Michigan 30, OSU 24.

[Hannibal]

It's probably time for me to drop DirecTV too. It will be 22 years in January, but no sense honestly in having DirecTV if I'm not going to watch college football anyways. For years, sports has been the only thing worth keeping it for, since getting all of the services ala carte ends up being just as expensive getting the whole package, but less convenient. And since I'm not close enough to get any networks over the air, I suppose I just won't be watching anything. Might tune in to see UM vs. a MAC team in September if I can find a stream somewhere. For decades, college football has been operating under the assumption that no matter what they do to shit up the sport, people will pay anything to tune in. The have found my breaking point, and I used to be a downright fanatic. When my wife and I first started dating, for instance, I quickly established that football Saturdays are strictly off limits for anything social. Especially out-of-town stuff like weddings. Starting about five years ago, I relaxed that rule and now I don't even bother planning around the games. It's time to walk away, mourn the loss of the sport, and move on. I was hoping that we'd get one final celebration, but that isn't to be. Maybe it's just as well. I dunno. I'm close to done with the football and I have always been a pretty blatant fair weather fan when it comes to the basketball team. But no college sport interests me that much, now that everyone is on a one year free agency contract.

Anyhow -- back to this weekend's game. This year the running game sucks. The RBs have regressed badly and none of this year's newer guys are as good as last year's. The passing game got better until the opposition figured out that Karsen Barnhardt is The Human Traffic Cone, and that singlehandedly destroys our entire passing game. We had been lucky about avoiding the injury bug until the Maryland game (I had noticed this a month ago, but I didn't want to comment on it because I didn't want to jinx anything) I have also noticed this year that we've been getting very favorable whistles from the zebras -- for the first time of the Harbaugh era. Almost every game, the refs have been spotting us 3-7 points. That's in stark contrast to 2016-2018 especially, when they were doing the opposite. I didn't want to jinx that one either but -- eh -- no point in trying to cling to it now. The clock will strike midnight on that trend too -- probably this weekend. Our Faustian good times have come to an end and it's time now for another long period of darkness. I dunno -- maybe we can beat OSU again in ten years.

The bowl game will be a 2018 Florida style collapse. I expect us to have multiple assistants gone and maybe a half dozen guys skip the game for the draft. Guys like Keegan, Zinter, McCarthy, Barrett, Wilson, Johnson, etc. Can't say that I blame them.

[Mike]

It's stunning that we are favored in this game. Our only hope is to pull out a Lloydball classic but I think we used that one in Happy Valley. Any word on Roman Wilson? With the pass game in a ragged state we need all the weapons we've got and he'd be very useful when JJ has to get rid of the ball in 0.3 seconds due to unblocked pass rushers. I'm not optimistic given that he was ruled out by the medical staff. How long does it take to clear concussion protocol?

It sucks that we have a 2/3 matchup of two 11-0 teams in what is one of the biggest games in the history of the Michigan football program and my feeling going in is: "Let's just get this shit over with". We're either going to get drubbed or suffer a classic dong punch - miss a 28 yard FG at the gun and lose by 2 or something.

Agree 100% on the 2018 Peach Bowl fiasco. We'll have far more than a half dozen opt-outs. The team is projected to have between 16-18 players DRAFTED. It will be the B squad out there playing Alabama or some shit and we'll lose by 40.

[lineygoblue]

Hanni - Do I remember you bringing your wife to one of our tailgates when she was still your fiancee? When you mentioned that Saturdays thing, I thought I remembered you saying that very thing at a tailgate gathering.

After this season ends, I'm going to become more of a casual follower of the game. If I'm not doing anything, I may tune in, but I'll definitely be planning more Saturday events that leave out football in the future. Maybe this is the NCAA's way of weeding out fans that they don't want.

[lineygoblue]

Team's Focus: “It's all about our preparation for Ohio. The days, the minutes, the hours everything leading up to this game - that's where our focus is. Preparing ourselves and planning. Practice and execute. Anything else is irrelevant when we get into this big game week. “

Maryland Game: "Watched the game at my brother's house. Great to watch it with him. What I saw was a great resilient win. Really happy with the team. Good to be around his football mind. Accomplished what we went there to do. Got the mission done.”

