Iowa 14, Michigan 13
A Murphy's Law game.
Any number of individual plays could've changed the outcome. Most of the ones that come to mind involve Wilton Speight, who had his worst game of the year, then had injury added to insult at the end.
Speight wasn't alone in his struggles, however. Jehu Chesson missed a chance to bail his quarterback out, instead getting a third-down pass ripped from his hands by Manny Rugamba, costing the Wolverines a chance to put the game away. Khalid Hill missed an assignment that led to an early safety and lost a fumble returning the opening kickoff of the second half. Chris Evans was the only running back who could consistently get anything going. The playcalling, personnel usage, and late-game clock management will be nitpicked to death this week, and not without justification.
While the defense played well on the whole, they couldn't contain Akrum Wadley, who accounted for 167 yards on 28 touches. And, yes, there were multiple questionable calls by the notorious officiating crew led by John O'Neill.
"Not every little thing is going to go our team's way," said Jim Harbaugh. "To win, you've got to make it go your way. We didn't."
Michigan still has everything to play for, but they've lost all margin for error if they want to keep their Big Ten title and playoff dreams alive. Before they even get that far, though, they have to figure out what went wrong tonight. This game should not have been close, let alone a loss, but a number of underwhelming performances occurred in conjunction at the wrong time. There's no sugarcoating tonight.
November 13th, 2016 at 2:20 AM ^
November 13th, 2016 at 7:26 AM ^
C'mon man. You know they are a much better team than how they played tonite. I think this game really helps them in Columbus. They will re-focus and play well the next two games.
November 13th, 2016 at 12:24 AM ^
November 13th, 2016 at 7:32 AM ^
I think they will still be in the top 4 this week with osu and someone else - probably still clemson.
November 13th, 2016 at 12:09 AM ^
Easy schedule gave false hope. Speight is a 6'6"/250 lb QB who throws like a girl. No big play receiver. A starting RB who is basically a LB trying to run the ball. Predictable Pepper play calling on offense. Kalis sucks but becuase Brian says he is good then it must be true. A defense with slow LBs who get exposed if the DL can't get any pressure. A UM team who is going to get thumped by OSU - and you are a moron if you think otherwise.
November 13th, 2016 at 12:11 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
November 13th, 2016 at 12:13 AM ^
November 13th, 2016 at 12:18 AM ^
Kalis had a very, very rough game.
November 13th, 2016 at 12:17 AM ^
November 13th, 2016 at 12:43 AM ^
I speak with gay Dave, please?
November 13th, 2016 at 7:37 AM ^
After they beat osu don't come back here say nice things about this team. What a horrible fucking post.
November 13th, 2016 at 12:11 AM ^
When everyone plays like shit, everyone coaches like shit and John O'neill et al is your officiating crew you're gonna have a bad day. I'm just disappointed this team won't get another crack at Iowa in the championship game. They'd fucking annihilate them.
November 13th, 2016 at 1:31 AM ^
November 13th, 2016 at 12:11 AM ^
Good bye playoffs. We will probably scrape by IU next week, and then proceed to get our asses thoroughly kicked (again) by OSU by 2-3 TDs. We may make the Rose Bowl, but it'll feel so damn hollow as we watch OSU upset Bama again and waltz its way to another goddamn title.
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
November 13th, 2016 at 12:11 AM ^
November 13th, 2016 at 12:21 AM ^
November 13th, 2016 at 12:26 AM ^
November 13th, 2016 at 12:38 AM ^
November 13th, 2016 at 12:55 AM ^
November 13th, 2016 at 12:13 AM ^
Michigan tried to take advantage of a depleted secondary early... it didn't work! Not to mention the defense against the run has officially been exposed. All correctable issues, I hope, because Ohio St is in 2 weeks and Indiana is no slouch!
November 13th, 2016 at 8:25 AM ^
November 13th, 2016 at 12:14 AM ^
Coaching, play-calling, run defense, QB, special teams, OL, wide receivers. It was a collective no-show. I fear Speight showed his true colors tonight, because he looked like a deer in the headlights. And it could've been worse; there were a couple of dropped interceptions and a recovered fumble that would've rested squarely on his (injured?) shoulders.
This team still controls its destiny, but it's hard to imagine it coming up big against OSU on the road after what we saw tonight. And because of this loss, if we lose to Ohio State, we likely don't even have the Rose Bowl as a fallback.
Hurts.
November 13th, 2016 at 12:53 AM ^
yayyy dream season...
