The Rest of College Football

[Jeff Buchanan]

There were some pretty clear factors that decided the winner of the M/MSU game in EL. I don't think the facts of that game indicate one team played better than the other and deserved to win it. MSU had the home crowd, KWIII and his big plays, the reversed strip-sack-TD, tempo and how the Big calls or doesn't call offensive holding contributing to their win. Outside of the KWIII factor, MSU is a mediocre football team that greatly benefitted from the foregoing factors in its win.

Best 3 out of 5 on a neutral field? M takes 3 games.......... steps back to wait for a no "respek" taunt from Froot.

[AlabamAlum]

Ohio State absolutely has some flaws on defense. That’s not really debatable. Assignment and communication are often less than optimal with the Buckeyes. They give up a touch north of 20 points a game (which is outside the top 20, nationally).

They have a dynamic offense with some world class playmakers and that covers up a lot of the sins of the defense.

[iam416]

I can tell you exactly what's going to happen next Saturday. M will run the ball with some effectiveness and Cade will terrorize Ohio State's leaky zone with his short passing game. M will have one long drive after another. That's absolutely going to happen. On the other side of the ball, M's DL will force Stroud into quicker decisions and M's overall coverage scheme will be waaaay more complicated than the Don Brown neanderthal bullshit. I do think OSU will have some success running because I think M is going to very much focus on taking away the big plays.

The key will be what each team does in the red zone, and I personally like M's offense vs OSU's defense in that regard. If Ohio State does get 3 or 4 big plays then M is probably in trouble.

Fortunately, I don't have to try to walk some sort of bizzaro line where I say Sparty couldn't realistically beat M again and M has no chance against Ohio State.

[froot loops]

One would think people would tire of complaining about the officiating or making excuses, but apparently not. You were up 16 late and blew the lead. It's much easier to blame the officials or the crowned field or the guard dogs at the horseshoe.

I don't agree with JRB's thought about the Spartan gameplan. They have not shown an ability to plod away and shorten the game. In other words it isn't like 2015. I think the gameplan has to be outscoring them in a shootout. It's not an optimal gameplan but I think that's where the puncher's chance is. They have had numerous games where they.strung together multiple TDs but have stalled in the 30s, that won't be enough. They would need to keep going.

[iam416]

There were some pretty clear factors that decided the winner of the M/MSU game in EL. I don't think the facts of that game indicate one team played better than the other and deserved to win it. MSU had the home crowd, KWIII and his big plays, the reversed strip-sack-TD, tempo and how the Big calls or doesn't call offensive holding contributing to their win. Outside of the KWIII factor, MSU is a mediocre football team that greatly benefitted from the foregoing factors in its win.

Best 3 out of 5 on a neutral field? M takes 3 games.......... steps back to wait for a no "respek" taunt from Froot.

3 out of 5 is way different than 5 out of 5.

But you're also wrong on Sparty -- Reed is a player. And Nailor is a player, too. But, he was lost in the 2nd Quarter and Sparty had to adjust to losing it's 1a or 1b WR.

And honestly -- LMMFAO at the offensive holding bullshit. M is, apparently, always the victim of holding. The overturned TD cost them 4 points. Otherwise, I have a hard time seeing any actual incorrect calls. I thought M was a little better, but then again, I wouldn't bet on M hitting a 97 yard TD pass to a Anthony again. Like ever.

[iam416]

One would think people would tire of complaining about the officiating or making excuses, but apparently not. You were up 16 late and blew the lead. It's much easier to blame the officials or the crowned field or the guard dogs at the horseshoe.

I don't agree with JRB's thought about the Spartan gameplan. They have not shown an ability to plod away and shorten the game. In other words it isn't like 2015. I think the gameplan has to be outscoring them in a shootout. It's not an optimal gameplan but I think that's where the puncher's chance is. They have had numerous games where they.strung together multiple TDs but have stalled in the 30s, that won't be enough.

