UM FOOTBALL SCHEDULE STILL BELOW .500

Remember how excited the Michigan fan-base was in September after their team had played only three games? The lost the road-opener, but issued a "free pass" to Jim Harbaugh, then won two games at home over Oregon State and UNLV. Pandemonium ensued, as Harbaugh became the winningest UM coach in nearly two years.

The Beavers and the Rebels are now a combined 5-17,

suffering multiple blowouts by unranked teams.

Those teams lost last weekend by a combined score of 104-21.

Are we suggesting that Michigan fans were guilty of premature celebrations and unfounded exaggerations of their own brilliance? Yes, that's what we're suggesting.

Before last weekend, the Wolverines had played only three teams with a winning record, losing to Michigan State and beating perennial powerhouses BYU and Northwestern. Looks like the claims about the Michigan schedule being so tough have now been completely DEBUNKED.

Here are the teams that UM has defeated this season, listed in the order they were played, along with their current season record:

• 2-9 Oregon State
• 3-8 UNLV
• 8-3 BYU
• 2-9 Maryland
• 9-2 Northwestern
• 5-6 Minnesota
• 4-7 Rutgers
• 5-6 Indiana
• 7-4 Penn State

• 45-54 combined season record (46%)

The Wolverines have defeated only three teams that are bowl-eligible this season. By contrast, MSU had defeated three bowl-eligible teams before their last game of SEPTEMBER. Yet somehow, UM has been the highest-ranked team in the country - - - - for their record each week - - - for more than two months. We can see that's not because of their schedule-strength. So why the inexplicably high ranking for Michigan?

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