It’s Sparty week. Some talking points.
1. MSU’s health: We all know they lost Bachie, but the replacement, Noah Harvey, played well in his first start, getting 2.5 TFL and 1.5 sacks. Center Matt Allen didn’t play and they had a true freshman replace him. In fact they started 2 true freshmen on the OL vs Illinois. WR Stewart was out and they relied heavily on Cody White. Probably stick Levert on him and expect MSU to feed him like they did with Burbridge in 2015. Other notes: top corner Scott left the game and didn’t return. Their secondary got abused after he left. Lewerke may or may not have been concussed. Does he have to do any mandatory concussion protocols or can MSU just say “yeah we checked him and he seemed fine?” Their backup qbs are...bad.
2. MSU offense: A team that couldn’t find the end zone for a month came to life for a half. The Spartans have had some stretches where their offense looks improved but a lot more where they look awful. First half may have been a case of Illinois trying to figure things out when they were down a couple linebackers. Lewerke is still the danger man who can make plays with his feet but is erratic throwing the ball. Collins is a pretty decent RB. Not a ton of playmakers.
3. MSU defense: Surprisingly the loss of Bachie didn’t affect their run stopping abilities. I think we need to establish the run, but for the love of God we need to pick on their secondary. This is not the no fly zone when they were good. Peters threw for a boat load of yards and could have had more if he wasn’t Brandon Peters. Come on Shea. Please. His name is Nico, look for him.
4. Intangibles: Who knows what team we will see. I still think a wounded animal is a dangerous animal and they are certainly wounded. They might roll over and die, but they might fight tooth and nail. It’s possible they are told this is Morks last Michigan game and they play inspired. It’s possible they get down 7 and start talking about transfer portals. I hope Harbaugh has our guys breathing fire this week and telling them it’s time to put a nail in the coffin. A blah effort coming off the bye week and we get beat. Can not have that. A focused effort with no turnovers and we should be fine.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:00 AM ^
It's a blowout or unsatisfyingly close... Either way Michigan wins.
November 11th, 2019 at 9:49 AM ^
Yeah, if they get an early score and/or a turnover in plus territory, this will turn into a typical in-state butt-clencher.
However it's more likely that Michigan is up 21-0 after the first quarter, and everybody just goes through the motions the rest of the way.
Thankfully this game is being played at high noon, and there's no more snow expected after today. Never trust a Sparty after dark in suboptimal weather conditions.
.
November 11th, 2019 at 10:16 AM ^
Respectfully, I must disagree. No way Michigan is up 21-0 at the end of the 1st quarter. Even in Sparty’s 3-9 year they played a strong 1st quarter and had our defense on their heels. Michigan will be lucky to be up by more than a touchdown at halftime. My guess is 0-0 at the half is more likely than 21-0 after the 1st quarter.
November 11th, 2019 at 10:28 AM ^
I wouldn't go quite so far as to say 0-0 at half is more likely but in general I agree with you. Most of our blowouts have been slow motion blowouts where it isn't really a three or four TD game until sometime in the third quarter.
Furthermore, we have rarely ever stuck it to Sparty in a big way and it's hard to see this year's offense being the one to do it in an explosive first quarter.
November 11th, 2019 at 7:22 PM ^
wild ass guess: 13-3 at the half, 27-9 is the final.
November 11th, 2019 at 11:41 AM ^
I don’t think Michigan will ever go through the motions if we get our foot on their throat. We want to break their program’s neck. Hang 70 fucking points on those troglodytes and slap the phlegm off Mork’s lungs at midfield afterwards.
November 11th, 2019 at 11:48 AM ^
45-7 Michigan.
After last weekend MSU will definitely quit in we get up two scores early. That's one deflated, broken team right now and it's time for us to remind them who owns this state.
November 11th, 2019 at 12:25 PM ^
Amen. I don’t know if I have my score yet. I could see a 28-10 game where it’s never really in doubt but their fightiness slows us down, and I could see a 49-3 game where we stop their one scripted drive and it’s off to the races.
November 11th, 2019 at 2:05 PM ^
My guess is 24-17 and I hope I'm wrong. I hope for a 42-3 score or around there.
November 11th, 2019 at 12:02 PM ^
The X factor will be what Shea / what passing attack shows up. If we can take advantage of MSU's secondary, it'll be over quickly. I don't see how their offense is going to move the ball consistently
November 11th, 2019 at 8:03 AM ^
I assumed this would be a post about things to say when debating a Spartan. For instance, there have been 16 players accused of sexual assault under Mork. Maybe cut and paste the two page spread from HTTV that had the run down on MSUs summer of 2018.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:23 AM ^
I think you mean summer of 2017. They've had relatively quiet offseasons since.
