Last Time Michigan faced No. 2 Penn State
The last time we faced Penn State when they were ranked No. 2 was November 9th, 1997. Ranked 4th in the nation at the time, Michigan won 34-8 and held PSU to 169 net yards, almost 300 below their season average. Oh yeah, and The Big Hit.
Looking forward to our 4th straight win vs. Penn State and the defense terrorizing Saquon Barkley.
October 19th, 2017 at 7:34 PM ^
PSU fan in that photo demonstrating what "joe pa" and their administration did.
October 19th, 2017 at 7:51 PM ^
Lol. My new hobby is looking at pictures of crying fans of teams that I don't like. It's hilarious.
I don't mind Oklahoma State, but I thought this one was hilarious.
October 19th, 2017 at 9:15 PM ^
if it hadn't been taken in the immediate aftermath of their 2002 NC.
October 19th, 2017 at 9:32 PM ^
October 20th, 2017 at 9:59 AM ^
...will lead to more crying M fans.
October 20th, 2017 at 3:58 PM ^
I thought that OSU photo was 2000, after the Henson bootleg TD and yet another Michigan win.
October 19th, 2017 at 7:35 PM ^
special. The defense feels a lot like that defense, and PSU is a bit overrated at this point.
The next Natty might wait until next year, but I am starting to believe that we will beat Penn State.
Go Blue!
Beat Penn State!
October 19th, 2017 at 8:06 PM ^
October 19th, 2017 at 10:50 PM ^
October 19th, 2017 at 7:58 PM ^
October 19th, 2017 at 10:39 PM ^
October 19th, 2017 at 10:44 PM ^
I can't enjoy watching it anymore. Both guys were knocked out. We know, now, that hits like that are incredibly dangerous and damaging to the players. I get no joy out of seeing it at all.
And, I mean, there are about a dozen or so incredible highlights from other parts of that game that are a blast to watch, so it's not like the whole day is wiped off of the map.
October 20th, 2017 at 8:10 AM ^
If I remember correctly, it wasn't just "a concussion" or even just "knocked out." Didn't it end both of their careers?
Yeah, this play should not be trotted out as anything but a very ugly example of how dangerous football can be.
October 20th, 2017 at 8:16 AM ^
Was going to chime in that I thought this hit ended the PSU player's career and practically ended the UM player's career... Someone out on the tubes knows the story.
October 20th, 2017 at 9:01 AM ^
It ended both of their playing careers. Daydrion Taylor had to have some vertebrae in his neck fused, and Stephenson had a grade 3 concussion and never donned a helmet again either.
October 20th, 2017 at 9:43 AM ^
Yes, take this video down. It wasnt dirty at the time, but it needs to be placed next to "Brunette girls" in the lets-not-talk-about-it-any-more file.
October 19th, 2017 at 8:00 PM ^
October 19th, 2017 at 8:08 PM ^
What was PSU's ranking in '99? Weren't they also #2 then?
October 19th, 2017 at 8:15 PM ^
Penn State was number 2 in 1999 the week before --- a last-second home loss to Minnesota.
October 19th, 2017 at 8:23 PM ^
October 19th, 2017 at 8:32 PM ^
October 19th, 2017 at 8:38 PM ^
October 19th, 2017 at 8:38 PM ^
More seriously --- the polls are what they are. Win games and you move up, and thus we get to where we are, whether it's truly deserved or not.
That said, I really don't take the polls too seriously in the era of the college football playoff. If EITHER team in Saturday night's game wins out - they're a 90%+ bet to get invited to the playoff.
October 19th, 2017 at 8:42 PM ^
October 19th, 2017 at 9:35 PM ^
as far as rankings - perhaps this is the better way to rank teams:
1) Stone cold lock to make the playoff if they win out (remaining undefeateds from P5 conferences; recall that all Pac-12 teams have a loss): Alabama, Georgia, TCU, Penn State, Wisconsin, Miami FLA
2) Very likely although not quite a stone cold lock to make the playoff if they win out: Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan, Clemson, Oklahoma, Kentucky (don't laugh: a 1-loss SEC team & still control their destiny to win the league).
