September 26th, 2021 at 8:49 AM ^
Makes sense. They stop the run, we can’t pass.
September 26th, 2021 at 10:44 AM ^
Whether we can or can't pass will depend on whether first-half Cade (8-11, 156 yards) or second-half Cade (1-5, 7 yards) makes the travel team.
September 26th, 2021 at 10:58 AM ^
...or if we get second-half JJ.
September 26th, 2021 at 10:57 AM ^
They can't run, and their QB is really bad and a turnover machine. I think we have a great chance
September 26th, 2021 at 2:51 PM ^
I’ll take Wisconsin by 18… our defense is about to get turned into powder. In part because the offense will have 6 yards of offense.
September 26th, 2021 at 11:35 AM ^
Can’t or won’t?
September 26th, 2021 at 1:02 PM ^
I think won't. There is little to none of daring in the passing game. It almost all basic, simple plays and routes. But they can still beat Wisconsin with that, as Wisconsin's offense will have fits with Macdonald's/Clinkscale's defense. I don't think there will be a lot of rushing yards for Michigan. Unbelievably, Wisconsin has allowed a total of only 75 yards rushing all season.
September 26th, 2021 at 11:59 AM ^
You hate Michigan so much yet you are all over this place posting doom and gloom everywhere you can. Maybe sit the next couple of plays out and gain some perspective?
September 26th, 2021 at 12:14 PM ^
Michigan also can’t stop anything. Their d-line just got paved by Rutgers.
September 26th, 2021 at 12:28 PM ^
This is the worst take of the day. Yes Rutgers was moving the ball well, especially on first down, but end of day we only gave up 13 points on a day our offense gifted them endless 3 and outs. Our D was heroic. Our offense on the other hand, is a dinosaur that looked 50 years behind the Rutgers approach to playing offense that actually makes the D have to consider the threat of a running QB - something Ohio State figured out 15 years ago and has paved us ever since. Yet Harbaugh, playing scared as he does, keeps our QB approach bottled up.
Different year, same script. I am betting Wisconsin in this game as one of the surest locks in a while. I'll root for us and gladly lose that money, but doubt it.
September 26th, 2021 at 2:28 PM ^
Gave up only 13 to Rutgers, that is noteworthy?
I don't know what you were seeing yesterday, but the middle of the D Line was blown WIDE OPEN by Rutgers on more than one occasion. Rutgers got more rushing yards on Michigan than they did on the Delaware Blue Hens.
September 26th, 2021 at 12:35 PM ^
Can't stop anything yet they gave up a whopping 13 pts
September 26th, 2021 at 8:53 AM ^
Impossible. This is going to be a 3-0 game, one way or the other.
September 26th, 2021 at 8:59 AM ^
So maybe M3-0W?
September 26th, 2021 at 10:51 AM ^
Proud of you.
September 26th, 2021 at 1:19 PM ^
Bet the under
September 26th, 2021 at 8:57 AM ^
Ugh. Notre Dame slaps Wisconsin around and is still favored to beat us.
September 26th, 2021 at 9:13 AM ^
Notre Dame is favored to beat us too?
September 26th, 2021 at 9:17 AM ^
It moved 0.5pt since Friday.
FPI still gives us a 69% chance to win.
September 26th, 2021 at 9:22 AM ^
Eh, “slaps them around” is a little misleading.
Wisconsin’s last three drives were an interception that gave ND the ball at the Wisconsin 23 that led to a field goal. Then two pick 6’s. That blew open an otherwise evenly played 24-13 (7 of the 24 also coming off of a kickoff return) game in the final 5 minutes of play.
All in all, it was a pretty evenly played game with Wisconsin absolutely shutting down Notre Dame’s running game (3 yards on 32 carries) which probably translates pretty poorly for us.
September 26th, 2021 at 9:29 AM ^
Notre Dame couldn't run AND played a third string QB for a healthy portion of the game and still won by a good margin. This is not a Notre Dame team that has looked good this year. I am not saying we will win or that it will be easy but Wisconsin looks just as flawed as us.
September 26th, 2021 at 9:57 AM ^
Yeah but I just explained WHY that happened. Wisconsin turned the ball over on three consecutive drives, 2 for TDs and one just outside the redzone. Wisconsin outgained ND 110-60 in the 4th quarter but was outscored 31-3. So let’s not pretend like ND “slapped them around.”
If we can rely on Wisconsin turning it over 5 times and giving up defensive TDs then we’re in business. But turnovers are random and isn’t something that translates week to week. This is going to be a tough game against a great run defense and it’s not like our passing game has inspired much confidence.
September 26th, 2021 at 10:09 AM ^
Wisconsin outgained ND 110-60 in the 4th quarter
Keep in mind, when you get a kickoff return for a TD and two pick-sixes, you don't get to record offensive yards.
The score is deceptive but I thought ND looked like the better team most of the day, which surprised me as they had looked very fraudulent coming in.
September 26th, 2021 at 10:29 AM ^
And Wisconsin outgained them by 26 yards through the first three quarters. Still a very evenly matched game. That’s my point here. They weren’t “slapped around” and they shut down the running game. Add in it being a road game and this is a TOUGH matchup for Michigan. Late Turnovers and a kickoff return blew open the score, but it was an evenly played game.
September 26th, 2021 at 9:30 AM ^
Their run defense is great, but they did have like 6 sacks or something, so slightly inflated and ND’s o line is their Achilles heel on offense this year
September 26th, 2021 at 10:55 AM ^
NDSucks RBs ran for 39 yards on 20 carries.