November 11th, 2019 at 4:19 PM ^
They've had quiet 2018 & 2019 off-seasons AS FAR AS WE KNOW.
I'll bet you a nickel that sometime in the next 6-9 months, we'll see more skeletons spill out of the Sparty closet that all actually happened circa 2018-2019.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:03 AM ^
Michigan wins. Is it possible Patterson finally breaks 300 yards passing? This is what I am hoping for. I want to see the disgust and disappointment in Dantonio's face, which has become a Saturday afternoon pass-time.
Wolverines by 17.
November 11th, 2019 at 9:38 AM ^
Is it possible Patterson finally breaks 300 yards passing?
It would be nice; MSU is definitely vulnerable in the secondary, and they'll likely sell out to try and keep the running game in check. Honestly, if we don't turn the ball over, I don't see how MSU wins this game.
November 11th, 2019 at 11:50 AM ^
I am expecting at least one Michigan turnover. Seems we ALWAYS turn the ball over against MSU.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:05 AM ^
Show up to the game early. Cheer loudly and create an intimidating environment. Celebrate the victory.
Lather.
Rinse.
Repeat in two weeks.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:08 AM ^
Saturday is my birthday. This feels like - and needs to be - the year that we finally get over the hump and break their spirit. I hope that we do indeed win with character and cruelty. Much to the embarrassment of my teenage daughter, I will be dressed in ski clothes to ensure I stay warm and can make it through the entire game. Then off to Knight's for birthday dinner and to celebrate a comfortable victory!
November 11th, 2019 at 8:28 AM ^
Happy Birthday!
November 11th, 2019 at 9:47 AM ^
Knight's is a good choice. We went there for the first time in 2016 before the Colorado game, because it was half empty for some reason, and it's kind of our game day lunch place now. Great food.
I think we beat MSU by at least 3 scores. They'll have a perfectly scripted drive to get an early TD, but they won't score again until the 4th quarter.
November 11th, 2019 at 11:03 AM ^
I had my birthday fall on the day of the MSU game once. It was 1990, the year Eddie Brown blatantly tripped Desmond Howard in the end zone and the ref gagged on his whistle. Not exactly a festive occasion after that.
So here's wishing you a better birthday than mine.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:08 AM ^
In spite of all their on and off field problems, they will come to play. We better be ready.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:30 AM ^
MSU's season has been over for a month, at least. You think they were prepping for Illinois last week? Nah. They've been practicing for us. Hopefully we haven't started practicing for OSU yet.
November 11th, 2019 at 9:49 AM ^
What? I hope we've been practicing for OSU since last November.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:14 AM ^
I have to say it, but Michigan is a run to pass team and I don't see a game plan coming out where there is pass to run. As others have mentioned, and gotten hammered for, game planning based on the opponent's strengths/weaknesses does not seem to be a thing for this team. Maybe it's execution, maybe it's game planning/coaching.
I see this as a low scoring slog of a game where one or two plays decides it late. There does not seem to be as killer instinct in this team where they go for the throat. Particularly when going for it means throwing the ball. Caveat: i don't know what the weather is supposed to be like. Since it's MSU it'll probably be blizzard mixed with a tornado inside a hurricane.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:19 AM ^
Hoping Michigan repeats the Bobby Williams beat down on Dantonio, who is on his farewell tour.
Where did all the Wolverines go? They are all right here Mork- kicking your ass.
Michigan 49 MSU 3.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:26 AM ^
Don’t know; I’m kind of hoping for a Notre Dame game-like evisceration.
November 11th, 2019 at 9:22 AM ^
That would be nice. But I'm going to give ND a little benefit of doubt and say the weather impacted them more than it should have. They were worse in that game than they are. Hopefully Michigan is coming along, but again, Michigan was no offensive Juggernaut crushing Maryland last week.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:32 AM ^
Agree mostly but I will say what happened in the Notre Dame game was a bit new and something of a "going for the jugular" performance. Hopefully the start of something new.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:57 AM ^
I was at the ND game and didn’t see us “going for the jugular.” It was our execution that picked up, particularly in the running game: the RBs and OL were in sync (opening right holes, hitting right holes, reading 2nd level blocks, not fumbling, etc). And ND was entirely listless, especially on D. That final score was not indicative of a massive shift in our game plan to go for the jugular ... it was more indicative of ND laying an egg.
Examples: the “tackling” on the Tru and Sainristil TDS late in the game were utterly embarrassing to ND Football. Not saying we don’t score in some way on those drive, but the “big play” nature of those scores were moreso their fault than our aggressiveness / offensive brilliance.
