All numbers are points per game vs an average team. They are adjusted for strength of opponent.  No 1AA games or stats are included.  For more detailed questions on how the numbers come about, click here.

Expected Points

Michigan got exactly what it wanted here.  The pace was theirs.  For the game, Michigan had a season high 15 drives and a season high 29 expected points.  Contrast that to Ohio State who had 13 drives (made possible by the defensive TD) and only 21 expected points.  That is a huge gap in expected points for Michigan.  Ohio State's defense definitely deserves a lot of credit, but Michigan had the opportunities to get some points, even if 28+ was a bit unrealistic.

Rush Offense

Predicted: +0, 35 carries, 130 yards 1TD
Actual: -5, 29 carries, 94 yards 0 TD

For the second straight game, the Michigan running couldn't find it's footing against an elite rush defense. 

For the second straight game, Vincent Smith continues to stake a solid claim to next year's starting spot.  Smith posted his second straight +4 (adjusted for competition and includes receptions) and was Michigan's most productive back both on the ground and through the air.

Pass Offense

Predicted: -6, 18/30 175 yards 2 TD 1 INT
Actual: -12, 24/43 224 yards 1 TD 4 INT

Michigan has only lost 21 points to interceptions thrown this year, which is best in the Big 10.  And interceptions are where OSU has made their living this year, racking up a  +54 on picks for the season.  If Michigan can keep away from bad interceptions, and a pick up a lucky bounce or two, could be a ball game.

About that...

Not quite HOLD ONTO THE BALL level jinxing going on there, but still, pretty disheartening to go back and reread it.  The amazing thing is that the bounces generally went OSU's way and it was still a ball game.  Good sign.

If you remove the INTs (wait, you can't do that?) the passing offense comes in at +0, not spectacular but still very good against this OSU pass defense. 

The best news of Saturday might have been the continued emergence of Roy Roundtree as the much needed go to receiver for Michigan.  Roundtree posted his fourth straight outstanding game with a +10.  In the four games that Roundtree has seen the time and the balls come his way (Ill, Purdue, Wisconsin, OSU) he has averaged +7.7, which if held (understandably big if) would be the top mark in the Big 10 this year and 7th nationally.

Rush Defense

Projected: -3, 45 carries 210 yards 3 TD
Actual: +0, 48 carries 264 yards 1 TD

The yards ended up higher than projected, but in terms of the value, Michigan got a number of big stops against the Buckeye ground game to warrant a very solid break even performance.

Pass Defense

Projected: -1, 15/24 160 yards 1 TD 0 INT
Actual: -8, 11/19 54 yards 1 TD 1 INT

When the Buckeyes have thrown the ball less than 20 times, they average +2.2 and have had their two best passing games of the year.  When they have thrown the ball more than 20 times, they have averaged -1.1 and had their 3 worst games of the year.  You have to think that the gameplan is going to be to keep the ball on the ground.

Ohio State got the low volume passing game that they wanted, although it didn't quite go as expected.  Michigan's pass defense took the conservative Buckeye game plan and did quite well against it.  Even without the pick (+3), the pass defense did quite well, picking up nearly 3 points of value on a pair of sacks.  Even removing the sacks and the pack, the defense still posted an above average performance, an outstanding day for a much maligned group.

The Rest of the Picture

Special teams ended in a near wash.  The missed chippy was a definite negative for Michigan, but it was offset by great play from both the punt and kickoff teams.

On the turnover front, the net of Forcier's 5 turnovers and Pryor's single miscue netted a 13 point swing for Ohio State.  A neutral result on turnovers could have very well been enough for the Wolverines on Saturday that I thought they needed to 2 swing play advantage to have a shot.

Predictions

Michigan 21 - OSU 31

Almost nailed the spread, just a few less points scored than I thought.

Same story for Minnesota Iowa where my 27-14 pick was within a point of the spread but high on the total.

I nailed Wisconsin but underestimate Northwestern as my 31-17 pick missed the mark.

Also missed out on Purdue/Indiana.  I had it a tight one at 28-27 and missed on an easy Purdue victory.

Another one that was not as close I expected was Penn State/MSU as PSU brought the posse and beat up on the Spartans.  Still had the Nittany Lions covering, but didn't see a 4 TD win in my 28-24 pick.

Lost out on the Irish as well this week, picking them to cover against UConn, 35-28.

Overall - 3-3 ATS.