Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Outback Bowl Preview: Michigan vs. South Carolina


Well, I've done previews for most of the position groups (except special teams).  You can find them here:
Roster Notes
  • Michigan recruited TE Jerell Adams, WR Damiere Byrd, OG A.J. Cann, RB Mike Davis, WR Jody Fuller, S Devonte Holloman, WR Nick Jones, RB Marcus Lattimore, TE Drew Owens, OT Brandon Shell, OT Brock Stadnik, and S D.J. Swearinger
If you read the above previews, it's no secret that I like Michigan's offense better and South Carolina's defense better.  In fact, I gave the Wolverines the edge at each offensive position group and the Gamecocks the advantage at each defensive position group.

But they say defense wins championships, so I'll go with South Carolina here.  Michigan has a chance if they can manufacture some offense with Denard out of the backfield, but that could depend on the health of Denard Robinson and the daring of Al Borges.  If the offense looks like it did against Iowa, Michigan has a chance.  If it looks like the second half of the Ohio State game, then I will be very said.

Prediction: South Carolina 20, Michigan 13

7 comments:

  1. Nobody does play by play better than Keith Jackson

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  2. Agree with you assessment here. The only thing that will be disheartening is if Al really doesn't understand how explosive an offense he can have. If he sincerely cannot assess game film and see the debacle that was created during the second half of the Ohio game. We have a fighting chance to upset here. I am rooting for all the Big Ten teams and losses by all the SEC teams.

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  3. Debord Citrus Bowl end of the '07 season. That's what I hope Borges pulls today. That game was so frustrating to me because it was what many of us had envisioned our offense being all year. Hopefully Borges puts it together, and with a few fortunate bounces we get the W.

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    1. It was the Capital One Bowl vs. Florida, but yeah, that's what I'm hoping for, too. The problem is that we don't have that many playmakers - Manningham, Hart, Arrington, etc. We've got Denard and Gardner, both of whom are quarterbacks by trade; Gallon and Roundtree are both inferior to Manningham and Arrington, in my opinion, but they are capable of making plays. Hopefully they have a big day.

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    2. Agreed. My thought was in that game Debord pulle out all the stops and played to the teams strengths. Maybe we'll see them line up Funchess out wide more often and get him a chance to make a play on it in the air. I seem to remember in your preview that their tallest DB is like 6'1 so that gives Funchess 4 inches or so on them.

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    3. Yeah, their safeties are decent sized, but the starting corners are shorter than 6'0".

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