The Official Michigan vs. Northwestern Score Prediction Thread

[Michchamp]

Alright! After the Bye Week, we get on track and have one theoretically easy win before we enter the Meat Grinder portion of our schedule.

This saturday we host Northwestern University, the Big Ten school for smart kids... uh... who's families have an extra $83,000/year laying around to send them to college.

Game time is NOON Eastern, and the game is televised nationally on FOX.

ANOTHER Trophy Game?!?!
This year is the inaugural game for the George Jewett Trophy, honoring the first African American man to play Big Ten Football (link). An Ann Arbor native and athletic standout at Ann Arbor High (Now Ann Arbor Pioneer), Jewett played for Michigan in the 1890 and 1892 seasons before transferring to Northwestern to finish his medical degree. He played for the Wildcats in 1893.

Our MSU friends should also note: Jewett later coached football at the then-named Michigan Agricultural College for a spell.

Our opponent
Northwestern is 3-3, with lackluster losses to MSU, Nebraska and Duke, and wins over Indiana State, Ohio (not the evil one) and Rutgers. This does not appear to be one of those sneaky good Northwestern teams; according to Sagarin, their SOS is lousy (98th), and they were not really competitive in any of their losses. But of course, ANYTHING can happen, and luck and random chance play a bigger role in football and in life than any of us would like to admit.

The consensus line going into this game is Michigan -23 1/2, with an o/u of 51.

So make your picks and post a bit of analysis if you'd like, but as always, LEAVE THE WOOFING AND BARKING FOR OTHER THREADS!

 

[rumseyhouse77]

Lots of pent up energy after the bye week. Michigan 56, NW 7.

 

[zyxt9]

I think coaches rest the starters early so they are more fresh for MSU, otherwise it would be an even bigger whoopin'. 41-13

 

[tomdalton22]

I have no idea how bad NW is. That said, I think UM will be looking ahead a little and don't cover the 24.

UM 31
NW 13

 

[thewolverines24]

The only NW game I watched this year at all was their game against Nebraska. Their run defense looked terrible and they were down 21-0 in the first 10 minutes. Just looked up the box score and they ended up 427 yards on 53 carries. That's 8 YPC. I would say this one plays to our strengths and I'm expecting a major thumping. Also, the trophy is very well done. It should stay in Ann Arbor for a long time.

Michigan - 52
NW - 9

 

[UMRules06]

35 - 10 Michigan. I really can't see a letdown happening with the possibility of facing MSU both undefeated.

 

[Michchamp]

35 - 10 Michigan. I really can't see a letdown happening with the possibility of facing MSU both undefeated.

you took my score.

I'll go with:

UM 42
NU 10

I think we rush for closer 400 yards. I hope we stick with the running game, and run inside and outside.

 

[michdad1]

38-17 Michigan

 

[Monster]

Didn't NW beat Rutgers last week? They aren't as bad as people think. NW usually plays tough even when theyre bad.

30-21 Michigan

 

[bphillips4gg]

38-10 michigan.

 

[tinselwolverine]

Isn?t that the guy from Hamilton who played Aaron Burr, sir?

M 45


NW 10

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KAnVd7Fxb0g

 

[b311j]

][V][ 38
Fighting Fitzgeralds 13

 

[Michchamp]

Final score:
UM..33
NU....7

Michigan by 26; we covered... but didn't look great doing it.

UMRules06 picked a 25 pt. spread (35-10) and so comes closest to the final... his second Prediction Thread win of the season. Congrats :cheers:

Participation was a little better this week. Hope we get more bandwagon posters trickling in for the MSU prediction thread. First time in history both teams meet undefeated (I think?) or at least both undefeated this late in the season.

edit: first time both are 7-0. UM & MSU have met as unbeaten teams 3 times before: 1964, 1999, and 2010

And both teams have been ranked in the top 10 only 3 other times: '56, '57, and '61