23-game win-streak

Submitted by glewe on

Last time Ohio came to Ann Arbor with a streak like the one they presently have (22-game streak then, of course), Bo Schembechler handled them. He had losses to Mizzou and Staee coming into the game.

Don't take me for an overly optimistic fool--just trying to generate a little excitement about next weekend.

Rivalry intangibles mean a lot of things can happen. Hope for Hoke.

Bear in mind that only ONE of our losses has been delivered by greater than one score, and that was by the team that obsesses over us more than any other team.

But next week we'll play a team where the obsession is mutual. It's not impossible.

Go Blue. Beat Ohio.

Edit: From Wolverine Devotee:

"Even Bacon agreed with me on twitter, you can throw the records out the window in this rivalry.

The underdog has played up to their competition a ton of times and sometimes have even pulled the upset.

Just to name a few from the last 30 years-

1987, 1988, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2011, 2012"

 

Honestly, right now, I have less hope for our fanbase than I do for our team. Take a break if you're really feeling this low from an underachieving season. Spend some time with family, or get ahead on work. But being as self-loathing as (or possibly more than) Sparty will not save this season.

bigego150

November 23rd, 2013 at 7:44 PM ^

it is not impossible but damn close to impossible

 

I see us losing by 14+ points with a crowd of ~ 30,000 osu fans at the big house, maybe even more than that

 

 

The Baughz

November 23rd, 2013 at 7:51 PM ^

Unless Bo comes back from the grave, there is no way Michigan wins. I just watched the game (was coaching in a district champ high school game earlier) and it was brutal. This whole staff should be on the hot seat. I like Mattison, but even he's regressed imo.



But the offense is horrendous. Al and Funk have got to go. Its truly embarrassing. I dont even think Michigan would beat Florida at this point. DG has lost all confidence. I love the kid, but he is not the man for the job. He has regressed all year. I know the OL and OC is a huge reason why, but I just dont think hes capable of being a consistent qb.



I Have A Gnarly Face

November 23rd, 2013 at 7:59 PM ^

Are you insane? What on Earth makes you feel that Mattison has regressed? The defense has kept us in every game except MSU and that is only because our offense was so bad in that game, the defense was on the field for a long time and just got gassed. 

The Baughz

November 23rd, 2013 at 8:15 PM ^

Am I insane or did they just give up 400+ yards to Iowa? How about that 3rd and 10 play that Iowa converted to end the game? How about the end of the game against PSU and that gw drive by Nebraska?



Sure the defense has kept us in most games, but they have come up short in some of the most crucial times this year.

Avon Barksdale

November 23rd, 2013 at 8:51 PM ^

If any of you think our defense is "good," go and watch any other game tonight. Hell, Tennessee's defense is playing better than our defense. We are always in the top 20 because we play in the Biiiiiigggg Tennnnnnn which inflates our Defensive ranking.



If we played in a real conference, this defense would be ranked in the 80's somewhere and we wouldn't even be bowl eligible.



If that's not enough convince you, I urge you to all go watch our defensive game film against Alabama, South Carolina, Notre Dame, Akron, ext. it's not pretty!



We have 4 weaknesses:

No pass rush.

Don't get set up in time.

Can't stop a 3rd down.

We are very slow on defense.



That is our defense and that's not changing before the Big Ten's most prolific offense comes to town. They will expose us just like every decent offense has done the last 7 years.

lilpenny1316

November 24th, 2013 at 1:45 AM ^

Pressure on the QB is the name of the game with all these pass happy offenses.  We're not doing that very well.  Our front four generates little consistent pass rush and our blitzes rarely get home.  I would hate to see what would happen if we got stuck in the Gator Bowl against a Mizzou or Texas A&M. 

We'll find out how good our defense is against OSU.  But I'm not very encouraged after giving up over 150 yards on the ground to Iowa.

Avon Barksdale

November 23rd, 2013 at 8:55 PM ^

Don't be shy about it. Say it. I just said it as well.



OUR. D. IS. NOT. GOOD. Sure when we play cute offenses like Minnesota we are a "Michigan Defense..."



However, when we play any other offense that is even decent (Alabama, South Carolina, Ohio State) we are exposed as a weak, slow, and below average defense.

The Baughz

November 23rd, 2013 at 9:51 PM ^

Yep jdavis, you nailed it. I feel the same way you do. That's what I should've said in my first post. People don't want to accept the fact that this team struggles in all three phases of the game. I do feel the D is the strongest unit, but that's not saying a whole lot.

This program will remain below avg until some serious changes are made.

BlueCE

November 23rd, 2013 at 9:46 PM ^

So either lights out offenses or teams with Ds that keep our O out of the field all day? Yes, we are not the Alabama defense, but we are pretty good. You've got to see results besides the obvious. If you want to hate everything about the team go ahead, but the D is not the problem and you are just causing more bitching than is necessary. Focus on the world sucking offense.

