The Swamp

Yeah, there's still a few hours left in August, but fuck it. (By the way, remember when we used to have threads for each week of the season? Those were the days.)

Gonna be pounding a few cold ones on Saturday and enjoying a full day of football finally.

I'm going to be driving across the state, listening to Mick Hubert call the game on Saturday, like God (Spurrier) intended.

govmentchedda wrote:I'm going to be driving across the state, listening to Mick Hubert call the game on Saturday, like God (Spurrier) intended.

What's your take on how that Michigan-Florida game will go after all the suspensions?

I liked Andy Staples take on it, which was basically don't take anything from the outcome of the game. Whatever happens will amplify a narrative that could likely be false.

I really don't like that our only offensive stars are both out, and that we're starting a QB who hasn't taken a snap since HS. Our OL should be improved, and Franks is tall, so perhaps we'll air it out, but when you have three QBs you have none, right?

I'm split between upset at McIlwain for running a program that has so many knuckleheads, and happy that he and the program seems to be taking minor-ish infractions seriously, unlike that shitheel Urban used to.

I still like Florida and the points. Hoping it pops to 6 (it's 5.5 last I checked). Michigan has like 5 returning starters on both sides of the ball and could be starting a new QB. I think it'll be a low-scoring defensive battle.

I have faith in Harbaugh to make wine out of water.

Of course the big game we are all anticipating is tomorrow's bout between Colorado and Colorado State. I think both defenses are similar to wet paper bags in the Houston wind, so bet the over.

sancarlos wrote:I have faith in Harbaugh to make wine out of water.

Of course the big game we are all anticipating is tomorrow's bout between Colorado and Colorado State. I think both defenses are similar to wet paper bags in the Houston wind, so bet the over.

I think you mean Central Michigan-Rhode Island tonight from sunny Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

Beat Lil' Rhody!

There is absolutely ZERO chance MI is starting anyone other than Speight on Saturday. Like... I would love to have a contact to place a bet on that.

brian wrote:

sancarlos wrote:I have faith in Harbaugh to make wine out of water.

Of course the big game we are all anticipating is tomorrow's bout between Colorado and Colorado State. I think both defenses are similar to wet paper bags in the Houston wind, so bet the over.

I think you mean Central Michigan-Rhode Island tonight from sunny Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

Beat Lil' Rhody!

No he meant tomorrow, but Syracuse against Central Connecticut State, which may actually be a high school.

MI's defense lost a bunch, particularly in the secondary. But I think this is the year that the Harbaugh difference in terms recruiting is going to really show up. We're moving into fairly uncharted waters in terms 4 and 5 stars on the roster. They're not at the 'bama/OSU level, but they are creeping into that zip code. Rashan Gary was the top recruit in the nation in 2016 and MI's line was basically a 7-8 man rotation last year. So, saying MI lost x amount of starters on the DL is WAAAAAY overstating things there. A not very great FL OL and a redshirt FR QB is going to have a very shitty day against Don Brown's flying armada of death and destruction.

Where this (new faces) IS a real issue for MI is in the secondary, where they lost (arguably) the best DB in the country... and everyone else. If FL is questionable at the QB slot, they might get a little fortunate on misreads or misfires due to the relative green situation here. That said, MI also gets a pretty tremendous break here with FL's top two WRs suspended for the game.

On offense, the OL is going to struggle against FL's line, but... Speight, who many don't know played the last quarter of the season with a fucked up collarbone and still played well enough to beat OSU (but for the ghastly couple of TOs) and hung in pretty well against FSU. ALSO, they have a pretty under-rated RB cadre. I think Evans and Higdon are going to surprise people this year. These aren't typical MI backs... Haven't seen guys like this in quite some time.

The MAJOR ? for MI on offense is the WR corp. Highly likely that 2 FR are going to rotate on one of the outside positions. That's not usually a very good sign, especially early in the season. The good news: this is the best WR recruiting class in MI history. By a good margin. Hoke basically took a long shit wrt to a lot of positions, WR being second only to the OL on this list. This class was Harbaugh course correcting in a major way.

Donovan Peoples Jones was the top WR in a national class that included 3 other 5 stars (the year before only had one, by way of context.) Tarik Black (#15 rank) is actually getting slightly more hype and is expected to grab the starting nod over DPJ. And while the class is getting a lot of hype (Nico Collins #23 and Oliver Martin #29 round out the group), Kekoa Crawford has quietly gone about his business to secure his spot. He was a highly recruited 4 star, but pretty much no one got time on the outside last year Chesson and Darboh locked in.

=-=-=-=

TL;DR - I'm not predicting a blowout... There are just too many new faces on the M squad for that. But this game COULD get out of hand if M's defense rattles the QB and if M's offense can figure out how to negate the FL def. line.

I'd be a little nervous about the Michigan OL as well. It'll be interesting though because as this team gets some experience as the season rolls on, it'll build nicely to those matchups with Wisconsin and Ohio State at the end of the season. (With standard caveat about injuries....)