On Chris Partridge: “School put out a statement out there about that. They addressed the situation. I don’t have anything to add to it.”

State of Team: “I go back to the Ted Lasso joke. Believe, and what comes out of that is Believe. I’m just so proud, so proud of our team. Despite that noise our locker room is one piece. Like I said Locker Rooms are a lot like my mom’s bathing suits I like to see them in one-piece.”

Weekly Plan: “Keep our priorities straight. Faith, family and football. We’re battle tested and ready to go. Now it’s all just - It’s all Ohio. Week is about Ohio. Working really hard to get ready for this game. Using the powers, the minutes, the days - to hone our focus and get prepared, plan and practice then go execute in the game.

Snippets of Harbaugh's presser today.

I never even thought of him going to John's house to watch the game. Shoot, he was probably within a stone's throw of the stadium.

[lineygoblue]

Jim Brandstatter put out an excellent commentary on the situation with the team today. Its on his Facebook account.

I'd cut and paste it here, but I don't want to subject his comments to the M hate here. Its probably been posted at Bucknuts by now anyway.

[maxreturn]

Wow. What a depressing place this has become! No doubt OSU is up-ticking but I don't look at the Maryland game as anything other than what Klatt refers to as a "sandwich" game. Remember that OSU, on their home field was only up by 3 points on Maryland after 3 quarters. In the end we won a game against a quality opponent on the road. I expect JJ to better and I hope Moore gets more creative with the play calling. Focus on the shorter routes utilizing Edwards out of the back field and the tight ends. And for heavens sakes get Barnhardt some help with pass blocking.

[Cody_Russell]

Gotta BELIEVE.

M 23
Ohio State 20
and let’s pretend that I got in at Ohio State +5.5 yesterday… even though it’s now +3.5. M gets a gift 7 points from a Honda McCord turnover too. It should be tough to score on that Buckeyes D.

The toxicity of social media will be something special at 4pm on Saturday. One way or another.

[THE_WIZARD_]

Just be thankful it is Honda McCord and MH...and not Baby Tua and MH...

[lineygoblue]

Baby Tua has played 3 very good games against Michigan. I wish him well as he graduates. I'd rather not see him as the opposing QB again.

[lineygoblue]

At the stadium today

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[Tom W]

I never even thought of him going to John's house to watch the game. Shoot, he was probably within a stone's throw of the stadium.

I'm pretty sure John lives quite a ways away from College Park - or about 95% of that god-forsaken state.

As for this game, I'm in line with Max's assessment. The Terps were a desperate team playing above their skill level. The evil empire is very good, but they are the root of all evil. Follow the money on this "scandal" and you are probably spending a lot of time in Columbus. If that's not enough motivation to make this team play to its highest level, then I don't know what is.

[Mike]

Definitely need to figure out ways to work in some quick hitters in the passing game. JJ will be under duress so maybe hit them with some screens to counter the rush. Dunno. I think this one will have to be won on the backs of the defense/special teams.

Re: Maryland game. It got sloppy in the 2nd half but I never felt we were in danger of losing. For all the gnashing of teeth about the defense, it's worth pointing out that they held Maryland to 15 yards rushing on 33 attempts. Michigan had 4 sacks on defense which factors in... but, oh yeah, they had 4 sacks, a forced fumble for a TD, 2 INTs, a safety, and special teams blocked a punt for another safety. I'd say that's a pretty good day for a defense that got "shredded" for 262 total yards. In fact, JJ had a higher QBR for the game than Tagovailoa who turned it over 3 times and had a grounding in the endzone for a safety.

The problem, of course, is that our offense looks like an old lady trying to park a pick-up truck at the grocery store. These games are usually high scoring and we just don't have the offensive firepower to keep up. Gonna need to win the TO battle, possess the ball, and make OSU have to go the length of the field to score. And maybe some divine intervention.

[THE_WIZARD_]

VIDEO OSU.jpg

[Mike]

Works for me.

[lineygoblue]

The defense scored 10 points (scoop-score TD and 2 safeties), and Mikey Sainristil's pick led to another 7 points.

The defense was not the problem. They got gashed a few times, but I think thats because they were on the field too much.