Purkinje

November 23rd, 2013 at 8:22 PM ^

This coaching staff has not given us any evidence that they can fix this season's problems week to week, so I don't think there is more than the tiniest flukiest craziest fraction of a chance next week. Hence, "Hoke is not Bo."

Now that I've walked you through my reply, I would also like to assure you that I feel just fine and think that you might want to take a break from forums if replies to your topics cause you so much concern.

The Crootin' Crouton

November 23rd, 2013 at 7:45 PM ^

Hoke is no Bo.   And bearing in mind that only ONE of our losses was by more than one score, THREE of our wins were by one score (including NW in OT, AKRON AND UCONN).  And I don't even know how to classify that Indiana game.

Bando Calrissian

November 23rd, 2013 at 7:48 PM ^

The 1969 comparisons are pretty bad. 9-2 team. #12 in the country. Tied for the conference title with the win. Underdogs? Yes. But this was not an underperforming team with a middling offense, questionable coaching, and a 5th place division ranking.

And, really, can we cut it with the "Staee" thing? 

I Have A Gnarly Face

November 23rd, 2013 at 8:03 PM ^

Yup. I'm also tired of it. For a while I always didn't let it bother me when Ohio fans claim we live in the past, but now I see that we do it way too often. M has not won a conference title since 2004, which is unaccaptable, and even then, that wasn't too great of a year since we lost to Ohio and the Rose Bowl. M has been an average below average to average program since 2005. 

Wolverine Devotee

November 23rd, 2013 at 8:14 PM ^

Part of having a great past is that is something you can fall back on and remember fondly in tough times. 

You can't think that "well since Michigan upset ohio in 1969 when they had a 22 game streak, they will in 2013 because they have a similar streak". But you can use your past accomplishments to build yourself back up when you're down and look at the trends of the past to know that these things happen. Programs go into ruts and down times. 

The best programs always find their way back to the top.

I Have A Gnarly Face

November 23rd, 2013 at 8:22 PM ^

That was pretty much my point, so clearly I agree with you. I want to win NOW. I don't give a shit about what happened in the past because that does absolutely nothing for me now.

me: "Hey, Buckeye fan! Remember when we beat you in 1969? Yeah, I'll bet that still stings."

buckeye fan: "10-2 in the past twelve games."

me: <walks away in shame>

Yeah...I don't roll that way. I want to win now.

I Have A Gnarly Face

November 23rd, 2013 at 8:20 PM ^

Look, I totally understand your point, but I wasn't around back then. I was born in 1981 and obviously witnessed good things since then, but we have not been a very good to elite program for ten years. I'm sick of watching our two conference rivals own our team and even more sick of waiting to be good again. I wait for M football all fucking year only to witness yet another season of underachievement. Yet again, I'm saying, "I can't wait for this season to be over."

Wolverine Devotee

November 23rd, 2013 at 8:25 PM ^

How do you think I feel? I was born in 1995. The current age of the players.

The best season I've experienced was probably 2003 and I was only in second grade. 2011 was a blast because I remember the details of that win over ohio. 

But I know things are going to get better. These things are cyclical. Thing is, Michigan did not go through any trouble like most programs did for nearly 40 years. It's just our time now. 

Bando Calrissian

November 23rd, 2013 at 8:36 PM ^

You're just falling back on rhetoric that essentially serves zero purpose. "Remembering fondly." "These things are cyclical."

Football is a real-time game played in the real world.

And what you feel means very little compared to players who played in the game and got zero wins in four years, and to a lesser degree, alumni who spent four years in school with zero wins against Ohio State to celebrate.

There was not a single player who played four full years for any combination of Bo, Moeller, or Lloyd who left without a Big 10 championship ring. Think about that. 

This is personal for a lot of people. It's more than game tapes and stats on a page. We can sit around churning out meaningless stats from the past, or we can look at what this program needs to do in the now to actually start winning against these guys.

Wolverine Devotee

November 23rd, 2013 at 8:48 PM ^

Okay, I'll bite. So what do you suggest that Michigan should do to start beating these guys? 

Borges, Funk have gotta go. Have to. Freddy J I hear is going to retire after this year anyways since JJ is graduating. 

I see the pieces in place, the eggs already laid for a successful future. Tons of great young players on the roster right now. But that's just it-- they're young. We saw what happens when you start a freshman OG. Bad things. 

I'm already starting to see greatness in De'Veon Smith and Derrick Green. They just need a good offensive line and a competent playcaller. 

UMxWolverines

November 23rd, 2013 at 9:27 PM ^

OSU hasn't gone through anything like we have in the last 40 years and they are the ones we are competing with the most. It is our own fault as a program for it as well. And I want results not ''we are young, wait until the future'' bs we've heard for years.