... how it plays out on Saturday. Crawford touched on…
• MSU's affinity for trying to take advantage of Michigan's defensive aggressiveness: "I'll go back to the 2015 game. Trevon Pendleton on that screen pass [for 74 yards] … Michigan had a double-digit lead, in the trouble-with-the-snap game. I'll leave it at that, as far as the reference.
"He just went with that one dive play, over and over. He set that play up. He set that play up for almost two-and-a-half quarters. This is where he's brilliant, and I'm giving it to him, because he runs the program.
"[Junior linebacker] Devin Bush over-pursues. He's the fastest linebacker, sideline to sideline, I can ever recall in 50 years of watching Michigan, but there's the vulnerability of that — over-pursuing, over-running the play. That's a definitely issue that Michigan has to be conscious of. They need to make the tackle, and not just go crazy out there. That's a concern."
• MSU's obsession with beating Michigan: "This is a bad, bad rivalry. It's getting worse every year. It's getting more personal every year.
"I mean, I went to the Utah State-Michigan State game and sat in the stands. That was a Friday night game, game one. The student section, most of their chants were 'F Jim Harbaugh,' the whole game. I didn't realize Jim Harbaugh coached Utah State.
"It's amazing how much Jim Harbaugh is in the head of Michigan State fans, and the hatred and the venom. I don't understand that. They should hate Northwestern more than they hate Michigan. They're 2-1 against Jim Harbaugh.
"You're going to see that venom. I've talked to a lot of neutral observers, some media people, who have gone to the game. They're walking to the game, and it's like, wow, the venom between these two fan bases is increasing, from an outside perspective.
"I think that's a good thing, because if Michigan is going to beat Ohio State, where the venom is at the all-time top of the ladder, Ohio State fans toward Michigan, this will be a good test, to overcome all that noise, animosity. It's an opportunity to take over that stadium, shut up that stadium. That's why this is perfect. This is perfect for Saturday."
• Who wins and why: "Michigan State wins this game if Michigan helps them. Last year, [MSU] won the turnover battle, 5-0, and yet Michigan was throwing into the end zone for the win. Let's be real. That's how they win the game. They win the game with turnovers, silly mistakes, that Michigan makes. That's how they win the game.
"Conversely, Michigan wins the game by winning the battle up front, and turning out for at least 130 yards rushing. I think that's the key number. If they get a buck 30 and beyond, throw in the same amount from the aerial game, because that will loosen it up, maybe pass to run, or run to throw — whatever the combination is, they will win the game.
"I really feel strongly — and this is not just love goggle talk here — this is their time. This is Michigan's time to get a quality road win. I see them winning. I'm not naming a score yet. It's going to be a close margin, but Michigan is going to win the game. I'm very confident of that."
Here's the full podcast: https://michigan.rivals.com/news/michigan-wolverines-football-podcast-tom-crawford-with-john-borton
• MSU's affinity for trying to take advantage of Michigan's defensive aggressiveness: "I'll go back to the 2015 game. Trevon Pendleton on that screen pass [for 74 yards] … Michigan had a double-digit lead, in the trouble-with-the-snap game. I'll leave it at that, as far as the reference.
"He just went with that one dive play, over and over. He set that play up. He set that play up for almost two-and-a-half quarters. This is where he's brilliant, and I'm giving it to him, because he runs the program.
"[Junior linebacker] Devin Bush over-pursues. He's the fastest linebacker, sideline to sideline, I can ever recall in 50 years of watching Michigan, but there's the vulnerability of that — over-pursuing, over-running the play. That's a definitely issue that Michigan has to be conscious of. They need to make the tackle, and not just go crazy out there. That's a concern."
• MSU's obsession with beating Michigan: "This is a bad, bad rivalry. It's getting worse every year. It's getting more personal every year.
"I mean, I went to the Utah State-Michigan State game and sat in the stands. That was a Friday night game, game one. The student section, most of their chants were 'F Jim Harbaugh,' the whole game. I didn't realize Jim Harbaugh coached Utah State.
"It's amazing how much Jim Harbaugh is in the head of Michigan State fans, and the hatred and the venom. I don't understand that. They should hate Northwestern more than they hate Michigan. They're 2-1 against Jim Harbaugh.
"You're going to see that venom. I've talked to a lot of neutral observers, some media people, who have gone to the game. They're walking to the game, and it's like, wow, the venom between these two fan bases is increasing, from an outside perspective.
"I think that's a good thing, because if Michigan is going to beat Ohio State, where the venom is at the all-time top of the ladder, Ohio State fans toward Michigan, this will be a good test, to overcome all that noise, animosity. It's an opportunity to take over that stadium, shut up that stadium. That's why this is perfect. This is perfect for Saturday."
• Who wins and why: "Michigan State wins this game if Michigan helps them. Last year, [MSU] won the turnover battle, 5-0, and yet Michigan was throwing into the end zone for the win. Let's be real. That's how they win the game. They win the game with turnovers, silly mistakes, that Michigan makes. That's how they win the game.
"Conversely, Michigan wins the game by winning the battle up front, and turning out for at least 130 yards rushing. I think that's the key number. If they get a buck 30 and beyond, throw in the same amount from the aerial game, because that will loosen it up, maybe pass to run, or run to throw — whatever the combination is, they will win the game.
"I really feel strongly — and this is not just love goggle talk here — this is their time. This is Michigan's time to get a quality road win. I see them winning. I'm not naming a score yet. It's going to be a close margin, but Michigan is going to win the game. I'm very confident of that."
Here's the full podcast: https://michigan.rivals.com/news/michigan-wolverines-football-podcast-tom-crawford-with-john-borton
