Michigan based on their accomplishments in the NCAA Basketball Tourney, but as a football program the Blue Raiders are a bit of an unknown.

Finishing 2nd in Conference USA in 2018 and posting a 7-6 record, MTSU runs the typical college offense trying to get the ball to ?slot ninja? WR Ty Lee or any one of the other, smaller backs and wideouts. Graduating a 4yr QB Brent Stockstill along with four top targets, the offense could struggle to move the ball against the more athletic MICHIGAN defense, and struggle upfront especially, where the Blue Raiders were weak last year.

Ranked #7 in the nation, the MICHIGAN WOLVERINES field what is being called the best overall team during the Jim Harbaugh era as well as the best overall team in the Big Ten Conference, according to some. Bringing in former Alabama Offensive Coach Josh Gattis, the Wolverines offense seeks to take Shea Patterson?s athleticism and ability to create to the next level. The new up-tempo Speed in Space scheme seeks to get the ball into the hands of the play makers as quickly as possible and the Wolverine offense has plenty of them. Returning Donovan Peoples-Jones, Nico Collins and a healthy Tarik Black, along with a package of capable running backs and a little Dylan McCaffrey here and there and the Maize and Blue intend to put up points this year.

Entering the game as a 34pt FAVORITE (CBS Sports) with and Over/Under of 54pts, the Harbaugh-lead team looks to kick-off a season that turns the corner as a program, aiming for the Big Ten Title and beyond. Middle Tennessee State at the Big House on Labor Day weekend seems a better way to start the year than a night in muggy South Bend.

So? post your score predictions with some supportive analysis, but save the woofing and barking for other threads.

GO BLUE!

 

[thewolverines24]

Michigan - 56
MTSU - 7

Throw the ball and then throw it some more, score many TDs, profit.

Nico and DPJ both better have over 100 targets this year, depending on DPJ's health of course. Been some quotes that seem like he's not all the way healthy just yet. Let's start by getting them about 10 each this Saturday.

 

[byco42]

M 53, MTSU 6. M goes for three and converts, or kicks a 65-yard FG with 0:01 on the clock.

 

[tinselwolverine]

55-0 M wins.

 

[Michchamp]

Um....44
mtsu..6

 

[michdad1]

38-14

 

[b311j]

][V][ 38

MTSU 10

Michigan jumps out to a 24-0 lead, then puts it into cruise control, with the 3s and 4s getting plenty of PT.

 

[GoBlueInAtlanta]

51-10

 

[hungry]

37-3

Michigan goes out and runs the ball up the middle a bunch. The game is out of hand early. MTSU can't move the football. JH and JG decide they aren't going to show the new O to anyone when they don't have to. 4 td's and 3 fg's later and it's 37-0 late in the 4th as MTSU lines up for the shut out ending fg.

Fans everywhere get mad, because they've been waiting 9 months to watch the new O and it looks just like last year's offense...

 

[Mitchrapp]

41-20.

 

[Monster]

23-13 Michigan. Not sure why.

 

[biggunsbob]

31-7

 

[tomdalton22]

This should be a beat down

UM 47
MTSU 10

 

[UMRules06]

45 - 17 umich

 

[Spartanmack]

uofm 45
mtsu 13

 

[thewolverines24]

37-3

Michigan goes out and runs the ball up the middle a bunch. The game is out of hand early. MTSU can't move the football. JH and JG decide they aren't going to show the new O to anyone when they don't have to. 4 td's and 3 fg's later and it's 37-0 late in the 4th as MTSU lines up for the shut out ending fg.

Fans everywhere get mad, because they've been waiting 9 months to watch the new O and it looks just like last year's offense...

No way this happens. Gattis doesn't run anything that resembles the Harbaugh/Pep offense from last year. No FB, no 6-man OL packages, and he runs a no huddle that doesn't take 30 seconds to get off every play.

Nico and DPJ are finally going to get the targets they deserve instead of us being able to say things like Minnesota's #2 WR had double the targets Nico did, or four different IU WRs got more targets, or three different MSU WRs had more targets and their RB only had 10 less targets than Nico.

I hope we put a ton of the offense on film instead of holding back. Need to game rep the new offense as much as possible.

 

[Michchamp]

I think we see a couple drives with the "new" offense, but if we're blowing them out, I'm sure we'll take our foot off the gas, and either go more conservative & hold the ball, or play deep into the roster.

If last year is any indication, we'll score MORE readily with McCaffrey in as QB though. We ran a pretty wide open and aggressive offense when he was in last year, so I'm kinda thinking maybe whatever we run saturday isn't going to seem as revolutionary as people are making it out to be.

 

[thewolverines24]

I think we see a couple drives with the "new" offense, but if we're blowing them out, I'm sure we'll take our foot off the gas, and either go more conservative & hold the ball, or play deep into the roster.

If last year is any indication, we'll score MORE readily with McCaffrey in as QB though. We ran a pretty wide open and aggressive offense when he was in last year, so I'm kinda thinking maybe whatever we run saturday isn't going to seem as revolutionary as people are making it out to be.

Well, it's not revolutionary because 98% of teams run an offense with spread elements and RPOs. We've finally decided to join the rest of the world. :cheers:

 

[Michchamp]

Well, it's not revolutionary because 98% of teams run an offense with spread elements and RPOs. We've finally decided to join the rest of the world. :cheers:

Everybody runs it, but the same teams are good every year, and have been for a long time... so I think talent and preparation matter more than the scheme.

 

[thewolverines24]

Everybody runs it, but the same teams are good every year, and have been for a long time... so I think talent and preparation matter more than the scheme.

I agree, but it is beneficial to not be running a scheme that actively holds your team back. We're actually going to use slot WRs on a regular basis this year. We'll even be involving the RBs in the passing game.