How many people believe this is the year Michigan will beat tOsu?
I was trying to talk sense into a buddy of mine, who is a Michigan fan. Just not a fan of the coach. It went back and forth with me bringing up so many points on how the defense being young and inexperienced. However how they are improving and not giving up! He expects shut outs or an average defense atleast. I told him it will come in due time! To the thread, sorry for the delay. I haven't picked Michigan to lose any of the games this year, I was hoping for a 12-0 season. Realistically it may fall 7-5, 8-4, or even 9-3 (excluding bowl) Just curious as to how many people are on my side and agree that after 2562 days it will end? I guess for some dilithium reasons or not, i believe the "team" will get up for the game and shock all those fans!
October 18th, 2010 at 7:57 PM ^
that we've got a better chance of beating tOSU than Wiscy. I think that it requries us to actually take care of the ball against a good team. But our offense has already proven it's capable of moving the ball on anybody.
Now we just have to score on them.
October 18th, 2010 at 8:03 PM ^
I think every year is going to be the year we beat OSU. I have been more often wrong than not as of late, but I'll offer my prediction anyway: this year, we're going to win. Book it.
October 18th, 2010 at 7:59 PM ^
the enthusiasim, Hope you are right but right about now I'm thinking hope we beat Penn State at night at home.
I'll hang up and listen
October 18th, 2010 at 8:24 PM ^
This. being 6-2 going int o Illinois and Purdue would be nice. If we lose, we'll be 5-3 and I'll be thinking we'll lose to Illinois. Then we'd be looking at 6-6. PSU is pretty close to a must win.
October 18th, 2010 at 9:40 PM ^
totally agree this is definitely a must win.. It is on halloween, like the Illinois game was last year.. I sure as hell something wierd doesn't happen in this game like Roundtree getting tackled at the 1 yard line and we become totally deflated again.
Although with 9 starters on penn state's team out, i really don't see how the hell they will stop us or keep up with us on offense.
October 18th, 2010 at 11:13 PM ^
Because it ruined it last year.
October 19th, 2010 at 12:23 AM ^
I still see Roundtree running free to the TOUCHDOW..... oh wait he fumbled it then first and goal from the one and we cant score! oh god the horror... THE HORROR! i still see that play in my sleep...
October 19th, 2010 at 8:42 AM ^
Since Halloween is on a Sunday, I like our chances.
October 18th, 2010 at 7:59 PM ^
I think this team can play with anyone, at anytime !!
October 18th, 2010 at 7:59 PM ^
Is if Pryor and half the OSU defense are out for the game.
I do think we will not get shut out though!
We definately have no problem putting up yardage, but usually we get outscored.
October 18th, 2010 at 8:00 PM ^
I believe we're going to beat OSU every year.
October 18th, 2010 at 8:01 PM ^
We have a better chance than we did in 2008, that was the only game against OSU I felt we had zero chance.
October 18th, 2010 at 8:02 PM ^
must concede that beating OSU this year is entirely possible, but not likely. Next year may be a different story.
Most probable route to 8-4 is beating PSU, PU, and UI, while losing to UW and OSU. But this is football, and stuff happens. I'm ready to be pleasantly surprised.
October 18th, 2010 at 9:06 PM ^
8-4 would be a hell of a year, but I think that assumes some improvement over the next six weeks. While there have been some encouraging signs over the last couple of games (Demens, Kovac, Forcier as being reliable when needed), these have been more than offset by Robinson looking human, injuries (Robinson, Molk, Martin, Shaw), and shaky play, to be generous, by the secondary-minus-Kovac.
I am coming to the realization that winning even two more games this year will require improvement, and perhaps some luck.
As far as beating tOSU goes, I can't fault anyone for having hope, but that game remains the toughest on the schedule, notwithstanding Saturday's result in Madison.
