Michigan 30, OSU 24.

[Cody_Russell]

Damn, I actually had a nightmare last night about OSU defeating M 10-0. Spooky thoughts. I guess that’s what happens when you eat snacks late at night. The holiday chex mix is too good to refuse.

Would McCarthy be backing up McCord this season at OSU had he went there?

I know JJ has had a rough stretch since the bye week, but still think he’s pretty darn good. Obviously he’s been dealing with some sort of injury since that PSU hit.

He’s better than Honda McCord.

I'm sticking with a 23-20 type of game but damned if I know who is going to get to that 23.points and hold the other to

I like that. Yes, leaning towards this having a 2016 feel to it with the defense. That’s also how OSU @ ND game played out earlier this season.

… unless Ryan Day is correct about the last 2 years with CS tainting the games. Then maybe OSU gets back to nuking Michigan.

[Jeff Buchanan]

It's pretty amusing and revealing at the same time......nobody wants to post about The Game. I get it. It's like just let us get to the fucking KO, NOW.

Anyway, there's a very good UFR defense v. Maryland that Seth has done. Fundamentally, Maryland runs the same kind of offense as the Terps. The Locksley/Gattis combo challenged M's defense. Both teams do a lot of zone blocking and run stretch. It's encouraging that T. Henderson is probably not going to run wild. It's not encouraging elsewhere wrt osu's passing game but that characterization applies specifically under one circumstance: If Honda McCord isn't under pressure most of osu's possessions, M is going to lose. It's a good bet he will be (hello Mason Graham, zone pass defense and Minter's blitz packages) so, there is that. But M's LBs are vulnerable underneath in a short passing game that osu advantaged v. Don Brown and M's secondary is questionable.

The consensus on how M wins this game involves JJ McCarthy, his receivers, TEs and Donovan Edwards. I think that's a given. M is not going to feature it's base duo run play to march down the field and score on osu's D. Not happening. Moore is going to have to have a lot more creativity in his offensive game plan than he has shown so far, sans Harbaugh.

I don't know about a consensus on how osu wins The Game but it's not going to be on Henderson's shoulders or osu's very good D. It's on McCord's. I think it is almost a duh, this game is about which QB optimizes the tools he has at his disposal. Throw in the passing game play-calls and which team wins the RPS battle here and you've got the keys to the game. It's not going be TOP or most run yards. Those two stalwart measures of football success are out the window in this contest.

[lineygoblue]

I've been so depressed about what's going to happen to Michigan when the NCAA gets thru with them, that I haven't even thought of this game that much.

Off the top of my head, I think its going to be a lot like other M v osu games. Neither team can afford to fall behind by too many scores. If Michigan can stay within a TD at halftime, then maybe Minter can strategize a way to finish strong, and give the offense the chances it needs to score the winning points. If Michigan spends the entire game playing catch-up, they're in trouble.

The McCord/Harrison connection really concerns me. They're not afraid to go anywhere with Harrison. Sidelines, across the middle, deep, short, whatever it takes. And Harrison has velcro hands. Anything near him is a completion. M doesn't have a receiver like that, and JJ's accuracy hasn't been great since the MSU game.

Hopefully, Grant will be unblockable, and get in McCord's face quickly, but I think CRD will scheme a plan to keep him blocked. CRD knows what Grant can do.

Either team can win this game. Turnovers, or lack thereof, along with special teams play may be the deciding factor.

I'd like to say that M has a slight edge due to the home crowd, but osu has proven in the past that they can neutralize that.

I have no idea who is going to win. And I almost don't care, because the NCAA is going to make an example of UM, and pretty much destroy everything that has been built. And I'll never be convinced that the so-called 'cheating' made this big of a difference. No way.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Correction: I noted in my post above that osu ran a lot of zone stretch plays and they did until PSU and they are gone entirely now. Here's what Alex Drain had to say in his FFFF offense article:

The zone stretch stuff was already going away by the PSU game, which I charted (I counted one stretch play), and has now vanished entirely. Ohio State is now running more gap plays and having increased effectiveness with it, mixing in split zone as well in addition to inside zone.

M had trouble with Maryland's zone stretch plays that Gattis and Locksley fit a bunch of RPOs in. Day and staff have probably studied M's defense v. Maryland's use of the zone stretch with an RPO and would not doubt M's D will see that from osu.

[iam416]

Not much to talk about M is going to win. OSU is going to lose. Depending on who M draws in the Rose, they might actually win a CFP game -- if it's Oregon, then that's dicey. Georgia will eventually win the CFP. M will probably deal with substantial NCAA penalties that, as Mike noted, won't affect them that much because they're in for a mediocre year or two or five. Ohio State will continue to be whatever they are -- second best or whatever and eventually CRD will get fired.

It's all pretty much determined.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Liney, read Alex Drain's FFFF Offense. There's a good game coming up and it will get your mind off of M's shitty situation with the NCAA.

He makes a good case in support of talent's appraisal of his buckeyes. He also echoes the importance of getting pressure on McCord with what's been called a "light box" and 2-hi shell. This entails 5-6 defenders (including your DEs/edge rushers) in the box getting through osu's OL and collapsing McCord's pocket or sacking him. That allows the backend to take care of business on intermediate and deep throws while allowing the LBs the freedom to cover receivers in the short zone.

