We can beat MSU and OSU.
- Thread starter John4UM
- Start date
Let's beat Nothwestern first. Don't kid yourself right now, both MSU and OSU especially are very good football teams who have experience playing in big games that mean a lot. Michigan's defense gives them a a chance
Right now I don't think MSU will beat UM either. Too many injuries and too many freshmen playing big roles. I'm not expecting Keiler and Conklin to be nearly as effective as they would be if 100% healthy....if they play at all. Our O line is seriously dinged up. We, supposedly, have a 1st round caliber QB....which hasn't done much this year. Our wide receivers are fine, but show up and disappear like that. Our RBs are the best of the group. Your defense is genuine, so MSU will have to let the dogs out on O (which they haven't done yet this season) if they have any genuine dogs to let out. Your offense is not intimidating mainly because your QB is not top notch. But....you're O plays with grit and they come to play. If they don't make mistakes which appear to becoming less and less....they certainly can put 20+ points on the board vs. this MSU defense. Your D is certainly capable of holding down anybody's offense, so if it's a low scoring game it certainly could be yours for the taking. Stack the box. Stuff the run. Make Cook throw and see if our receivers can catch a ball with your D-backs all over them.
It's goinf to come down to who holds onto the ball best. Avoids stupid penalties and can kick the ball better. (I guess, when is it not the most important thing.)
IMHO, OSU will be undefeated by the time you guys face them and the B1G East division could very well be on the line. OSU will figure this out. They don't have any serious injuries. They are the deepest, most talented team in the B1G. I expect them to be right there those last 2 weeks of the season. We play them in Columbus. Even if healthy I don't see us winning that game....and we won't be healthy.
I don't hate UM. Never have. I have issues with UM fans, sometimes, but never the school or the team. BTW...I am an MSU grad x 2 and I donate money to my alma mater...so I'm all in green and white. Always respected UM....just never liked 'em. If MSU could have stayed healthy I'd be all in on a possible MSU Final 4 spot. Now....I'm just hoping they don't get embarrassed like Ole Miss and Georgia just did. We will be 10-2 with a decent bowl bid. Which 95% of the time in Spartan history would be awesome. This year, that will seem disappointing.
Watch out for Northwestern BTW. I don't think Harbaugh will let that happen. He is everything they say is. I don't like him either....but still...he's a good coach.
The only thing I got going for me....and could hurt you guys....is that I'm almost always wrong.
It's goinf to come down to who holds onto the ball best. Avoids stupid penalties and can kick the ball better. (I guess, when is it not the most important thing.)
IMHO, OSU will be undefeated by the time you guys face them and the B1G East division could very well be on the line. OSU will figure this out. They don't have any serious injuries. They are the deepest, most talented team in the B1G. I expect them to be right there those last 2 weeks of the season. We play them in Columbus. Even if healthy I don't see us winning that game....and we won't be healthy.
I don't hate UM. Never have. I have issues with UM fans, sometimes, but never the school or the team. BTW...I am an MSU grad x 2 and I donate money to my alma mater...so I'm all in green and white. Always respected UM....just never liked 'em. If MSU could have stayed healthy I'd be all in on a possible MSU Final 4 spot. Now....I'm just hoping they don't get embarrassed like Ole Miss and Georgia just did. We will be 10-2 with a decent bowl bid. Which 95% of the time in Spartan history would be awesome. This year, that will seem disappointing.
Watch out for Northwestern BTW. I don't think Harbaugh will let that happen. He is everything they say is. I don't like him either....but still...he's a good coach.
The only thing I got going for me....and could hurt you guys....is that I'm almost always wrong.
Nice post and mostly agree regarding the upcoming game. Having it at home this year is a big plus, the biggest unknown is whether Michigan has become a tougher team vs MSU. The Spartans have pushed UM around, dominating them physically in the past number of years.
MSU starts slow just about every year. Not unusual to see them look kind of up and down early in B1G play. I don't think they're a lost cause and they always get up for that game. UM certainly has their best chance in several years to win that game.
OSU has a defense that will give a Harbaugh team fits. They have the depth up front to deal with a ground and pound offense and a secondary who can cover everyone UM has at receiver. Michigan's D is in a good position to give OSU's offense trouble, especially if it never clicks for them. Very likely this doesn't turn into a high scoring game and the lower the score the more it favors Michigan.
Clearly UM is in the position to win either/both games if they stay healthy.
OSU has a defense that will give a Harbaugh team fits. They have the depth up front to deal with a ground and pound offense and a secondary who can cover everyone UM has at receiver. Michigan's D is in a good position to give OSU's offense trouble, especially if it never clicks for them. Very likely this doesn't turn into a high scoring game and the lower the score the more it favors Michigan.
Clearly UM is in the position to win either/both games if they stay healthy.
Let's win against Northwestern first. Both the Spartans and Buckeyes have coaches that have proven that if they had time to prepare for 1 game, they can beat anyone in the country so let's not get carried away with how they have played to date. A lot can happen - remember Michigan the past 4 years and how we would play Ohio State to the wire despite a massive talent gap?
Sparty has been getting so much slack this year and quite frankly until the play OSU we are the only team they can prove their point with so rest assured they are going to be prepared and on their game. Sparty can, unfortunately for Michigan, afford to look forward to Michigan now and still beat Rutgers because Rutgers is that bad!
If Michigan can stay healthy through next week I like our chances especially playing at home but I fully expect Conklin will play - he's likely just sitting out because they don't really need him against Purdue or Rutgers and can afford to rest him. It'll be a good game but let's see what we can do against a very solid Northwestern team first.
Sparty has been getting so much slack this year and quite frankly until the play OSU we are the only team they can prove their point with so rest assured they are going to be prepared and on their game. Sparty can, unfortunately for Michigan, afford to look forward to Michigan now and still beat Rutgers because Rutgers is that bad!
If Michigan can stay healthy through next week I like our chances especially playing at home but I fully expect Conklin will play - he's likely just sitting out because they don't really need him against Purdue or Rutgers and can afford to rest him. It'll be a good game but let's see what we can do against a very solid Northwestern team first.
