OSU loses by more than M. Fire Day, hire Campbell?
Alabama 52, Ohio State 24 (35-17 at half)
Alabama 35, Michigan 16 (14-16 at half, M leading)
Time to ditch Ryan Day for Matt Campbell or Luke Fickell?
Or time to fire Kerry Coombs? Or time to fire Kevin Wilson?
Or was it just that Ohio State still had its once-per-season miraculous-fortune spell (usually reserved for The Game), used it against the Fighting Clemsons, and didn't have it for the Alabama game?
/s
January 12th, 2021 at 2:54 AM ^
I know this is a sarcastic post but last year's Alabama team is not this year's Alabama team. They might have the best offense of all time in college football.
January 12th, 2021 at 5:00 AM ^
Can't speak for "all-time", but in 30 years of watching CF, last year's LSU team is the best offense I've ever seen. Carved up every defense like a turkey. Seemed completely effortless to watch them.
January 12th, 2021 at 8:25 AM ^
+1. How soon we forget what Joe Burrow and company did only one year ago.
January 12th, 2021 at 9:22 AM ^
Hey, isn't he the kid that osu developed and let LSU use for that one great year?
January 12th, 2021 at 11:12 AM ^
No, he’s the kid that didn’t do shit at OSU, had a mediocre year at LSU and then had the one great year
January 12th, 2021 at 9:32 AM ^
Good point about LSU last year. It seemed like LSU depended so much on Joe Burrow even though the RB, WR, & TE were all very good.
It seems like Bama has a Joe Burrow level player at WR and RB and Mac Jones just became the most accurate QB in history.
Ultimately I think this speaks to the O-Line. LSU had to have the most amazing year by a QB ever to be what they were. Alabama has such a dominate O-line they could consistently score TD's by either running or throwing. They mentioned last night Bama had scored TD's on 30 of their last 39 drives. Not many 3 and out's for that to happen. LSU seemed more boom or bust, they just had a lot of boom to counter their 3 and out's.
January 12th, 2021 at 10:14 AM ^
Alabama's offense is somehow more soul crushing, because watching LSU a year ago you had the sneaking suspicion "This is like 90% Joe Burrow and when he graduates there's no way they replicate this" and they didn't.
This year's Alabama team basically took the 2020 version of Thad Busby and did 1990 Houston Cougars shit to you. It feels way more replicable, especially if college football is going to keep letting teams run pass plays with their OL 8 yards down field.
January 12th, 2021 at 9:18 AM ^
I mean they had all these guys plus 2 first rd draft pick WRs and a handful of others selected.
January 12th, 2021 at 9:24 AM ^
That's not even the problem with this post. Michigan has extended Harbaugh, so I've decided to do my best to get behind that.
Having said that, this post is (sarcastically) suggesting that last year's reaction to the Alabama loss was an overreaction, because it was by less than OSU's loss this year. Even with the sarcasm, the post lacks intellectual honesty and context, leaving out the woodshed beating by OSU and losses to PSU & Wisconsin...and that Alabama lost two games last year.
Not to mention one of the most disappointimg losses in my football memory, to a new coach and terrible Sparty team this year. This Alabama team would've put 80 on Michigan this year. Let's not pretend that a back to back 4-loss Michigan team is somehow special, because they lost by less than OSU to the same opponent in a different year. Even with sarcasm, that's embarrassing.
January 12th, 2021 at 12:44 PM ^
Last year's Michigan team is also not this year's Michigan team. Alabama would have scored 100 on us this year.
January 12th, 2021 at 12:53 PM ^
Any chance D. Smith would come to Michigan if we were offered him 8 mill. It might be a pay cut from what he made at Bama, but for what we paid Harbaugh he was able to beat OSU, singlehandedly.
January 12th, 2021 at 9:11 PM ^
And Bama playing for CFP championship rather than an also-ran bowl for the only time in the existence of the CFP. Motivation matters, just ask Dabo.
January 12th, 2021 at 3:23 AM ^
Yikes
January 12th, 2021 at 3:31 AM ^
Maybe, but Alabama was just as talented last year -- a roster full of the same excellent guys they have now plus others that since went in high rounds of NFL draft.
2020 was weird, and I don't think this year's scores vs. last year's scores is a statistically solid predictor.
But, yes, I'm being totally sarcastic. Ohio State players and coaches are very good, and Alabama is great this year, perhaps especially so.
