Michigan State 27, Michigan 24
"Disconcerting signals," indeed.
That was a penalty drawn by Cam McGrone before he exited this cursed game with an injury. It fairly describes the entire contest for Michigan.
Michigan State's offense could do one thing with any consistency: chuck the ball long against press man coverage. The Wolverines had no answers in terms of personnel and seemingly didn't try to come up with any schematically. The five Spartan scoring drives featured long passes covering 30, 53, 50, 19, and 31 yards. The coaches pulled starting corner Vincent Gray for Jalen Perry in the second half; Perry managed to stay closer to MSU's receivers but couldn't do any better at playing the ball.
Michigan's offense, meanwhile, failed to come up with a downfield passing game of their own, and much of their success on the ground came outside the tackles. State piled up six tackles for loss and held M to 4.7 yards per carry (sacks removed). Joe Milton's accuracy waxed and waned as he mustered 300 scoreless yards on 51 attempts. Jalen Mayfield went down late and, while he walked off the field, he was taken into the tunnel by the cart.
The coaches will come under heavy, deserved criticism for the most surprising—and perhaps most bitterly disappointing—defeat of the Jim Harbaugh era. The Wolverines were poised to tie the game at 14 heading into halftime before Josh Gattis dialed up second and third-and-goal plays with Hassan Haskins as a wildcat quarterback; the run was stuffed, the surprise pass underthrown and tipped incomplete by Ann Arbor native Antjuan Simmons, who had a standout game at linebacker for MSU.
Don Brown rarely deviated from calling press man coverage even though the defense was getting eviscerated by the vaunted Rocky Lombardi to Ricky White connection, which tallied eight completions on ten targets for 196 yards and a touchdown. Lombardi averaged 19 yards on his 17 completions and his total was deflated by numerous flags on the Michigan secondary.
In other Big Ten games, Minnesota lost to Maryland, which got pasted last week by Northwestern, which is losing by two scores early against Iowa, which lost last week against Purdue. I guess the silver lining is that this is an incredibly stupid year.
October 31st, 2020 at 4:31 PM ^
It is what it is.
October 31st, 2020 at 4:34 PM ^
The silver lining is Harbaugh’s ridiculous contract is up at the end of the year. Do not renew.
October 31st, 2020 at 4:53 PM ^
Except it runs through the end of next season. The question is should he get a three year extension or a lifetime contract. /s
October 31st, 2020 at 7:48 PM ^
fuck I thought it was over this year. My goodness. You know I realized today I chuckle at FSU and Texas for fielding some bad teams and then I realized that’s pretty much what we are. Except both those teams have had more recent success on the big stage... and I thought oh that’s sad.
Anywho guess we’ll have a shit year this year and next and then maybe hire somebody better maybe not.
October 31st, 2020 at 4:36 PM ^
This program under Harbaugh just doesn’t have IT, and it’s painfully obvious. It has been for some time. The stain and memory of the RR and Hoke years make it harder to move on from Harbaugh, who has brought VERY modest success (decent records but no titles of any kind).
It is what it is. Michigan is scared to move on because they know it most certainly can get much worse. At the same time, you can’t use the past to justify keeping a coach that just isn’t getting it done. I think I’d rather keep trying to find someone who can change the culture and risk losing seasons than stick with someone who has proven he can’t take the program where it still thinks it can go.
If they stick with Harbaugh, it’s probably finally time to admit that Michigan no longer strives to be among the elite.
October 31st, 2020 at 4:37 PM ^
I blame stupid coordinating and stupid leftist memes against nicotine and floppy hats
October 31st, 2020 at 4:41 PM ^
We're off again to the most Michigan like season we're used to. Wish I could say I'm surprised by this but I cannot.
October 31st, 2020 at 4:50 PM ^
It’s time to clean house. Six years in. Lose to a vastly undermanned opponent in a rivalry game. Anyone who thinks we’re still on the right track now is just a fan of perpetual mediocrity. Fuck that. Michigan can do better.
October 31st, 2020 at 4:51 PM ^
This is probably the Harbaugh tipping point for me. If you can't get it done against that team, at this time, when can you?
October 31st, 2020 at 4:53 PM ^
I’ve been in his corner until now. Once again we have to search for the answer
October 31st, 2020 at 5:46 PM ^
Me as well. I’m done. Today’s game was infuriating.
October 31st, 2020 at 4:52 PM ^
Is there a reason that Michigan always seems to be surprised by MSU’s effort? Michigan looked like a bunch of 4-5 stars that expected to win just by showing up. No fire, no desire, and completely flat.
