Other Reasons Why Michigan May Win
A few factors I don't see discussed much:
1. This is OSU's second hardest road game of the year.
2. The Big House is louder than ever now. OSU has not been here since the glass went up. EVERYONE GOING TO THE GAME SHOULD REMEMBER TO BE LOUD - A FEW OSU PENALTIES COULD BE BIG.
3. Michigan is 5-2 at home this year. And Joe Tlller Jr. had to pull out all the stops to get one of them.
4. Michigan has struggled since the PSU game. Since that game, Michigan has had a hard time re-grouping on the road and had a close loss at home.
5. USC barely beat OSU in Ohio. USC is not that good. The comparison between Iowa and Purdue games. Transitive comparisons are not great, but I the more there are (3), the better.
6. Right now a projected high of 50 degrees and mostly sunny on Saturday. Michigan has been at its best in the nicer weather.
Add this to the Michigan seniors, bow eligibility, anti-Boren sentiment and things look interesting.....
November 17th, 2009 at 1:49 PM ^
Now I agree that they arent the USC we have gotten to know. However, USC would beat us 10 times out of 10 because we have a porous defense. I think that argument is invalid.
November 17th, 2009 at 1:54 PM ^
I disagree. UM wins at least 2 out 10 against USC. 'SC's defense is porous (although not as porous as UM's) and they are playing a freshman QB as well.
UM should not beat tuos this week but IMO they've got a "decent" chance.
November 17th, 2009 at 1:54 PM ^
In Ann Arbor they only beat us 6/10. They gave up 55 to Stanford - it's not like their defense if full of world beaters either.
November 17th, 2009 at 2:01 PM ^
Michigan could hang with USC this year. Your perception is based on the past. They barely beat ND. Arizona State hung with them. Washington won. Stanford destroyed them. Oregon crushed them (albiet, Orgeon is pretty good).
There is no reason to think USC this year could beat Michigan 10 times out of 10.
November 17th, 2009 at 2:11 PM ^
I disagree. When your defense gives up 35, 38, 38, and 45 points in consecutive weeks against B10 opponents, we do not win a game against them. Yes Stanford hung 55 on them, Stanford is much better than Illinois, Wisconsin, or Purdue and is at least equally as good as Penn State.
November 17th, 2009 at 2:30 PM ^
... if you pull the most negative factor you can find out of Michigan's stats this year, and you only look at that one factor, then all hope is lost.
Oh, and Arizona State is horrible and they hung with USC.
November 17th, 2009 at 2:30 PM ^
... if you pull the most negative factor you can find out of Michigan's stats this year, and you only look at that one factor, then all hope is lost.
Oh, and Arizona State is horrible and they hung with USC.
November 17th, 2009 at 2:38 PM ^
Arizona State is not horrible. Their defense is very solid and is the reason why ASU hung in the game with USC. A quick look at the stats show that ASU is giving up 21 points a game. They have played solid competition in the Pac-10 and played Georgia on the Road. That being said, 21 points is pretty damn good. The reason why ASU is not better is a result of the offense. Your argument holds no weight in the context of Michigan. Michigan's defense, to date, looks like a pop warner cluster fuck. USC would run the ball all day against us.
November 17th, 2009 at 3:51 PM ^
At this thread deteriorating into how UM would fare against USC.
Shit, can't hang with Wisconsin, Illinois, Purdue, Penn State, barely hung with Indiana--yet somehow this team could give USC a tussle?
There are times when Kool Aid is toxic.
November 17th, 2009 at 1:53 PM ^
Your #2 point is "Big House is louder than ever"... ugh, when did we as Michigan fans need to resort to such scraping for reason to believe...
Its UM vs OSU. That is why we might win. And that is why we might lose. Nothing more needs to be said.
November 17th, 2009 at 2:03 PM ^
... I was just talking about "other reasons" that are not discussed much.
the central issue is Michigan v. OSU - The Game.
November 17th, 2009 at 2:10 PM ^
All this talk (I am as guilty as the next guy) is getting me giddy and bored at the same time.
PLEASE BE A CLOSE GAME
PLEASE BE A CLOSE GAME
PLEASE BE A CLOSE GAME
PLEASE BE A CLOSE GAME
PLEASE BE A CLOSE GAME
November 17th, 2009 at 3:02 PM ^
If so, Pryor will be forced to pass.
November 17th, 2009 at 5:15 PM ^
but another reason why UM has a chance, if forcier is healthy, is that he is now 90% of the way toward being a non-Freshman ie Sophomore (as far as football goes).
November 17th, 2009 at 4:14 PM ^
I can't tell if the OP is being serious, just making a tounge-in-cheek comment about all the silly reasons why we might win.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:17 PM ^
The best bet is that The Sweater's nuts shrink up into his body and he plays an ultra conservative game that let's us hang around and we get some breaks to win. If he is aggressive and like Purdue or Wisconsin and pulls out the stops (i.e. passes on non passing downs, onside kicks, etc) it could be a long day. If he runs it into the line twice and passes on 3rd down, maybe we get lucky.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:25 PM ^
If we're doing the comparative thing, Penn State trashed us in Ann Arbor, and Ohio State trashed them in Happy Valley...