Michigan 45, OSU 23.

[lineygoblue]

LOL

The only 'outside chance' they have is getting to Denny's on time Sunday morning, for the early bird breakfast special.

Make plans for the trip to Indy. You should be able to get excellent accomodations near the stadium. Doug can recommend the best places.

M will have to be satisfied with Pasadena.

[iam416]

I've been to Indy plenty of times....back when UFM was heading up the crew OSU was legit. It's a great trip. It'll make me sad not to make it again this year.

[lineygoblue]

dang..I've been trying to forget UFM ...

My brother lives in Beech Grove, which is on the SE side of Indy. As big cities go, Indy is one of the more civilized ones.

IIRC, Doug lives a stone's throw from the stadium.

[Hannibal]

I just saw on mgoblog that we are -17 on turnovers in The Game since 2008.

Wow..

[Jeff Buchanan]

It's time ...... for a prediction, yes? Not going to get it because I don't know what's going to happen other than it's going to be a competitive game. Yes, in 2015, we had high hopes for Harbaugh to bring back exciting games to Michigan after 10+ years of RichRod and Brady Hoke disasters. He failed to do that for 5 of the last 7. He's on the precipice of a second vindicating success again in 2022.

Any idea how this is going to go down? After a shit ton of reading analysis wherever it pops up (too much of it worthless), OSU is beatable - they have weaknesses on D. In 2019 they didn't and Michigan got whacked. Forget about 2020. In '21 I didn't think M could win even though OSU's defense was probably as bad as it has been in, well, a century it seems. Jim Knowles has last year's weakness at LB mostly fixed. They're good but not great. LBs are finding fits better - a problem last year. Eichenberg is close and that's all I'll say because I don't know LBs other than what I read about them.

The DL is also good in Knowles' 4-2-5 that predominates - then there is nFw, an unexpected outlier in an otherwise dominant OSU run D this season - that managed over 4 ypc. They did this by handling (I've seen the term advantaging their natural momentum inside or "collapsing" the edges used) OSU's excellent edge pass rushers who are less good on run plays. M's interior OL is probably the best OSU has faced and they will create lanes at both levels that whoever is running back there will find - maybe just for around 5 yards but that kind of thing sustains drives and does exactly what M wanta to do. Knowles isn't Dr. Blitz - uses that option sparingly but he could break tendencies and be just that tomorrow ???.

GIven nFw ability to get a run game going without any passing threat at all how-dey-do-dat? They "collapsed" OSU's DE's and found running room including a good dose of RO runs by their QB. By influencing OSU's DE play, will we see more of JJ's RO, up to now mostly garraged, where he keeps when the DEs flash inside? Will he make the right reads? Will the ball carriers make the cuts and find open running lanes? Lots of unknowns.

There's really not much to say about OSU's offense. It is the best in CFB by almost every measure. What M has to do to be competitive and snatch a win in Columbus is to keep OSU under 400-450 total yards - that equates to OSU scoring 27-30 points assuming no TO's or short fields. M's D has the capacity to do that .... on paper. Can they do it including no TOs or short fields ????.

Finally, in the too many questions department, of the walking wounded who is going to play effectively? Obviously, Corum is key. If he plays it ups M's chances of maintaining the upper hand in game flow and scoring in the 30s. If Corum doesn't play it lessens them, by how much is completely dependent on JJ McCarthy and his receivers. WIll he throw accurately? WIll his receivers catch the ball?

As I said at the outset, I don't know. There are just too many unanswered questions to seriously predict an outcome that is credible. KO's about 18h away. I'm going to be in my "happy place" up until then and probably for some part of The Game. So, l'm going to savor it without getting too wrapped up in the outcome. For M fans, regardless of the result, we should recognize that after a long time Jim Harbaugh has gotten M to the place we all hoped he would. He's 23-2 over the last two seasons including a trip to the CFBP. Alabama under Nick Saban has 4 losses over that same time frame and a heap of spoiled, discontented fans. OTH, Harbaugh's gotten M to be competitive and no one will argue are currently the undisputed "Victors Valiant and Champions of the West."

[THE_WIZARD_]

My prediction is there will be more sandbagging in the next 12 hours to rival the flooding of the Mississippi...

[lineygoblue]

If Corum was 100% and the OL was intact and healthy, M would have a puncher's chance of an upset. It would be the 2022 version of what they did in 2021 with Haskins.

But the change of venue, and the revenge factor weigh heavily here. CRD has been doing a slow burn wrt Harbaugh's "3rd base" talk. They've been getting ready for this game for 364 days.

For several weeks now, I've believed that the difference between the teams is somewhere from 10-14 points. I haven't seen anything recently to change my mind on that.

Jeff is correct in his assessment of Harbaugh. I think he may finally have the team to a point where they can consistently challenge OSU, and keep the team rated in the Top Ten. Its been a long time, but its really good to see.

In a couple years, Michigan would be solidly in the playoffs already, with about the only thing on the line being a conference championship and a bye in the first round of the playoffs. They'd be a definite IN with a 11-1 record.

Pasadena is nice in January. It will be a fitting reward for this team. I've accepted that as their fate. Losing to those guys absolutely sucks, but I just don't think we have the horses to pull the upset. At least not enough healthy ones.

Unfortunately, OSU by 13.

[THE_WIZARD_]

STFU

[WM Wolverine]

What liney said, M needs Corum and at least one of their starting guards. Donovan Edwards allegedly can't catch a football with his hand injury (his biggest asset at running back), though he might be able to play tomorrow, just limited. Corum can't make a cut to his right but is able to cut to his left...

M's ground game is their bread and butter, without it, they have zero chance. Buckeyes 69, M 10

[THE_WIZARD_]

WM is joining the Sandbagpalooza?

[WM Wolverine]

If M is healthy, I'll be okay with my application being denied.

[Jeff Buchanan]

What liney said, M needs Corum and at least one of their starting guards. Donovan Edwards allegedly can't catch a football with his hand injury (his biggest asset at running back), though he might be able to play tomorrow, just limited. Corum can't make a cut to his right but is able to cut to his left...

M's ground game is their bread and butter, without it, they have zero chance. Buckeyes 69, M 10

Where are you getting this info? I've been looking for a reliable injury report and I've seen plenty of "reports," none of them reliable ....... "my friend was at practice but was afraid to tell me directly so I wouldn't get in trouble and told his brother who told another person who told me (4th hand)...... is the kind of shit I'm hearing. Practices are closed and no one gets in unless they have a need to be there. Reporters have no need just interest. No.

I could have told posters here that Corum, Edwards, Morris and Shoonmaker we're all going to play about 10 minutes after M left the field last Saturday. Why is that? Because it's the OSU game. Unless a player is seriously injured, he's going to play or at least dress, warm up and give it a go.

Morris and Shoonmaker were dressed, warmed up, reportedly could have played v. Illinois but were held out. That's a no brainer that they are going to play. Corum had the appearance of a non-serious (no structural damage per JH) but potentially limiting knee injury (because he was favoring the injured leg) and, as far as I know, no one else except the team and select staff knows squat about what he can or can not do.

Edwards is probably the biggest uncertainty. We actually know on good intel he has an injured thumb on his left hand and had it "wrapped. This injury along with "something else he's been working through" (per JH since after the Nebraska game I think it was). Did all these guys practice? Importantly, dId Corum practice? Per Harbaugh, no one plays if they don't practice during the week.

[THE_WIZARD_]

If M is healthy, I'll be okay with my application being denied.

Just to warn you. It's a crowded room.

[iam416]

Good morning. Asshats

[iam416]

No sign of Doug as of 6. Boo!