Week 13 Rankings

It's gotten to the point where I watch games from multiple angles. Take the Ohio State-Michigan game for instance. I was upset that Michigan lost. I was upset that Michigan lost due to turnovers and stale play calling in the second half. I was upset Denard wasn't on the field for the last few plays of the game which I think he certainly earned. However, as much as it pained to admit, I was ready to give credit to the Buckeyes for going undefeated, albeit in a sanctioned shortened season. Although the Buckeyes were never spectacular on offense or defense during the season, they made it through without a loss. Then they decided to honor the 2002 national championship team, with Jim Tressel in attendance, and then proceeded to carry him on their shoulders. To celebrate the man who did win consistently at Ohio State, but also brought the school to where it has been the last couple of seasons is ghastly. Free cars to players, free tattoos, and cover ups. I don't understand it myself and maybe it's because I'm a Michigan Man, and those values are not acknowledged in Columbus. Whatever the reason may be, it's a sign of how blind some people can be when it comes to college football.
Now, as we await the conference title games, one thing is for certain--Notre Dame is playing for the BCS championship. I don't think you could find too many people out there who thought it could happen, especially in Brian Kelly's 3rd season, but here it is and a lot of it is due to the stellar defense led by Manti Te'O. I think Johnny Manziel is great, but there is no bigger MVP or Heisman candidate this season other than Te'O. He is the primary reason the Irish are in this spot to begin with. It will come down to Alabama or Georgia as to who faces Notre Dame, and I'd have to put my money on the Tide.As far as the Florida situation goes, if the loser of the SEC championship falls below Florida, it could find itself out of the BCS picture altogether because the No. 3 team is guaranteed a BCS bowl bid and no more than two schools per conference can receive bids. It's not THE final poll of the season, but here's the newest BCS poll:

Week 11 BCS Rankings

It's been dubbed The Catch Version 2.0. I tend to think of it in more fan type terms--Holy **** Roundtree!! With 18 seconds to go, and Michigan was down by 3 points, and being on the wrong side of the field, Devin Gardner heaved a game saving 53 yard pass to Roy Roundtree, which led to a Brendan Gibbons field goal, which led to Gardner running in a 1-yard touchdown in overtime, which made the Michigan defense make the most important stop they've needed to all afternoon. Granted, Northwestern did out gain Michigan in overall yardage by twelve. They ran on the defense to a tune of 248 yards. Michigan's defense has generally struggled with a spread option quarterback (See Air Force), and with Braxton Miller and Ohio State coming up in two weeks, Greg Mattison will have a lot of work to do. As for the rest of the Big Ten...yikes.Penn State loses a heartbreaker to Nebraska with some help from the officials. I don't like blaming officials for a loss or a win mainly because it never should have gotten to that point but at the same time when everyone in the nation is calling a play a touchdown, and the official doesn't agree, there will be backlash. Wisconsin won the Leaders Division by trouncing Indiana by rushing for over 550 yards! Their last game was a 19 yard rushing effort against Michigan State  Oh and as always I get one prediction wrong for the week, and this week the winner was Purdue over Iowa..I didn't think the Boilermakers had it in them. Now onto the poll:

The Spread Offense Doesn't Work

I mainly cover basketball on Hoke's Mad Magicians, but once in awhile I like to comment on a football related topic.  Earlier this year, I wrote an article called "When Will Michigan Be Michigan Again".  In the piece, I attacked the argument that Michigan isn't as good as Michigan used to be under coaches like Lloyd Carr and the notion that fans should want to go back to the old ways of Michigan football.  Today, I'm looking at another argument frequently made by Michigan fans and others on an almost routine basis.

Before I actually discuss the topic, I want to go through a few reasons why I actually decided to take the time to address it.  I have been in numerous conversations over the past few years that ended in someone telling me about the spread offense and its failures.  Whether it was the classic argument, "the spread doesn't work in the Big Ten", the "spread quarterbacks can't throw" argument, or the "spread offenses don't work against good defenses" argument, it always seemed to revolve around the failures of spread offenses and about how teams that use them will never succeed.

