News / big ten football
If Michigan decides not to play football this fall are they the biggest villain organization in sports?
DP on B1G: "The Presidents and Chancellors will vote today. Mich. probably not going to play, Mich. St. not going to play, Maryland's probably [won't] play. But you're going to get Nebraska, Iowa, Purdue, Indiana, Ohio St. Wisconsin wants to play but may not be able to." pic.twitter.com/6QiusRB5t1
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) September 14, 2020
It's hard to believe we are sitting here in the middle of September and a "Blue Blood" program in Michigan (I use the term blue blood very loosely here since Michigan hasn't won anything worth a shit in decades) doesn't want to play fall football. Besides the excuse of being just a bunch of pussies (Ann Arbor is a Whore after all) I'm completely flabbergasted that Michigan would decide not to play football.
I don't want to hear about Covid when the Lions are playing NFL football and high school football is being played all across the midwest. There is something much more about this and it's not the obvious political angle.
Michigan wants to completely fuck over their rival in Ohio State. The Buckeyes have been pounding the shit out of the Skunkbears for so long they can't even think straight. The Buckeyes are the odds-on favorite to win the Big Ten again because they own Michigan and the rest of their shitty ass conference. But they also have enough talent to win it all this year. Yes, even the Natty.
So if you are Michigan you know you are gonna get your brains beat in again so what do you do instead? You quit. You blame Covid even though it doesn't kill athletes or young people. Talk about playing the role of villain and Michigan is playing it to perfection. Ohio State needs Michigan to play ball this fall. Don't even entertain the thought of spring football. It's not happening. But if Michigan doesn't play football then Sparty won't play, Rutgers will back out and Maryland will not play because of political pressure. And we all know Northwestern ain't gonna play till they get "unionized" or whatever the fuck they want.
So that would basically leave 8 teams in the conference to play. It ain't enough. And thus Michigan has completely fucked over their rival in Ohio State. Even if Ohio State plays 8 games they aren't gonna qualify over the ACC, Big 12 and SEC conferences candidates who play a minimum of 10 games plus a conference championship game. The Buckeyes have already lost two of their best players, CB Shaun Wade and OL Wyatt Davis, who decided to opt out and prepare for the NFL Draft instead of waiting on Michigan to decide on a Big Ten season.
Sorry Buckeyes but the Michigan administration completely fucked you guys over. No National Championship season. No Heisman Trophy season for QB Justin Fields. No annual ass stomping of your heated rival. You get a big fat nothing because Michigan said "fuck it" and decided to go home to play video games instead of getting schooled on the playground again.
It's so diabolical and evil on Michigan's part you gotta kind of tip your hat. Michigan is the ultimate villain in sports now. They have destroyed livelihoods all across the nation. Cities that rely on football in the fall can no longer stay open. Bars and restaurants and shops from Columbus to Lincoln will no longer get that extra traffic of football fans this fall will be pressured to make difficult cuts. Life altering cuts. All because Michigan decided to take their football with their heads tucked in between their vaginas and go home.
SportsCrack's 2016 Big Ten Predictions
Projected Finish
East Division
1. Ohio State (11-1) - You can never underestimate an Urban Meyer led football program but I feel a lot of pundits are doing just that. The Buckeyes are 50-4 since Meyer took over. They should again win the conference with playmakers like QB JT Barrett and LB Raekwon McMillan back.
2. Michigan State (10-2) - Sparty should have one of the better defenses in the college game led by DE Malik McDowell. They get Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio State all at home which should help.
3. Michigan (9-3) - Road games at Iowa, Michigan State and Ohio State will torpedo a tremendous first half start by the Wolverines because of the lack of good QB play.
4. Penn State (7-5) - As the norm the Nittany Lions have a tremendous group of linebackers and a great tailback in Saquon Barkley. Problem is the rest of the roster is very young and will be starting a new QB.
5. Indiana (6-6) - The Hoosiers have one of the better offensive lines in the conference and should score a lot of points. If the defense can step up they could make another bowl game.
6. Maryland (6-6) - I might be underestimating the Terps with new coach DJ Durkin. They got talent but they still don't have a QB.
7. Rutgers (4-8) - All I can say is good luck to new coach Chris Ash. He's got a complete rebuild in store for him and the schedule does him no favors.
West Division
1. Iowa (10-2) - Hawkeyes again will benefit from a joke of a schedule with their toughest road game being in Happy Valley. Desmond King is surprisingly back at cornerback and many pundits are high on QB C.J. Beathard.
2. Wisconsin (9-3) - The early season schedule is brutal for the Badgers with LSU in the opener and Michigan State, Michigan, and Ohio State all before mid October. If they can manage to pull off a couple of upsets they should finish strong.
3. Nebraska (8-4) - I feel like the Cornhuskers are a legit QB from wining this division. Tommy Armstrong Jr put up some decent stats last year on paper but if you watched him live you would say why is this guy even playing much less starting for Nebraska.
4. Northwestern (8-4) - Pat Fitzgerald is one of the better coaches in the conference and has a big time LB in Anthony Walker leading the defense. If they can pound the ball with RB Justin Jackson I could see them pulling off some upsets including 1 of the road games vs Iowa, Michigan State and Ohio State.
5. Minnesota (7-5) - Like Iowa the Gophers play a joke of a schedule and they get the three worst teams in the East Division instead of the best.
6. Illinois (4-8) - It's a total rebuild for new coach Lovie Smith who hasn't coached at the collegiate level since 1995. I like who Lovie brought in as assistants but it's going to take some time to get their talent up to winning standards.
7. Purdue (4-8) - Purdue is 1-11, 3-9, and 2-10 the last 3 seasons. Holy shit they are terrible! Congrats Boilermakers you win 4 games this season.
OVERRATED TEAM - Michigan is top 5 in the nation in the preseason polls but I got them finishing third in their division because of their QB play or lack thereof.
UNDERRATED TEAM - Wisconsin is being written off of their schedule but talent and coaching wise they could be the best team in the Big Ten West Division.
BEST OFFENSIVE PLAYMAKER - Ohio State's J.T. Barrett was a top 5 Heisman vote getter his redshirt freshman season. This year he has the starting job and should put up monster numbers.
BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYMAKER - Sparty's Malik McDowell is basically unblockable at times and should rack up double digit sacks.
TOP FRESHMAN - Michigan got the #1 recruit in the nation in DT Rashan Gary who is expected to contribute right away.
COACH OF THE YEAR - Ohio State coach Urban Meyer. He's 50-4 as the Buckeyes coach and has 3 Natty's under his belt.
FINAL PREDICTION - Ohio State (11-1) beats Iowa (10-2) to advance to the College Football Playoffs.