MSU RIvalry - Bigger than we think
The MSU rivalry is bigger than most of us Michigan fans like to think. We think it's not a rivalry because we won 6 of last 7 games.
02- 49-3 blowout
03- Won by a touhdown
04- Comeback win with Braylon (OT), stanton got hurt
05- Winning FG (OT)
06-
07- Down 24-14 with 7min left, come victorious
08- MSU came back :(
If you think about it, one or two more plays in MSU's favor, they dominate the rivalry.
The '06 game was a blowout. Stanton was kicking our ass in the '04 game. Had he not gotten injured (seperated shoulder when Woodley crushed him) in that game, we would've lost, imho.
I am not so sure we would have lost in 04 if Stanton had not got hurt. As much as Stanton "was kicking our ass in the '04 game.", the score was 17-10 at the half and Stanton was playing out of his ass.
Dowdell came in and played well in the second half, probably his best half of football in his MSU career. State extended the lead to 17 points in the 2nd half without Stanton and looked like they had the game in hand.
We will never know what would have taken place had Woodley not annihlated Stanton for the second time in his football career, but I fall on the side that thinks Michigan would have prevailed anyway.
Stanton did get 2 more complete game opportunities against Michigan and came up short in both. in 2005 State put up 21 in the first half against Michigan with Stanton at the helm, similar to 04. The 2nd half was a different story, State could only muster 1 TD in the 2nd half and lost in OT. 2006 State just got whupped up on.
Ya, but he is a pussy, thus was bound to get injured.
'02 was the blowout. '03 was the game where Chris Perry had 50 carries. We dominated in '06. MSU mostly dominated in '08. Out of the last seven games, we have won the three barnburner types. Indeed, it has been close. A few plays go against us and we could have been 3-4. Although you could argue that MSU has had their "few plays", such as the blown call/fumble TD return in the '05 game.
I like the way you think, sir.
'03 was a 27-20 win that was not as close as the score indicated. Chris Perry carried the ball 53-something times for over 200 yards and Braylon had a pair of TDs IIRC.
and '06 was 31-13...with Stanton playing.
and in '05, the game was only close because of a play that DID go MSU's way that shouldn't have...the Peko fumble return for a TD (where it was pretty clear that Henne's arm was going forward while a MSU player tried to dislodge his facemask from his helmet).
So no, it isn't close as you think it is.
of those games. 2004 and 2007 were 2 games that MSU had their best opportunity to win but blew them.
Is the OP a troll? First all those videos of Michigan losses, and now this? Nothing better to do?
Seems like it.
I think it's just someone fishing for attention in mid-July.
Ha, I think R_mahorn1974 just gave us all -1's.
Stay classy dillweed.
Yeah, you may not recognize him because he changed his avatar, however, people have been annoyed by him for a long time. He's been posting useless things for a few months now..
I like his new avatar.
no sugarcoat.
'If you think about it, one or two more plays in MSU's favor, they dominate the rivalry.'
Actually, what comes to mind is Chad Henne throwing to Edwards/Manningham.
And the final score. And the fact that we have dominated them the better part of 30 some years. That's what comes to mind.
And based on my interpretation of what both teams are bringing to the field this season, this year will be the beginning of another long streak. Whether this is done in dramatic fashion (03/04/05/07), or a little less so (02) makes little difference to me in the long run.
I always do.
Seriously, though. What's the point of this post? I think most Michigan fans identify Sparty as the #2 or #3 rivalry. Isn't that good enough? Yes, Michigan wins most of the time. I could look at Lloyd Carr's entire coaching career and point to 80% of the games and say, 1 or 2 more plays made by the opposition team and they would have won.
For example:
1997 v. Iowa, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Washington State
2000 v. Alabama
2003 v. Ohio State and Minnesota
2005 v. Iowa, Michigan State, Penn State
2006 v. Minnesota, Wisconsin
We can look at this the other way - if Lloyd's teams would have made one or two more plays in games they lost, they would have won 90% of their games. Similarly, last year, if Michigan had "made" two more plays against Utah, Toledo, Northwestern, Michigan State, and Purdue (and by "plays" I mean "touchdowns") they'd have gone 8-4 and posts like these wouldn't exist.
I'm not sure what you want out of "us Michigan fans." Okay - the games are close. We could have lost. WE DIDN'T. These stats shouldn't make us pay attention any more to Sparty than we normally do - this year, between September 27th and October 3rd.
I've seen many posts by people laughing how we dominate MSU. In reality, its been many close games in which we came back too.
People can be realistic about how many wins we'll get in 2009, why can't I be realistic on how close the rivalry is?
Everyones been looking at the MSU game as just another game, it's not.
According to my Hail To The Victors 2009, Michigan has a 67-29-5 lead in the all time series.
That isn't a close rivalry. Michigan State could win for the next 37 years and not catch up. Nice try.
Who is "everyone?" Name them. It's not just another game. Sparty is the second or third biggest rival.
