Never say die, Go Blue!
When the offense causes a fumble, an interception, 6 botched snaps which ended like 4 drives, you know you are going to have trouble winning a game. If you add a defensive effort that leads to giving up a big bomb that led to a TD, a 80-some yard running play that ended in a TD, an inability to get the opponent's offense off the field on three and outs, you are flirting with disaster. Doing all this against a decent IU team that is much better than anticipated, there is like no way you win this game. UNLESS YOU ARE THE 'O9 WOLVERINES. When it counted at the end, the team come up with a big sack that ended one late Hoosier drive, then ended the subsequent Hoosier drive by intercepting the ball, and then when we needed to run out the clock, Brandon Minor being Brandon Minor gets that one yard needed for us to accomplish that. It wasn't pretty but it shows what kind of moxie this team has; that will serve them well come next Saturday in East Lansing.
Go Blue!
September 26th, 2009 at 8:14 PM ^
After last year i don't think we are in any posistion to apologize for any win, no matter how lucky it was. I will take a win in any way we can get it.
September 26th, 2009 at 8:15 PM ^
I like sentiment quite a bit. Right now it looks like this team has that intangible "it just knows how to win games" thing going on. It pretty much did what it needed to do when the game was on the line.
My worry is that IU really isn't average (or better than expected) but actually kinda sub par. I think our problems on D are so easy to exploit that we made them look much better than they are with or without the turnovers.
September 26th, 2009 at 8:16 PM ^
Before the game everybody would say IU was a terrible team, but then all of a sudden they lose a nailbiter to Michigan and they're a decent team. I don't buy it.
September 26th, 2009 at 8:37 PM ^
I'm not buying it just yet either. Jury is still out on IU. I'll decide whether they are decent next week after they play OSU.
On the other hand, I would not have said they were terrible. No 3-0 team should be called terrible, even if they haven't yet beaten anyone of note.
September 26th, 2009 at 8:19 PM ^
Tate's TD leap.
Tate's 2pc leap.
Denard managing the game while Tate recovered from an injured shoulder.
Tate's TD pass to Odoms.
All in the 4th quarter.
September 26th, 2009 at 8:26 PM ^
You got me fired up. I'm going to watch the 4th Q again during half time of the PSU/Iowa game.
September 26th, 2009 at 8:40 PM ^
be mentioned, I didn't want to get into 'diary' length on the entry. All in all, the guys are looking pretty special, even when they mix in a little special ed, hehe.
September 26th, 2009 at 8:31 PM ^
After 2008, just win, baby, just win.
September 26th, 2009 at 8:46 PM ^
Take it for what it's worth, but I was looking for some measure of SOS. Post Week 3 rankings
Michigan
76 WMU 31-7
28 ND 38-31
119 EMU 45-17
62 IU 36-33
Indiana
FCS Eastern Kentucky 19-13 (W)
76 Western Michigan 23-19 (W)
102 Akron 38-21 (W)
FWIW, throughout college football, one week's results seem to have little bearing on the next so far this year.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/polls/120/index2
September 26th, 2009 at 8:45 PM ^
the penalties. The passing interference not called early on the pass to Mathews, the one that was called late in the game on a ball that was uncatchable in favor of IU, a couple others that made me wonder if someone had some money on this game...there was a lot of 'uphill' battling in this game.
September 26th, 2009 at 8:54 PM ^
It is all about closing out games when it counts. If you recall the '97 championship team, every Wolverine hater in the country insisted we weren't as good as Nebraska, didn't have the talent of a National Championship team, "Brian Griese is no Eric Crouch", etc. I'm not saying we have a championship team...far from it (I'd still be happy with 8-4). But, there is something to be said about being able to perform win it counts to put up a W.
September 26th, 2009 at 9:37 PM ^
Uh, Crouch didn't start playing until the middle of the '98 season. That was Scott Frost in '97.
September 26th, 2009 at 9:43 PM ^
Who thought Michigan would go 4-0?
One of the Detroit sportsradio guys today said something interesting. At this point the Wolverines are basically playing with house money. You have to assume they will get bowl eligible, and anything over 6-6 is gravy. I bet recruiting picks up--who doesn't want to be with an elite program on the rise?
And for those who think Devin Gardner may have second thoughts? We saw that Tate is one hit away from wearing a headset and a clipboard.
September 26th, 2009 at 10:13 PM ^
You know, TUOOS won a national title looking poor nearly every game a few years back. Just saying.
September 27th, 2009 at 12:05 AM ^
looked pretty good to me. Chappell appears to be a heady, accurate QB. Their defense is for real, although we shot ourselves in the foot several times over the first three quarters. I felt that our D played well despite being on the field for most of the game. On the other hand, I don't think the defensive UFR is going to be kind to Obi Ezeh. We need a couple stud LB recruits...soon.