All Time Record vs MSU [Once again SFW]
According to the Detroit News it's 35-25-2. What a complete joke. How are they allowed to publish blatant falsehoods?
http://detnews.com/article/20111003/SPORTS0203/110030415/1004/SPORTS/Mi…
October 3rd, 2011 at 8:10 PM ^
And the issue of the overall record (keeping in mind that we live in a "what have you done for me lately?" world):
Neither takes into account the very recent trends of spiking jersey sales and belief in Hoke. Both trends correspond with the hiring of Hoke. Indeed, it would be strange to assert otherwise.
From this we can safely deduce that the lunar gravitational patterns (with their various pulling influences) surrounding the M-Ohio rivalry have changed. The only thing left to do now is interpret the data, i.e., determine how good of a start this really is.
October 3rd, 2011 at 8:19 PM ^
I am sorry fellas and ladies. Wasn't thinking. Won't happen again. If the ban has to come, I fully support it.
October 3rd, 2011 at 8:22 PM ^
2008: UM 1 fumble, 3 INTs, allowed MSU 167 yards rushing
2009: UM 1 fumble, 1 INT, allowed MSU 197 yards rushing
2010: UM 0 fumble, 3 INTs, allowe MSU 249 yards rushing
MSU's defense is good, but Michigan's generosity with the ball the last 3 years is unlikely to continue. MSU is 10th in the league in rushing (129 yds/game).
Big Differences in 2011:
1. MSU's defense is better than any year prior, except maybe 1978 or 1966.
2. MSU has great running backs, but doesn't use them. MSU is mainly a passing team this year. Dan Roushar replacing Don Treadwell as OC.
3. Michigan's defense can apparently hold it's own vs. passing teams (4th in the league and 176 yds/gm) and is actually forcing quite a few turnovers and converting them into points.
4. MSU really sucks on 3rd down this year: 35% success rate thus far (Roushar?). Meanwhile, Borges has Michigan at 50% conversion rate.
5. Both teams have displayed turnover issues: MSU with 7, Michigan with 8 over 5 games.
October 3rd, 2011 at 8:33 PM ^
I was 3 years old in 1978 so I don't remember either of those years, but the best Spartan defense during my lifetime had to have been the '87 unit with Percy Snow. I think this year's Spartan defense is pretty good but the '87 edition was much better, IMO--although, coincidentally, both teams did give up 31 points to ND.
October 3rd, 2011 at 9:02 PM ^
This year's D is good....but I wouldn't classify them as great. There is 1 senior starter and can be great next year.
October 4th, 2011 at 12:36 AM ^
Well, one senior who is probably your second best player on D. And your best will likely go pro after this year. So although it will still likely be good, losing your two best players isn't a great thing to have happen, especially considering your depth on the DL.
October 3rd, 2011 at 9:21 PM ^
We didn't give up 31 to ND that year. We gave up 26. That was a rebuilding season (back in the days when 8-4 was considered rebuilding) because we had to replace Jim Harbaugh.
The game against MSU was the infamous one where Demetrious Brown threw 7 interceptions. And despite playing THAT bad, we still had a shot to beat MSU's Rose Bowl team in the final minute. Greg McMurty was wide open in the end zone but Brown threw into into traffic for his 7th pick.
That was the first time in 18 years that MSU beat us at Spartan Stadium.
October 3rd, 2011 at 11:36 PM ^
I said that the Spartans gave up 31 to ND in 1987, not UM. But I do remember that 7 INT game from Demetrius Brown. Brutal.
October 3rd, 2011 at 10:49 PM ^
It's not so much that MSU doesn't use its backs as that it's had trouble running behind a rebuilt O-line. If they can move the ball on the ground, they will.
October 3rd, 2011 at 9:05 PM ^
But didn't they leak the story about how Craig James KILLED FIVE HOOKERS? They've got to be telling nothing but facts here.
October 3rd, 2011 at 9:14 PM ^
This reminds me of a book I bought from Borders a couple years back. It's called "Backyard Brawl," about the UM/MSU rivalry and it's history. There's plenty of old articles from the Ann Arbor News and the Lansing State Journal about most of the games. They had to include every MSU win over us and NOT include 35 wins we've had over Sparty in order for both schools to get equal coverage.
