Does Michigans performance last week mean the Wolverines are a legitimate Big Ten title contender?”
At the College Football Roundtable each week, we ask each member of the college football coverage staff for his opinion about a topic in the sport. TODAY’S QUESTION: Does Michigan’s performance last week against Notre Dame mean the Wolverines are a legitimate Big Ten title contender this season? Slow down a little. Although Michigan’s 38-34 victory over Notre Dame was impressive and exciting, it’s premature to trumpet the Wolverines as championship contenders, even in a mediocre conference such as the Big Ten. The leap from three-win team in ’08 to conference champs in one year seems unlikely. Illinois did improve from two wins in ’06 to reach the Rose Bowl in ’07, but the Illini didn’t win the Big Ten championship that season. Michigan figured to improve just being in the second year of coach Rich Rodriguez’s system. And no doubt QB Tate Forcier makes the Wolverines significantly better. But he’s a true freshman and they typically make mistakes. Michigan will pull off a few more impre
The game had barely ended inside Michigan Stadium and the reminder rang down from the student section. Forget about Western Michigan, the Wolverines faithful knew what was next. “Beat the Irish,” the crowd chanted. “Beat the Irish.” Lest anyone think this game isn’t a big deal anymore, consider the largest boos Saturday came whenever the continued Notre Dame beatdown of Nevada was announced. The difference now, at least compared to the past couple of years, is an interest because of actual football being played instead of the trainwreckian attributes of the 0-fer Bowl in 2007 and Fumblepalooza 2008. The Michigan-Notre Dame was important then. Now, though, there’s more of a national tinge to it. “I would hope,” Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez said. “I would think Michigan-Notre Dame is always going to have a national tone. It’s one of the greatest rivalries there are.” Michigan and Notre Dame haven’t both entered this game undefeated since 2006. Since then, the Irish have undergone a two-
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