Alright Michigan fans, let's just calm down a little bit.
I know expectations for this team sckyrocketed after starting off the season 4-0. Even though we struggled to get past a mediocre at best Indiana team, people suddenly thought Michigan was going to go undefeated and contend for a national title.
Remember, we were 3-9 last year. Realistic pre-season expectations for this season had Michigan going 6-6. OR a best case-scenario of probably 8-4 if all goes well. I personally thought we'd land nearer to the 8-4 mark myself...and I still think we can do it.
When you're as bad as we were last season, you are expected to lose pretty much any game that we would have normally won by 1-2 touchdowns in a previous year. This year, we're beating all of those cupcakes handily. And we're also beating teams like Notre Dame. The close losses to Sparty and more importantly Iowa on the road are indications that Michigan is showing measured improvement over a year ago....
Original Story:
If the team can find the mental toughness to play up to there potential then they can beat Wisconsin. But as anyone knows who has been following Michigan football this season they have to STOP the turnovers and the D needs to step it up a level if they want to WIN.
Overall this season the offense has made significant strides from last year. I've seen some drives that frankly they looked like a well oiled machine...unstoppable. This in itself is reason not to panic. RichRod has the offense going in the right direction for the long term. It is the defense that has me concerned for the future. This is two years in a row the defense has been terrible. Is it the quality of the players, is it the coaching, is it the defenses being called, I have no clue, probably ALL, but if Michigan is to get back to being MICHIGAN then they need to find an answer to the defensive problems. Hanging on to the ball will help too but if you have a defense that can get the ball back for you or stop a team from scoring after a turnover then you can survive losing the ball a few times.
I actually predicted Michigan to go 8-4 with loses to (Iowa, PennSt, Illinois, Wisconsin) however, if they don't win at Wisconsin to take the pressure off an already pressure packed game with Ohio State I fear a 5-7 recorded and hoping for better things for next year will be where we will end up. If year three, however, is like year one and two I would also have to join the call that maybe RichRod is NOT the answer to getting Michigan back to elite status. I'm willing to be patient for another year but after that my patience will be worn pretty thin. GO BLUE