Un-Official prediction thread for OSU
I'll start, and I'll say right off that I hope others can respond to this with reasons that contradict my pessimism for the game. While IMO almost every non Brandon Graham match-up in this game favors OSU, some resoundingly (cough, LB's, cough), I'm basing my prediction on an intangible. I think that many of the non-seniors have mentally checked out on the season, with a lethal combination of non-confidence and "season is done" mindset. I'm struck by the many senior comments this week regarding the younger guys, to the effect of "we need to up the intensity and teach them the meaning of this game," which has been said often in interviews. That and the evidence from the last few games, of course.
This team is young, and youth is another word for immaturity. The immature often disappoint us in the way they respond to events, and that is one explanation IME (talent on defense being the obvious culprit) for what has occurred this season. We can have hope that they mature and develop, but I think that is a "next year" happening. I would love to be wrong and hate typing this, but OSU 31, M 10.
November 20th, 2009 at 11:28 AM ^
Michigan scores more point then OSU and wins.
November 20th, 2009 at 11:32 AM ^
21-10 Michigan at half.
45-21 OSU at the end
November 20th, 2009 at 11:48 AM ^
... for being right (probably).
That would both suck AND not surprise me.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:34 PM ^
around 10-10 at half. Sigh.
November 20th, 2009 at 2:17 PM ^
Seeing that halftime score would depress me greatly if we went on to lose that game. Sigh....
November 20th, 2009 at 11:33 AM ^
I predict BG to lay a (clean) hit on Pryor that sends him out of the game with an injury. From there things become much more interesting. My vision ends there. But my maize and blue cotton-picking heart says Michigan 30-24.
November 20th, 2009 at 11:33 AM ^
OSU 34
UM 14
November 20th, 2009 at 11:37 AM ^
When the guy who so brilliantly breaks down all the Xs and Os predicts Michigan to get dominated; my prediction of a Michigan victory sounds as well reasoned as the world telling Columbus the world is flat.
November 20th, 2009 at 11:39 AM ^
If you told people in Columbus the world is flat, you wouldn't be telling most of them anything they didn't already think they knew.
November 20th, 2009 at 11:42 AM ^
An opportunity for me to look like a dork:
The world didn't tell Columbus that the world was flat. That is a myth started by Washington Irving. Every educated European knew that the world was a spheroid. The scholars argued Columbus about the size of the world and the scholars were right. Columbus thought that the world was much smaller than it was and he lucked out by hitting another continent that he didn't know was there instead of Asia.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:13 PM ^
Would have been funny if they all just starved to death on the high seas
Better yet, they ate each other
Bunch of pricks!
November 20th, 2009 at 12:18 PM ^
there probably would have been a rumor that they fell off the edge of the world because the world is flat.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:24 PM ^
wow, thanks to you i've been reading about this on Wikipedia for the last 30 minutes...sometimes i get lost in a sea of wikipedia links for hours.
November 20th, 2009 at 11:34 AM ^
Michigan victory.
November 20th, 2009 at 11:35 AM ^
104-0 Michigan
Let me know when the official prediction thread opens so I can guess this instead:
38-17 OSU
November 20th, 2009 at 11:35 AM ^
As long as these are not offical predictions: OSU 27, Michigan 29, Ditka 120.
Now, I think your "intangible" is ridiculous. While seniors always impart the importance of this game one young guys, it does not mean the young guys are not intense and do not get it.
Just because the whole team is pumped, doesn't mean that there should be no pre-game speech. Just because it is Mich/OSU, doesn't mean no one should talk about how important the game is to them.
Just because the seniors lead the young guys in this rivalry and stress its importance, doesn't mean it is not already important. You keep firing each other up and do not stop once someone "gets it."
As for the team "checking out" mentally, that is wild speculation that I think is about as accurate as suggesting Tressel is done with sweatervests.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:46 PM ^
"Checking out" does not mean the guys don't try, the coaches and players both assert that, and it looks true to me. It means that you've lost that extra mental edge that allows you to overcome negative events, put full concentration on the field, and remain determined and emotional during the game. By the admission of the players themselves, they don't do this--have you read their quotes?. They admit to losing concentration and focus, they admit to coming our flat in the second half of games. Add to that the evidence in front of our eyes that the team doesn't respond well to adversity, and RR's admonishment to Tate about concentrating during practice, and though I could be incorrect, its far more than wild speculation.
