Know of Foe: University of Waterloo

With apologies to the M-Zone, we continue our annual "Know of Foe" series, previewing Michigan's preseason Canadian opponent. This year, the University of Waterloo Warriors come to Yost.

Instead of a full breakdown of the history of the university, I'm going to share a story from a visit I had there a few years ago. After the day's events were concluded, I was treated to dinner and conversation turned to the big story on campus at the time, the discovery that nine players of the football team had tested positive for steroids after one of their wide receivers was arrested for trafficking. The university suspended the football team for the 2011 season.

After two professors offered their opinions on the state of the scandal at the time, a third volunteered the following question, "We have a football team?" So it's not exactly a rabid athletic culture.

Recognizing this logo is not a requirement for getting a tenure-track position anywhere.

As for the university, Waterloo is the Canadian version of Cal/Georgia/M.I. Tech. It's renowned for its Faculty (not department) of Mathematics and the high quality of its computer science and engineering programs. They'd probably produce some great sports analytics if they cared about sports. The university's prowess in technical fields spun off to the founding of Research in Motion (which was a big deal for a while) and also the independent Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. Stephen Hawking hangs out there sometimes. Waterloo's notable alumni include astronaut/Internet sensation Chris Hadfield and Keeper of the Cup Walt Neubrand.

Waterloo hockey finished sixth out of nine in the OUA West Division with a 12-11-5 W-L-OTL record with a 98-104 GF/GA ratio, so that's as an ideal example of "slightly below average." And we can be pretty sure they're not on steroids. Let's say 4-2, Michigan. You can tell I didn't put a lot of thought into predicting this game this year.