I would hope that most readers would realize the massive logical flaws in these arguments, but there is a strong faction that believes in these theories.  However, I'm not talking about just fans.  We all know there are some lunatic fans and predictions out there, but I'm talking about people who get national coverage.  I actually exchanged a few tweets last weekend with a nationally televised sports personality who told me that the spread offense doesn't work against athletic defenses.  This argument is out there and I really feel the need to address some of its points.

Does Loss to ND Hurt Recruiting?

So coming off of the horrible loss to Notre Dame last night, I figured I'd share my opinion on whether or not I think the game hurt us in recruiting.  Right off the bat, I'm going to have to say no and I'll state my reasons why.  There were lots of recruits at the game with interest in both teams such as Damon Webb, a 2014 DB/WR out of Detroit Cass Tech.  However, most of the responses that we heard were in regards to recruits believing that could have an earlier impact at Michigan, which is definitely not a negative sign.

It was a great atmosphere, but a guy like Webb has visited Michigan the last two weeks for needless to say not very big games.  Michigan hasn't had a big game atmosphere at home yet and I believe that come October 20th when the Spartans come to town, it could be huge.  A vast majority of the 2013 commits have scheduled their official visits for this game along with big time 2013 target RB Derrick Green.  Michigan is  2-2 right now, which isn't the start that we had all hoped for, but let's face it, we did lose to Alabama who is I think far and above the best team in college football.  We gave away the game to the #11 team in the country so it's not like we have been upset in any means.

Michigan and Big Ten Rankings Review--Week 3

The AP rankings of Week 3 are out. It was a hectic couple days of college football. USC lost to Stanford for the 4th straight year, leaving any chance of the national championship on the doorstep. That's not to say USC is a bad team; they're just not as invincible as the preseason analysts made them out to be over the summer. Florida State is looking like a powerhouse team again, reminiscent of the Seminole's teams from the 90s. Notre Dame thoroughly beat the Spartans, breaking their 14-game home winning streak. Even though the Tennessee Vols have improved, they showed they still have a long way to go in their loss against Florida. Wisconsin needed the whole game to put away Utah State, and of course Indiana lost to Ball State.

All in all it was a decent weekend for Big Ten teams, with only Indiana and Michigan State losing their respective games. Yet, Michigan blew out UMass 63-13, and still ended up dropping one spot in the polls. This is where the fallacy of the strength of schedule comes into play. Remember last week when then No. 6 FSU played Savannah St, were up 55-0 in the 3rd when lightning stopped the game? They were moved to the 5 spot after that. Up one spot after beating a team that is far behind even UMass, and they gained a spot. However, Michigan moved down a spot. Needless to say...I'm not happy. Here's the rest of the polls:

Michigan & Big Ten Rankings Review--Week 2--Always About The "W"

The new rankings are out, and there has been quite an upheaval after week 2. Arkansas plummeted out of the Top 25 completely after losing their starting quarterback, and then losing to Louisiana-Monroe. History says it's the second biggest drop next to Appalachian State beating Michigan. Wisconsin is out after losing a tough battle against Oregon St, which then prompted them to fire their offensive coordinator after only 2 games, and Montee Ball probably lost hope of being a Heisman finalist. Nebraska is out after a scorefest with UCLA. And painfully, Oklahoma St is out after losing badly to a RichRod coached Arizona, which after losing Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon, is understandable. So here's more tidbits on the new rankings:

AP Top 25
1) Alabama--The "33rd NFL team" holds onto this distinction for the 2nd straight week, and will be there for more 
2) USC--Even with Barkley throwing for 6 TDs, the defense still allowed 21 points from Syracuse. There are some major concerns for the former "best" team in America
3) LSU--Les Miles and Co. should have taken the 2nd spot after dismantling Washington 41-3
4) Oregon--The way Oregon runs the ball is sickeningly good. Won't be surprised if a Heisman finalist appears from this team. 
5) Oklahoma

