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Michchamp
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Saturday, September 9, 2023, @ 3:30 PM Eastern. Televised on CBS (phew!), the UNLV Rebels play the Michigan Wolverines in Michigan Stadium.
Line: UM -36.5
o/u: 57.5
Sagarin predictor: 33 pt. Michigan win
Michchamp siting? If you see an extremely handsome younger-middle-aged Michigan fan at the game... that's me. I will be there.
HISTORY
This is the second all-time meeting between the schools. The first was in 2015, during Harbaugh's 1st year. It was Harbaugh's second win at Michigan, 28-7.
UNLV football does not really have much of a "storied tradition." They only started playing in 1968 and became a D-1 team in 1976.
I think the program was founded when the mob decided the local gambling community needed something else to bet on. In fact, I just assume that's the true story, and am going with that.
The first four "Co-Athletic Directors" of UNLV
Since going D-1, UNLV has bounced around conferences a bunch, before finally settling into the new Mountain West conference in 1999. They really haven't had too much success (their Program Bowl record is 2-2, and their win percentage is well under 0.500).
Randall Cunningham did go there, and is the only retired jersey in program history. And get this - he's currently an ordained minister and "team chaplain" to the dubiously devout "Las Vegas Raiders."
UNLV are the "Rebels" and if you wondered why the HELL a non-Southern state would adopt the name and likeness of people who committed armed treason in defense of slavery, you're not alone. UNLV seems sensitive of this, although their explanation ends up being one of those "Okay, so if you're not racist, you're really fucking dumb" situations:
Mike Miller, who passed away in 2014, said his inspiration for the Hey Reb! Character came from the Western trailblazers of the 1800s who ventured into uncharted Nevada to discover resources and build communities.
That's not a "rebel" though, that's a pioneer... or a settler...
OKAY, WHAT ABOUT FOOTBALL, FUCKFACE?
UNLV is currently 1-0, with a 44-14 win over Bryant University (a Big South Conf team). They're coached by 1st year coach, Barry Odom, who previously had a mediocre HC gig at Missouri (he went 25-25 there in 4 seasons). I don't see much else notable about him... he was a longtime assistant at Mizzou and also played for them. Odom did briefly hire Bobby Petrino as his OC at UNLV, but Jimbo Fisher stole him away before he coached a down there.
UNLV went 2-10 in 2021 and 5-7 in 2022.
They have a reasonably veteran roster, although 8 of their projected starters are transfers. They lost their best RB and C to transfers after last season.
Their QB (Doug Brumfield) had them at 4-1 last year, before getting hurt (they finished 1-6). He led them in all their wins. His passing numbers last week were mediocre (11-18, 86 yards, 0 TDs 1 INT), but he did run for 71 yards and a TD.
They played a lot of guys at RB and WR (nine diff players with receptions).
I don't see anything to be too concerned about. If we have another goofy start, getting pinned at our own 1, UNLV might be able to move the ball, but if we've improved any after last week, I doubt it.
Michigan notes:
Our "Stand-in" HCs this week will be Jay Harbaugh in the 1st half, and Mike Hart in the 2nd half, with the 2nd half adjustments. OLC Sherrone Moore is back as well. That should help balance the workload among coaches.
Not yet clear if Will Johnson and Rod Moore will be back this week; a half-dozen other players were out last week, and I haven't seen any updates yet.
So go ahead and make your predictions and post some analysis if you so choose, but as always, leave the woofing and barking to other threads!
Line: UM -36.5
o/u: 57.5
Sagarin predictor: 33 pt. Michigan win
Michchamp siting? If you see an extremely handsome younger-middle-aged Michigan fan at the game... that's me. I will be there.
HISTORY
This is the second all-time meeting between the schools. The first was in 2015, during Harbaugh's 1st year. It was Harbaugh's second win at Michigan, 28-7.
UNLV football does not really have much of a "storied tradition." They only started playing in 1968 and became a D-1 team in 1976.
I think the program was founded when the mob decided the local gambling community needed something else to bet on. In fact, I just assume that's the true story, and am going with that.
The first four "Co-Athletic Directors" of UNLV
Since going D-1, UNLV has bounced around conferences a bunch, before finally settling into the new Mountain West conference in 1999. They really haven't had too much success (their Program Bowl record is 2-2, and their win percentage is well under 0.500).
Randall Cunningham did go there, and is the only retired jersey in program history. And get this - he's currently an ordained minister and "team chaplain" to the dubiously devout "Las Vegas Raiders."
After establishing the Rebels nickname, Nevada Southern students also created Beauregard, a cartoon wolf with a Confederate uniform, to ?rebel? against UNR and its wolf-pack mascot in the North. Beauregard?s smirk and wink contrasted with UNR?s ferocious wolf, another nod to the fledgling school?s break from tradition and its older and more established peer. While it was a decision based in rivalry and fun, the choice of a Confederate-themed mascot was nonetheless misguided and unfortunate.
To keep the name "the Rebels" they came up with a less-Confederate-looking "rebel" and a bullshit explanation of who was rebelling:
Mike Miller, who passed away in 2014, said his inspiration for the Hey Reb! Character came from the Western trailblazers of the 1800s who ventured into uncharted Nevada to discover resources and build communities.
OKAY, WHAT ABOUT FOOTBALL, FUCKFACE?
UNLV is currently 1-0, with a 44-14 win over Bryant University (a Big South Conf team). They're coached by 1st year coach, Barry Odom, who previously had a mediocre HC gig at Missouri (he went 25-25 there in 4 seasons). I don't see much else notable about him... he was a longtime assistant at Mizzou and also played for them. Odom did briefly hire Bobby Petrino as his OC at UNLV, but Jimbo Fisher stole him away before he coached a down there.
UNLV went 2-10 in 2021 and 5-7 in 2022.
They have a reasonably veteran roster, although 8 of their projected starters are transfers. They lost their best RB and C to transfers after last season.
Their QB (Doug Brumfield) had them at 4-1 last year, before getting hurt (they finished 1-6). He led them in all their wins. His passing numbers last week were mediocre (11-18, 86 yards, 0 TDs 1 INT), but he did run for 71 yards and a TD.
They played a lot of guys at RB and WR (nine diff players with receptions).
I don't see anything to be too concerned about. If we have another goofy start, getting pinned at our own 1, UNLV might be able to move the ball, but if we've improved any after last week, I doubt it.
Michigan notes:
Our "Stand-in" HCs this week will be Jay Harbaugh in the 1st half, and Mike Hart in the 2nd half, with the 2nd half adjustments. OLC Sherrone Moore is back as well. That should help balance the workload among coaches.
Not yet clear if Will Johnson and Rod Moore will be back this week; a half-dozen other players were out last week, and I haven't seen any updates yet.
So go ahead and make your predictions and post some analysis if you so choose, but as always, leave the woofing and barking to other threads!
