October 26th, 2013 at 6:09 PM ^
Cook will pick your D apart.
October 26th, 2013 at 4:58 PM ^
October 26th, 2013 at 5:01 PM ^
Well the Spartans of yesteryear would have lost this game - on the road against a bad team, its a stypical Sparty loss. Without that play there this is 10-3 at halftime agains a very bad team.
EDIT: the 2 sacks of Cook actually put them out of FG range...it would have been 7-3.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:00 PM ^
I was thinking that. It's fun to watch and make fun of for a little while but the outcome isn't in doubt.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:02 PM ^
I expect spartina to have at least 5 sparty no moments in them to blow the game.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:40 PM ^
MSU is beating up a team that my Temple Owls would have a good shot against.
October 26th, 2013 at 4:58 PM ^
The 15 yard facemask penalty that was not a facemask was huge on that drive, plus the circus play at the end.
October 26th, 2013 at 4:58 PM ^
October 26th, 2013 at 4:59 PM ^
Cook always rolling to his right.
He's AWFUL when you force him left.
I'd blitz off his right side damn near every down. It's almost the equivalent of forcing the guy youre guarding to use his off hand in basketball.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:00 PM ^
This game doesn't really tell us anything about how they'll play against us next week
October 26th, 2013 at 5:05 PM ^
- Cook sucks when he has to roll left, he's not bad going right
- Don't try and get cute in the backfield
- Use stack and bunch formations
- Use short passing game to set up the run (and long passes)
- A good punt is worth more vs. MSU than most other teams
October 26th, 2013 at 5:01 PM ^
Haha...don't know if I'm happier than he's not our coach or that he IS theirs.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:02 PM ^
Bama just had an 88 yard pick 6 on Tennessee with 20 seconds left in the half.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:05 PM ^
some moron at he brewery this morning told me TN has a shot to knock off Alabama. He was incredulous when I answered that Alabama would blow them out.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:10 PM ^
I'd LOVE to see a 4-team playoff with them, Oregon, FSU and OSU or Baylor.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:02 PM ^
Wow! Close game on CBS!
October 26th, 2013 at 5:13 PM ^
Illinois is not out of this game. Connor Cook went 10-11, which he's not likely to duplicate, and MSU converted 7-8 3rd downs (which again, they are unlikely to duplicate) and still MSU didn't put them away.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:03 PM ^
had a chance to intercept that pass, total failure. NOT as much fail as the announcer though, who thinks Connor Cook is the next Joe Montana, and wants an autograph, or perhaps a game-worn jock.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:04 PM ^
October 26th, 2013 at 5:05 PM ^
October 26th, 2013 at 5:05 PM ^
don't worry only a matter of time before the NCAA comes to piss lansing to investigate little brother for HGH and steroids.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:07 PM ^
It's OK, guys. M will defeat MSU next week. Let MSU and their idiot fans get confidence because it will hurt that much more when we beat them.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:17 PM ^
we don't turn the damn ball over. That means mixing it up and not making Devin throw on 3rd and long all the time. We are a PASS FIRST team. This should be obvious by now, especially against a defense like MSU's.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:07 PM ^
October 26th, 2013 at 5:07 PM ^
Not sure why we'll struggle against them. We have our problems but State is no better than us. If we can just score above 10 points, we'll be good.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:09 PM ^
October 26th, 2013 at 5:15 PM ^
Agreed. I'd like to see FSU v Alabama in the NCG.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:12 PM ^
Did you know that the last team to score a touchdown on Bama in Tuscaloosa was Texas A&M with their Heisman quarterback... LAST SEASON?
October 26th, 2013 at 5:17 PM ^
That is incredible. I wanna be that good.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:22 PM ^
3-9 Auburn
Western Carolina
3-5 Arkansas
Georgia State
Colorado State
not that big a deal
October 26th, 2013 at 5:26 PM ^
Although it's still impressive. They allowed 9 points 5 games.