The SEC Fallacy And The Big Ten

There are a variety of reasons I am writing this article today, but chief among them is a recent article I read on ESPN regarding the Big Ten's current state (yes, I know it's ESPN).  After numerous upsets over the past two weekends, fans and writers have begun their annual write-off of the Big Ten and anointment of the SEC as the nation's greatest college football conference.  Granted, it's only two weeks into the season and the Big Ten still has several undefeated teams, but the momentum already seems to be going towards ripping on the Big Ten.

Before I address this argument and whether I believe it has merit, I want to point out a few things.  First, what determines the "best" college football conference.  Let's look at last season and particularly the bowl season.  The SEC clearly had the top teams.  Sending two teams to the national championship game and having several others in pretty big bowls.  However, they did not send the most teams to bowls for any conference and did not have the highest winning percentage of any conference.  For a conference that is anointed as the best on a yearly basis, those shed at least some doubt.

Michigan & Big Ten Rankings Review--Week 1

Week 1 of 2012 is in the books. There were highlights and lowlights from pretty much every single game. The first week always takes longer, since it was spread out over the course of 5 days until the NFL regular season arrives. South Carolina was there in the beginning, winning a close one over Vanderbilt, and we ended with Virginia Tech winning in overtime against Georgia Tech.  Whoever said the first week everyone played cupcake teams? Even Texas State beating Houston somehow received national attention. Dennis Franchione somehow got a No.16 vote from a voter for that win. The new rankings were released this afternoon (typically on Sunday evening any other week) and I'm giving my two cents worth...if that's cheap enough.

1. Alabama--It's no surprise the Tide were bumped up to the No.1 spot. They completely handled Michigan from start to finish to win 41-14. Rolling up over 400 yds of offense, particularly on the ground, while shutting down Michigan's offense earns them this spot.
2. USC--USC lost the No.1 spot mostly due to they played Hawaii, not Michigan. Barkley looked every bit of a Heisman candidate and Lee caught 10 balls for almost 200 yards. Dominant yes, but not Alabama
3. LSU
4. Oregon
5. Oklahoma--completely overrated in this spot. They did not look clean and smooth and make several mental errors. Missed field goals by UTEP make the score look further out of reach than it really was.

Game Review: Alabama

Final Score - Alabama: 41 Michigan: 10

At first sight, that looks like the opposite score of a traditional Michigan Football opener, with the Wolverines on the winning end. Unfortunately, this was not the traditional opener we are so used to, which is probably part of the reason fans and media are over-reacting to the loss. Everyone knew coming into this game that it would take a near perfect performance from the Wolverines on both sides of the ball to pull out the upset.

So, what went wrong?

You can point your finger at a number of people. Of course, there's the quarterback: Denard Robinson. It's way too easy to either glorify or scrutinize the player who gets the most attention. Rarely, especially in Michigan's case, does the quarterback play a neutral role in a game. Then there's offensive coordinator Al Borges. You could blame Borges for not calling Robinson's number on the ground enough. After all, the general buzz via Twitter was that Denard needed to carry the ball more often for Michigan to be successful. This list could go on and on, but I think you get my point.

When Will Michigan Be Michigan Again?

I write this piece with a bit of disappointment, some anger, but mainly a lot of annoyance.  Not at Michigan's blowout loss against Alabama with a final score of 41-14, but of Michigan's fanbase.  Not for those that traveled all the way to Dallas or truly rooted for their team last night, but for all the so-called "fans" out there that immediately turned on this team and notably, quarterback Denard Robinson.

