Midnight strikes for Cinderella Sparty
MSU has lived a charmed life this season. They've been outgained in five of their seven Big Ten games, yet are 6-1 in conference play. How'd they pull that off? An extremely favorable turnover ratio. That, and the fact that Ringer (who had a significant injury history prior to this season) suddenly morphed into an iron man who could carry the ball 35 times a game without injury. MSU's performance against the two Big Ten champs (PSU and OSU) tells the real story about them. I would not expect them to represent the conference well against the SEC in Orlando/Tampa, either.
November 22nd, 2008 at 5:15 PM ^
Well, Penn 28, MSU 7 at the half. State just scored that 7 with only seconds to go. Does this probable win get Penn State to the Rose Bowl? What does this do to tOSU? State?
Maybe Dantonio shouldn't have been talking smack about Michigan, at least the Wolverines were able to hold their own in the first half.
November 22nd, 2008 at 5:50 PM ^
Welcome back to the Penn State team that was playing in the first half of the year and blew everyone off the field in the first half. MSU needed the bad Darryl Clark that played the last few weeks to show up. He didn't.
MSU hasn't been able to block for Hoyer against anyone with a good line this year. Graham abused their right tackle, and PSU's end is every bit as good at rushing the passer. Hoyer's been under the gun the whole game.
This sends PSU to the Rose. Ohio State's destination actually depends on Oregon State. If the Beavs win out, OSU goes to the CapOne bowl (as USC will take the remaining BCS at-large). If USC wins out and Oregon State loses one of their last two, then Ohio State will likely go to a BCS bowl as an at-large unless one of the BCS bowls takes a second non-BCS conference team over Ohio State, which is really unlikely to happen.
November 22nd, 2008 at 6:39 PM ^
49-10 now. I think MSU has now been outscored by its Big Ten opposition this year, which just underscores what a fluke their season has been. Incidentally, I love that Dantonio chose to kick a field goal in the fourth quarter while trailing by 42. Did he bet on Sparty as a 40-point underdog?
November 22nd, 2008 at 6:57 PM ^
The guy takes a timeout with 9 seconds on the clock.
Down by 30+ points, I think he was just being a douche. C'mon, let Penn get on with their celebration. How immature.
November 22nd, 2008 at 6:58 PM ^
Did anyone see Mark Dantonio call those two timeouts down 48-18 with 9 seconds left?
Seriously what is wrong with this guy?
"MEHHHH I lost and I'm angry so I know I'll delay the game to show my disapproval of the way Penn State kept passing late in the 4th. MEHHHH!"
November 22nd, 2008 at 7:31 PM ^
At least MSU will be representing the B10 this bowl season.
November 22nd, 2008 at 7:51 PM ^
Why are people so whiny about some things. How about all the times in the past years when they HAVEN'T? One bad year to get back on top is worth it.
November 22nd, 2008 at 8:36 PM ^
Where is the guarantee that we ever get back "on top?"
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:47 PM ^
Where's the guarantee that we won't?
November 22nd, 2008 at 8:40 PM ^
MSU got obliterated by the only 2 real teams they played this year. They just simply benefited from the Big 10 being exceedingly weak this year and a soft OOC. They'll be back to a sub-.500 team in no time.
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:02 PM ^
MSU was actually fifth in the conference in turnover margin - hardly "charmed". Minnesota was the fluke team this year, and they've been exposed.
Sadly, I don't think MSU was a fluke at all. They finally have a decent coach and are consistently making bowl games. Unfortunately, losing to BCS-caliber teams is not indicative of them going sub-.500 any time soon. The talent isn't there, but they're far removed from the undisciplined jokes they were under Bobby Williams and John L. Smith.
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:45 PM ^
MSU was -5 in turnovers against OSU, which drags down their average for the season, but other than that game, they won the turnover margin against almost every team they played. That will not happen next season. (And yes, you could argue that they were unlucky to be -5 against OSU, but that game would have been an ass-kicking regardless.)
Again: good teams do not get outgained in six of eight Big Ten games. For MSU to have gone 6-2 despite being outgained six times (and outscored altogether in Big Ten play) is incredibly fluky.
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:54 PM ^
Good teams win games. MSU did that this year. I give them their once-in-a-decade credit- it wasn't a fluke, it was good coaching and taking advantage of opportunities given. Statistics don't tell the whole story. Moral victories don't get it done- I don't care how much we beat ND on paper this year, we still got pounded.
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:30 PM ^
I think MichiganDifference is right. Have you guys seen MSU's recruits for next year? Dantonio's doing a pretty good job. That's not to say, though, that he wasn't a complete douche calling those timeouts.
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:52 PM ^
MSU is getting decent recruits, but is really benefiting from Michigan having a coach who is unfamiliar with the high schools in this state. That stuff will change in a couple years.
MSU will be better than the joke teams of the last few years, but they won't be ever be consistently above about 4th in the Big Ten.
November 23rd, 2008 at 6:25 PM ^
The only respectable wins MSU had were over Iowa and Northwestern. Every other game was either a win against a bad team or a loss.
November 23rd, 2008 at 6:32 PM ^
That means that Michigan had no respectable wins.
November 23rd, 2008 at 6:52 PM ^
Who was arguing that we did?
November 23rd, 2008 at 7:04 PM ^
I say that the comeback win against Wisconsin and beating Minnesota on the road are respectable wins. They aren't great, but they're respectable.