The "bend but don't completely break" approach has to fully work. And they have to take advantage of Ohio State's dubious LB play that is, sadly, fully exposed thanks to meh DL play. And, for that matter, safety play is spotty. But, between the hash marks is a goddamn open space against Ohio State. I reckon Sparty could run RPO with Thorne/Walker all fucking day and hit dudes running disgustingly free behind the LBs.

[froot loops]

Some great analysis there by Buchanan, take away a Heisman candidate and MSU is mediocre. Did Fancy Stats of FPI illuminate that point for.you?

[THE_WIZARD_]

How the fuck are the Utes favored over the Duckies?

[Jeff Buchanan]

Froot ........

"The Team, the team, the team" or some pretty smart dude, I think it was Aristotle, hypothesized, "the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts" That MSU features KWIII among an identifiable number of weak units is a good example of why one football team may be better than another. I'll take M over MSU by that measure and I think that most CFB observers would agree with me

Talent .......

Reed and Nailor are probably first rounders. Reed and Nailor combined for 10 catches, and had 80 and 75 yards respectively. No TDs. I'd call that an impressive defensive effort against one component of MSU's offense.

The way the BIG calls holding, across the entire conference, not just M, contributed to KWIII's big numbers. That's not meant to diminish his great play but he was THE guy. I stand by my point: MSU won that game on Walker's back and several key mistakes by M's defense. The MSU win wasn't some kind of take down of the team you characterized as playing "a little bit better." I'd think most teams that play "a little beet better" than their opponent win those games more often than not ...... unless variance plays a big roll in the outcome for the winning team.

[froot loops]

You fellas are obsessed with refs and Bo. Could anybody imagine CRD coming out at halftime and say his halftime adjustment was to channel Woody Hayes? LOL

But big props to the Michigan defense for holding down Nailor in the second half of that game! Good job but Maryland held him to zero yards.

[froot loops]

There is a lot of times where teams rely on Heisman candidates to win the game. Isn't thats what the whole recruiting game is about? It would be like me saying that Payton Thorne would have had a monster game if Michigan didn't have Hutchinson breathing down his neck. It is a preposterous argument.

[Jeff Buchanan]

We disagree.

[lineygoblue]

I can tell you exactly what's going to happen next Saturday. M will run the ball with some effectiveness and Cade will terrorize

You had my interest until you said, "Cade will terrorize"...

McNamara hasn't terrorized anyone this season. He's a decent game manager. Better than anyone since Robinson. But nobody in College Park or Columbus is worried about him terrorizing them. If you want "terrorize" potential, look no further than Stroud and his WR/all receivers corps. The only way Cade terrorizes anyone is if he puts up Stroud-like numbers. If that happens, I'll be walking on the ceiling, because Michigan will be winning by multiple touchdowns. I think my ceiling is safe from this bald headed fat guy.

As for the M v MSU thing, I think if they played Saturday in Indianapolis, Michigan would win by multiple TD's. Shoot me. That's what I believe. MSU didn't prove to be the superior team. NADA. And that's why the committee ranked them below Michigan. They didn't prove it to them either. MSU lost to an unranked team. Michigan lost to a top ten team. Big diff.

And in the long run, its going to be moot anyway, because both are going to lose to OSU.

[Cody_Russell]

How the fuck are the Utes favored over the Duckies?

Utah has a really solid PAC12 resume despite 3 losses. Playing well recently with exception to a close win vs Don Brown’s Arizona. Non-conference losses to BYU and Brady Hoke’s SDST aren’t bad. Utah home field advantage. Us M fans are well aware of that based on 2015 M vs Utah.
Should be a good game! Definitely the game to watch at the late TV slot.

Pretty simple TV schedule for college football on Saturday.

Noon:
- MSU vs OSU. Turn on Wake Forest vs Clemson if OSU blows out Sparty.

3:30pm E:
- M vs Maryland. Maybe turn on SMU vs Cincinnati if it’s close.

7:30pm E:
- Oregon vs Utah. Maybe turn on Oklahoma St vs Texas Tech if it’s close.

[AlabamAlum]

Liney, I do think it’s kinda funny that you are convinced of a M loss in virtually every game before it’s played while conversely being convinced of a multiple-score win in a rematch of M’s one loss.

Heh.