At least it's not like T. Boone-esque 17-79-7 to Oklahoma. Pitiful.
is MSU would need to win the next 30 straight to make the series close. They are still third at best. It's funny because I use to cheer for them every game but one. That started to fade after the App State game and now I actually cheer against them except for OSU because of how arrogant they were after one win.
You're not being realistic at all actually. MSU is not another game, its a rivalry game to see who owns bragging rights in state for the year. Other than that, its a game Michigan traditionally dominates. So, I really don't know what you're looking for.
I can see where MSU fans are coming from. It would suck for your #1 rivalry to end up as your rival school's #3 rivalry. This is how you end up as the little brother.
Bingo
Do people forget what really happened in the 04 game (NOT the 06 game)? MSU was still extremely succesful after stanton left the game. And pulled out to a their biggest lead in the fourth quarter (Stanton went down in the second) of 17 points. Then we had our comeback.
Watch the game again (it's easy to find, and Big Ten network plays it often) Stanton going out was not the reason why MSU lost. Their inability to stop Braylon from the fourth on was the reason they loss.
We could not stop that counter run thingy. They seriously ran it over and over and over again and our LBs and safties bit everytime.
Best avatar i've seen all year.
I miss Bell's. They don't have it in my neck of the woods (NYC).
if your avatar had been their Two Hearted Ale.
I can't get it in Toronto, either. C'est la vie. Toronto is a bit backwards in the brewing department. There are some good breweries here, but nothing like Bell's or New Glarus.
However, I do have the T-shirt with the Oberon logo.
Damon Dowdell played a very good game. It wasn't like they put it a Sheridanesque QB when Stanton came out. They actually expanded their lead with Stanton sidelined (to 27-10).
"If you think about it, one or two more plays in MSU's favor, they dominate the rivalry."
"If you think about it, one or two more plays in our favor, we dominate the rivalry with OSU."
If wishes and buts were candies and nuts, etc. etc. etc.
If you think about it, one or two more plays in MSU's favor, they dominate the rivalry.
This might be one of the stupidest posts ever on this board (which is saying something).
I should +1 you just for that feat.
Edit: 
that is all.
The best part is this: We've won 6 of the last 7. If "one or two" plays went in Sparty's favor, well, that's a maximum of two games shifted their way, so we instead win 4 of the last 7. I didn't realize winning 3 of 7 was dominating a rivalry.
cough Clockgate cough
They did get their favor already.
The non-PI call against Desmond in the endzone. This is going back a bit, yeah, but point taken - they've had their breaks.
Not only was it a horrible non-PI call, but it was actually a CATCH too. Desmond had possession when he hit the ground, and the ground caused the ball to come loose, which is by rule, a catch. Bob Griese and Keith Jackson both pointed it out after watching the replay.
Makes me sick to my stomach just thinking about it. I can't even imagine how pissed Sparty would be if the tables were turned on that one.
Yes! He had possession. Instant replay would've overturned it IMO.
but then I viewed it without my maize-tinted glasses. (It took me many years to gain the perspective to look at the play somewhat impartially.) Although he clearly caught the ball and only lost possession when he hit the ground, the requirement is that you come down with it in your possession. It's called the same way with diving catches all the time... It doesn't matter if you have control of it in the air. Unless you come down with it, it's ruled incomplete. Instant replay would have upheld the call, ruling it no catch, even though they would have had to watch the obvious trip over and over again.
There was no excuse for the lack of a pass-interference call.
...the late Chief Justice Rehnquist, once wrote, "If my aunt were a man, she'd be my uncle."
His sentence is similar logic to the OP.
Most rivalry games are close, and despite MSU not being our #1 rivalry it is an in-state BCS school. For instance lately we have been "PWNED" by OSU by these scores.
2001 Michigan 20 Ohio State 26 Ann Arbor
2002 Michigan 9 Ohio State 14 Columbus
2003 Michigan 35 Ohio State 21 Ann Arbor
2004 Michigan 21 Ohio State 37 Columbus
2005 Michigan 21 Ohio State 25 Ann Arbor
2006 Michigan 39 Ohio State 42 Columbus
2007 Michigan 3 Ohio State 14 Ann Arbor
2008 Michigan 7 Ohio State 42 Columbus
That is 4 one score margins, 2 two score margins, and last years blow out. Some of those lower margin games we did not look good the whole the game, but held it close.
EDIT: Yikes took 2003 out count, we won.
cool story, bro
If you think about it, if your aunt had a dick and balls, she'd be your uncle.
The only reason you haven't been carpet bombed BlueFront style is because we're all mesmerized by Vida's ass.
You're right, she's saving him from a serious dose of Wolverine rape.
By posting 40 replies to his own diary, bluefront gives more opportunities to click the down arrow.
This is the Internet. If there's one thing you can find without even trying, it's asses. Zero point bonus for the avatar.
That's exactly what I thought. No fair.
Michigan State got a century's worth of calls from Sparty Bob.
Since when does close games indicate that a particular opponent is a rival? As I see it, MSU is, at best, number 3 on Michigan's totem pole (although Michigan is #1 on MSU's). I think it's safe to say UM and OSU are number 1 on each other's- hence rivals.