Michigan State predictions

Just like Nebraska games perhaps?  Haskins 123 yards, Walker 61 yards.

27-24 MSU

Michigan 30

Michigan State 27

Roman Wilson catches a TD and Aidan Hutchinson records a sack.

I have no idea. These teams are more or less identical, and while Michigan may be a smidge better overall on paper, this is the last game on Michigan’s schedule where the results are dictated by what’s on paper.

I don’t see either team running away with this, but the cynical pessimist in me says this is one of those games where MSU races out to an early lead on some big plays, Michigan claws back but MSU is consistently able to keep Michigan at arm’s length, something like 7-10 points, and Michigan throws a pick on the final drive to seal its fate. Something like 31-24.

Could Michigan win? Absolutely. But these big games are the ones that Michigan has repeatedly let slip through it’s fingers countless times over the past fifteen years. Especially on the road. This appears to be the year where things are different, but this is one I’ve got to see to believe. 

 I predict

 a running back from the winning team will be a leading Heisman candidate 

the winning team will be in the top 3 in playoff rankings

and that I'll be trashed by 1030am Pacific and will start to sober up by the PSU/OSU game.... nodding off often through first half of that game

Prediction?  Not what we think it should be.

Couch burners 24 - Cool helmets 31

M's D harasses Thornton and DJ Turner covers Jalen Nailor limiting MSU's big play, deep threat to 1-2of these instead of 12. Thornton tries but he either gets sacked dropping back or, assuming he has time, DJ gets several PBU's and an INT off back-footed errant throws. Hutchinson and Ojabo get sacks. Since the big play is the only offense MSU has, they'll flounder with Thornton having to dump off to his outlet receivers to mitigate M's pressure - Hawkins and Hill kill them.

Running into the A gaps turns out to be a disaster for MSU as McDonald hides who's coming on Thornton's pre-snap reads to plug those gaps and the numbers favor M most of the time. MSU doesn't break 100 yards rushing.

M wins the field position and special teams battle, Jake Moody nails two FGs.

M's offense isn't exciting but gets the job done. Corum gets 100 yards rushing, two TDs and notches 3 catches for first downs. Haskins plows the pile for important gains on early downs to make 3rd downs hard to defend for MSU. M sustains drives and burns clock, shortening the game. Haskins scores one TD and J.J. McCarthy throws a red zone TD pass to All.

Have we seen this act this season before?

M 27, MSU 20. 

Somehow I am hosting a party of seven Spartans so I hope it is a comfortable margin. 

31-21 Michigan. MSU has two big plays from offense and one from DST. Michigan dominates the game with their runs. JJ has a throwing TD, Cade has a throwing TD and an Int. Haskins and Corum have two TDs and nearly two hundred yards. Close game and we pull away in the fourth. Shocking would be how UM QBs outplay MSU QB.

Beat State

Michigan will be behind 13-3 at the half and the amount of fucks in the game thread will be too much for the system to handle.  Then Michigan comes out with fire in the second half and outscores Sparty 17-0.  Final score 20-13, Michigan wins.

34-13 Michigan. Run game is incredibly effective, gets close to 200 if not over. Cade has an efficient day passing, hits one or two deep, but has a really good day throwing underneath to Eric All between the 20’s. Cade goes for near 250. Go Blue. 

11 mini Ditkas 65, MSU 3

I can see UM methodically beating MSU down. MSU gives up early in the 4th quarter with a final score of 41-10. There will be some minor penalty or controversy in the first half, when the game is close that will allow msu fans to say we cheated and it changed the entire complexion of the game.

M 38

MSU 17

Michigan 45, MSU 28

MSU lands some big plays but Harbaugh/Gattis open it up and Cade is up for the challenge. 

This game really needs two dastardly villains (Dantonio).

Harbaugh does his job. But dammit, Mel Tucker seems way too nice.

This game really needs two dastardly villains (Dantonio).

Harbaugh does his job. But dammit, Mel Tucker seems way too nice.

2-0 Michigan

38-30 Michigan! I think sparty will get some long passes on our secondary and they may even lead 23-21 at the half. But by the 4th QTR Michigan run game will be wearing down the Spartans Defense and we will expand our 31-30 lead with a long end of the 4th QTR drive to win! Michigan always seems to play better on the road against Sparty under Harbaugh! If we lose it will probably be by less than 7 points.

I'm going to dream and say the O-line is stout, Hassan and Blake show the world they are the best one-two punch in college football. Cade has one of his Cade games except this time he hits his long balls. For those times the drives stall, the special teams pin them deep inside their own territory. Money Moody makes his kicks. Defensively, we continue to improve on all levels. We harass Thorne all day, causing incompletes and interceptions, keep Walker to a very pedestrian 40 yards, and win by a shockingly convincing score of 45-13. Complementary football.

MSU 31, Michigan 27.

I had a longer post, but the short version is we won't be able to keep up. Max protect will give State time to hit deep shots.

On the plus side, we will probably still finish 10-2, a nice regular season. Gotta have a weaponized passing game to rise to elite status, though, no matter how good the run game is. 

33-17 UM

Michigan 37

Michigan State - 17

It's THE game for them so they will score but I feel by the end of 3rd and into the entire 4th Quarter we pull away after tiring out there defense.

Defense gets a big play in this game for us. 

UM 28, MSU 17. MSU has a slight lead at HT from one or two big drives that may include an explosive play for a TD. Moody kicks seven FGs ranging from 25-35 yards through the game as we are getting plugged up the middle in the red zone a bit and then trying to throw fade routes to the corner of the endzone that would work if we had Calvin Johnson. But late in the 4th Corum breaks a long one for a TD to seal the deal. 

I'm going to stick with what I had earlier in the week. Michigan wins 30-21. 

• First quarter, not a lot happens. Maybe 3-3, 3-0, 7-3, something like that
• Second quarter fairly similar and half ends Michigan up ~14-10
• Third quarter little more action as michigan puts some points on the board but so does sparty to end the quarter.
• Michigan breaks some plays and puts up some more points and man it feels like they could really pull ahead...but they don't and msu steals a few more points...but some big defensive stops and key plays bring it home for the good guys. 

Final is Michigan 30 and MSU 21. It's a hard fought game but for most of it the "feeling" is Michigan has control. MSU does score on a couple big and frustrating plays and we all look back thinking "dang they should only have scored like 10-14 points!". 

I truly believe you are going to see sort of a reply of the game in Madison except that msu pops a few freaky plays.

I predict Staee will tout defeat with dignity. 

20-10 Blue

How about

Michigan 23

MSU 13

Prediction: The usual--Cedar Village riots, couches burn, etc.