Michigan 49, Michigan State 0

[Jeff Buchanan]

Not much good happens in this contest. This season's team is well equipped to crush Sparty with Sparty suffering a soul crushing loss to Rutgers today. But BPONE for this game remains strong among M fans who have suffered through their own set of dong punches in this match-up. More later. I know you're going to be breathlessly waiting for my analysis, insight and predictions.

[THE_WIZARD_]

44-6

[iam416]

Rutgers remains the best team M has played.

[lineygoblue]

This is a game where I'd be pissed if Harbaugh makes the offense take a knee, with the score being 70-0 with 0:01 left on the clock.

There's a LONG way to go to repay them for the CRAP they pulled during the Dantoniio regime. No. mercy.

[THE_WIZARD_]

So much hatred.

[lineygoblue]

Rutgers remains the best team M has played.

Michigan can't help it if the Big Ten teams on the schedule so far have been horrible. The Big Ten didn't let Michigan pick whom they wanted to play, and when. Ohio State is ripping the little guys just as much as Michigan and Penn State. Oh, and Penn State played "UMass" today. Coached by Don Brown. Yeah, that Don Brown. A real spine-tingler.

Yep, Michigan's OOC schedule was a joke. But if you agree with that statement, then its only fair to point out every other FBS team that played a easy OOC schedule (Hello Georgia) and call them a joke too.

OSU's ND OOC win is looking less and less impressive with each passing week. Louisville? Maybe ND can redeem itself with a win tonight over USC. But that Louisville loss speaks loudly. I don't think ND is done losing yet.

But anyway .... back to the thread topic...

Time to destroy MSU. Leave a giant grease spot where they once stood. No. Mercy.

[klondike]

I was on a Sparty site and they were citing Els, their special teams coach is really on the rails. One poster said UM's offense 40 points. Add another MSU's special team's 20 more for Wolves.

[lineygoblue]

I'm expecting the first 4-quarter game of the season. M's starters will have to play deep into the 4th before the game is decided.

MSU will be full of piss and vinegar as usual. Lots of trash talk, late hitting, and just generally bad behavior. Its what they are known for, and its what they do. M will have to be careful not to get sucked into that cesspool with them.

M has to focus on its offensive execution. Sparty will attempt to take away Corum, as has everyone else this season so far. In running situations, they'll send 7 people straight at Corum, and ignore McCarthy. In passing situations, I'll expect some blitzing early, but they'll likely go with a robber linebacker/safety (to try and cover McCarthy) after that.

They probably don't have the personnel to make that strategy work, but IMO, its what they'll try.

Defensively, M has to pretty much do the same. Choke off their running game and make their QB (whomever he is) beat them. Indiana had a lot of early success running seam routes, so I expect more of the same from Sparty.

I'd love to see M score about 70. But I'm expecting somewhere in the 30's. Sparty will probably score more points on M than anyone else has this season.

I'll guess M - 38 --- MSU - 20

[Mike]

Rutgers remains the best team M has played.

So?

[Tom W]

Rutgers remains the best team M has played.

Yes, and it will be that way right into November. There are only three GOOD teams in this conference this year. I was expecting Wisconsin and Maryland to at least be respectable, but after yesterday, even they are trash too. Even when Bo and Woody were out there were only 8 crap teams in this conference. There's only going to be 3 games that should be interesting. One of this is this weekend and it DOESN't involve Sparty.

[Da Geezer]

Rutgers remains the best team M has played.

heh,

Al Mcguire used to say that the first two games on his schedule were Cupcake and East Cupcake. He wanted it that way.

As long as won/loss record is the primary (really the only) way teams are chosen for the 4-team playoff, going undefeated gets you in. Simple as that. It will pay to play a tough schedule next year because of the 12-team tournament. I personally would like to see UM schedule weak teams for every OOC game.

Next year we play Fresno State and Texas in OOC (two top-25 teams).

Ohio has Southern Miss and Western Michigan.

So the worm is going to turn (unfortunately).

[THE_WIZARD_]

Well you are both worms yes...

[Jeff Buchanan]

Don't look now but Lansing wx for Saturday night has cloudy skies with rain showers. The forecast looks pretty solid as far as model agreements go but lower MI is notoriously difficult to forecast long range and even 48 hours before kick-off. Temps at KO will be in the upper 40s with a bit of wind to make watching live will be miserable --- esp. for Sparty fans. Watch the place empty when M gets a big lead.

I read somewhere that M's equipment manager preps all the footballs M will use by smearing some kind of mud on them then wiping them clean. I wonder if Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are giving this guy tips on ball prep. Whatever he's doing it must work pretty well. I didn't see any ball handling problems in pretty steady rain Saturday..

[THE_WIZARD_]

Is yer skerred of heat and cold rain.

Stop being such a pussy.

[Jeff Buchanan]

I hate the cold. Hate it. Ask Liney about that. It's 8pm where I live and it's 82 beautiful non humid degrees right now.A "cold" front just passed through. High of 78 tomorrow and, oh, sunny. I spent an hour in the pool today. Fuck cold wx.