(97.1 The Ticket) Local newspapers made predictions about college football and Michigan's two biggest in-state rivals -- Michigan vs Michigan State -- and Mike Valenti weighed in on which of the bold takes he agreed with.
The answer? Not many. "They're all positive, so I don't value it," Valenti said.
Among the predictions that Valenti reacted to was ...
Claim: Shea Patterson will be the Big Ten's best quarterback. Valenti:"What are they, the PR arm for Michigan? No!"
Claim: Michigan will beat Ohio State. "I won't believe it until I see it," he said.
Claim: Michigan and Notre Dame will be a night game. "That's not bold, that's common sense," he said.
Who's the key to the defense? Know one thing: "This defensive line is probably the worst they've had in Harbaugh's tenure," Valenti said.
Claim: It'll be platoon duty for the kickers. Nah. "They've gotta pick a kicker, how about that," Valenti said. 'It's like having two quarterbacks, pick a guy, go with him."
Claim: Michigan State's offense will finish in the top half of the Big Ten in scoring offense. "I just don't believe it. I don't think re-shuffling bad deck furniture results in that," Valenti said. "No, bottom half of the Big Ten."
Claim: MSU defense will produce three All-Americans this year. Valenti: "I'll say 'No. It's bold, but also unrealistic. You know how hard it is to have three All-Americans?"
Claim: Michigan State will be 9-0 heading into the Michigan game. "Oh Gawd, I've got to see that," Valenti said. He said 8-1 would have been bold.
Overall, Valenti's own prediction is this: "I think State is either going to bounce back huge and Dantonio is going to make fools out of people like me or this is it for Mark. The wheels come off. They go 7-5 again. They waste a top ten defense, the offense is putrid. It's going to go one of two ways, Indianapolis or Indi-crapolis. It's going to be one of the two."
Will they return to the playoffs? "It goes one way or the other, I don't think State just goes 9-3. I don't think they're good. They're going to be woefully average or awesome, but there are so many question marks. Playoffs? No. Now if you're asking me if they can bounce back and have a chance at winning a Big Ten in November. Sure, I can see it. But the playoffs? They'd have to go 11-1."
He added the MSU defense is going to be awesome and they will have to carry the deck.
So, what do you think -- did Valenti get it right?