October 18th, 2010 at 8:03 PM ^
It's a bit early to be pontificating such a question, however it's a bye week
There might be some non-football factors that play into this years game that I think could effect it immensely, namely the fanbase at OSU turning on TP. If they lose again, and we come out hot defensively and force a turnover, the boos will rain. There is already a strong undercurrent of angst and anger at TP, and I would love nothing more than to see him implode.
Secondly, we have to hope and pray we are 100% healthy going into this game, as injuries to any solid defensive contributors will be disasterous.
That being said, I think Wiscy showed that their DL is a bit overrated, and that when the run is moving the ball their secondary is suspect (no real lockdown corners), So, we spread it out, pound the ball for 4/5 per pop, execute and score and we have the horses to run with anyone.
October 18th, 2010 at 8:50 PM ^
October 18th, 2010 at 8:05 PM ^
This year our 4th quarter comeback is enough to win. Knowing this will make the ext few weeks much easier to endure.
October 18th, 2010 at 8:06 PM ^
in seeing how bad OSU looked. We cannot expose OSU the same way Wisky did. COme on seriously.
ALrigth, I'll be honest, if Drob can get 200 plus rushing and 200 plus passing on OSU(which might be possible?), I will think that Mich is now legit!
October 18th, 2010 at 8:23 PM ^
Contrary to popular SEC meme, OSU is more of a speed defense built to stop spread offenses. Their lines and LBs are smaller and faster. They don't match up terribly well with teams like Wisconsin, especially when they fall behind early.
Edit: This was actually in response to a post by "Spider" which said that WIsconsin wasn't a good barometer. Not sure why it doesn't show up on the web site.
October 18th, 2010 at 8:09 PM ^
I always believe.
October 18th, 2010 at 8:13 PM ^
Get Denarded.
October 18th, 2010 at 8:11 PM ^
As long as they keep turnovers low they have a chance
October 18th, 2010 at 8:15 PM ^
October 18th, 2010 at 8:15 PM ^
guess i want some optimism on the board. Im pretty sure we all see some mistakes, but there are some improvements on both sides of the ball. Clearly the offense is taking off. I guess I look it as they eliminate a few brain farts and the defensive stops will come. The punting is coming on stronger, they get the kicking and ST play going watch out!
October 18th, 2010 at 8:17 PM ^
Seriously?
October 18th, 2010 at 8:21 PM ^
i said i was hoping, sorry Mr. Negativity. I also didn't think my SF 49ers were going to be 1-5 right now.
October 18th, 2010 at 10:23 PM ^
neither did i, otherwise i wouldn't have paid so much for excellent seats to the 49er vs Eagles game. Just to watch BG flop Alex Smith like a fish in person.
October 18th, 2010 at 11:27 PM ^
who'd have thought they'd get their first win vs the Raiders?
October 18th, 2010 at 8:38 PM ^
12-0, that is way too much optimism for me to stomach.. This team is what I thought they would be. Which is not a good thing, I think its sad that expectations have decreased dramatically with Rich Rod. I will concede, we have a chance against tOSU, but that requires us playing better than we are capable of, we have yet to show up for 4 quarters against a good team. I also have concerns for Denards health, the more hits he takes, the slower he is, and the less potent he is.
October 18th, 2010 at 8:22 PM ^
I don't know if this is the year, but I do feel very strongly that once RR beats Tressel, there will be another "streak" in the rivalry, this time in Michigan's favor.
October 18th, 2010 at 8:22 PM ^
i've had that weird feeling for a while now that Tressel's conservatism + RichRod Offense = success.
We will do it this year.
October 18th, 2010 at 8:25 PM ^
Seriously. Please get a grip on reality. I love U of M and believe we will be really good in a few years but seriously. Michigan will loose that game 49 to 21. Ask yourself how many points would Terelle Pryor and the buckeye offense score against a bad FCS defense at home.
October 18th, 2010 at 8:32 PM ^
We'll definitely be loose for the game. They'll have everything to lose.
October 18th, 2010 at 8:29 PM ^
Maybe, if we can get our kickoff and punt return teams in gear. OSU's coverage units are brutal.