I'm sorry but that Paul Bunyan trophy is stupid anyway. MSU is the only side that gives a crap about it. They parade it on the field after a win like it's a Super Bowl trophy. With UM, they get it in the lockerroom and that's it. They don't hoist it up on the field like with the Little Brown Jug. The only thing Lloyd ever said about the trophy was that it's the ugliest in college football. I never once heard Bo talk about the trophy and his teams beat the living tar out of MSU 17 times in 20 years. There were even times in the 50's and 60's where Blue didn't bother taking the trophy back to Ann Arbor with them. They just left it on the field. Sparty had to paint the final score and keep it for the year even though they lost. I say let them keep it.
And no, Mike Hart did not start a curse when he made the little brother comment. I would put that more on RichRod and the worst 3 year stretch in program history. The last 3 seasons would have happened even if Hart had not said a thing.
October 3rd, 2011 at 9:26 PM ^
Jesus Tap-Dancing Christ on a Cracker, you of all people ought to know that's complete bullshit. As bad as the three years under RR were, they don't begin to compare with the dumpster fire of 34-35-36, when we went 6-16, were shut out 11 times, and our combined point totals against MSU, Minnesota, and OSU over those three seasons were 13-62, 0-100, and 0-93, respectively.
Yes, we did not score a single point against the two major powers in our conference, OSU and Minnesota, for three straight seasons. Not a single fucking point.
I'm not carrying a torch for RR. His firing was justifiable, and hiring Hoke appears to have been a master stroke by David Brandon. However, calling RR's tenure the worst three-year stretch in Michigan's history is a willful distortion of history, one that is not supported by the facts on record.
And before you start mentioning the NCAA issues under RR, MVictors ran some time ago the story of the eventual firing of Harry Kipke, which was as much due to his shady, OSU-style practice of allowing players to get paid for summer jobs that they did not perform as it was the last three miserable years of his career at UM.
October 3rd, 2011 at 10:52 PM ^
You're correct that that stretch was worse, but when you have to go back 75 years to find something worse than the last three years, well, that kind of sums it up. It was the worst three-year stretch in most fans' lifetimes.
October 3rd, 2011 at 10:57 PM ^
I'm not saying you're wrong, but this has to be one of the silliest rants I've ever seen.
<br>Also, it struck me that it's possible - unlikely, but possible - that my grandfather remembers those teams. I'll ask him which stretch was worse.
October 4th, 2011 at 1:51 AM ^
Isn't that the whole reason we are laughing at the Spartans? Because they are making their own justifications for why not to count games? You and jmblue sound just like MSU fans talking about the rivalry.
"Well, I can't remember it, so it doesn't count. The last 3 years count though because it just happened."
October 4th, 2011 at 11:29 AM ^
No, that's not what I'm saying. What I am saying is this: defending a three-year record by noting that during the Great Depression (75-77 years ago), we were a little worse, is not much of a defense at all.
If your only standard for success is "not the absolute worst in school history," you're setting the bar very low.
October 4th, 2011 at 1:06 AM ^
The block M stood for mediocrity in those days. Those years represent 85% of MSU's tradition. Every other decade has largely been nondescript.
October 4th, 2011 at 1:25 AM ^
I'm done wringing my hands about the spartans. Yeah, they beat Michigan the last 3 years. So did everyone else. Its time for a reality check. I'm not saying that Western Michigan is better than MSU. But if they played on a neutral field, I wouldn't put non-expendable money on either team. Be honest. You wouldn't either.
October 4th, 2011 at 5:02 AM ^
Amen brother.
October 4th, 2011 at 2:24 AM ^
Sparty really pushes the Bunyan Trophy record as the "all-time record" because they don't want to admit how many times they have really lost to Michigan. When people are doing superficial "research," it is the Bunyan Trophy record that usually pops up, with no mention of other games.
The researcher has to possess enough logic or knowledge to figure out that the two teams played long before 1953. Apparently, they can't afford to hire that kind of researchers at the Detnews.
October 4th, 2011 at 11:33 AM ^
My overall sentiment is "Who gives a $h!t".
Will you sleep better at night if you get a bunch of victories from the 1910's-1940's?
Michigan historically has a better football program than MSU. Everyone with half a brain knows that.
We've beaten you three times in a row. I hope we make it four.
That is all.