❄️: after re-watching the 2021 OSU game something sticks out
(that's what she said)
Although we will always remember Hassan "Cam-Brown-can-drink-from-my-athletic-cup" Haskins, Aidan Hutchinson winning the Heisman (before having it stolen by Iowa), and O-JA-BO! I couldn't help but notice the impact made by certain players (in order of appearance):
-Rod Moore started
-Zinter/Keegan/Barnhart started
-Zak Zinter "probably their most talented lineman" -Joel Klatt
-Jaylen Harrell with multiple open field tackles
-Cornelius Johnson "down at the one!" -Gus Johnson
-"Corum with a YUGE hole! Blazing speed!" -Gus Johnson
-Roman Wilson stiff arms, Roman Wilson draws PI, Roman Wilson!
-Donovan Edwards - "Did I see what I thought I saw??" -Joel Klatt
-"Make that JJ McCarthy, they snuck him in there!" -Gus Johnson
-Sainristil gets a big first down from JJ
The number of guys who made a big impact in this game, and are still around TWO YEARS later, is actually astonishing. It's not uncommon to have one or two players stick around long enough to have this kind of impact 3 years in a row, but this almost half of our starters. I can't remember a team in my lifetime that had this sort of longevity and continuity.
Thanks for listening to my TedX Talk/Snowflake.
August 30th, 2023 at 7:58 PM ^
That's a very good point. Relatedly, there are only a handful of OSU players that were on their team the last time they beat Michigan.
August 30th, 2023 at 8:00 PM ^
and they still have the flu
August 30th, 2023 at 9:00 PM ^
To be fair, it's still snowing.
August 30th, 2023 at 8:04 PM ^
It's hard to fathom the last time that OSU beat us, none of us had ever heard of COVID
August 30th, 2023 at 9:28 PM ^
this being a Michigan blog, that's a pretty big assumption that no one here is a scientist doing GoFR
August 31st, 2023 at 10:15 AM ^
I was a gofer once. But then I grew up. Now please don't be a nerd and tell me what the initials are for, I already know.
August 30th, 2023 at 8:06 PM ^
I've started rewatching 2021 again as well. It's therapeutic, washing away the last vestiges of 20 years of BPONE.
I feel the healing powers the strongest watching our Joe Moore award-winning OL continue to knock the Charminy-soft Nuts back play after play like they're on rollerblades.
The Nuts' receivers did make some great catches though.
Looking forward to seeing JJ and our WR crew taking the next step in the passing game.
August 30th, 2023 at 8:24 PM ^
Look at it this way… their passing game led by Stroud was their entire team the past two years. And he gawn!
August 30th, 2023 at 8:12 PM ^
Those who stay will be..........
CHAMPIONS!
August 30th, 2023 at 9:28 PM ^
No need to portal out for any of these players.
August 30th, 2023 at 8:12 PM ^
This is an adult!
August 30th, 2023 at 8:27 PM ^
As is this....
but not really!
August 30th, 2023 at 8:47 PM ^
Seriously, what's up with the stuffed animals?
Unless you're Greg Robinson, there really is no reason to have a stuffed animal at a football game. (Side note, just saw that he passed away last year... RIP.)
August 30th, 2023 at 9:17 PM ^
I searched this and couldn't find anything about it. Where are you seeing that he passed away?
Either way, after reading done articles about him, he sounds like a better person than most Buckeye fans make him out to be. Which... That shouldn't be a surprise.
August 30th, 2023 at 10:15 PM ^
I think he's saying Gerg passed away. (Jan '22)
August 30th, 2023 at 10:35 PM ^
Big Nut is a pretty good dude that dresses like a goofball. Buck-I-Guy is the asshole that dresses like a goofball.
Nothing like having a miniature version of yourself to prove youre not a self absorbed douche.
August 31st, 2023 at 12:05 AM ^
It was cool when safelight field still had the track like in the osu cowboy’s background pic
August 31st, 2023 at 1:04 AM ^
That is exactly the summary I’ve gotten from the few OSU fans that I know. Buck-I-Guy basically walks around trying to get people to pay him to take a picture with him.
August 31st, 2023 at 10:19 AM ^
I met Big Nut several years ago. He was gracious and kind. Dude is a baller in the gameday tradition sort of way. If you see him in Ann Arbor this year, go say hi. He is a very engaging guy.