January 12th, 2021 at 5:05 AM ^
Don't make me defend those idiots, but they did have 2 starters on the D line out, they lost Sermon the first play of the game, and Wyatt Davis in the 2nd qrt. That was the reason they handled Clemson. I knew going in it would be high scoring, I just didn't think it would be Bama doing all the scoring. I bet Don Brown enjoyed that game.
January 12th, 2021 at 5:10 AM ^
True, and Fields probably wasn't feeling his best.
But folks don't always give Michigan those sorts of caveats when Michigan has injuries to important players.
January 12th, 2021 at 7:02 AM ^
That’s because we’re never playing for a national championship and are busy taking Rutgers to 3 overtime’s in year 6 and needing a missed field goal.
January 12th, 2021 at 9:23 AM ^
Avatar checks out
January 12th, 2021 at 9:08 AM ^
THANK YOU!!!! How many times did Michigan go into OSU game with an injured QB? 2007, 2012, 2016? Michigan lost Chase and Bush in 2018. ALL games Michigan could have won - it was nice to see OSU experience that feeling in a big game...
January 12th, 2021 at 10:00 AM ^
We've had some REALLY bad injury luck, when it comes to the OSU game. Chad Henne, Denard Robinson, and many more before the Harbaugh Era.
The Harbaugh Era has been even worse, regarding the game and QB injuries. You can basically count on 1 or 2 QBs being hurt going into the game or being hurt during the game. It's crazy.
They played the 2015 game, and Jake Ruddock got hurt during the game.
They went into 2016 with an injured Wilton Speight (he was injured the game before, Iowa)
They went into the 2017 game with Speight on the IR, and Brandon Peters out.
They played the 2018 game and Patterson got hurt during the game. Dylan McCaffrey was on the IR.
They played the 2019 game with Patterson healing from a season long injury, and he (again) got hurt during the game (but didn't come out). Peters transferred before the season. McCaffrey had the concussion against Wisconsin and didn't play after that.
January 12th, 2021 at 10:36 AM ^
Do you mean to tell me that teams with bad offensive lines are unlucky to have lots of QB injuries?
January 12th, 2021 at 8:10 AM ^
OSU was down a number of players... but they also almost lost to Indiana, at home and at full strength.
They are good, but not dominant. (It also helps that the rest of the Big Ten just isn't very good these days - that won't last indefinitely.)
January 12th, 2021 at 8:35 AM ^
Also, after the third game of the season, OSU had a week off before every remaining game.
January 12th, 2021 at 3:46 AM ^
It was, to me, an interesting game to watch, though.
Ohio State is a very good team. But to me, for the past several years at least, it looks like Ohio State -- in addition to being very good -- gets unusually good fortune in The Game. Things like too many bombs that land right within the square foot they need to, or Dobbins dropping the ball and in stride having it bounce right back up into his hands.
Then back to normal fortune after that, where Ohio State can win against a mere-mortal team (like Notre Dame or Washington) but lose (perhaps badly) to Clemson.
This year, there was no The Game, and Ohio State used its once-per-season great-fortune charm in the Clemson game. It was gone for Alabama.
OK, the forgoing is a tongue in cheek.
What I did see was a team that was spot on all through the Clemson game, but in the Alabama game definitely showed that they can have flaws, too. Some botched plays. Some bad calls. Some bad pass defense.
It is heartening when you see that your foe can show some flaws.
January 12th, 2021 at 6:58 AM ^
I agree, but I will also give them credit. Their best players always seem to play their best games against us, and their other big games. I wouldn't necessarily call it good fortune. Our best players don't seem to do that. We do things like fumble, drop TD passes, drop interceptions, and miss tackles we normally make. I'm not sure if that's because our players press, or just choke, but when was the last time our best players played their best in "The Game" or a bowl game?
January 12th, 2021 at 7:50 AM ^
Agreed with it not necessarily being good fortune. They just seem like they want it more every single year. I'm sure their locker room or workout area takes a shot at us to keep them motivated every single day.
January 12th, 2021 at 8:43 AM ^
That is because they practice every day, all year for Michigan. What you saw in the Clemson game was the game plan for Michigan. Since they didn't play us it wasn't needed.
January 12th, 2021 at 7:52 AM ^
I noticed this too. Alabama players made almost zero mistakes. When a receiver was open the QB got him the ball where he could easily catch it, and he would catch it. When they needed a yard for a first down they'd get three yards. Near perfect execution.
After watching how terrible UM offenses have been in terms of execution I just can't imagine us ever having a team that comes close to winning a NC.