November 11th, 2019 at 12:18 PM ^
I don't know if we can glean anything from Maryland, but I did think the staff has a decent 1-2 punch for PSU and Notre Dame. The emergence of bubble screens against PSU, and then when ND covered the bubble all game, we took advantage inside. Hopefully we see more PSU-ND offense
November 11th, 2019 at 8:14 AM ^
Not even a minuscule amount of Brandon Peters slander will be tolerated this week.
Dude went into Spartan stadium and delivered something for us to laugh at Sparty for all week and made his Illini squad bowl eligible in the process.
Also earlier got his revenge on Wisconsin and derailed their season.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:34 AM ^
But why would the notion of slandering Brandon Peters even be on anyone's radar this week?!
November 11th, 2019 at 9:30 AM ^
"Brandon Peters threw for a lot of yards and would've thrown for a lot more if he wasn't Brandon Peters."
I have no idea. All of whatever is forgiven with the kid after that comeback.
Had he simply won, it wouldn't have been as impressive. The fact that he and they knew he had to pass basically every play until the very last second... on the road, against that heralded defense made it arguably a legendary 4th quarter performance.
November 11th, 2019 at 9:54 AM ^
The reason I said that was despite throwing for a ton of yards, he had some truly awful throws that a better qb would have made. His INT in the endzone should have been an easy TD as his man had beat the corner but he threw it about 5 yards short of where it needed to be. Also had a couple wide open guys on swing passes where he air mailed it 10 feet over their head.
November 11th, 2019 at 1:27 PM ^
Illinois recruited Peters from us; maybe they recruited Taco Pants as well?
November 11th, 2019 at 8:15 AM ^
I bet they will come to play yet I've been so impressed with the defensive improvements of UM I think even if msu comes out strong UM will shut that crap down.
I'm going to be so disappointed if UM comes out flat this game after a bye and in a rivalry game at home.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:30 AM ^
So far Sparty has losses to the #1,#7, #11, #41, and #53 SP+ teams. We are #15.
So far Sparty has scored 17 points against top 15 SP+ defenses. We are #4.
Signs don't point to them scoring much or having a great chance here. That said, they've given up 7, 10, and 31 points to similarly ranked offenses to ours in SP+, so let's hope we're still on the upswing and we can score early and often and put this away.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:38 AM ^
This game will be decided in 1st quarter if it is close or not. Michigan should put peddle down, play action, a couple deep shots, a few over the middle and a few misdirection plays and team should be rolling. If it is not windy, Shea should have a good 15 for 22 type game and 200 yds. I think the running game is good for at least 150. Conversely, the D might be able to pitch a shutout. I see a 35 - 10 type game, with good guys winning. Also see at least 2 pics by Michigan D and at least 6 sacks. I see the Michigan D playing the way they did against Iowa at home. Just hope the offense stays in it's groove since the before bye week.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:39 AM ^
Sparty under Dantonio has traditionally always showed up for games against UM. Didn't matter what the records or previous performances were, they were going to play their best game. This has maybe jaded me a bit, because I can't bring myself to say this is going to be anything other than a one score game and very possibly a loss.
The non-jaded side says I hope this is a beat down of those clowns the likes of which we haven't seen in years.
November 11th, 2019 at 10:27 AM ^
I totally know this feeling. It sucks but my past experience has made me incapable of imagining anything but a nerve-wracking 4 hour slog with the possibility of a loss looming until late in the 4th quarter at best.
I admire all those Michigan fans who are optimistic about some kind of blowout, but I fear they will be gravely disappointed. A close win would be great to me. A loss is still a very real possibility if we can’t hold on to the ball.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:39 AM ^
While we should beat them, and hopefully handily, not sure I would bring up "mandatory concussion protocols" as Sugar Shane might want a word with you.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:51 AM ^
Right, but we definitely paid for that. And what I’m saying is, if Lewerke did have a concussion, would he need to pass anything to be cleared to play Saturday or can MSU just say yeah he’s fine.
November 11th, 2019 at 9:46 AM ^
Why not bring it up? Michigan got murdered for that, justifiably. That was atrocious in this day and age with what (admittedly little overall) is known about head injuries.
MSU is in the same boat. OP asks a valid question I was curious about myself: can they just say, yeah, somebody grabbed in balls and made him cough, he's fine, or do they have to do something more formal. If I were the Lewerke family I wouldn't be giving that university/athletic department any benefit of the doubt when it came to student safety.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:45 AM ^
Just heard on WTKA that Charles Rogers has passed away.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:46 AM ^
Here’s a talking point: Charles Rogers died?
November 11th, 2019 at 9:24 AM ^
There's a thread for that now. We can continue to talk crap about Sparty here!
November 11th, 2019 at 8:49 AM ^
223-0
November 11th, 2019 at 10:06 AM ^
no way we are getting shut out.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:50 AM ^
I don't care what anybody says...this game will be close. They're better than their record shows. Praying for decent weather and a strong fan presence.