Staff Picks: Michigan Wolverines Football vs. Nebraska
Tomorrow is the first of many games in the years to come against Scott Frost’s Nebraska team in what could be a budding, crossover rivalry …
That is, if both teams do their part to return to past glory.
It’s been a long time since 1997, the last time both Michigan and the Cornhuskers were on top of the football world. U-M was churning out pros and, for a few years, had as many in the NFL as anyone, while Nebraska was cranking out … well, quarterbacks who would play a few NFL seasons as backup safeties and guys who would go on to play for teams like the Scottish Claymores and Montreal Alouettes.
Still, many Nebraska fans (and their players) insist the ‘Huskers would have shucked U-M in a championship game, and that hasn’t gone over well with the few dozen former Michigan pros on that team, many of them among the Wolverines’ best of the best. Hell, Tom Brady — many would argue the best quarterback of all time — was a back-upon that team, while guys like Jon Jansen, Steve Hutchinson, Charles Woodson, etc. became NFL elites.
One of those guys said recently he’d suit up tomorrow if they wanted to get the alums from those two teams together and play. We’d pay to see that. We’ve got Michigan by 7 in ’97, probably 20 today (only because a lot of those former NFL guys are in better shape and weren’t working fast food jobs in offseasons to supplement their World League and Arena League incomes).
As for the now infamous “Carol Frost” letter sent to us from Scotty’s mom … that’s run its course (if you don’t know what we’re talking about, click here: Carol Frost letter). There were rumblings that it was a fraud, and that Frost was so incensed he even had the police look into it.
We don’t know if that’s true or not. What we do know — the email address from which it originated was absolutely legit.
It’s real. And it’s spectacular.
Congratulations to last week’s winner (not Austin Fox, though he’s making the rounds on the message boards because he nailed the Wolverines’ point total. Act like you’ve been there before, Foxy). Adam Ghabour now gets the key to Westphalia after winning the SMU picks.
This week’s winner receives two bottles of Rodent Sheriff (As Seen On TV – made from a handcrafted pepperming formula that’s revolting to mice rats, squirrels and other rodents but is safe for kids!).
The picks:
CHRIS BALAS:This would be the week we found out what this Michigan team were made of … if the Cornhuskers were good. They’re Nebraska in name only at this point, and while that will change under Scott Frost, this is a team Michigan had better handle at home. Michigan 30, Nebraska 16
JOHN BORTON:Whoa, dude. You okay?
Of course I am. Shut up and get away from me.
But you got hit by a train.
So? I hit it harder. Is it still on the tracks?
Well, yeah, but…
Lucky. It’s only the fourth-best train I ever hit … Michigan 31, Nebraska 17
John Borton
Olympics Watcher since 1968, Manitou Beach
BRANDON BROWN:Scott Frost would love to get his first win as Nebraska’s head coach inside Michigan Stadium but it’s not going to happen. Michigan is still far more talented than the Huskers especially if freshman quarterback Adrian Martinez can’t go. Frost’s offense relies heavily on a mobile, live-armed QB, and last week’s starter and walk on Andrew Bunch just isn’t the right guy. Regardless of who’s under center (or in the gun), Michigan should roll the Frosties right back to Lincoln.Michigan 42, Nebraska, 17
AUSTIN FOX: It’s hard to tell how good this Michigan team is. Nebraska is nowhere near as bad as its 0-2 record indicates, so if U-M blows it out like some are expecting it to, then we’ll know the Wolverines have made substantial improvements since the Notre Dame loss.
Michigan will control the game throughout, but isn’t quite good enough yet to destroy a team of Nebraska’s caliber. It may get there later this year though. Michigan 27, Nebraska 17
DOUG SKENE:Scott Frost is going to have to continue to wait to beat Michigan. Michigan will beat the Cornhuskers by 25. In other news, the 1997 Michigan team is still better than the foot kicking ’97 ‘Huskers. Michigan 35, Nebraska 10
DREW HALLETT: Nebraska is a few plays away from being 2-0 rather than 0-2, and one of those losses was without starting quarterback Adrian Martinez, who may return for Saturday. If Martinez can go and is healthy enough to be effective, his legs could cause Michigan some issues, as Notre Dame's Brandon Wimbush and SMU's William Brown did before. The Huskers' disruptive defensive front could also cause Michigan's offensive line issues as they are 10th in rushing efficiency and eighth in adjusted sack rate.
However, even if Martinez plays, it will be his first true road start against a ferocious defense, and the Huskers are susceptible to allowing big plays, which should fuel Shea Patterson, Karan Higdon, Chris Evans, and Donovan Peoples-Jones. Expect Nebraska to make things interesting as the Huskers come out swinging, but it won't be enough to prevent the Wolverines from winning by double digits. Michigan 27, Nebraska 14
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