Location: Spartan Stadium
Weather: 66 and 10% Rain
TV: ESPN
Line: Michigan -24.5
One team is 7-0 this year, the other is on a 5 game losing streak, one team owns the series lead 68-35-5, the other has won the last 7 out of 8 games, one team is over a 3 TD favorite, the other won last years match-up with a blocked punt and score as time expired.
When Michigan and MSU meet you can throw all those stats out the window. This will be a hard hitting football game and closer then people think.
Tale of the Tape
MSU Offense vs. Michigan D = Michigan
Michigan O vs. MSU D = Michigan
Home Field Advantage = MSU
Coaching = Michigan
Special Teams = TBD
It's clear on paper who the better team is, as it was last week when Ohio State traveled to Happy Valley. Michigan is probably better or even at every position on the field. As we all remember his recruitment, Mailk McDowell is a very good player and expected high draft pick next year. Like many of his teammates on defense, he has been a bit banged up the last few weeks. With that said, MSU only has 7 sacks this year.
MSU RB LJ Scott is a solid running back and will try to get as many yards on the ground as possible, as MSU will try to hide their inexperience at QB through a strong running game. The team with the most yards on the ground has won this game 42 out of the last 46 times.
Fun Fact: This is Michigan's 1,300 football game all time.
Smile proudly, that things are back to normal if.........
- Michigan is running the ball on MSU
- Wilton is accurate and plays clean
- Michigan's defensive line is overpowering MSU O Line
- Peppers proves he is the best player on the field
- Michigan plays angry but clean for last year
- Michigan turns the ball over and keeps the game close
- Special teams is an issue
- There is a wind storm of trash and rain
- MSU hits big plays
MSU has nothing to lose in this game and will play for their entire season on Saturday. Right now, they are looking to be home for the holidays and that Western Michigan is ranked higher then them. Saturday is their entire season and they are very desperate. ESPN win percentage is 98% for Michigan. They are either going to fight like prisoners trying to break out of jail or will lay down and let the Wolverines run all over them. I'm expecting a street fight.
Jimmy will have the Wolverines ready to roll up their sleeves and play hard. The memory of the blocked punt will motivate every one of those starters. Time to take back the Paul Bunyan!
Michigan 31 MSU 17
10 comments:
They might fight like they're the 3rd monkey on the ramp to Noah's Ark.... but it won't matter.
Blue 42, little brother 12
I'll go Michigan beats Michigan State 45-6... the air has been let out of Michigan's States tires... all that is left is the beat down.
We have the horses they only got the unsmiling coach.
Maybe it is due to past history with past coaches, MSU being solid last 8-10 years, but I really have angst in this game. Even the good teams with Hart/ Henne never hammered MSU.
With Bullough being back (unless he gets tossed again), MSU playing inspired and Little Bro pulling all stops and doing any kind of trick play they can think of it all still has me concerned.
I appreciate your confidence. It makes me feel better.
MSU does not score 17 unless Michigan turns the ball over a couple of times.
Agreed, on the 17 but I'm thinking they will pull something weird out of their hat, like an 80 yard screen pass to their full back.
I was wrong, but I'll take the win.
I think there was some carelessness on Michigan's part in this game and msu shouldn't have gotten what they've gotten if Michigan had played the way they played lets say Wisconsin. Nevertheless, as bad as the defense played at times they still managed to physically beat up on msu and stop some key goal line plays. It has been tough for Michigan to play in East Lansing because you never know if they will put something in the water or mess with the play clock...but they won the game which is the most important thing.
However, what I see here is a trend where Michigan and msu are going in opposite directions. As long as Michigan was down under RR and Hoke, msu could more easily recruit some fine players, but now that "Michigan is back" msu won't be getting most of the better players and therefore, won't be trending up. In fact, since msu experienced the severe beat down from Alabama in the playoffs, they haven't been the same team. There is something about a team that has a brutal awakening that they aren't as good as they thought that can break a team's spirit.
Michigan's defense is very good but they are still learning a new system on the fly and every now and then they get caught; the young guys get out of position, miss a key tackle or get a silly penalty. Nevertheless, I expect them to get better with each game and new challenge. In a strange way Michigan needed a tough game to help them prepare for OSU, Nebraska, Clemson and Alabama. IMHO!!!
Sloppy tackling today, but a great win.
What is Big Jon Faulks role now. I thought he retired?!? I keep seeing him on the sidelines and locker room.
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