Michigan State at Michigan, Saturday, November 16th, Noon, EST, FOX/Fox Video

[Hannibal]

Dantonio is a lowlife piece of shit.

[maxreturn]

Very encouraging win. Still some things to clean up but an outstanding performance by the O.

[lineygoblue]

In some ways it was as expected, in other ways, not as expected.

As expected, MSU was ratchet-jawing, late hitting, and generally being MSU. Dantonio has equated that crap with 'toughness' since he arrived, and its fitting that its collapsing all around him as his career comes to an end at MSU. Even though it appeared that the officials were watching Michigan more than MSU, the stupid crap finally came to the surface for Sparty, and they rightly got nailed for it. We've come a long way from the days of Duffy Daugherty. So sad that MSU doesn't value the standards that he set.

Unexpected was Patterson's career best day in the air. Nearly 400 yards passing, no fumbles no INT's. Also the number of points scored was unexpected. I figured the game would stay within the spread, but MSU gave up in the 2nd half, and Michigan took advantage. Good for the Wolverines. As far as I'm concerned, MSU is still owed a few more times out to the woodshed in this series before we can consider things even.

Over all a good game for Michigan. Now that MSU is safely tucked away in the win column, its on to Indiana. I'm absolutely certain that the Hoosiers have this game red-circled on their calendars, and Michigan will be walking into a hornets nest in Bloomington. Its a prime setting for a trap game, and it would not shock me to see the Hoosiers win it. But, if Michigan can put together another game like today, they can win it.

And even with today's good results, I still have seen nothing to indicate that Michigan can handle Ohio State. More about that next week.

[maxreturn]

In some ways it was as expected, in other ways, not as expected.

As expected, MSU was ratchet-jawing, late hitting, and generally being MSU. Dantonio has equated that crap with 'toughness' since he arrived, and its fitting that its collapsing all around him as his career comes to an end at MSU. Even though it appeared that the officials were watching Michigan more than MSU, the stupid crap finally came to the surface for Sparty, and they rightly got nailed for it. We've come a long way from the days of Duffy Daugherty. So sad that MSU doesn't value the standards that he set.

Unexpected was Patterson's career best day in the air. Nearly 400 yards passing, no fumbles no INT's. Also the number of points scored was unexpected. I figured the game would stay within the spread, but MSU gave up in the 2nd half, and Michigan took advantage. Good for the Wolverines. As far as I'm concerned, MSU is still owed a few more times out to the woodshed in this series before we can consider things even.

Over all a good game for Michigan. Now that MSU is safely tucked away in the win column, its on to Indiana. I'm absolutely certain that the Hoosiers have this game red-circled on their calendars, and Michigan will be walking into a hornets nest in Bloomington. Its a prime setting for a trap game, and it would not shock me to see the Hoosiers win it. But, if Michigan can put together another game like today, they can win it.

And even with today's good results, I still have seen nothing to indicate that Michigan can handle Ohio State. More about that next week.

If UM takes care of business next week against IU I'm feeling 100% better about their chances against OSU. Not saying that they will win, but it won't be a cake walk for OSU.

[lineygoblue]

If UM takes care of business next week against IU I'm feeling 100% better about their chances against OSU. Not saying that they will win, but it won't be a cake walk for OSU.

Ohio State is the best team in the country, and yes, that includes better than both LSU and Clemson. I'd take OSU by a TD over either one of them right now.

I can't see Michigan keeping the spread under 21 points. No way.

[WingsFan]

EJhnvSLXkAEThd-?format=jpg&name=medium.jpg

[WingsFan]

EJhnvTUW4AA2Rvh?format=jpg&name=medium.jpg

[lineygoblue]

Use it for kindling to start a sofa fire

[hack]

I hope Mike Dantoni sticks around longer over there

[lineygoblue]

I hope Mike Dantoni sticks around longer over there

Me too. They built their little straw hut with this guy, and now they need to live in it a while.

[WingsFan]

Happy to eat crow.

What a great day, Michigan did blow out msu and a tip to Shea Patterson - great game!

[Niffla]

Yeah shout out to Shea. Been a pretty tough year for him. But he was A plus phenomenal today.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Clearly the most satisfying win during the Harbaugh era fro me. Possibly in the last decade. The ND blow-out just didn't do it for me like this one did. Sparty.

Emotion aside, MSU is not a good team this season. Decimated by injury, transfers and suspensions. Their interior DL is awful and M's interior OL beat the shit out of them. MSU's DE's are decent and both Mayfield and Runyan and the RB's blocking had ++ performances...... which is most of the reason Patterson had a career day.