November 20th, 2009 at 1:47 PM ^
... lack of confidence. I think they may suffer from that. But, they haven't checked out mentally.
November 20th, 2009 at 4:03 PM ^
and the players are too. Those things are not a lack of confidence--they are part of staying 100% in the game. Our guys are not. They say so. Do you disagree with them?
November 20th, 2009 at 11:35 AM ^
Michigan.
November 20th, 2009 at 11:37 AM ^
Can I set the O/U on 2-pt conversions at 2? I'm not willing to specify if it's a close game and we're behind, or we open the game receiving the ball, drive the field to score, then go for two. Just 2-pt conversions.
November 20th, 2009 at 11:38 AM ^
comes out to play like they've got nothing to loose. Michigan wins.
November 20th, 2009 at 11:41 AM ^
We keep it close for a while, but OSU pulls away late:
OSU 31 UM 17
November 20th, 2009 at 11:50 AM ^
Henri needs to drop the ennui and go into attack mode.
November 20th, 2009 at 1:38 PM ^
HENRI RAGE!
November 20th, 2009 at 11:50 AM ^
Michigan 27
Suckeyes 17
Go Blue!!!!
I just can't predict a loss. It's just not in me. I believe we have a shot. I see how bad OSU played against Purdue. I think Pryor will try to do too much because it was between us and them. We are going to rip him a new one. BG hopefull will break him in two. Our defense is going to play inspired tomorrow and as long as the offense can keep it moving they will stay inspired. I am truly feeling that this game is ours and that Little Tressel boy should be scared. Really scared....
November 20th, 2009 at 11:56 AM ^
I predict that the OSU fans will be insufferable throughout the day... and that Michigan wins.
November 20th, 2009 at 11:59 AM ^
I have one of those funny feelings, like the kind you get right before the doctor tells you its herpes, not just a rash.......Michigan 27 aOSU 24. We score a defensive touchdown.
November 20th, 2009 at 3:10 PM ^
Before the season I was thinking lopsided win for Michigan that Ohio State would make closer at the end. Partly because I thought we would have the better starting quarterback on the field.
Now...what will probably happen is OSU will use screen passes and broken plays to overcome having the worst starting QB on the field.
EDIT: What should happen: We win, they lose (27-24).
November 20th, 2009 at 12:04 PM ^
fuck being rational... this is tOSU week so, US 31 them 24 Go fucking BLUE!!! OK now back to my spreadsheet....
November 20th, 2009 at 12:10 PM ^
Just for a change of pace, I'll say UM 42 OSU 39, with Ole Sausage kicking a FG with 5 seconds remaining to win it.
The winning FG is made possible by a Graham sack of TP at the Ohio State 35, resulting in Pryor's third fumble of the game. TP also has an INT, and is seen angrily yelling at his teammates on the sidelines after dropped passes by unusually unreliable OSU receivers. OSU has yet another fumble, for 5 turnovers total. Four of them are inside Michigan's 30-yd line, leading the Buckeye faithful to gnash their chewing-tobacco stained teefs over what might have been.
Improbably, Michigan wins the turnover battle, only turning it over once. The Michigan offense is hugely aided by a stellar return game, with Michigan kick returners and punt returners repeatedly breaking long returns putting Michigan in great field position. Forcier hits several long passes, and scrambles away from heavy OSU pressure time and again to convert third downs. Brown runs well in limited duty, but the star is Vincent Smith, who scores three touchdowns on short runs and ends up with 89 yards overall, most of it gained after breaking first and second contact by frustrated OSU defenders.
OSU outgains Michigan in total yardage and first downs, but their turnovers thwart Buckeye drives and keep an opportunistic Michigan offense in the game. Rosenberg is photographed after the game tenderly consoling a teary-eyed Justin Boren as the two walk hand-in-hand toward the OSU buses. It's not known whether a goodnight kiss took place.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:19 PM ^
Nice. I want to print this out, keep it beside my bed, and have my wife read it to me tomorrow night as I try to fall asleep in the fetal position.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:22 PM ^
done.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:04 PM ^
I'm not a big fan of the 'I had a dream' talk (minus the one from MLK), but I really did have one last night in which V.Smith ran one in on the first drive. I woke up soon after, so I didn't see the end... sorry. It would be great if OSU continually fails to wrap him up and he has a day that makes him a household name. Hey, I can dream.