September 26th, 2021 at 11:10 AM ^
Michigan RB's ran 47 yards on 19 carries last year at home. Not a stark difference.
Not going to beat them on the ground so here we are. It'll probably be all about which Cade shows up and how Gattis calls the offense.
September 26th, 2021 at 10:31 AM ^
Those two pick 6's doesn't bode well for Mertz the Wisc QB or maybe their WR but either way, Michigan needs to dare Wisc to throw a lot on Saturday.
Then again, if our running game fails, it could get ugly.
September 26th, 2021 at 12:29 PM ^
We intercept a pass as often as the Hale-Bopp comet comes to pick up Heaven's Gate members.
September 26th, 2021 at 11:24 AM ^
So you're saying they're likely to beat us because their quarterback sucks and they'reno good on special teams?
September 26th, 2021 at 9:54 AM ^
Ugh. Notre Dame slaps Wisconsin around and is still favored to beat us.
Context is always important. ND only ran the ball for 3 yards. They had 4 INTs and 239 yards passing which lead to the big win. UM has not show an ability to do that. If UM just tries to run up the middle all game it will be an ugly loss for UM. I hope they come up with a better game plan for Wiscy, but I fear it will be an ugly loss of trying unsuccessfully run the ball up the middle for 3 quarters, then only throw when they have to and are really behind, which will lead to Wiscy coming after Cade, which also won't end well.
September 26th, 2021 at 6:13 PM ^
Unfortunately I agree with your assessment because we've seen this from Harbaugh too much in recent years (as well as yesterday). He's stubborn and tries to do things like they did in the 80's. Other teams' defensive coordinators know this and plan accordingly. Our only real hope on Saturday is to come up with a really diverse offensive attack that spreads out Wiscy's defense with screens, play action passes, read option runs, WR runs, etc. Otherwise, get ready for a paving.
September 26th, 2021 at 11:31 AM ^
ND did jack shit in that game without turnovers.
September 26th, 2021 at 11:32 AM ^
I never understand why spreads get people angry, upset, nervous or think it will have anything to do with the game. It's just to get gamblers to bet. I would bet (excuse my pun) that it moves closer to even money by game time, and it still won't have anything to do with the outcome.
September 26th, 2021 at 1:36 PM ^
They were favored by 6 to beat ND
September 26th, 2021 at 8:57 AM ^
Their D was solid against ND. Points came off turnovers and special teams. Gonna be an ugly low scoring game for sure
September 26th, 2021 at 8:59 AM ^
We need a QB that can throw the ball and step up onto a big stage in 6 days.
September 26th, 2021 at 9:08 AM ^
I feel bad for the players. Cade seems to be in his head but why would he feel confident in his abilities? He knows when a pass is called he HAS to make a play. If he doesn’t he’s not throwing it again until we’re forced to throw it.
Gattbaugh doesn’t do anything to make it easy for him. Let him get into rhythm by having some easy throws. You get 10-15 a game. Better make the most out of every single one of them.
September 26th, 2021 at 9:12 AM ^
Or Cade is supremely confident in his role because he trusts the talent and system but got bonked pretty hard in the head. Both takes are speculation.
September 26th, 2021 at 9:16 AM ^
His passing went from on target not even close after the hit. Or do it seemed…
September 26th, 2021 at 9:24 AM ^
I'll look for your candlelight vigil outside Cade's apartment this week.
September 26th, 2021 at 10:06 PM ^
Thanks! I’ll head there after the candlelight vigil for Harbaugh’s career!
September 26th, 2021 at 9:58 AM ^
Cade seems to be in his head but why would he feel confident in his abilities?
Could have been this. He looked great prior and shitty afterwards. But, he'll need to get over it.
September 26th, 2021 at 12:20 PM ^
Cade looks like he got knocked into another dimension.
September 26th, 2021 at 1:28 PM ^
That's on the coaches. If Cade got his bell rung - and that seems certain - then JJ should have been put in. That's why you have a viable backup.
September 26th, 2021 at 2:27 PM ^
It appears based on Cade's and coach's post game comments as well as just watching him move around after the hit that it wasn't anything serious. I don't think he got concussed for example. He just took a big shot and that gave him pause about sitting in the pocket and taking another one. Point still stands that regardless of whether it was physical or mental, if the QB is ineffective, give the backup some snaps. I think the coach's could have done this, especially with some RPO keepers that Cade doesn't run as well. But, Cade has also proven to be a good game manager, so as long as they had the lead they may not have wanted to risk a turnover or hurt Cade's confidence by putting in the backup. Either way it's concerning and he needs to get over it fast. They may not have that luxury next week if he doesn't get right.
September 26th, 2021 at 2:33 PM ^
It's easy to frame it in terms of the hit -- "hey, we're gonna let you clear your head a bit. That was nasty."
If that dialogue shatters Cade's confidence, he has no business being the starter anyway.
September 26th, 2021 at 2:24 PM ^
Be nice to have a QB that kept the ball every now and then on a read.
September 26th, 2021 at 9:02 AM ^
I’ve never felt so depressed after a win. Unless you count the Washington game. Of course a 1-2 Wisconsin team is favored. I’m hopeful because I think ND is overrated and Wisconsin isn’t as good this year, but unless we figure out how to pass 4-8 is as likely as 8-4.