Last week it felt like we were allowing 9 points in 1 possession.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:43 PM ^
October 26th, 2013 at 5:22 PM ^
That's a sick stat. Gosh, Saban is a bad a$$.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:26 PM ^
October 26th, 2013 at 5:23 PM ^
October 26th, 2013 at 6:20 PM ^
Damn, I should jinx Bama more often.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:17 PM ^
My thoughts on MSU is there is a lot of denial on this board. They purposely are playing Tressel ball ...with a lower level of athlete on the offense. People higher on the thread saying there is no chance they go to ILL and lose are rationalizing. (p.s. the game is not over - they can still lose) Plenty of teams go on the road in the Big 10 and cough it up against lesser teams. A lot of Carr's teams did it. MSU played quite possibly the worst game of offense this year in the Big 10 last week and still won 14-0. They have a very good defense which makes plays and gives their offense great field position constantly, and one of the top 3 punters in the country who likewise dictates field position. They have not faced great competition but neither have we. They are boring as hell to watch, by design. It is Tressel ball.
The fact they went to Iowa and aside for 7 minutes in that game when they gave up 2 TDs dominated for 53 minutes, and now is making Illini offense which scores at least 20+ on everyone, have 3 whopping points is impressive. You can poo poo the competition all you want but going on the road and shutting down teams in the Big 10 with your defense, even bad teams is not what a lot of teams can do - this year or most years. I expect a nail biter next week and if UM does not win, I do expect MSU to lose at Nebraska and a dogfight at NW but they would be the clear favorite in the division if they win today. Hence a loss today is needed to "equal" our PSU loss and give us some breathing room with a tough OSU game at end of the year.
This is EXACTLY the type of game the Spartans of yesteryear would have gone into and lost by 20.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:22 PM ^
If this was Minnesota or Iowa...I can see your point. Those are those "sleepy games" that OSU/MSU seem to win 16-13.
This Illinois team is AWFUL.
Also don't think this MSU team is great. I think they have a GREAT defense and a GREAT punter and that makes it look like TresselBall. OSU teams back then always played great defense and their kicking game was top notch.
This MSU offense is horrible. It's not that they're playing safe and playing the field position game like TresselBall does...it's that they're simply not that good.
Michigan will be fine IF, and it's a HUGE IF...they can win the turnover battle and punt the ball well. And yes, they need to do both.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:30 PM ^
And 2 weeks ago people were saying Minn was awful. Playing at home is diff than playing on road. Purdue is awful but put up 30 or whatever on Notre Dame. Wiscy gave up 32 to Illinois. Wiscy is not awful. Etc. Everyone likes to rationalize what they are doing because for the first time in a long time (since the early 60s) there is a constant feel we can lose to MSU each year. It's reality. I dont like it any bit but its reality. Going on the road and dominating teams - whatever caliber - is not easy. Especially what tire fire offense they have. I never said their offense is great or good. It can be average. MSU lacks individual playmakers on offense - that is where their recruiting level hurts. This is why its not playing "like OSU" - they dont have that level of offensive skill player. Same Tressel style without the dynamic offensive playmakers and in this conference its good enough to win a lot of games over the years. They overcome it on defense. An average offense is good enough with how good the defense is, especially in a very bad conference.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:25 PM ^
Illinois scored 19 against Nebraska. Just saying......
Seriously though, good defense will win you alot of games, bad offense or not.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:52 PM ^
Any time someone posts something that states "aside from x amount of minutes" I stop reading. You can't pick the data that supports your point and ignore the data that doesn't.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:13 PM ^
Marky mark is also a fantastic head coach.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:19 PM ^
Last year he lost 6 games and went 0-4 at home in B1G play . . . how quickly we forget.
He's very good at one side of the ball. The other side, not so much.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:43 PM ^
When Narduzzi leaves at the end of the season I'll be interested to see if he can maintain the defensive continuity. I realize he was DC at Ohio but this is Narduzzi's defense.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:15 PM ^
Back on...could be the only good game of the afternoon. Weird seeing Coach Montgomery in crimson.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:19 PM ^
October 26th, 2013 at 5:26 PM ^
who is this Connor Cook admirer behind the ESPN microphone? What a douche.
October 26th, 2013 at 5:28 PM ^
the kid is 12/13
October 26th, 2013 at 5:35 PM ^
that's as much on Illinois D as Cook himself. Did you watch him last week vs. mighty Purdue? A steaming pile of goo...in fact a WR had to throw their only TD pass on an end-around. Cook blows.