COLLEGE FOOTBALL

End Zone: UM Wolverines

4-0 Michigan's September opponents are a combined 5-10

9/26/2013

As media gathered around Jibreel Black and questioned the fact that his team is 4-0 entering the bye week against a relatively less-than-spectacular slate, Michigan's senior defensive tackle flipped the equation: He says the media downplays UM's opponents.

That argument carries no weight. And I'm not just saying that as a member of the media.

We're trained to work with facts, and here are some facts:

Akron has won one game in each of the previous three seasons, and has only one win this season.

Connecticut lost to an FCS program in its season opener and has struggled to create much with its ground game.

Michigan's September opponents are a combined 5-10, and Notre Dame has the only winning record of those four opponents.

While we're quibbling, consider this: Akron brought its "A-game," and UConn proved it has the tools to compete with Michigan.

But even at 4-0 — a four-game stretch that includes two near-upsets, spotty play by its quarterback, and eight turnovers in the last two games — the results give fans, foes, classmates, the community, and, yes, even the media a right to question a team's performance. And its opponents.

Contact Rachel Lenzi at: rlenzi@theblade.com, 419-724-6510, or on Twitter @RLenziBlade.