I'm at that point of the week where I'm feeling optimistic despite all evidence to the contrary!

ONE TIME, BOYS!

i think we used up our ONE TIME against umass

Ugh that was me every week last year until we lost to Illinois.

It's very plausible. Iowa has a great defense. Michigan has an awful defense. Iowa scoring 35 is not going to be much of a challenge (if they wanted to). I think you are overrating how Denard will do against a great defense. He'll be able to be slowed down on the ground and will make mistakes passing under pressure.

5 safeties LDO.

No. Not happening. Iowa has a great defensive line. They are a very good, not a great defense. Iowa will not hold Michigan under 150 yards rushing. It may not come from Denard depending on their willingness to use the scrape exchange (hint: they won't early.) MSU, contrary to the MSM, did not contain the M offense. Denard just threw a few bad balls in situations where he wasn't really under pressure. We were gashing them in the first half and it was our coaching that eventually changed the offensive game plan (which, imo wasn't necessary.)

I agree that Iowa can score 35 if they so choose. I don't, however, think they can get up two scores and play punt fest like they did against PSU. There is next to no chance M scores just 10 tomorrow. If I had to set an o/u on their points tomorrow I'd probably use 21 and only because of the ****ty defense. If the defense was halfway solid I'd put it at 24.

If you truly believe it, btw, you should be on the under for a LOT of your BR.

I expect 42 points. So id bet that.

30-11 in games I've gone to... hopefully it keeps up. Will be wearing my lucky Chris Webber jersey... we'll need it.

gameday. lets ****ing go.

yep.

GOGOGOGO

I think it is going to be relatively low scoring. I think we will control their running game, but it won't be enough. Iowa 24 UM 21

We are overdue for a big special teams game. I can't think of one long kick or punt return all year. Even tho ball security is a major issue for him, I want to see Gallon more on kick returns.

I haven't watched Iowa that closely, but their offensive line was projected to be a huge step down from last year due to all the pieces they lost, and their running back situation is like our DB situation, which means I think there's a decent chance we can slow down their running game unlike MSU, and we can force Iowa into a lot more 3rd down situations than we did vs MSU and perhaps pick up a few more sacks, maybe even cause a turnover or two, or at the very least force a lot more punts. Now if Denard can get back to playing his A-game, then there's definitely potential for Michigan to be "really ****ing on" again.

God we need this so bad vs Iowa. I also hope the coaches are considering a surprise onside kick for this game. I know that's a long shot but one can dream.

Well I'm trying to stay positive. GO BLUE MOTHER ****ERS, if that fails then EAT A DICK OHIO STATE LETS GOGOGOGOGOGO WISCO.

WIN THIS MOTHER ****ING GAME

Michigan St. with 3 points late in the first half against Ill, and Indiana with 6 midway thru the 2nd quarter vs Ark. St. I guess going up and down the field against wore them out.

That's certainly a positive way of looking at it.

Also have we talked in this thread about we're going to be playing on the road against Alabama (not exactly, but this isn't a neutral site), ND, Nebraska, and OSU in 2012? Too early to tell exactly the caliber of all of those teams, but yikes. I am really, really looking forward to Taylor Martinez/Denard games though.

sec teams all play harder schedules every year tho ldo

Isn't there some talk about ND not happening in 2012 due to the 'Bama game?

2012 schedule: ND, Bama, Nebraska, OSU all not at home. Fun times!

Our scheduling is so weird though in so many different ways. We either miss out on great programs when they're terrible (PSU), schedule the best possible teams that won't give us any kind of credit (Utah), or just go balls to the wall and do something like this. I'm looking forward to it, but running that gauntlet unscathed is going to be so, so hard.

I think the peak of optimism for those four games should be a 2-2 split. If we can do that I'll be happy, but yeah a national title is out of the question for 2012.

1pm: woke up

1:10pm: 'argh you didn't make enough coffee??'

1:15pm: 'where's the ****ing filters??'

1:18pm: '**** it, i'll just have a glass of this wine, big game today'

so yeah, i've been up a half-hour and have already had a large glass of a homemade hybrid (basically 3 parts white, 1 part red, deelicious) and realized there's no ****ing way i can watch this game and keep up with this thread. i'm going to be drunk, probably depressed and i don't think i can allow you all to make me MORE depressed (most likely bellegerent) today.

so, it's off to my buddy's house i go. hold the fort down. don't fire richrod until i get back. this could end up being a long, long day one way or another. i'm supposed to watch a buddy's band at a bar at 9pm, and by that point i could be in an interesting mood.

go blue.