August 30th, 2023 at 11:36 PM ^
How's Keith Jackson doing these days??
(RIP Gerg)
August 30th, 2023 at 9:06 PM ^
That guy's a legit asshole!
August 30th, 2023 at 8:16 PM ^
I recently rewatched as well. I forgot that Corum had an extremely bad ankle in that one. Ohio State has never gotten to experience a healthy Corum.
Also, OSU fans have to hate Cornelius Johnson. He's a different guy against them.
August 30th, 2023 at 8:29 PM ^
Think back, however far your various memory banks will take you all - when is the last time Michigan had a player have Cornelius Johnson-type impact vs osu, where he raises his game exponentially vs them nuts?
I mean - Biakabatuka? Hopefully not that far back. Tai Streets maybe?
Anyway, pretty remarkable legacy for Cornelius!
August 30th, 2023 at 8:55 PM ^
Devin Gardner. Just didn’t get the result we wanted.
August 30th, 2023 at 9:02 PM ^
Hasan Haskins?
August 30th, 2023 at 10:18 PM ^
when is the last time Michigan had a player have Cornelius Johnson-type impact vs osu
Not the last time, but I remember John Kolesar making big plays against OSU (as both a FR & SR). Seemed otherwise to be an ordinary player.
August 30th, 2023 at 11:32 PM ^
Kolesar was a big-moment player. OSU included, of course, but also a game-winner against Alabama in the HOF bowl, among others. Scattered big plays elsewhere, including against MSU and Iowa.
But yeah, I tried to disprove this assertion and his big plays against OSU are two of his three biggest by a big margin.
August 31st, 2023 at 9:08 PM ^
Kolesar is exactly the type of player I was looking for - but now we've gone back even 5+ years before TD Timmy!
So, TB & Tai Streets were shot down as examples of players raising their games far above their avg output vs osu, as their avg output was strong.
Another name mentioned was Devin Gardner but he also had multiple huge games aside from vs osu (nd, IU to name 2).
Is it really 35 years between players whose biggest plays & performances were vs osu?!
Sheesh! How many Anthony Gonzalez' have they had between 1986 & 2021?!
August 30th, 2023 at 11:41 PM ^
Biakabatuka had a great game, but he was also a great player that year, period.
Streets as well. He had a big play against OSU in 1996, but his contributions in 1997 and 1998 (in a loss) were unremarkable. But he had huge TDs in 1997 against Notre Dame, Wisconsin, and particularly in the Rose Bowl. He gained 1000 yards in 1998. He was the team's best receiver for three years, excepting for an occasional cameo from a certain cornerback.
August 30th, 2023 at 8:39 PM ^
Coincidentally, in anticipation of the pending season, I rewatched the ‘21 game this past weekend. It was much more of an ass-kicking than I had remembered. We fired all cylinders that day. So. Damn. Good.
<<cackles with glee>>
let’s hit ‘em with a third this November. Insert “can’t wait” gif here.
August 30th, 2023 at 8:38 PM ^
I've watched this game too many times to count.
I remember the roller coaster of emotions watching it live. The ramming the ball down their throats on the opening drive followed by the pick in the end zone preventing us from going up 2 scores gave me flashbacks of the dropped INT in 2017 when up 14-0.
I was so nervous at halftime that I walked to the nearby dam listening to radio halftime report.
In the 2nd half it felt like we'd pull away completely at multiple points but then OSU would connect on an amazing pass play to stay in it. Finally Haskins and the Oline slammed the door shut and Ojabo locked it.
August 30th, 2023 at 8:40 PM ^
This post gave me chills. And not just because of the snowflake(s). Well done.
August 30th, 2023 at 8:48 PM ^
That 2021 B1G championship game as well. Edwards hitting Wilson, JJ out lead blocking for Blake.
2 years later here we are! LFG!
August 30th, 2023 at 8:57 PM ^
For some reason I found myself rewatching the highlights of the 2019 Michigan vs. Notre Dame game today, and noticed several big catches made by ... Mike Sainristil.
In 2019!!!