I've seen and witnessed numerous examples of this and I'm sorry if this sounds like a rant (it pretty much is one), but people need to step back and look at this game from the outside.  Sitting in the stands at the Big House (I went to the student viewing event), I was surrounded by people who immediately were yelling that Denard was doing "horrible", "isn't" a quarterback, and about how he need to "just run it more".  Now, I'm well aware that people are going to complain when things are going badly.  Usually more out of frustration than anything else, but the one thing that I kept hearing that pushed me over the edge was that Michigan needed to "be Michigan again" if they wanted to beat Alabama.

Preview And Prediction: Alabama

It's the highlight of Week One across the country. The Wolverines are back in the national spotlight against the defending national champions: Alabama. The college football world is excited to see this one for a number of reasons, and it will be a great opportunity to see if Michigan has really stepped back into their prime and if Alabama can stay poised and focused, being dubbed the favorite by most media.

This is the first time since 2006 (against Ohio State) that Michigan will be part of a top 10 match up. As we all know, they lost their last opportunity. As for Alabama, playing in the SEC has brought this game more down to Earth for Nick Saban's squad. That is one of the obvious advantages for the Crimson Tide.

Here are the keys to the game:

Michigan
The Wolverines will head into this game as the under dog, but anybody who knows anything about college football could tell you the words "favorite" and "under dog" mean absolutely nothing on the field in a game like this. For Michigan, it comes down to their poise and execution. The big play would be nice, but this Alabama defense is considered to be the toughest in the nation. In other words, don't be putting your hopes on huge, timely plays to swing momentum.

Week 1 Notes With Updates on Fitz Toussaint And Frank Clark

I have waited as long as I could to post this column, waiting to find out the final decision on Fitzgerald Toussaint and Frank Clark.
Now I have learned that Toussaint and Clark are both continuing their respective suspensions thru the Alabama game. "The decision was not easy, but I feel it is in the best interest of this program and for these kids, and those always will be my priorities," Hoke said in a statement. "We have choices every day, and you have to be accountable to this program, your teammates, your family and the University of Michigan." I don't like Hoke's decision. I think Fitz gives Michigan a better chance of winning. Yet, while I don't like his decision, I do respect it. Hoke has rarely made a decision so far that I don't like, and he absolutely has not made one decision that has been detrimental towards the team. I applaud Hoke for making what is one of the toughest decisions so far this early in the season.


The eighth-ranked Wolverines will likely use running backs Thomas Rawls, Vincent Smith, Justice Hayes perhaps along with newcomers Dennis Norfleet and Drake Johnson against the defending national champion Crimson Tide.

Alabama Players to Watch

We've decided that since Alabama is a new opponent for most Michigan and Big Ten fans, we are going to highlight a few players that fans should keep an eye on during the game.  Alabama is a deep and talented team, but they still have a few playmakers that will need to play well for the Crimson Tide to reign victorious against Michigan on Saturday.

1. AJ McCarron is obviously the number one guy to watch on Saturday night. Last season he took over for the departed Greg McElroy and in the 2012 BCS National Championship against the #1-ranked LSU Tigers, McCarron won Offensive MVP as Alabama won its fourteenth national title, 21-0. Last season he threw for 

2, 634 yds for 16 TDs and 5 INTs. I realize those numbers are not eye popping, but Alabama was a run-heavy offense and AJ is more of a game managing quarterback, and not a game changing one. With Trent Richardson now gone, the focus of the offense might be placed squarely on the shoulders of McCarron, even with no true number one wideout. He is tall at 6'4 and behind their stout offensive line that includes Outland Award winning player Barrett Jones, he is also comfy in the pocket. Getting a good pass rush on him might be next to impossible.

Eddie Lacy is another player to watch out for. As I mentioned before, the powerhouse that is Trent Richardson is now gone, leaving the starting spot open for Lacy. During the 2011 regular season, Lacy had 631 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. His average of 7.5 yards per carry ranked sixth among all players in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. Keep that in mind when you realize he wasn't even the starting running back. He's not a bruiser like Richardson was, but his shiftiness should keep defenses on edge. He might not be completely healthy for the Michigan game due to a turf toe injury that he had surgery on, and TJ Yeldon might have to spot carries this season, but Lacy should be ready to go.

