Rose Bowl Open Thread
The Granddaddy of them all! The 100th Rose Bowl. Number 4 Michigan State vs. Number 5 Stanford. Who are you guys taking in this game and why? I like Stanford so I wouldn't mind to see them win. I do think the perception of the Big Ten is somewhat important, but I also don't think the Big Ten being that great matters a whole lot. I'm cheering for neither team though. I am just hoping for a good quality game.
The line favors Stanford by 5.5 points. Michigan State has the best defense in the country. Stanford has one of the best ground and pound teams in the country.
F/+ Projection: Stanford 20, Michigan State 11
Win Probability: Stanford 73%
| Michigan St | Stanford | |
| Actual Score | 0 | 0 |
| Most Likely | 13 | 17 |
| Median | 13 | 17 |
| Mean | 14.63 | 19.37 |
| Win Probability | 36% | 64% |
January 1st, 2014 at 7:58 PM ^
Most college QBs don't throw right into the arms of opposing DBs four times in one game either.
January 1st, 2014 at 7:57 PM ^
The MSU OL is the unsung hero for them - they have picked up the vast majority of blitzes, which has allowed Cook to exploit them.
January 1st, 2014 at 7:55 PM ^
January 1st, 2014 at 7:55 PM ^
January 1st, 2014 at 7:56 PM ^
Hate to admit it but this msu team is like a mirror image of the 97 Michigan team. Nasty defense and offense not flashy but does enough to win.
January 1st, 2014 at 8:02 PM ^
Agree 100% - I believe their offense is a bit ahead of where UM's was by the end of the year though. Defenses would be very interesting to match up.
January 1st, 2014 at 7:56 PM ^
I would have loved to see MSU play a team like Clemson or FSU. No chance you could get away with playing single coverage every down against those WRs.
January 1st, 2014 at 8:01 PM ^
January 1st, 2014 at 8:05 PM ^
I think msu would compete with Auburn. The only teams I think would beat them are FSU and Bama.
January 1st, 2014 at 8:08 PM ^
January 1st, 2014 at 8:02 PM ^
FSU is on another level than Clemson. Clemson is a classic choke team - MSU would strangle them. FSU is just special this year - they won most of their conf games by 30. Unless I misjudged them I think they beat Auburn by 14+.
January 1st, 2014 at 7:56 PM ^
Plain and simple. MSU is well coached. Very well coached. And it shows.
That's how you overcome youth and lack of recruiting "stars".
January 1st, 2014 at 7:56 PM ^
January 1st, 2014 at 8:04 PM ^
Great defense. "Manball" offense. Above average special teams (kicker missed 1 FG, punter is top 3 in the nation). Great coaching staff. 11+ wins 3 of the past 4 years.
Yes everything we want to be. Unfortunately I think Dantonio has built Wisconsin 2.0 in state
January 1st, 2014 at 7:57 PM ^
At this rate there will not be an East Lansing tomorrow.
January 1st, 2014 at 7:58 PM ^
January 1st, 2014 at 7:58 PM ^
January 1st, 2014 at 8:01 PM ^
I didn't think their playcalling was that bad on that series - the pass just should have been completed.
January 1st, 2014 at 7:59 PM ^
Stanford has just killed itself with drops, on both sides of the ball.
January 1st, 2014 at 8:00 PM ^
I think MSU has this one in the bag. Which is good for the Big Ten I guess.
January 1st, 2014 at 8:04 PM ^
January 1st, 2014 at 8:00 PM ^
I'm going to get negged for this but Dantonio and his staff are the best in the B1G. A team full of 2 and 3 stars to a Rose Bowl win and the best defense in the country..
January 1st, 2014 at 8:01 PM ^
January 1st, 2014 at 8:06 PM ^
Only by the maize colored blind. MSU has far less resources than UM and OSU. At least OSU goes to a BCS bowl every year but they perform to their resources. UM and Texas and Tennessee are performing below resources. MSu is performing well ahead of resources.
January 1st, 2014 at 8:00 PM ^
January 1st, 2014 at 8:03 PM ^
January 1st, 2014 at 8:01 PM ^
My facebook feed is not going to be pretty tonight.
January 1st, 2014 at 8:01 PM ^
MSU loses 9 from their two deep on defense after this year from graduation alone.
January 1st, 2014 at 8:04 PM ^
that would matter if we played them in sept. but we don't. their replacements will be coached-up and ready to play when we come to town. i wish i had the confidence in our coaches to do the same with our players. hasn't really happened during this tenure.
January 1st, 2014 at 8:10 PM ^
Even still, I think they'll take a step backwards. Nowhere did I say they wouldn't be good or improve as the season progresses. I know they will play us well, as they always do.
January 1st, 2014 at 8:07 PM ^
It also seems like they have their bye week before our games in most years.
January 1st, 2014 at 8:10 PM ^
UM had 2 weeks to prepare for MSU this year - if you recall. That got Borges 1 drive essentially before Narduzzi ended the UM offense.
January 1st, 2014 at 8:07 PM ^
Yeah I'm not sure it'll matter much. They're probably at the "next man up" stage.
January 1st, 2014 at 8:08 PM ^
MSU will be 9-3 or 10-2 at this time next year. Capital One Bowl-ish. You realize what conference they play in right? The only big holes they need to replace of those old guys are Dennard and Bullough. They are playing tonight without Bullough. The other spots they have young backups who play a lot (i.e. Ed Davis replaced Denis Allen)
January 1st, 2014 at 8:33 PM ^
They lose 3 offensive lineman, they lose Lippett whose had a pretty good game, they lose Ellsworth whose had a really good game replacing Bullough, they lose both interior d-lineman who are over 300lbs so they lose some beef up front, they lose Lewis too. They lose quite a bit. I agree that they are good enough and coached well enough not to fall apart, but they will definately take a big step back. They may win 9 games, but I'd guess more like 7-8. They also play Oregon next year, between that and OSU there's 2 losses for sure.
January 2nd, 2014 at 12:30 AM ^
why do you assume OSU is a loss for Sparty? Sparty gets them in East Lansing and with a bye has two weeks to prepare.
January 1st, 2014 at 8:02 PM ^
throw the frickin ball on first down. Throw it again on second down. Oh, and tell your receivers to, I dunno, CATCH it.
January 1st, 2014 at 8:07 PM ^
I know everyone's down on Borges, but he really isn't a "run at all costs" kind of guy. How many carries did our tailbacks have last game?
January 1st, 2014 at 8:03 PM ^
If you don't think Dantonio is the first or second best coach in the conference you're delusional.
January 1st, 2014 at 8:06 PM ^
You've made your point about 1000 times. We get it. You're impressed by MSU.
January 1st, 2014 at 8:13 PM ^
but our coaching staff irritates me
January 1st, 2014 at 8:04 PM ^
January 1st, 2014 at 8:05 PM ^
January 1st, 2014 at 8:11 PM ^
Yeah that linebacker dropped an easy one earlier.
January 1st, 2014 at 8:14 PM ^
On the other side, Desmonds disdain for STAEE is ridiculous. I don't know how many times he said he thinks Stanford is going to run away with it...
January 1st, 2014 at 8:06 PM ^
Not sure why SU is not throwing more. Could Hogan be hurt?
January 1st, 2014 at 8:08 PM ^
Stanford has a below average passing attack
January 1st, 2014 at 8:12 PM ^
now that Mongomery has been knocked out of the game.
January 1st, 2014 at 8:16 PM ^
Even before he went out. They are #93 in the country in passing offense.
January 1st, 2014 at 8:10 PM ^
They are a run-first team. Hogan is pretty good but he's not Andrew Luck.