If they beat Florida, they'll almost certainly be 6-0 going into the Penn State game. Win that one and it's tOSU and Michigan for the East division title again.

Yep, OL is slightly wonky. Biggest issue there is depth. But on the upside... the 3 guys MI lost weren't really all that great.

I think they will start out mediocre (which is a real problem in the first game) but will (hopefully) start to bring it with more snaps along the way.

I laughed.

https://twitter.com/drewmagary/status/9 ... 0102079488

There's a female referee (head ref) in this CMU game which I'm pretty sure I've never seen before.

There aren't many games I really want to watch, but I do want to see the Buffs and Rams on Friday. I guess I have to go to a bar to do that. Fucking DIRECTV and the fucking Pac12 Network are still in a pissing match so it's not on my tv. Grrr...

sancarlos wrote:There aren't many games I really want to watch, but I do want to see the Buffs and Rams on Friday. I guess I have to go to a bar to do that. Fucking DIRECTV and the fucking Pac12 Network are still in a pissing match so it's not on my tv. Grrr...

Call ahead since most bars have DIRECTV.

At least I don't have to worry about going to a bowl game this year.

Kid from New Mexico State just caught a TD pass that Odell Beckham would have applauded. Man I love college football.

brian wrote:At least I don't have to worry about going to a bowl game this year.

Hopefully, they don't treat their trip here as their bowl game.

FAMU gave up a time out each quarter for uniform violation...that was probably the reason Arkansas won 49-7
https://www.si.com/college-football/201 ... s-arkansas

We have a swamp classic tonight. W&L V. #15 JHU. Generals up 14 to 10 over the Blue Jays in the 3rd.

DSafetyGuy wrote:

brian wrote:At least I don't have to worry about going to a bowl game this year.

Hopefully, they don't treat their trip here as their bowl game.

Is Stanitzek going to need a security detail?

wlu_lax6 wrote:We have a swamp classic tonight. W&L V. #15 JHU. Generals up 14 to 10 over the Blue Jays in the 3rd.

Generals 26- Blue Jays 16 with just over 8 to play. Upset in the making down in Lexington, VA

wlu_lax6 wrote:

wlu_lax6 wrote:We have a swamp classic tonight. W&L V. #15 JHU. Generals up 14 to 10 over the Blue Jays in the 3rd.

Generals 26- Blue Jays 16 with just over 8 to play. Upset in the making down in Lexington, VA

When I was at JH, we would routinely score many more goals than foosball did TDs. Now they are a top 10 team year in and year out.

That's a big upset in D3 land.

Hopkins wins in OT!!

brian wrote:

DSafetyGuy wrote:

brian wrote:At least I don't have to worry about going to a bowl game this year.

Hopefully, they don't treat their trip here as their bowl game.

Is Stanitzek going to need a security detail?

For probably about 75 individuals of the 30K in attendance.

Missouri might have some issues on defense this year.

brian wrote:Missouri might have some issues on defense this year.

Texas, too. How the hell did they get ranked #23?

McElwain just looks like a dope on the sidelines. That shouldn't matter as to whether a coach is good or not but I just feel like it does.

You don't see two pick sixes in a row very often.

This Michigan/Florida game is entertaining as hell. Some good coaching in this game (no sarcasm).

I'm pretty proud of how smart I am. And I'm proud of how smart everyone in the Swamp is. Pound for pound this is the smartest place on the Internet to talk sports. But I think Jim Harbaugh might be smarter than everyone here.

sancarlos wrote:

brian wrote:Missouri might have some issues on defense this year.

Texas, too. How the hell did they get ranked #23?

I am sure when Texas scheduled a home game v. Maryland they were thinking, what a good way to open the season. A big conference team that is not very good. We can get a win that will look better than a one double A or 2 directional small conference team. Sloppy game.

brian wrote:I'm pretty proud of how smart I am. And I'm proud of how smart everyone in the Swamp is. Pound for pound this is the smartest place on the Internet to talk sports. But I think Jim Harbaugh might be smarter than everyone here.

You put money on M?

How about Howard Nice start for Mike London. UVA may not have been great for him but he seems to have done good things at the D1 Championship Level.. Well that and Caylin Newton's 330 total offensive yards and three touchdowns

Nonlinear FC wrote:

brian wrote:I'm pretty proud of how smart I am. And I'm proud of how smart everyone in the Swamp is. Pound for pound this is the smartest place on the Internet to talk sports. But I think Jim Harbaugh might be smarter than everyone here.

You put money on M?

No, Florida. But I'll never doubt Harbaugh again.

wlu_lax6 wrote:How about Howard Nice start for Mike London. UVA may not have been great for him but he seems to have done good things at the D1 Championship Level.. Well that and Caylin Newton's 330 total offensive yards and three touchdowns

Biggest upset in football history yesterday (by point spread).

In the battle of the hypocrites, Liberty outlasted Baylor - huge upset that would thrill me to no end, if it were any school other than Penn State or Liberty.