CJ Mosley is the main guy who will be taking over for Dont'a Hightower at linebacker. Replacing Hightower on the weakside will not be easy for anyone, yet last season Mosley had 37 total tackles with two sacks, one interception, and  2 passes defensed. Overall the Alabama defense has lost some big names in Mark Barron and Hightower, but they should be lethal nonetheless. The secondary might have a little bit of a dropoff, but the linebackers should be keeping the Alabama defense right where it's used to being. Dominant. By the end of the season, Mosely could end up being a defensive MVP. As long as he remains healthy from a dislocated hip in the national championship game, Mosley is going to be a game changer all season long.

Preseason Rankings Breakdown For Michigan & The Big Ten

Every major media outlet this time of year has come out with their own preseason rankings, whether it's overall or conference standings. ESPN has their list, Sports Illustrated has their list. For the most part, it looks like some of them are looking over and cheating off their classmates since they look so similar. I'm going to examine the AP poll first, since that's the one primarily used by ESPN and fans nationwide.

Here you will find a link for ESPN Big Ten bloggers that have given their predictions for the season. I've already given mine a few months ago. Now, obviously, if you compare the two, I disagree with them both since I don't agree with Michigan State beating Wisconsin. I had predicted Michigan beating Wisconsin, and I stand by that. So the poll says Michigan is the top Big Ten team and I won't dissent to that. Wisconsin at 12 should be above West Virginia and Arkansas, but not South Carolina. Marcus Lattimore drives that team and should have a stellar season back from injury. I'm good with Michigan State right behind them. Nebraska at 17 and Ohio State at 18 make sense, yet USA Today doesn't even have the Buckeyes ranked. Postseason ineligible or not, they should be ranked above Auburn, Boise St, etc...

The 5 Toughest Michigan Games For 2012

A lot has been made of Michigan's 2012 schedule.  Some are calling it the nation's toughest and CBS has even placed it at #4 in terms of schedule difficulty in the entire country.  With non-conference opponents like Alabama, Air Force, and Notre Dame, there certainly aren't a lot of easy games on the slate for 2012.  Add in some tough road games against teams like Nebraska, Purdue, and Ohio State and next year's schedule becomes one of the toughest in recent memory for Michigan.


Despite Michigan's tough schedule throughout the season, fans are still wondering about which games will be the toughest. For instance, Michigan has to go on the road to Notre Dame, Nebraska, and Ohio State, but Michigan beat all three teams last year.  Results from last year don't guarantee anything for this season, but this has to be something going through the minds of Michigan fans and the teams.  Yes, there are some tough challenges ahead, but how tough?  What I've done is list the games that I believe are the most difficult for Michigan to win in 2012.

National Title Contenders?

I know it seems crazy to be talking about Michigan competing for a national title only two years into the Brady Hoke era. After all, it hasn't been done since 1997. But over the past couple weeks, the most famous question in college football is starting to pop up amongst fans and analysts: Is Michigan a national title contender?


There are actually a number of reasons why I do believe the Wolverines can compete for a national title this year.


When Brady Hoke took this job on January 11th, 2011, he promised to compete locally for recruiting. Of course, by locally, he meant beating in-state rival Michigan State in the recruiting battle. For two years in a row now, Hoke has left the Spartans in the dust.

Another Day, Another Alternate Jersey

When Michigan first unveiled the jersey for the game that would become known as "Under the Lights", reaction was immediate.  Some loved it, some hated it.  Either way, the news was major.  Michigan football has made numerous changes to the uniform over the years, but not much had changed, especially with the home uniform, for quite sometime.  This is what made the jersey so special and what led to such large jersey sales.  Not the fact that the jersey was something different, but because it was made for a special event and was billed as something that wouldn't happen again for quite sometime.