3) Might make it if they win out, but will need more significant help than the group above: South Florida, UCF, NC State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, Washington, Washington State, USC,
4) Considerably long shots to make it even if they win out, but not eliminated either: Iowa, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Iowa State, West Virginia, Texas Tech, Stanford, Utah, Arizona (Rich Rod!), South Carolina, LSU, Auburn, Texas A&M, Mississippi State.
6 teams in Group 1.
6 teams in Group 2.
10 teams in Group 3.
14 teams in Group 4 (these are essentially 2-loss P5 teams).
The other 94 teams are "everyone else."
October 19th, 2017 at 8:27 PM ^
Oh yes. I forgot about that.
October 19th, 2017 at 8:11 PM ^
That I have ever seen a Michigan Wolverines team play in my 40 years of watching Michigan football.
I was in shock by halftime of this '97 game.
October 19th, 2017 at 8:56 PM ^
October 19th, 2017 at 9:18 PM ^
and that's the only other Michigan game where I was positively shocked by the outcome...but the game against Penn State was simply awesome.
October 19th, 2017 at 9:44 PM ^
October 19th, 2017 at 9:36 PM ^
for joe pa. and they were favored to win that game. sheer domination. the psu fans were very congratulatory, however, after the game.
October 19th, 2017 at 10:00 PM ^
Biakabutuka was unreal - but Griese had a rough day throwing the ball. For team-wide dominance I'd go with the '97 PSU game.
October 19th, 2017 at 8:15 PM ^
Is it Saturday yet?
October 19th, 2017 at 8:21 PM ^
October 19th, 2017 at 9:38 PM ^
I think Michigan wins if this game is close. If Michigan loses, it will be by more than the spread. I'd put money down if you feel confident in a Michigan win.
October 20th, 2017 at 12:35 AM ^
October 22nd, 2017 at 5:27 AM ^
Bet the house on PSG winning League 1. That's probably the safest bet in sports, right now.
October 19th, 2017 at 8:26 PM ^
October 19th, 2017 at 9:03 PM ^
October 19th, 2017 at 9:54 PM ^
October 19th, 2017 at 8:27 PM ^
October 19th, 2017 at 10:25 PM ^
October 19th, 2017 at 10:58 PM ^
Stephenson catches the ball - Ray is on a line but realizes (IMO, correctly) that his line isn't going to provide a path to a tackle. So he quickly pivots to another line, a line that gets him to Stephenson at about the same time Taylor gets there.
The PSU guy sees the same thing. He's initially looking to block Ray. You can literally see him think: "Ray isn't getting here in time, I'll find some other U-M guy to block."
Maybe I'm missing something here? Just don't see anything Ray did wrong there.
October 19th, 2017 at 11:26 PM ^
Pause the video while the PSU player is at the 31....Ray could have very easily got there unless he was insanely slow.
October 20th, 2017 at 12:43 PM ^
his line was obstructed, he correctly changed up.
Hindsight isn't always 20/20... but Ray's pursuit is not the story or even a story IMO.
83 is ready to crackback Ray into oblivion if he does. Not to mention the tackle would have been very hard to make given momentum. Instead Ray adjusts and 83 takes Woodson.
That is how I see it. It's an illusion of replay and parallax....the hash is 20 yards from the sideline. That's a common misconception due to the standard camera angles we as fans are exposed to... though less and less with the alternate and dynamic camera angles nowadays.
October 20th, 2017 at 3:33 PM ^
He could have made it i'm certain of it. Worst case 83 is forced to block him and that is still much better than what he did.
October 19th, 2017 at 10:34 PM ^
October 19th, 2017 at 11:31 PM ^
It was an unbelievably sad hit. The brutality of football at its worst, not at its best. It's nothing to celebrate.
October 19th, 2017 at 8:37 PM ^