(Hart, Henne, Long)
For college football fans, the end of August is a great time of year. All the pre-season polls are out, people are checking where their team is ranked, and arguing that they should be ranked higher. Week 1 sure-shot blowouts are just around the corner, propelling most fans’ teams to an impressive 1-0 (i.e. USC vs. Idaho).
But for Michigan fans, the preseason polls don’t come out until November 12, the Monday after their showdown with Big Ten challenger Wisconsin. Week 1 of a two week season begins November 17, when the Wolverines host rival Ohio State. Week two comes seven and a half weeks later, on Janurary 7, in the BCS National Champoinship game.
If Michigan goes 0-2 again this season, as they have the last three (sub BCS Championship game for Rose Bowl, Alamo Bowl, Rose Bowl) The legacies of three of the best players to put on a Michigan uniform in the last decade will forever be tarnished. Chad Henne, the quarterback who has started all 37 games of his career at Michigan (and also has the coolest last name of any Wolverine since Tim Biakabutuka), Mike Hart, the Heisman candidate halfback who has started as a freshman but has missed time with injuries, and Jake Long, the could-have-been top 5 pick in the ‘07 NFL draft as an offensive lineman, will be remembered as the trio who couldn’t get it done. The seniors have never beaten the Buckeyes, or won a bowl game.
A one-loss season should be enough to get Michigan into the Championship game, granted that loss is not to Ohio State. The only way that would not be the case is if both teams more likely to go undefeated than Michigan, USC and West Virginia, do, leaving 11-1 Michigan and on the outside looking in. But, my optimism as a Michigan fan tells me that either A) That wont happen, or B) Michigan will run the table, and end up playing for the title.
Look for a big glass football in Ann Arbor after this season, or some major changes to be made after the bowl season in Janurary.
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