January 12th, 2021 at 7:52 PM ^
^This. But when it happens every year for the past 20 years it is no longer a fluke phenomena, it is a psychological block. I have never heard whether Michigan uses sports psychologists. If they don't already, then they should going forward. Then maybe more of our programs would be able to close the deal when championships are on the line.
January 12th, 2021 at 8:14 AM ^
They have good fortune in The Game because they are more talented and vastly better organized.
January 12th, 2021 at 4:36 AM ^
Don't be silly, this is just one game...now refuse to get over the 2020 msu game like the rest of us.
January 12th, 2021 at 5:11 AM ^
Heh! :)
My feeling is always, no matter what, "We'll get 'em next year!" :)
January 12th, 2021 at 9:09 AM ^
HAH! that made me laugh +1
January 12th, 2021 at 5:40 AM ^
It’s clear to me that the game has passed day by and he’s too stubborn to change.
January 12th, 2021 at 5:43 AM ^
+1 :)
No fire on the sideline. Bucknuts fans screaming "Give me the old Day!"
January 12th, 2021 at 10:53 AM ^
Yester-Day, all their troubles seemed so far away, now it looks as though there are here to stay. How they long for Yesterday-Day
January 12th, 2021 at 5:44 AM ^
michigan had first and ten at the alabama 30 early in the fourth, down five. then shea patterson happened. the notion that we’ll never be able to play with these guys is simply wrong. we weren’t beating alabama or osu this season, obviously, but nobody was.
January 12th, 2021 at 1:07 PM ^
***This post is in full agreement with the above***
I might argue that Gattis and Harbaugh are doing exactly that, with regard to the offense.
January 12th, 2021 at 5:51 AM ^
If anything, yesterday's game is a reminder that in modern CFB, you have to win shootouts to win big games. Michigan's gotta shore up the defense, but I'd say more importantly, they need to figure out how to be a 40+ ppg offense consistently.
January 12th, 2021 at 6:23 AM ^
Yeah, because this is the same Alabama team as last year.
January 12th, 2021 at 8:31 AM ^
It pretty much was but you can add Jeudy and Ruggs. You're probably one of the dudes that was complaining that we lost to Tua's sorry ass backup Mac Jones.
January 12th, 2021 at 8:57 AM ^
It must be tough going through life not being able to appreciate sarcasm.
January 12th, 2021 at 6:36 AM ^
OSU needs to clean house. Day out, Campbell in. Day to pros (Detroit or Jacksonville), Campbell to National Championship.
January 12th, 2021 at 8:04 AM ^
I am sure the brain trust over in Columbus will realize they need to increase their $500 handshakes to at least $1000 to get more Southern talent.
January 12th, 2021 at 7:34 AM ^
I just sat there for a few hours desiring the honor of being pantsed by Alabama in the CFP Championship Game. Oh well, one day perhaps.....far in the future and under another regime....
January 12th, 2021 at 7:59 AM ^
That wasn't a Tide that hit OSU. That was a frickin typhoon of destruction that completed picked apart the Buckeyes. I had thought we'd see a continuation of what OSU had done to Clemson but nope. I was absolutely wrong. Mac Jones turned into Mac Truck and not only ran over the Buckeyes, but stopped to back up and roll over them a few more times for the fun of it!
January 12th, 2021 at 8:15 AM ^
I think this continues to show that recruiting matters. Ryan Day did not forget how to coach but Bama has more talent on both lines then OSU and it showed in that game. The same way OSU beats Michigan because we do not have CB who are fast enough to run with OUS WR on crossing routes.
January 12th, 2021 at 9:55 PM ^
Mac Jones, one of the most-important players on the team (yes, not the only one, but one of them), was a 3-star. He's great as it turns out, but he wasn't thought to be great until maybe from the Michigan game forward.
January 12th, 2021 at 8:18 AM ^
I didn't care either way about who won that game. But I can admit to having been in awe of Alabama's offense. The play calls, the pace, the speed, the precision... Was just a thing of beauty, in a choke on vomit sort of way. Fields was missing because the Bama offense wasn't - there was a need to keep up, and he knew it. He (and the entire OSU offense) was pressing - maybe (probably) subconsciously, but pressing nonetheless.
It's the same thing we see from Michigan against OSU. You miss one scoring on one possession... That's all it takes when you know the defense can't really 'stop' the other team.
I would LOVE to see some rule changes that benefit defenses, for a change...
January 12th, 2021 at 8:31 AM ^
Last year's bama offense also had Jeudy and Ruggs with that wr core.. We can give Don Brown some credit for how well we defended them overall. It would have been even better if the Offense could have stayed on the field or put up points after the half.