November 13th, 2016 at 8:58 AM ^
November 13th, 2016 at 12:16 AM ^
all over the field, offense and special teams being notorious.
I thought complete BS on targeting. Late hit, yes. But bush wrapped up and had eyes up. McCray touched/slid across the facemask but I saw no hooking of it with his fingers. Those 15 free yards with no time off the clock was the game winner for iowa.
I was a little disappointed iowa called screen 2 times when we were being typical hyper aggressive and it worked to perfection.
If Speight ever takes a hard hit it should be automatic Okorn if you ask me. Speight was already off on throws all over before this. Butt, Chesson and Darboh all dropped easily catchable balls.
Hill's fumble on the 2nd half kickoff was inexcusable.
Smith in the backfield seemed to go absolutely nowhere, I can't tell if safeties are creeping up close or gap filling run blitzes almost every time. Getting away from the run, even if underproductive, diminishes the effectiveness of play-action.
The only positive is OSU is locked out of Indy if PSU wins-out. However its a very minor leap to see them in the CFP if they win out. We control our own destiny. May Harbaugh channel the sting of this adversity into beast mode....if anyone can do it, I believe in him.
November 13th, 2016 at 9:22 AM ^
"I thought complete BS on targeting. Late hit, yes. But bush wrapped up and had eyes up."
Doesn't matter.
If you hit a defenseless player in the head, it's targetting.
Doesn't matter if you hit with the arm, or shoulder, or head.
November 13th, 2016 at 12:16 AM ^
And appreciate our one hiccup kept Kirk ferments at Iowa for another 15 years
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
November 13th, 2016 at 12:16 AM ^
November 13th, 2016 at 12:19 AM ^
November 13th, 2016 at 12:19 AM ^
November 13th, 2016 at 12:19 AM ^
November 13th, 2016 at 12:30 AM ^
November 13th, 2016 at 12:48 AM ^
November 13th, 2016 at 12:29 AM ^
You're just the worst kind of person.
November 13th, 2016 at 12:41 AM ^
November 13th, 2016 at 3:00 AM ^
November 15th, 2016 at 8:22 AM ^
"not a good football team."
good heavens, the ledge is right there. do us all a favor and jump.
November 13th, 2016 at 12:17 AM ^
November 13th, 2016 at 12:17 AM ^
I'm not ready to give up faith in Harbaugh. Most UM fans talk about how they are more scared of OSU after a tough loss because they come out pissed off and play their asses off. I think Harbaugh is one of the elite coaches who can bring this out in our players. Time to test the character of this team and see if they can do the same thing. Tough loss no doubt, but elite teams rebound from tough losses and come back strong. Looking forward to seeing if this team is actually elite in the next two weeks. Let's save the DOOOOMMMM for when Eddie is speeding down the sidelines against OSU in two weeks and remember how far we have come in two short years. Onward.
November 13th, 2016 at 12:20 AM ^
You're dreaming. Harbaugh is a fine coach but he doesn't belong in the elite level with coaches like Meyer and Sabin. The man hasn't won anything.
November 13th, 2016 at 12:30 AM ^
That's an interesting statement there. Meyer is the same age as Harbaugh, but didn't spend multiple years in the NFL. Nick Saban has 13 years on Harbaugh. If you want to make a statement like this at the end of their careers, then do it by all means. However, making definitive statements without waiting for all the data is a great way to look like an ass. Especially when it comes after one game of looking mortal. But, by all means, feel free to go root for a coach you deem to be truly elite.
November 13th, 2016 at 4:15 AM ^
Give Harbaugh the same talent and he would win against these two. In a couple years Harbaugh will have that talent!
November 13th, 2016 at 7:42 AM ^
Did you log in just to post that shit?
November 13th, 2016 at 12:39 AM ^
November 13th, 2016 at 12:18 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
November 13th, 2016 at 12:19 AM ^
The team is slow and has been exposed. At least it was early enough to know OSU will curb stomp them.
November 13th, 2016 at 12:22 AM ^
I did get a sick feeling upon sitting down in front of the TV and hearing "John O'Neill"
still we have to get back to where that doesn't matter. And we will.
One first down and we would have won.
Teams have down weeks, I'd rather have this as the down week than any other game this season. And, as an odd silver lining, we didn't give away any trick plays tonight.
November 13th, 2016 at 1:37 AM ^
November 13th, 2016 at 12:23 AM ^
Comments