• How they Voted: AP College Football Poll 11/08

    This week’s look at the AP college football poll vote.  After reviewing each of the voters’ rankings here’s a few things that stuck out: Top Slots: For the third straight week, every voter has either Florida, Texas or USC in their top 3.  The exception once again Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News.  He had USC in Week 9 (who then lost the following week), then he put Oregon in USC’s slot at #2 in Week 10 (who of course lost yesterday).  He now has Cincinnati at #2 and put Florida at #4.   Milner gets the hate mail award this week, no doubt getting some from Gator fans. Overslept:  Last week ESPN/ABC’s Kirk Herbstreit didn’t get his ballot in due to some logistical issues.  This week Alex Abrams, a writer from Arkansas, failed to get his ballot in.  [Ed 11/08 9PM – I found this tweet from Abrams – “Also, Pollspeak tweeted that by AP Top 25 ballot was missing today. But because of recent change, Robbie Neiswanger has taken over my vote.”  I’ll include Neiswanger next week.] Top 10/Region – Here’s the national vote, spliced by the region of the voters (Central is effectively Big 12 country, mostly dudes from Texas):   Big Ten by Region –Here’s how the Big Ten (and Notre Dame) was rated, by…

  • Michigan Bowl Projections at the Midway

    Photo: readers Amy and Jeff It’s been a while, huh?  Where the major sources slot the 4-2 Wolverines in the 2008-09 bowls.  Don’t book your flight just yet: College Football News/Scout.com:  Insight Bowl  12/31/09 vs. Kansas CBS Sports:  Champs Sports Bowl 12/29/09 vs. Wake Forest ESPN (Mark Schlabach): Valero Alamo Bowl 1/2/10 vs. Oklahoma State ESPN (Bruce Feldman):  Champs Sports Bowl 12/29/09 vs. North Carolina Related: Consolidated BCS Bowl Projections for 2009-2010

  • Dave Brown 34th Wolverine Enshrined into College Football Hall of Fame

    Congratulations to the late Dave Brown who joined 19 other coaches and players into the College Football Hall of Fame today. The two-time (’73-’74) All-American defensive back was inducted alongside JoPa and Doug Flutie. But you wouldn’t know about it because there is minimal local coverage [Freep] including no mention on mgoblue.com? What’s the deal? It’s not like the athletic department isn’t on top of things: there’s a mention of Dan Deirdorf winning an award for broadcasting. Brown is the 34th individual with Michigan ties to be inducted. I don’t have any memories of Brown since I was a wee lad when he took the field, but it’s clear he had some skills in the defensive backfield (9 career interceptions) and was a fine punt returner (11.1 career average). He co-captained the great 1974 squad that finished 10-1 and 3rd in the final AP poll. The lone loss that season was the 12-10 defeat at the hand of the Buckeyes. Here’s his full bio on his new college football hall of fame page: Dave Brown was the leader of one of the most successful and yet frustrating periods in Michigan football history. The Wolverines posted a 30-2-1 record, tied for three Big Ten conference titles and never went to a bowl game. The defensive units on which Brown played were…

  • BCS Prize in Tatters, It’s Been Shattered

    Urban Meyer’s Florida Gators are struggling a bit in 2008. First they suffered the beat down at the hands of your Wolverines in the Capital One Bowl, now this. Turns out there was a little mishap with the Sears Trophy. Yep, their prize for their 2007 BCS Championship win over the Buckeyes has seen better days: From USA Today: It may remain a mystery who actually destroyed the crystal football, which shattered after hitting the ground outside head coach Urban Meyer’s office. Florida has already contacted the company in Kentucky that makes the base of the trophy and imports the crystal from Ireland for a replacement. Florida associate athletic director Chip Howard confirmed the accident. The trophy was sitting on a coffee table outside of Meyer’s office while construction of new coaches’ offices is being completed. “It may remain a mystery”? I’d like to understand a little more behind that line. As if anyone can plop down outside Urban Meyer’s office and kick up their feet on the coffee table? I’m guessing they have a decent idea who broke the trophy. Reaching back on my Clue skills, I’d start with: – Professor Gatorade – In the Coaches’ Lobby – With a Cheerleader.

  • Love for Coach Rod, Shaq

    Coach Rod is receiving rave reviews with the fans and media for his bluntness and candidness. And he’s not stopping with the fans and the media. Remember the group of former alumni that met the team prior to the Notre Dame and Ohio State games, and all those that petitioned Bill Martin to consider Les Miles? Well, Rodriguez is working on something for them, from John Heuser in the Ann Arbor News Sunday: Wolverine reunion In an effort to introduce himself and his staff to former Michigan players, Rodriguez plans to host an event in Ann Arbor in February. “I want to meet all the guys that played here. I didn’t play here, so I didn’t know a lot of them. But I know how much pride they have in this place, and I want to meet ’em and talk to ’em, and I want to make sure all the former players feel welcome coming back here, and I think they will once they meet all the former players and staff members.” According to MVictors reader TC, the hockey game appearance went over big-time with the students. Apparently he didn’t just show up for an interview and to slap the puck across the ice. Here’s TC’s recap and take: Not only did he do a ceremonial puck drop he also…

  • Poll: BCS Championship net for Michigan fans

    A couple polls to get the pulse of the football universe…or a few guys on the internet today. Whatever works: {democracy} And you know you’re thinking it but do you have the stones to say it? The answer the Buckeyes but vote away: {democracy:39} Update: Good lord 83%? Michigan fans = Chicago Bears Super fans. Next topic: Bo vs. Godzilla – discuss Update 2: 88%?!!

  • Deja Vu? Pretty Much, LSU rolls over Bucks

    A few takes from the game, most as it happened: First half takes: Boy, the Buckeyes came out strong again in this version of the BCS Championship. They sustained the momentum for more than one play but wow….Les Miles and the Tigers have taken complete control. Wondering how Tressel will respond in the second half as against Florida he definitely panicked. Not looking good for the Bucks. The FOX coverage is a complete bust except for the pregame thing Shaq did for LSU. Oh my god that was hilarious. YES I DIG IT! Second half takes: Two huge personal fouls by the Bucks lead to an LSU score but the Buckeyes respond with a pick and nice touchdown on fourth down. There’s some life. The net: All in all, pretty much went like last year’s game with this time LSU running off 31 straight at one point. Actually felt bad for the OSU fans there. I’ve been to games like that. You know many of the same folks in New Orleans were in Phoenix.

  • Kuselias: “We already have a playoff”

    Filling in on ESPN’s Mike Tirico Show was Eric Kuselias, Michigan law school grad. I’ve listened to the guy before and he does a good job, but today he enlightened the audience. He said that he gets annoyed by everyone saying we need a college football playoff. Why? Not because he’s tired of the tired debates. No, the purported MENSA member is bothered by the calls for a playoff because “we already have a playoff. It’s with two teams.” Seriously. I assumed he was kidding at first but he went on with this for a little bit. Gee thanks Dr. Kuselias. In the future, I’ll try to specify a specific number of teams when arguing for the need of a playoff. This reminds me of one of my econ professors at Michigan insisting that people were wrong to suggest that inflation was a bad thing. No, people should be concerned about “unanticipated inflation.” Right.