SirJack II

October 27th, 2013 at 1:27 PM ^

Yes, we must have a strategy of passing coupled with Gardner scrambling and forget any thought of a run game. It's risky for Gardner, especially with State's well-documented "aggression," but if he plays it safe (slides, runs out of bounds, doesn't force passes, and so on) it should be very effective. 

If we see entire drives played out of the I-formation, I give up. I would love to see 95% shotgun.

allintime23

October 27th, 2013 at 12:13 PM ^

Our defense is designed to play against an offense like they use. We win by at least ten. They've only beaten one team with a winning record and their offense is invisible against any defense with a pulse. 28-10 Michigan.

Azulio

October 27th, 2013 at 12:16 PM ^

Unless I'm mistaken, the line 'opened'yesterday so the comments along the lines of 'well yeah, they just won by 5 touchdowns are missing the point. The line moving means that the betting was on msu to cover.

I can't disagree to be honest, until M win a road game against a decent team the assumption is that they will crumble. Hoke's best road win is what? At NW in 2011?

jdon

October 27th, 2013 at 12:23 PM ^

vegas wants people to take sparty, which means michigan is the bet to take...

that said if you look at history (specifically hoke on the road) and State's defense I think 5 or 6 is a fair line, I certainly wouldn't take michigan +3 or less...

jdon

 

team126

October 27th, 2013 at 12:28 PM ^

Their defense is well known and well studied. Mattison has to have a master plan to disrupt their newly minted offense. Devin will lead team to score some points.

The outcome will be determined by a field goal (???!!!) in last second.

 

LSAClassOf2000

October 27th, 2013 at 12:28 PM ^

Not at all bothered by being an underdog in this one. I think I would take Michigan and that line myself actually. If it is of any interest, Massey Ratings currently (this might update in the morning as per normal for the site) gives us a 23% win probability with a median score of 28-20. TeamRankings' algorithm is a little more generous to Michigan, placing the win probability at just short of 40%. 

GRBluefan

October 27th, 2013 at 12:32 PM ^

I'll believe in hoke/Borges on the road v. An even halfway decent team when I see it. I expect to see a lot of bitching about game plan and playcalling after this one, since that seems to be the case after every road game.

Perkis-Size Me

October 27th, 2013 at 12:39 PM ^

If Gardner doesn't turn the ball over, we've got a legitimate shot. But I don't know how that doesn't happen. MSU's D will be blitzing the hell out of Gardner all day. And at the end of the day, I simply do not trust this coaching staff on the road against anyone. They've given me no reason to do so.

UMfan21

October 27th, 2013 at 12:47 PM ^

I know how averse Borges is to quick passes in the flat, but what I would like to see VS MSU is an attempt:



Throw a WR screen out of the stack. Put Funch at the point of attack, he ought to be able to block the CB who is pressing. By virtue of the stack, the other two WRs should get a clean break.



I think back to 2001 when MSU has Plaxico and he went beast mode against us. Carr tried everything including placing David Terrell on Plax (he got tossed like a rag doll). I want Funch to be our Plax. He should win physical battles at the line.

chatster

October 27th, 2013 at 12:50 PM ^

Somewhat surprised that the betting line hasn't been higher for Michigan State.  They’re 7-1, have the best defense in the country, are playing at home against what they consider their biggest rival, and are coming off a pretty good offensive performance, after having been criticized for having a very weak offensive unit.  (Although, in fairness, that offensive performance came against the 103rd ranked FBS defensive unit, and the Spartans’ offense still is only the 87th ranked FBS offense.)
 
They’re also playing against a team that’s 6-1, but is three or four plays away from being 3-4 (with losses against 2-7 Akron and 0-7 Connecticut), and that’s coming off a bye week after having had two terrible performances by a defensive unit that was supposed to be the team’s strong link.  Their head coach’s one-word description of his team is “inconsistent” and his Michigan teams have been more road “worriers” than “warriors” (Sugar Bowl 2012 excepted) during his tenure.
 
Michigan State’s top-rated defense will be playing against a mistake-prone quarterback and a constantly shuffling offensive line; and it's offense will be facing a secondary that’s ranked 97th in FBS for passing yards allowed.  Also, despite having scored 40 or more points in five of its games, Michigan’s only the 45th ranked FBS offense.
 