A few weeks later, Michigan unveiled similar alternate jerseys for the game against Michigan State in East Lansing.  Over the course of the season, Michigan wore 6 different uniforms and wore at least 7 different uniform combinations.  For a team that prides itself on tradition, that's pretty surprising.  In fact, Michigan actually played the majority of its games last season with different uniform combinations.  If I had given someone those jersey stats without naming the school, most would probably guess a school like Oregon, not a school like Michigan.

Random Musings

Usually I tend to stick with one topic for an article, but I'm going to branch out tonight and touch on multiple topics.

1. I know my colleague wrote about Brady Hoke's comments about bringing back the No. 48 jersey, for whatever reason, here. While I do agree with what he says, I want to emphasize a couple things.

1a. Gerald Ford's #48 is a retired number. Save for MLB and every player wearing Jackie Robinson's No. 42, I don't think I've ever heard of any team, in any sport, un-retiring a number for this purpose. I've agreed with most decisions that Hoke has made so far, but I can't agree with this one.
       
1b. It's President Gerald Ford. Now, I support every retired number Michigan has, and I think there should be a couple more. Desmond Howard and Charles Woodson for example. But, President Ford holds a hallowed space in Michigan lore for being the President. No other player in the Big Ten has been able to say that, and unless Tom Brady decides to run for prez when he's done with the NFL, I don't see it happening again. I gotta say it would help having Gisele Bundchen as a First Lady---we would be the envy of other countries in that aspect.
         
1c. I know the football off season is long, both college and pro, but please stop putting emphasis on what number a certain player is going to wear. I know in the age of media now things can become blown up a lot faster than they used to, but does it really matter outside of who might wear the No. 1? Not really.
   

2013 DT Henry Poggi Makes Decision Tomorrow At 8AM

Alright, so there are rumors going around that the Michigan coaching staff has already accepted their 20th commitment for the 2013 recruiting class.  The identity of that commit is still up for debate, but  Henry Poggi could very well be it, as he is making his decision tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. and most already say that he is down to choosing between Alabama and Michigan.  Let's hope this is the first of several victories to come over Alabama this year.

With the recent commitment of 4-star DT Maurice Hurst, Jr., an additional commitment from Poggi would do wonders for what is an already loaded 2013 class.  This would turn what is a relatively small defensive line class into one of the best in the nation.  Michigan has already secured a commitment from 2013 DE Taco Charlton, so the Wolverines would have three defensive linemen if Poggi decides to join.  However, the best part is that Michigan would have two solid interior defensive linemen, which is something that team hasn't had in many of its recent classes.

Poggi is the rated as the #2 DT in the country and 52nd overall.  At 6'4" and 260 pounds, the kid is an animal and absolutely destroys people.  Rated as a 4-star across the board, Poggi would be a great pickup for the Wolverines.  A lot of the "experts" believe he is our next commitment and I hope so as well.  If you aren't familiar with him, which I'm sure many of you are, here is his highlight tape so you can get a glimpse of who what a commitment from Poggi would bring to the table.  I will have a post tomorrow soon after he makes his decision, so stay tuned and hopefully it's more good news on the recruiting front.

EDIT: Henry Poggi Committed to Michigan On June 4th. Read About It Here.

Hot Topics: Should Michigan Schedule Neutral Site Games?

Each week, our writers break down a "Hot Topic" among the Michigan fans and allow them to express their  opinions. Topics cover everything from rivalry games to team and fan apparel. Writers have their own opinion and readers are welcome to comment or contact them via Twitter with their thoughts.


