Michigan @ Purdue, Saturday, 9/23, 4p Eastern, FOX/Stream FSGo

[WM Wolverine]

Offenses execution issues need to be corrected from learning from their mistakes. I'd argue play calling is as much at fault for red zone success, I don't see any urgency to get in the end zone. Harbaugh's far too satisfied to settle for a FG..

The off-season talk of spreading defenses with 3-4 WR's was BS, Speight needs more time to throw than the typical QB and he's not getting that time. Only time were letting him throw is in passing situations (2nd/3rd & long) so he's being blitzed on nearly every pass attempt...

Purdue has impressed me thus far and think they could do well in the B1G West (IMO they are a bowl team) yet I like how M matches up with them and we should be able to make them one dimensional. First good test of a spread passing offense (Cincy's talent level was too low to count), M's DL should't give Blough much time to throw and make him look a lot worse than he has. This game will show us how good/bad our young secondary is in coverage.

31-16 M...

[WM Wolverine]

Spread is only 9.5 though that'll change a bit...

Purdue has shown little ability to get to the quarterback, Speight usually has his way when he has time to throw. Most all of his struggles are against the blitz or when his OL just whiffs in pass protection.

[UMStan White]

Thanks Cody!

[klondike]

They'll sell out to stop the run...surprise! If Speight can get his act together, they'll roll. If not, it'll be another long stressful day.

[THE STEE]

have been hoping for a blowout game so we can see what Kareem Walker has in the tank

[THE_WIZARD_]

Purdue 24 Mich 21

[Jeff Buchanan]

..... possible.

STFU.

[THE_WIZARD_]

no

[Hannibal]

I am feeling inappropriately optimistic about this game. I think that it is a combination of:

1. Deep down, I have a feeling that Michigan has a higher gear that they are going to show in this game that has been missing the past couple of weeks. They showed it against Florida.

2. It looks like people are overreacting to Purdue not sucking. Similar maybe to the irrational exuberance over RichRod's back-to-back 4-0 starts. There's likely to be no more than a tiny handful of one-on-one matchups on the field that don't favor Michigan. Our defense has turned the LOS into a bloodbath in all three games so far so there is no reason to expect that to change this weekend. This team likely will look dominant on defense until they face some great athletes on an opposing offense (Penn State). Purdue undoubtedly has holes in their defense too. At the end of the day we're still talking about guys who came in with rock bottom recruiting classes and they are only in week 4 of a new system and a new head coach.

I'll go with my gut for this one. 34-17 final. We'll cover. It won't necessarily be nonstop fun but when the game ends there will be no doubt about who was better.

[Rocky Bleier]

Purdue has looked much better under the new coaching regime. At home and pumped up. Michigan has been living on the edge. Very few offensive TDs. Leading receiver out. Untested CBs.

Purdue 17 Michigan 13

[Jeff Buchanan]

Man, the predictions on this one are all over the place. Don't think I've seen that much variance.

The issue for me is M's first conference road game. Was the UF win an outlier against a good team at a sort of away venue or is UF just hot garbage? I'm trending to the later. We've yet to see M under JH on the road, dominate a home team other than Rutgers.

There are so many objective based issues with M's offense that I have a hard time seeing a score > 27 and I'm counting 7+ for the defense and or ST's. That's, at best, 20 points for the O.

If Hanni is right, and Drevno unleashes a bunch of slants, drags and TE/RB wheel routes that work, fabulous. I have no idea if that's going to happen. Based on comments by Brown on how he started preparing for AF during spring camp, I'd say, JH has been thinking bout Purdue, on the road. So, I'll give a slight nod to an efficient offense that might, just might score > 30. 5TDs two rushing and three passing and 35 points would be a nice game ......keep Nordin on the sidelines for FGs.

[Ghengis Jon]

I am feeling ... optimistic about this game....
I'll go with my gut for this one. 34-17 final. We'll cover....

Who are you and what have you done with Hannibal?

[THE_WIZARD_]

BROHM!! 24 HARBAUGH!! 21

[hack]

I think we aren't suddenly going to take a leap forward, esp without Black, but Purdue showing signs of life does not mean Purdue is now good. And because Speight has sucked on the road and been good at home in the past doesn't mean he'll play worse this Saturday than he has the previous two, becuase he's added sucking at home to his repetoire. There's not much downside left to explore there. I don't know about covering, but I'm not expecting a loss.

[WM Wolverine]

Unless Purdue can get pressure on Speight, I'm not worried about this game. M's defensive backs will be tested more than they've all season; hopefully M's front seven will get plenty of pressure to help the DB's in coverage.

M 34-17.