October 18th, 2010 at 8:32 PM ^
Can Michigan beat Ohio State? Most certainly. It's a rivalry and you can never take those kind of games for granted.
With that being said, however, its going to be a tough sell. While Tressel might not be the best at making adjustments in the middle of a heated contest, he has shown an ability to refine his teams to what they are good at come the home stretch of the schedule.
Michigan also has to face Wisconsin the week prior, which plays into the Buckeyes hands from a fatigue standpoint.
I don't see this game coming out as a win for Michigan, but then again not many did before the season began.
It's funny how things normalize as the season goes along. Before the year people thought of Michigan as a team that would improve by a few wins, and they look to be on course for an 8 win season in my estimation. Of course expectations grow and shrink as the games are played, but it is noteworthy how they trend back to the normal by the time the home stretch comes along.
October 18th, 2010 at 8:39 PM ^
We know its a rivalry, but does Rich Rod?
October 18th, 2010 at 8:50 PM ^
I'm going to have to go out on a limb and say yes he knows it's a rivalry.
October 18th, 2010 at 8:54 PM ^
He knows it's a rivalry; I just don't think that he has much of an emotional connection to it. Seems like it's strictly business to him; when we all know that OSU Michigan is much more than that.
October 18th, 2010 at 10:12 PM ^
I like how you claim to have some insight into RR's attitude than we somehow lack.
October 19th, 2010 at 1:05 AM ^
Yeah, if RR only cared about beating OSU, Threet would have suddenly become Tom Brady and our decimated defense would have played like it was 1997. Do people really believe such things?
October 18th, 2010 at 9:20 PM ^
Some of these posts are missing sarcasm tags.
October 18th, 2010 at 9:51 PM ^
Before the MSU game, RR in a presser downplayed the hoopla surrounding that game, joking about Dantonio's countdown clock, and stating that Michigan gets ready for that game like every other. Maybe he was posturing. Dantonio and Tressel each know that Michigan is a must-win game for them. RR? I don't know if he is as intense about it. Do you think that he's sandbagging a trick play or two for tOSU? He's got to know that beating tOSU will make his season, even if he loses all the rest.
October 18th, 2010 at 10:07 PM ^
I would hope he would have used a trick play against MSU if he had one. I think the way his big ten record is going it would be better to get off to a good start in big ten play, then to wait until tOSU game.
October 19th, 2010 at 1:12 AM ^
I assume he downplayed it to keep his young team from playing too tight. Denard himself admitted that he was too wound up for the MSU game, and his passing suffered as a consequence.
October 18th, 2010 at 11:19 PM ^
You do know Ohio State has Iowa before the Michigan game, right?
October 19th, 2010 at 12:50 AM ^
We play Wisconsin the week before, but OSU plays Iowa. I consider that a wash as far as fatigue goes.
October 19th, 2010 at 10:21 AM ^
But we have Barwis.
October 18th, 2010 at 8:38 PM ^
There is always a chance, but it will depend on how TP and the offense is playing at the end of the year. If Pryor continues to arm punt balls - and I really doubt that he'll make any dramatic improvements in that area considering how mediocre the QB coach at OSU seems to be - then they won't be able to shred the defense as much as we've seen the past few weeks, and that in turn will help the defense attack a mediocre running game. I doubt the crowd will ever boo OSU when they are playing UM, irrespective of how the players are performing, but a bad first few series could snowball. Personally, I think UM is a year or two away from pulling off the upset, but there are quite a few games to go in this season and if OSU continues to have issues at QB (especially if Pryor were to become injured or ineffective), then you never know. I'd rather focus on PSU, though.
October 18th, 2010 at 8:51 PM ^
thanks bronxblue, good points. I agree with many of them. PSU is the first task. I guess I just see how the line played pretty well against the number 4 defense, only giving up the one sack. (i could be wrong) A couple penalties, and we all know turnovers and kicking game played a factor. They are close though? Aren't they? Without Molk, Martin, the lines played exceptional. Of course health plays a big factor with the players having 4 more big ten games till they play osu.