Tyler Desy - Representing Those For Michigan Scheduling Neutral Site Games

1) Michigan....Alabama...Cowboy Stadium. Tell me you don't love it.  I think this is a great thing for the fans, getting to see two powerhouses square off in a brand new stadium in Dallas. While I would love to see this game in Ann Arbor, Cowboy Stadium is pretty good too. Gives the fans a change of atmosphere, I think it gives us a bowl feel right out the gate. You gotta win the big games in a neutral setting at the end of the year, so why not go up against the defending national champions early on. It allows each school to be showcased in front of the whole country, see whose fans travel best and support their teams better. It also lets you measure where you are at talent wise. If you are getting scheduled these types of big games at the start of the season you are no slouch which means your program is going in the right direction and on the path to where they want to be. These are two of the most storied traditions in football and it's going to be some sight to play them in Cowboy Stadium. Michigan fans travel very well so I am anticipating one for the ages. Games like this give you a true measure of where your team is at and it also changes things up for the fans. This is definitely a strengh of schedule booster and if Michigan can win this game, it will automatically jump them up into the top 5 (in my eyes).  I'm going to this game and I am crazy excited to see it. I've never been to Cowboy Stadium and it's something new that all of us fans get to experience. There's lots of places that Michigan hasn't played and it's going to be pretty cool to see them in different venues.

2) Recruiting. Playing in big time neutral site games is going to do wonders for recruiting. Having a top 10 class in 2012, and the #1 ranked class (as of now) for 2013 will surely be helped by these games. Recruits are going to love the idea of playing in the big stage right away. Playing a team like Alabama on neutral site like Cowboy Stadium is not only going to be an amazing experience for them, but will also get them and Michigan a lot more recognition then they would already get. With the level of talent coming in and this amazing coaching staff, Michigan looks to return to the upper echelant of college football and remain there for many years to come.  With this recent success and what I believe will be continued success Michigan will be a attraction for these neutral site games more often. Beating big time programs in settings like this will only do more to real in more top notch recruits which will only help out the program. Fans like to see big time matchups and myself being a fan, am excited to see Michigan vs Alabama.


Thomas Beindit - Representing Those Against Michigan Scheduling Neutral Site Games

1)  The role of neutral site games has changed dramatically from its earliest days.  However, the constants still remain.  First, how often are they actually neutral?  Most neutral site games are located at a venue that gives one team a significant advantage not only for ticket sales, but also for team and fan convenience.  This seems pretty unfair to me.  Along with this, neutral site games were primarily devised to avoid having to schedule a "home and home" with opponents and to bring in some extra cash from a normal game.  However, once again, this has not been in the case.  Not only is it very difficult to sell tickets for games hundreds or thousands of miles away from the campus, but the games often don't bring in even as close to as much money as many assume.  In fact, there has been an argument that Michigan could have made more money in scheduling a MAC team than in its game against Alabama.  I'm not completely convinced, but the fact that it's even debatable shows the basic problems of neutral site games.  They not only cut quality home games, but replace them with games that are difficult to attend.  For instance, another neutral site game that most don't know about, Michigan vs. West Virginia will be happening in Brooklyn next December.  Michigan basketball's home schedule has been pretty weak as of late, especially in non-conference play.  West Virginia is a quality opponent and John Beilein's former team.  There would have been a lot of hype for this game, but because of its neutral site location, I fear that most fans are going to forget it's even happening, which is going to be a big loss for the fans and potential home ticket sales.

2)  Although the lack of true "neutral" venues and financial issues are pretty significant, the real problems are with the atmosphere.  Not only do neutral site games not feel like a college football game because of their typical pro atmosphere (Cowboy Stadium is a perfect example), but fan energy is dwarfed by the existence of multiple fan bases.  Instead of listening to the band or starting Go Blue chants, fans are forced to listen to constant stadium advertisements (must have been 50 All State ads at the Sugar Bowl) and the other team's fans and band.  Sure, it's kind of cool to experience another fan base and their traditions, but wouldn't it be a lot cooler to actually go to their stadium and get the real experience?  No matter how many fans make the trip down to Dallas, it's not going to be a real representation of Michigan or Alabama.  Why?  Because it's only a small portion of their true fan base, they have to split time with the opponent, and you don't get to experience the campus or stadium.  If I wanted to experience Alabama football (I really don't want to experience it), I would go down to Tuscaloosa and watch a game.  Believe me, I love Michigan football and would gladly go to the game if given the chance, but I prefer that experience how it's meant to be, in the Big House.  I also am realistic enough to conclude that other fans probably feel the same way.  Neutral games remove all of the originality of teams and the atmosphere of college football, while making it tougher on fans to actually attend the game and making less money for the university.  It just doesn't make sense.