I’d call this the “Hot Seat Bowl” for Michigan’s coaching staff and quarterback.  A loss (especially in a blowout) not only will realistically end Michigan's hopes of playing for a Big Ten Championship this season, but also will heighten skepticism about both the coaches’ ability to “coach up” what has been a disappointing Team 134 and the quarterback’s ability to live up to the high expectations that were predicted for him when he was drawing raves last summer at the Manning Passing Academy.  A close win will be appreciated, but still might come with questions about the quality of Team 134.

chatster

October 27th, 2013 at 7:02 PM ^

"Hot Seat" probably was a bad choice of words, but maybe the "Less Cool Seat" would apply. Of course, Brady Hoke isn't going to be fired anytime soon, and I regret having said something that would imply that outcome. 

But remember, Brady Hoke's mantra for Michigan's football success has been "Winning the Big Ten Championship."  He's the one who set the bar that high.  A loss to Michigan State next Saturday probably makes it unlikely that Michigan will be playing in the Big Ten Championship Game this season, and if that happens, after three seasons as Michigan's head football coach, Brady Hoke will have won as many Big Ten championships as his predecessor.

While I appreciate Brady Hoke's desire to measure success by Big Ten Championships, I'm concerned that his measuring device places undue pressure on a lot of young men who might have to consider themselves ether failures or something less than successes, if that goal isn't achieved.

I don't subscribe to the notion that "every kid deserves a trophy" just for competing. It makes sense to encourage the goal of winning a championship. As often as I've watched my children suffer humiliating losses in athletic competitions, I've also seen them play for championship teams; but I never considered them to be less than successful, just because their team didn't win a championship.  And if Brady Hoke doesn't lead Team 134 to a Big Ten Championship this season, I wouldn't think of him or his players as being less than successful.

aiglick

October 27th, 2013 at 1:39 PM ^

Don't want to speak for anybody but I would say Funk and Borges are on fairly hot seats. Agree that Hoke is definitely not there but we are at Year 3 and I think it is reasonable to expect a Big Ten championship in the next three seasons and/or a win in a good to great bowl game. This is Michigan fergodsakes; expectations are high.

gustave ferbert

October 27th, 2013 at 11:25 PM ^

made mention when he was hiring Hoke that he paid particular attention to "Red Letter Games".  Hoke is 4-3.  And 0-3 on the road against OSU, MSU, and ND.  Last year's ND game was a winnable game.  We were in it against OSU, and we'll be in it in this game.   IBut if we get shut out again on the road after this year against those teams, it's going to get the boss's attention.

pug150

October 27th, 2013 at 12:50 PM ^

RECENT MEETINGS MICHIGAN MICHIGAN STATE
DATE AWAY/HOME. LINE O/U
10/20/12 MSU 10 - MICH 12 MSU 8.5 U 43
10/15/11 MICH 14 - MSU 28 MSU -3 U 47.5
10/09/10 MSU 34 - MICH 17 MSU 5 U 64.5
10/03/09 MICH 20 - MSU 26 x MSU -4 U 54
10/25/08 MSU 35 - MICH 21 MSU -3.5 O 44.5
11/03/07 MICH 28 - MSU 24 MICH -3.5 O 51
10/07/06 MSU 13 - MICH 31. MICH -15 U 52.5
10/01/05 MICH 34 - MSU 31 x MICH 4.5 O 59.5
10/30/04 MSU 37 - MICH 45 x MSU 11 O 49
11/01/03 MICH 27 - MSU 20 MICH -4 U 51.5

Wee-Bey Brice

October 27th, 2013 at 12:56 PM ^

The team and the coaches have a lot to prove in this game. No one seems to think this team is good enough to beat MSU. No one seems to think Hoke & co. can prepare well enough to win on the road (rightfully so). Im curious to see how this goes but my gut tells me that we will win this game. Lets hope my gut isn't just being a homer.. 

Tater

October 27th, 2013 at 1:54 PM ^

Michigan as the underdog allows the "no respect" angle.  I know they don't "need" more motivation, but I would imagane that the coaching staff will have no problem keeping their attention.