Michigan Football Season Preview for 2015 For College And NFL Teams

In the state of Michigan, the rivalry of the Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans is always front-and-center and makes for some fantastic Michigan sports betting action. For the 2015 college football season, it should be magnified even more with the hiring of former Wolverine Jim Harbaugh in Ann Arbor.

In that shadow are three Mid-American Conference teams: Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan. While Western Michigan stands a good shot at winning the MAC Western Division, both Central and Eastern figure to be at the bottom of that six-team scrum.

Western Michigan has plenty of offense, but their defense might end up being what dooms them. Running back Jarvion Franklin is a workhorse, while on defense, linebacker Grant DePalma is the team’s leading returning tackler after hauling down 102 ballcarriers in 2014.

Michigan Wolverines Football 2015

The Prodigal Son has returned, only a few years after he trashed Michigan boosters. That faux pas was overlooked due to Jim Harbaugh’s success with the San Francisco 49ers, especially when compared to the futility of the Brady Hoke era. Still, getting the offense on the right track will likely take longer than the 2015 campaign, so expecting great things from Harbaugh might be too much to ask.

At quarterback, Shane Morris is the incumbent, but he may be replaced by Iowa transfer Jake Rudock, whose talent might be enough to give the Wolverines a better shot at success. Another option could be true freshman Zach Gentry. Derrick Green returns at running back, but this area needs others to have an impact after a disastrous year on the offensive side of the ball.

The receivers also don’t provide a wealth of confidence for the 2015 college football season, but the centerpiece of this area figures to be junior Amara Darboh. One possible surprise here might be newcomer Brian Cole. The major problem is on the line, where four of five starters return. Ordinarily, that would be considered good news, but this area was a disaster in 2014, so fixing it is a top priority.

The team’s defense saved the 2014 team from being truly bad, finishing seventh in the country in total defense. Still, two key players to watch are linebacker Joe Bolden and safety Jabrill Peppers. Given the rebuilding project ahead, getting to a minor bowl game would be solid improvement for Harbaugh & Co.

Michigan State Spartans Football 2015

If they didn’t happen to reside in the same division as defending national champion Ohio State, the Spartans might be favored to win the Big Ten East Division. Still, their continued success is a testament to the solid coaching of head coach Mark Dantonio. Connor Cook is at the controls of the Michigan State offense, possessing both a strong and precise arm. However, his primary receivers have been replaced by inconsistency, although tight end Josiah Price remains a solid target on third down and deep in opposing territory.

Madre London has the unenviable task of replacing 1,500-yard rusher Jeremy Langford, but he’ll benefit from a strong offensive line led by center Jack Allen and tackle Jack Conklin. For the defense, end Shilique Calhoun and tackle Malik McDowell are standouts up front, one reason why the team has ranked among the top defensive units.

The problem areas could be in the linebacking unit and secondary, though Ed Davis and Darien Harris give the starting lineup at linebacker a boost. Among defensive backs, safety Montae Nicholson appears to be the player to watch. Much of the talent is already in place for a potential title run, but Michigan State needs to avoid any number of pitfalls that might surface along the way for that to occur.

Detroit Lions Football 2015

Despite winning 11 games last year, the team’s controversial playoff loss to the Dallas Cowboys soured the overall effect of that success. Improving on that win total might be difficult, especially with one key absence of defense: DT Ndamukong Suh.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for over 4,000 yards last year and is integral to any success, since there’s really no one behind him to take over. The running backs figure to be Joique Bell and rookie Ameer Abdullah, while Theo Riddick can both run and catch the ball.

Wide receiver is solid with the continued presence of Megatron aka Calvin Johnson, who remains an All-World talent. If he’s not the target, then Golden Tate is another option after grabbing a team-high 99 catches in 2014. At tight end, either Eric Ebron or Brandon Pettigrew will be an option.

The offensive line was bad enough that a first round pick was used on guard Laken Tomlinson, who figures to start right away. On the defensive side, replacing Suh will be tough, though former Raven Haloti Ngata will offer plenty of experience. At both linebacker and the defensive backfield, the talent is acceptable, but might not allow for the team to move forward in the postseason. Gauging how the Lions do during the 2015-16 football season basically boils down to assessing how each side of the line is performing, since the skill positions are doing just fine.

Check out our page on betting on the Detriot Lions for tips, team updates and betting trends to consider.