[Jeff Buchanan]

talent, it sickens me that I'm actually finding myself agreeing with you too much of late.

[THE_WIZARD_]

It's the end of the world...

[maxreturn]

I've been so depressed about what's going to happen to Michigan when the NCAA gets thru with them, that I haven't even thought of this game that much.
win
Off the top of my head, I think its going to be a lot like other M v osu games. Neither team can afford to fall behind by too many scores. If Michigan can stay within a TD at halftime, then maybe Minter can strategize a way to finish strong, and give the offense the chances it needs to score the winning points. If Michigan spends the entire game playing catch-up, they're in trouble.

The McCord/Harrison connection really concerns me. They're not afraid to go anywhere with Harrison. Sidelines, across the middle, deep, short, whatever it takes. And Harrison has velcro hands. Anything near him is a completion. M doesn't have a receiver like that, and JJ's accuracy hasn't been great since the MSU game.

Hopefully, Grant will be unblockable, and get in McCord's face quickly, but I think CRD will scheme a plan to keep him blocked. CRD knows what Grant can do.

Either team can win this game. Turnovers, or lack thereof, along with special teams play may be the deciding factor.

I'd like to say that M has a slight edge due to the home crowd, but osu has proven in the past that they can neutralize that.

I have no idea who is going to win. And I almost don't care, because the NCAA is going to make an example of UM, and pretty much destroy everything that has been built. And I'll never be convinced that the so-called 'cheating' made this big of a difference. No way.

Liney, enjoy the moment. We're 11-0 and can advance to the B10 title and further if we're successful on Saturday. Even if we don't win, life is a helluva lot better than it was during Rich Rod and the clapping seal (Hoke)...nes pas? BTW....Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and GO BLUE!

[Mike]

There's a good game coming up and it will get your mind off of M's shitty situation with the NCAA.

We'll be reminded of it every time they show Sherrone Moore on the sideline.

Liney, I'm pretty down about all this too but not because I'm worried about what the NCAA will do in the future. I'm absolutely livid about what the Big Ten has already done. This stupid ass "scandal" is the most overblown NCAA infractions case I've ever seen. It's an absolute fucking joke. They took what should have been the biggest game in the history of this rivalry and handicapped one of the teams and the behest of the other.

Fuck all the Xs and Os. We don't have a head coach. I like Sherrone Moore a lot but this game is out of his element. Hell, he just started calling plays full time THIS YEAR. It isn't like some long time coordinator who is destined to be a HC like Brent Venables is stepping in to fill the void. Facing an 11-0 #2 ranked Buckeye team isn't exactly a good time for on-the-job-training.

The GAME has been turned into The FARCE. Let's just get this shit over with and enjoy Davis Warren QBing us in the Peach Bowl drubbing against Ole Miss. Fuck this whole fucking thing.

[lineygoblue]

Let's just get this shit over with and enjoy Davis Warren QBing us in the Peach Bowl drubbing against Ole Miss. Fuck this whole fucking thing.

Oh, so you figure Jack Tuttle will opt for "preparing for the NFL Combine" as well, huh?

F the Big Ten

[maxreturn]

We'll be reminded of it every time they show Sherrone Moore on the sideline.

Liney, I'm pretty down about all this too but not because I'm worried about what the NCAA will do in the future. I'm absolutely livid about what the Big Ten has already done. This stupid ass "scandal" is the most overblown NCAA infractions case I've ever seen. It's an absolute fucking joke. They took what should have been the biggest game in the history of this rivalry and handicapped one of the teams and the behest of the other.

Fuck all the Xs and Os. We don't have a head coach. I like Sherrone Moore a lot but this game is out of his element. Hell, he just started calling plays full time THIS YEAR. It isn't like some long time coordinator who is destined to be a HC like Brent Venables is stepping in to fill the void. Facing an 11-0 #2 ranked Buckeye team isn't exactly a good time for on-the-job-training.

The GAME has been turned into The FARCE. Let's just get this shit over with and enjoy Davis Warren QBing us in the Peach Bowl drubbing against Ole Miss. Fuck this whole fucking thing.

I agree that the conditions are far less than ideal. This team is not the same without Harbaugh on the sidelines for all the reasons that have been articulated. But I choose to have faith in the kids. I think many are underestimating their ability to overcome.

[lineygoblue]

I agree that the conditions are far less than ideal. This team is not the same without Harbaugh on the sidelines for all the reasons that have been articulated. But I choose to have faith in the kids. I think many are underestimating their ability to overcome.

I believe in the kids too, but in this situation, alleged 'adults' have gotten involved, and made a mountain out of a molehill. It affected last week's game, and its going to affect Saturday's game.

Meanwhile, at other schools, "Granny Mae" suddenly gets a brand new house when Billy Bonebreaker signs with Fantastic U, and Auntie Sally (who has never had a drivers license in her life) is suddenly tooling around town in a brand new Escalade. Nothing to see here, of course.

But Michigan cheats!

Horseshit.

[THE_WIZARD_]

Everybody is doing it.

[iam416]

Vegas credits the HC issue at about 1 point.