Week 9: Best thing you saw...

Submitted by mi93 on

Before being obvious about the obvious best thing on an obvious observation of obviousness...

All but 2 undefeated teams played today and all on the road.  Something clearly Halloween-ie in the air and some great finishes ended some perfect seasons - great game in Mad-town, the safety for WYO that knocks off Boise St., WVU annhiliated by the dancing 40-year old, and Texas ends Baylor's run.  Not to mention Louisville's late magic over...Virginia?, and the finish in Tallahassee.  Incredible week of games.

So...about that...reclamation projects typically happen in phases.  Obviously, the best thing I saw today was seeing phase 1 of the Order Restoration Project completed today in East Lansing.

Outside of soundly beating a rival (and having coachable items to retain focus) Clemson v Free Shoes U was very entertaining and Dalvin Cook was very impressive in space (except for the dropped pass - that didn't hurt).

What obvious thing was the best you saw today?  And how about among the non-obvious?

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order restoration

LSAClassOf2000

October 30th, 2016 at 12:27 AM ^

That finish in Tallahassee is all on Florida State - mental mistakes and OL play that was starting to approach 2008 Detroit Lions bad at points. Two false starts and two sacks on the final drive? Wow.

I guess if there's an upside, for those who hate to see Clemson be their inner Clemson, they've escaped yet again and are - in some respect - magically 8-0 despite themselves. 

The best thing I saw? Aside from the obvious, of course, the Wisconsin-Nebraska game was overall really entertaining, although Nebraska following up the one INT with a three and out was kind of a "Oh, come on" sort of moment, especially late and down as they were. The safety in the Wyoming-Boise State game was one of those plays where, even if you have no dog in the fight, you still stand up and say, "WOW" because of the implications to Boise State, in this case. 

Joined: 01/07/2011

MGoPoints: 130560

Tater

October 30th, 2016 at 1:36 AM ^

I wonder if the Fisher to LSU rumors down here will heat up even more.  I don't know how much is wishful/delusional thinking, but the media down here have been on Herman and Fisher heavily since Miles was fired.  They gave Clemson a good game but don't even have the best personnel in their own division right now.

Fisher might be amenable to a change if the money is right.

Joined: 08/13/2008

MGoPoints: 30584

bluewave720

October 30th, 2016 at 7:34 AM ^

I couldn't stop laughing after I read why he went for two.  Before they went for it, I started thinking of all the possibilities as to why anyone would do that from a game theory standpoint.  I eventually got to the point of "that's simply a mistake."  What if we, somehow, ran it back for 2?

To hear after the game that he did it out of spite makes me ecstatic. 

We just played against a coach that hates us so much, he let spite drive his final decision of the game instead of sound game theory.  If I were a Spartan fan, I would be livid.  

Joined: 07/17/2009

MGoPoints: 6517

Esterhaus

October 30th, 2016 at 12:34 AM ^

 

Juking would-be tacklers and, mostly, dropping passes on a dime that our receivers tended to catch. Also my SO Harvard Law prodigy just sent me old photos from her class reunion this weekend and these captured her wearing pink hot pants. I now have the dirt I need to prevail on all future arguments with her, she won't dare risk the public disclosures.

Joined: 03/16/2015

MGoPoints: 7733

stephenrjking

October 30th, 2016 at 12:38 AM ^

After Rutgers, many (including me) were quite eeyore-ish about Speight's trend as a passer. To be effective on offense we need him to do well, and he was missing basic throws even against nothing teams.

All the griping about the defense, which we KNOW has talent and good coaching and can snap out just fine, has obscured the fact that Speight looked terrific today except for one bad read. He stood in the pocket, he took hits, and he made terrific passes that keyed the offense. The huge run to 27 points was significantly dependent upon his quality execution.

I think the negative nancys are being ridiculous about the game, but I will concede that based on how the game went late, if Speight had been mediocre, this would have been a tough game throughout.

He was not. Huge positive sign.

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20143524

The Oracle

October 30th, 2016 at 2:36 AM ^

Definitely Speight. He stood in there against pressure and delivered the ball accurately. He also made a couple of big plays to avoid sacks. I don't think the defense is going to shut down the best teams, so they're going to need to put points on the board. Speight's performance was very encouraging. Defensively, Gary needs to get more snaps.

Joined: 12/31/2014

MGoPoints: 4730

MGolem

October 30th, 2016 at 12:37 AM ^

But then it got lost due to phone error. Figured I'd be a contrarion and post the worst thing I saw...that terrible, Comcast level of incompetence call on Higdon's second down run to salt the game away. Watched it again and again and it is clear he landed, with the ball, on the yellow line. Harbaugh was pissed. As was I.

Joined: 10/14/2010

MGoPoints: 13573

Hard-Baughlls

October 30th, 2016 at 12:42 AM ^

going for a worthless 2-point conversion for respek and further proving how petty he is, hoping the difference between a 6 or 5 point loss would maybe affect some voters who didn't watch the game (and see how it was never that close) to vote Michigan lower....

Then watching it backfire and turn into a 2 point conversion for the best player in college football, Mr. Breezy Peezy Peppers, the guy they hate on more than any of our players.

Thanks for the heisman moment D'antorinillio

Joined: 09/28/2016

MGoPoints: 6637

A Lot of Milk

October 30th, 2016 at 12:54 AM ^

Sparty had seven straight plays inside our 10 and we didn't budge an inch and turned them over on downs. If you want a series that's emblematic of UM retaking control of the state, that's it.

Joined: 02/17/2013

MGoPoints: 48588

NYCBlue

October 30th, 2016 at 1:04 AM ^

I loved how Peppers ended the two-pointer ducking his head like a sprinter crossing the finish line. I imagined him thinking "I just ran the 100 yard dash - scooping up a football along the way - in amazing time. I hope someone times this!"

Joined: 09/04/2011

MGoPoints: 2458

M Ascending

October 30th, 2016 at 11:28 AM ^

I think Peppers got that from the UCF tailback/track star who did it at the end of his long run against us. BTW, Dalvin Cook did the same thing last night at the end of his long TD against Clemson. I think this may become a "thing," the way everyone now copies Dennard's "feed me" move that he invented in the 2011 OSU game.

Joined: 09/14/2016

MGoPoints: 21265

kehnonymous

October 30th, 2016 at 1:12 AM ^

I was initially upset that we didn't get the last drive's 3rd down conversion which led to Sparty pass-bombing us for a last minute score (because OF COURSE), but... if that was the price of admission for Jabril returning the 2PT conversion 99 yards as a final 'fuck you state'.... I'd pay that any day of the week and twice on Saturday.

Joined: 11/25/2011

MGoPoints: 32944