August 30th, 2023 at 9:01 PM ^
Recently rewatched the 2022 game. I'm not sure how many are aware, but UM did not have a completed pass in the last 20 minutes of that game. There was the PI on Bell in the end zone but no completions. Still won that sucker going away!
August 31st, 2023 at 1:20 AM ^
How many points since "we are going to hang a hundred on them?"
August 31st, 2023 at 7:37 AM ^
I think.. 50.. total.. over two games…
August 30th, 2023 at 9:44 PM ^
I was at that game. I have a friend that lives behind pioneer, so I always park there. Walking up to the stadium just felt different. A light snow falling, and the air felt crisp. Everything felt electric.
A friends friend had two extra tickets, and gave them to us for face value. I almost didn’t go. I was sure OSU was going to absolutely destroy us, but I couldn’t pass up the OSU experience for only 150 bucks.
I was skeptical up until I started walking to the stadium. After passing over seventh st, my whole attitude changed. I looked at my homeboy and told him that this felt special.
I’ve never been in a crowd that’s been so fucking amped up. It was the loudest I’ve ever heard the big house. There was an unreal amount of positive energy from the drop. There were so many osu false starts, and even though it’s been since downplayed, there’s no doubt in my mind that the crowd caused that.
I often tell people that it was the best day of my life. They’ll usually respond with something like “after you got married, or when your kid was born?” My answer is always an emphatic no. Those were great moments in my life, but nothing will ever compare to that surreal feeling at the big house in late November 2021
August 31st, 2023 at 1:15 AM ^
I was there, agree with just about everything you said, but I’m smart enough not to go around telling people it was the best day of my life.
Even though it probably was.
I can’t even say for sure when I realized we were going to win. I was sure OSU would somehow come back because they always seemed to take our best shots and bounce back. Probably the last Haskins TD had me finally believing, but I still was counting off the seconds.
Pro tip- 4 cups of coffee and a six pack will turn your “insane fan in the stands” level up to 11. Just concede ahead of time you will spend all of halftime in line for the bathroom.
August 31st, 2023 at 6:56 AM ^
I had friends (alumni from other schools) texting me congrats while the game was winding down. I remember saying "not yet, OSU always finds a way"....
I don't think I accepted the victory until they let Haskins score at the end.
August 31st, 2023 at 9:23 PM ^
For me it wasn't hurtling the fool that finally convinced me we were gonna win, but the play I believe immediately before.
They'd scored to make it 35-27, and on 1st down Gus said "the ohio state has to stop the run here to have any chance - can they do it?! NO!!! Haskins finds a hole for 12 yds!"
Then I knew they could not stop us, and they wouldn't have enough time to catch up. I think they knew too, because the long run that ended with the hurtle was the next play!
August 31st, 2023 at 12:52 PM ^
I remember looking over at my buddy when we were up 42-27 and I said, "I think we're going to win." It's like neither of us wanted to say it. Like it took that long for the realization to hit that it really was over. It was FINALLY over.
August 31st, 2023 at 5:14 PM ^
"I looked at my homeboy and said this felt special" NTTAWWT
August 30th, 2023 at 10:01 PM ^
It's been better player identification, that see the field early.
August 31st, 2023 at 1:17 AM ^
OSU will have guys that were around during that game. They will be the washed up 5 stars that are wondering what went wrong.
August 31st, 2023 at 8:28 AM ^
Having watched both '21 and '22 recently, I was struck by how hard OSU played when the game was still on the line. Once we beat the shit out of them, they wilted some, but the first 3 quarters in each game was pretty hard fought. Just harder fought on our part, heh.
August 31st, 2023 at 9:26 AM ^
Those who stay will always be the thing.
https://mgoblog.com/diaries/saturday-psycho-stay-or-go
August 31st, 2023 at 1:01 PM ^
2 quick things:
1. I think it's greatly underestimated how much an advantage it is to keep guys around. OSU's 5 stars often go pro before they reach full potential, while our 3-4 stars continue to improve AND we get them at their peak. See recent Michigan basketball for contrast. Not dismissing value of 5* - rather praising player development.
2. That game was my first post-Covid large event. Easily the most fun I've ever had at a sporting event (and I've been to...thousands?). Thank you TD for the ticket! Perfect day. Still get dopamine rush just thinking about the hurdle.