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Final Points


Tyler - Hard to argue with Tom, there are downfalls of scheduling a neutral site game in a pro stadium. Sure, you have the ads, possible unfair advantage if its closer to one fanbase or another. But to me the pros outweigh the cons. Sure, it's difficult to travel there, I understand that, especially with today's economy. But think about this, pretty soon the Big Ten will be scheduling a home and home with the Pac 12. So regardless we will have to travel all the way across the country to the west coast if we want to go to a game against say Oregon or USC.  I think this neutral site game is better compared because the ticket sales as far as numbers go will be more favorable for each team, rather than a small section in the upper deck in a true away game.  A game in Tuscaloosa would be great to attend and I would be more than happy to do that. Love getting to experience other schools traditions, it's what makes college football. So why not bring two storied traditions together in a neutral site and not in a bowl game where there is much argument over which school is deserving or one of them shouldn't be there. This can just be talk about Michigan vs Alabama. It doesn't matter what the team is, if the fans aren't Michigan fans, even in the Big House they annoy me, so it won't be any different in Dallas. Alabama in the Big House would be awesome and I love that Penn State scheduled a home at home against The Crimson Tide, I think it's great for that program.  Michigan should defintely do this with a top tier school in the spirit of strengthening schedule, but beating them on a neutral site will certainly give the team a great experience and definitely prepare them for the upcoming season which will certainly be tough.  I'm not a fan of only 6 home games at the Big House considering we were spoiled with 8 a season ago, but Michigan is up to the task. I'm going to the game in Dallas and I want to be one of the fortunate to say I saw Michigan play Alabama in Cowboy Stadium. Going to be an amazing experience and something that will no doubt in my mind help Michigan out in the future.

Thomas - I agree with Tyler that many neutral games will be against top competition in front of a national spotlight.  However, it still glosses over the fact that the game is going to be pretty difficult for most to attend and is raising far less money for the university than originally anticipated.  Sure, it's going to be an exciting game for fans with two top teams competing, but isn't a venue supposed to add to the experience?  If Michigan and Alabama played each other in a run-down high school field it would still be exciting, but that doesn't mean it's a good venue.  Cowboy Stadium is supposed to be extremely nice and impressive, but the bottom-line is that it's still a pro stadium.  Fans are going to travel half the country in order to hear endless ads that really aren't benefiting the university.  Along with this, fans will have to endure the thousands of Alabama fans in attendance and their game day traditions.  Certainly, it will be cool to experience, but consider this for a second.  Have you ever watched something like the Michigan vs. MSU game with some Spartans in the room?  Overall, it's just not that fun of an experience.  Now, imagine having thousands cheering everything that goes against Michigan during the game.  Frankly, it takes a lot of energy out of the fans.  It's great if you win, but isn't it a lot more fun celebrating with the thousands in a place like the Big House than with only half of a NFL stadium?  Let's think about this.  Who benefits from these neutral site games?  The owners of the stadiums that host them and that's about it.  The schools and teams really don't benefit that much and the fans certainly don't benefit.  Here's quick comparison.  Look at how Penn State scheduled Alabama.  Instead of a one-off neutral site game, they schedule a home and home.  They got to face Alabama in a home game.  Yes, they had to play Alabama in a road game, but think about the excitement leading up to a home game against a team like Alabama.  Imagine opening the season in Ann Arbor against the Crimson Tide.  Now, that would be a season opener, not forcing fans to travel to Dallas in a sham of a college football game.  Neutral site games benefit almost nobody in the college football world and especially not the fans.

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