Nit picking but when you calm down, sit back and re-watch the win, Shea continues to make the errors in his game that separate him from CFB QBs that are going to play in the NFL. Against a better defense that's going to bring pressure and present Patterson with differnt looks play-to-play on defense I'm not convinced he's going to play anywhere near as well as he played today. MSU plays a strict quarters D and it's showing it's deficiencies in the modern age of the RPO offense But, hats off to Patterson for taking advantage of the situation he was provided and making plays.

It looked to me like out of the gate Harbaugh decided that the offense wasn't going to run the ball using his many gaps strategy (PNP, Traps, AZR). Quarters D works against that. Instead, he used Jackson effectively on power sweeps that challenged MSU LB's edge control and advantaged M's passing game against MSU's weak DBs. The WR room shined and had to take great pleasure in their receiving totals. 9 receivers profited, Bell being the star.

Offensively, this was the first time this season that it actually felt like the coaching staff studied the competition and designed a game plan that was suited to it instead of designing a game plan that ignored what the opponent's seasonal trends have been and running the same old shit hoping to dictate the game flow. Nice change up.

The defense was very well prepared to stop anything that Dantonio ginned up. Did a great job v. Lewerke's run game in particular. That was key in limiting an OK MSU offense. Lewerke isn't a great passer and without key situational runs he can make, MSU's offense is less than it is when he does make those kinds of plays. His two INTs, one of them on a badly under thrown pass that shouldn't have been thrown, didn't help MSU out and put the D in tough situations. What was way different this time around is that a big M defensive play resulted in the offense capitalizing right away.

There was more emotion on the M sideline than I've seen in a long, long time. The D, especially, was really into this game ...... right until the last satisfying defensive series that nearly resulted in safety..... and as the clock wound down, M having the ball and taking the kneel down to seal the win was ever so sweet.

[lineygoblue]

It was a very satisfying win for me. I live in an area where the population is about 50/50 for each fan base, and State fans have been insufferable during Dantonio's tenure. One of my responses to them was that a day of reckoning was coming, because this rivalry has a history of turning from one way to the other. Dantonio's days of dominating Michigan have officially ended. Even if State decides to keep him, he's not going to string together long periods of dominance over Michigan any more. He could sneak in an anomalous win now and then, but he's not ever going to dominate this series again.

I'd like to see a similar day of reckoning come for the Buckeyes, but that day is not in sight. Just as Michigan now owns the advantage in the talent gap with MSU, .. OSU owns the talent gap against us for the foreseeable future. Maybe it will come about, .. but not soon. We'll just have to be patient on that one.

In yesterday's game, I think one turning point was the 98 yard drive for a TD. State had just taken the early lead, and in past years that would have been a 'here we go again' moment. But that didn't happen here. Michigan took the ball and executed a masterful drive for the tying touchdown. The final turning point was when MSU kicked their FG, only to see Michigan come back on the next drive and match the points. Sparty was not making up any ground on the scoreboard, and they knew the jig was up.

I would have liked to have seen a bit more dominance in our ground game, but since the passing game was working so well, it doesn't matter. They took what State was giving, and made them pay for it. Lots of calls for Dantonio to step aside today. I have yet to read a Spartan beat writer who wants Dantonio to stay. One has suggested that they go after Luke Fickell, because of his success at Cincinnati, and his Ohio connections. Another I read suggested that they bring back Narduzzi from Pitt. Personally, I don't care who they get, because whomever the new guy is, they're going to have to institute a rebuilding program to get the program turned around. That takes time, as we well know.

Time to put Indiana in the win column.

[WingsFan]

It was a very satisfying win for me. I live in an area where the population is about 50/50 for each fan base, and State fans have been insufferable during Dantonio's tenure.

Yes this was the best win (along with ND second) in Harbaughs 5 years here (by far). I know you have waited a long time for this.

I have said many times Michigan fans don't realize what we have to go through all year when we lose locally. I have family split with M/MSU., my son has ties to Michigan and still lives and works in downtown Ann Arbor and I do too (part time). My in laws (mostly MSU grads) are very annoying at Thanksgiving after a few drinks to put it politely.


I also (as you know) liked MSU a long time ago and didn't care for Lloyd. That is history, I loath Danoinio and Izzo, especially as I get older. The Sparty narrative now in person and (already started on social media) switches from "We kicked your ass.... ect - to Ohio St is going to kill you - but that's ok.