We have to face the fact that Harbaugh is not going to take this team to the next level. We need a coach that will hold his assistants accountable for not making changes.
Embarrassing showing today. Now we all have to listen to obnoxious Sparty fans for the next year.
October 31st, 2020 at 5:26 PM ^
Somebody else said it before and everyone took it as kind of an insult but I've been saying it for a long time now. Michigan recruits nice kids.
Nice and football don't mix.
October 31st, 2020 at 5:42 PM ^
They're "mean" enough to make NFL rosters in large numbers. I don't think that's our problem.
October 31st, 2020 at 5:42 PM ^
And we're told we can't beat OSU because of the "talent deficit," yet Staee does it to us nearly every other year. Auburn beats Alabama on the regular. Yet we get our pants pulled down by OSU yearly.
October 31st, 2020 at 5:48 PM ^
Harbaugh has no pre-game hype game at all. That works in the pros but not so much in college. Pack your shit, Jim.
October 31st, 2020 at 8:11 PM ^
Is there a reason that Michigan always seems to be surprised by MSU’s effort? Michigan looked like a bunch of 4-5 stars that expected to win just by showing up.
This happens almost every rivalry and bowl game. There's no fire, there's no urgency. Is it a culture issue? Maybe. These guys seem entitled and complacent. I miss Devin Bush
October 31st, 2020 at 4:55 PM ^
I will not check out on this team or program. I am a fan, all day every day. However, there is no excuse for today. How do they cover one this loss? Ugly, against a rival!
I feel for those of you that live in Michigan that will have to hear about it all year long. Good luck
October 31st, 2020 at 4:57 PM ^
This is Michigan football. No decent coach will come here because if they’re not a Michigan Man they’ll get eviscerated. And the Michigan tree has died.
October 31st, 2020 at 7:31 PM ^
Not true at all. Not after a Michigan man went, what 1-6 at home vs two rivals and didn't whiff a Big Ten title. The fanbase knows this now.
November 1st, 2020 at 1:11 AM ^
There hasn't been a tree since Crisler era. We got Bo and Mo from OSU. Cif anything the tree you refer to ended when Carr retired.
Now it's time to go outside porgram and get a OSU rib again.
October 31st, 2020 at 4:58 PM ^
I'm surely in the thralls of BPONE right now but when people say something is "stupid" in response to actually getting your ass kicked by your in-state rival with no excuses, it makes me think that maybe it isn't stupid at all. Outside of a briefly tied 7-7 ball game, it really didn't feel like that was close at all. We flat out got out-played, out-coached in a lackluster loss.
While this will be a different season to say the least, UM football is the only one making it "stupid" until other forces come about.
October 31st, 2020 at 5:14 PM ^
Calling it "stupid" is a defense mechanism, instead of addressing the issues with this program.
October 31st, 2020 at 5:27 PM ^
Exactly. Looks like your HR training is paying off.
October 31st, 2020 at 6:09 PM ^
I believe it’s what all the kids are calling a cope.
October 31st, 2020 at 6:12 PM ^
I agree with you. Especially about the BPONE.
And this being a different season is no excuse for losing to a team that we should have routed. You play the game with what you got and we should have pounded them with what we had and with what they had.
October 31st, 2020 at 5:02 PM ^
This is typical of JH's mediocrity. They ALWAYS underestimate MSU, especially after a bad MSU loss and michigan is favored going in. Its like they just don't get it.
This is MSU's superbowl every year and michigan just can't get their heads around it. Mostly due to - I'm gonna say it..... ARROGANCE
October 31st, 2020 at 5:52 PM ^
I dunno, we handled their asses the last two years and the universe had seemed to return to normal in that rivalry. Today is a different story.
October 31st, 2020 at 5:06 PM ^
Outhustled and outmuscled by a team with inferior talent at almost all positions
October 31st, 2020 at 5:07 PM ^
Glad I missed it. What a stupid year.
October 31st, 2020 at 5:53 PM ^
You’re truly fortunate. What a frustrating game to watch from beginning to end.
October 31st, 2020 at 5:08 PM ^
It is what it is. A football game played by young men in a strange year. Oh well and on the the next one.
October 31st, 2020 at 5:12 PM ^
What’s the deal with all the injuries? McGrone-Barrett-Paye-Mayfield... All out for a significant time. It seemed as though some one was getting hurt the entire game. Not to mention IMPORTANT pieces.
October 31st, 2020 at 5:19 PM ^
I am not trying to be a dick and fully respect any intercollegiate athlete but who the fuck is stribley?
October 31st, 2020 at 5:34 PM ^
Our Rudy.
