I have a prediction question.

Submitted by bigbluetrue on

What's the score when M and lil' bro play, because both defenses need some help. The big advantage I do see for the good guys are the half-time adjustments. M's defense coming out in the 2nd half has been about 75% better than the 1st.

The D is so much more fundamentally sound this year from last. I'm all muppets when I remember this is only the 3rd game in this scheme, and it's only going to get better.

exmtroj

September 19th, 2009 at 8:30 PM ^

Ask me after next week's game, we're playing an undefeated team. I do like Gerg's adjustments though, and I think some of the things this week could be chalked up to post-ND letdown by a young group of players.

jml969

September 19th, 2009 at 8:46 PM ^

Mich scored 31,38, and 45 pts... man a lot of offensive power. Shootouts in AA isn't something I'm used to but with the spread , when it works, is pretty fun to watch!
I'm gonna make a point ,this entire year, not to look ahead and hope we just win one game at a time

imablue

September 19th, 2009 at 8:49 PM ^

I agree with the first two posters, but I'll go out on a limb.

UM 20
MSU 17
1st half

UM 38
MSU 27

We still don't know how this team will play on the road
and/or against a Big 10 team. Indiana is undefeated!?

The King of Belch

September 19th, 2009 at 9:08 PM ^

I'd like to see UM healthy for that game, but I'm doubting Minor will be at 100%. Allen had a good game for ND, but a lot of his yardage seeed to come after contact. IMO, Minor is our only guy who can do that.

I think MSU is going to have to settle on one QB before we play them, and I suspect it will be Cousins. MSU's OL played well today, while it seemed Tate spent the game last week running for his life. MSU nearly nullified Tenuta's blitzes (he didn't seem to blitz nearly as much this week, though). They either blocked them or beat them using quick slants.

If MSU uses the same game plan as today, and if they stick with Cousins, they're going to move the ball and score on us. I was under the impression that their OL was a weak link, but that didn't seem to be the case. They will be able to run on us, but fortunately, they'll have trouble getting the ball to Javon Ringer.

Defensively--I think Narduzzi is great with blitzes--he had a better game with them today than Tenuta. Their pass coverage wasn't horrible--their DB's seemed to be in pretty good position on a lot of Claussen's passes, but DAYUM Claussen was MO-NAY. Of course, the no TD and Golden Tate's butterfingers helped at crucial points during the game.

MSU is physical, and they are a bit more athletic than I thought (this was the first time I watched an entire game of theirs this year).

I can see them winning the game, but my heart just won't let me go there because at some point these close losses have to add up--expecially if they lose to Wisconsin next week, and I like where this game sits for UM (two games that you hope amount to glorified practices)--more playing time for younger guys, getting healthy, and coming in with a full tank of emotional gas, whereas the Sparties could be more than a little drained.

So, I'll go with your prediction of 38-27.

Don

September 19th, 2009 at 9:37 PM ^

If you don't subtract sack yardage, EMU ran for over 200 yards, with large holes being opened up repeatedly by their OL, and their ball carriers frequently broke past first contact. The talent disparity between their defense and our offense made the difference in the game, but once we're in the B10 part of the schedule that disparity is going to lessen dramatically.

If we get to a bowl game, our season is going to be filled by games with scores like 42-38. Before the season started I penciled in the MSU game as a loss, and I'm even more convinced of that after today.