Unofficially: UM 27, OSU 24
Go Blue!
November 20th, 2009 at 12:08 PM ^
Let's agree to make this official. I really do not know what will happen Saturday. I think last year was a fluke, but this is a new year!
Since I see this game playing out as a tale of twi halves, I will predict two scores:
1st half:
OSU 17 Mich 10
(1st quarter: Mich 10 OSU 0- Yes, that's right!)
2nd half:
OSU 24 Mich 7
As you can see, we were competitive for the first half. You can bet the wolves will come out hungry!
November 20th, 2009 at 12:09 PM ^
OSU 35 U-M 7
November 20th, 2009 at 12:14 PM ^
OSU 30, Michigan 10...I'd give Michigan a puncher's chance, however small, if Minor could play...Despite saying this, I hope people are loud if they go to the game.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:15 PM ^
I just want him to stay locked up for the next 72 hours.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:17 PM ^
Why do you think the younger players have checked out? The last few games they've been in it or leading at halftime. Makes sense that at halftime each of the last five games they say to themselves, "Hey, we're down 9 to Penn St., let's give up and focus on Illinois." "Hey, we're beating Illinois by 6, let's bag it." "Up by 14 against Purdue, no need to show up the second half. I'm done." "Down by four to Wisky, why are we even in Madison?" The older guys are teaching the young guys about the tradition and that this game is bigger than any other. You're reading too much into it to think they've given up. All of their talk about getting the seniors to a bowl game is just lip-service then? I don't think we're going to win unless our LB's cover someone and the DB's cover for longer than 2 seconds but we have to hold out hope because this is not last year's team and u0$ has nothing to gain or lose this game as far as their bowl destination. Could they underestimate us?
November 20th, 2009 at 12:21 PM ^
But word is that they've had a sharp week at practice. Tressel apparently brought in a guy from the '96 OSU team to talk about how the loss to Michigan that year tarnished OSU's Rose Bowl season...I don't think a Tressel team will ever come into this game fat and happy.
November 20th, 2009 at 1:06 PM ^
I agree about Tressel's preparation for this game every year. That's why he's 7-1 against us and why they've won as underdogs. I'm saying it could happen not that it will.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:28 PM ^
1. 3 turnovers by OSU and 0 by Michigan.
2. Refs need to call OSU for holding and M needs to play penalty free.
3. OSU needs to drop passes.
If all 3 of those things happen then M wins 27-20.
If not, OSU wins 38-10.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:32 PM ^
with us up by 4 or so. I can't predict a Buckeye win, I'd rather be wrong than predict they would win so...us up 17-14 at half...we trade touchdowns in the third quarter, the fourth quarter comes and we get a FG, then with 10:36 left in the game we get an INT! The crowd goes wild! We drive for a touchdown to put us up 34-21...it's complete insanity from there, they score and it's 34-28, we do a FG and it's 37-28 and we hold them to downs and run out the clock, WHOOT-a deeper version of woot-! yea! we win!!!
UM 37 OSU 28
Okay, let reality set in, in 3...2...1...
November 20th, 2009 at 12:32 PM ^
Just Brandon Graham....he comes off the edge forces Pryor in to a terrible throw that is picked off by Donovan Warren as the play heads the other way a rather large Offensive Lineman for OSU begins to waddle after Warren as he heads to the sideline, due to his spot already in the backfield B. Graham lines up said lineman and....WHAMMOOO knocks Justin Boren into next week with a blindside blast that has every ounce of Barwis behind it. Helmet and mouthpiece fly in differnt directions and fall to the Mich Stadium turf much like JB and all is right.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:47 PM ^
That would make what I think is going to happen tomorrow almost tolerable.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:35 PM ^
25-12 Michigan. We go for two at the end of the game.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:38 PM ^
UM 20
OSU 31
Just keep it close and show the recruits a good time is all I ask. I know that's asking for a lot.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:39 PM ^
21-31 :(
November 20th, 2009 at 12:40 PM ^
31-27 Michigan. Late OSU Rally falls short as someone on the D finally makes a plany and/or Pryor chokes late.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:41 PM ^
37-24 Meechigan
This is based on a dream I had last night where I fought a Wolverine. I think I lost the fight. I choose to interpret this dream in an optimistic way.