October 31st, 2020 at 5:34 PM ^
Our Rudy.
October 31st, 2020 at 5:09 PM ^
I’m ready to say it...time for a change.
October 31st, 2020 at 5:11 PM ^
Say it!
Year six and this isn’t working.
It’s not going to work.
Ever.
October 31st, 2020 at 5:17 PM ^
That might've pushed me over the edge with Harbaugh. This program has peaked and stagnated. This shell of an MSU program beat Michigan in every facet today.
The defense had no answer for Rocky Lombardi chucking it up as Don Brown for the 18,000th time left his corners on an island even when they're getting torched. The D line got absolutely zero pressure all game which is doubly humiliating because MSU's D-line of whodats was consistently getting pressure with 4.
The offense ran the ball right into 8 or 9 man boxes over and over again and we rarely made MSU pay for it. The Haskins wildcat pass was so horribly televised. You do that on 2nd down. You don't need to reestablish that Haskins can run the wildcat and running it 2 plays in a row made it super obvious. Like did you think MSU thought we got 0 yards the first time and then we were gonna try it again???
Looked like neither side of the ball watched any tape or had any plan to respond to MSU today. Abject failure by the entire coaching staff and team considering the talent disparity. Truly a pathetic loss in 20 years of forgettable Michigan football
October 31st, 2020 at 6:09 PM ^
Agree on the Haskins wildcat call on back to back plays. They should have called the pass the first time. Haskins being effective in wildcat has been established on film already. Could have been the difference in the game with four more points there (probably not, but could have been).
October 31st, 2020 at 6:31 PM ^
The call wasn't necessarily bad - the receiver was open, but Haskins underthrew it. But why did we need Haskins to make that throw? Just run that play with Milton.
It reminded me of that ND game when we had Vincent Smith throw it on the goal line instead of Denard (and it was picked off). When you have a QB that can run it in himself, you don't need to pull him, you already have the play-action built in.
October 31st, 2020 at 9:03 PM ^
The wildcat is the dumbest fucking play ever invented. Perfect for our turd of a coaching staff.
October 31st, 2020 at 5:20 PM ^
Is it too late for Ambry Thomas to opt back in?
I thought Gemon Green had a pretty good game. He picked up a ticky tack PI early, then Lombardi threw a perfect TD pass where Green was able to get his hand on the ball when it was caught but couldn't shake it loose.
I thought perhaps we were overstating how bad Shea Pat was last year, and how much better Milton would be. Not a bad game for Milton IMO. He was under assault and had to get the ball away quickly. MSU's pass protection was much better than ours.
Anyway, congrats to Mel Tucker! I was impressed when he yelled at his player that got a taunting foul, instead of complaining about the call.
October 31st, 2020 at 5:24 PM ^
A good number of you are probably melting down because of that coin you lost betting on this game. If the house is heavily weighted against Michigan and there's a lot on the table, expect that they will get the 4-5 PI on 3rd and long and Michigan won't get the calls on 3rd and long. Expect that they wont do an official review on a non-catch in the 4th quarter again on 3rd and long if it allows Michigan's opponent a fresh set of downs. Expect that two facemasks won't get called on the same play vs MSU (Kicking team) and again later in the game.
Whatsap and bitcoin and keeping refs in the same crew and current NCAA ruling system means that any part time ref can absolutely call or not call to influence the game. Until they take any sort of action to work on that don't expect us to ever cover the spread in a big game.
I'm happy with Harbaugh and Michigan. Life is a lot bigger than what pixels on a screen say the score is at 0:00. A lot of our players have come a long way, off and on the field.
October 31st, 2020 at 6:15 PM ^
Wow. You managed to float an illogical conspiracy theory on gambling/refs and be a Harbaugh apologist in a single comment. Congrats. You win worst post of the day. On a day like this, that is quite an accomplishment!
November 1st, 2020 at 1:43 AM ^
We lost because we played like shit and made zero adjustments. However, I will say that the refs do seem to hate Harbaugh. Perhaps one more reason to part ways.
November 1st, 2020 at 9:00 AM ^
WOW. Only thing you missed was Dip Schiff claiming the refs were Russian agents.
October 31st, 2020 at 5:28 PM ^
Program is mediocre, but as long as butts fill seats in non covid seasons then everyone is fine with it.
October 31st, 2020 at 5:31 PM ^
Maybe we stop with the Alabama cast-off offensive coaches.
I'm so, so tired of starting quarterbacks who can't hit the broad side of a barn more than seven yards downfield. There's no way to be great that way, and with the secondary collapse, we're going to get utterly eviscerated by any team with a real quarterback.
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