UM #9 AP Poll
Michigan #9 in AP Poll:
https://www.espn.com/college-football/rankings
UM finished with more total yards by a good margin and greater time of possession than MSU. UM out-played Sparty yesterday, and the game was at East Lansing. UM deserves #9 in the AP poll.
MSU plays at Purdue this week. Purdue won at Iowa two weeks ago, and defeated Nebraska yesterday. Purdue is legit. MSU must also still play OSU and PSU. Sparty's gonna get 2 B1G losses. Once that happens, it's GAME ON!
October 31st, 2021 at 3:09 PM ^
UM outplayed Sparty yesterday?
The scoreboard says different. The only stat that matters is the L.
October 31st, 2021 at 3:12 PM ^
Nobody is denying that the final score is what matters, but Michigan absolutely outplayed them.
October 31st, 2021 at 3:22 PM ^
Michigan absolutely found a way to lose this game in the 2nd half by shooting themselves in the the foot. Way too many self inflicted wounds - dropped balls, false starts, etc. Teams that outplay an opponent don't make those kinds of mistakes that stall promising drives, turn some of those drives that were sure TDs into FGs and turn the ball over at critical times in the game. Period.
October 31st, 2021 at 10:13 PM ^
Michigan won in basically every area besides the score board. They definitely out played them from a general stand point. More yards of total offense, less turnovers, better defense, ect... Msu won on a handful of plays - as they have all year. However, those "handful of plays" that let them get the win are what separate the championship teams from the rest. Michigan is an excellent team this year, but they are not there yet. They are close, but they need to finish. This is a young team, developing on the go. They couldn't finish in the red zone, but got up 30-14 and became complacent, as they have earlier in the year (Rutgers, Nebraska). Hopefully this leads to more focus to keep playing for 4 quarters instead of the usual 3 or something they have been content with.
November 1st, 2021 at 12:49 AM ^
Michigan did not win in one other important area: officials' reviews. They came out on the wrong side of 6 of 7. (per SI)
That's counting the loss of what likely would have canceled the winning margin touchdown on Hutchinson's fumble recovery that all the neutral observers on the telecast agreed shouldn't have been reversed. But it's not counting the critical interference call that was missed in the critical closing minutes of the game.
October 31st, 2021 at 3:49 PM ^
We definitely outplayed them, but they outhit us
October 31st, 2021 at 7:11 PM ^
I don't think it is reasonable to claim that you outplayed anybody when you allow a single player to score 5 TDs.
October 31st, 2021 at 10:43 PM ^
OK, Walker outplayed Michigan. And, uh, that's about it. And that was apparently enough for them to win the game, unfortunately.
October 31st, 2021 at 3:13 PM ^
I think all stats, rankings, analysis need to be shutdown. It is a simple W-L moving forward. Shut down UFR, game breakdowns. Geezzzz.... Get a grip.
November 1st, 2021 at 2:25 AM ^
Idk about shut down would be bored af but it doesn’t take rocket science to look at MSU worst pass D in league prior to yesterday and Cades best throwing game ever. Mistakes cost Michigan and they lose. 4 more games and we’re better than 3 of them. Will they win? Might win em all. I’d happily take 3 if it includes the last one. I just watched Cooper Rush beat the Vikings. If Josh is game for R. Day we are in for another nail biter in a few weeks so just hang tough guys HAIL
October 31st, 2021 at 5:22 PM ^
Wow, what I profoundly insightful take.. losses matter. You're absolutely right, the team might as well pack it in now and quit on the season.
Ridiculous,
October 31st, 2021 at 7:30 PM ^
You're right, we are undefeated in moral victories! Those who stay will be (imaginary) champions!!
October 31st, 2021 at 7:30 PM ^
You're right, we are undefeated in moral victories! Those who stay will be (imaginary) champions!!
October 31st, 2021 at 8:44 PM ^
Wow, both of your shitty fucking comments sucked. Nice work.
October 31st, 2021 at 3:09 PM ^
Let's go Purdue!!!
October 31st, 2021 at 3:58 PM ^
My mom went to Purdue and is the one who got me into sports. I have a soft spot for them and they are definitely legit this year. I view Sparty like Oklahoma definitely a good team but playing with fire a lot of times. It’s going to nip them at least once against a team they shouldn’t lose to and I think OSU rips them at home. As the other poster said at that point game on.
October 31st, 2021 at 8:12 PM ^
If Michigan goes 11-1, it is likely they have a very good shot at getting in. Because most rankings still have them at 4, even with the loss yesterday. Beating Ohio St could put them in.
But Michigan St needs a second loss. Hopefully Purdue.
Regardless, I don't think State is going to beat both Ohio St and Penn St.
So, it's still a possibility Michigan gets in at 11-1.
October 31st, 2021 at 7:01 PM ^
If we want to win the East, we are rooting for Wisconsin and against Purdue and Minnesota. (Or for MSU to lose twice)
October 31st, 2021 at 3:12 PM ^
I don't see Sparty losing to anyone but OSU. I would love for them to lose to others but I don't see it. The best scenario is for M to beat OSU (however remote that is) and OSU to beat MSU. Of course, M has to beat PSU @PSU which will be a toll order. If we are lucky and see improvement, we will have a shot at going unbeaten in 4 games but it is a toll oder.
9 sounds good. That was a good team that lost yesterday.
October 31st, 2021 at 3:13 PM ^
I agree, MSU is actually really good
October 31st, 2021 at 3:47 PM ^
We should have beat MSU yesterday and MSU is actually really good. Dropping to #9 seems right.
We should be IU and Maryland and PSU is not a gimme. I'm excited to see how the team responds now that we have a QB who can throw for 384 yards against a good team.
OSU is the season. We can't look past the other teams, but everything should be centered on OSU now.
(Yes I know I'm putting myself in with the team by using "we," but they're my team. Win or lose.)
October 31st, 2021 at 6:33 PM ^
Truth be told, MSU doesn't have a good defense. U-M made them look better than they are.
November 1st, 2021 at 1:03 AM ^
Racking up 552 yards of offense and scoring 33 points is hardly making a defense look good.
October 31st, 2021 at 3:18 PM ^
MSU has to go play on the road against a good Purdue team immediately following yesterday's game. Hard to imagine a bigger chance for a letdown game.
October 31st, 2021 at 3:31 PM ^
If (as so many of the antagonizers & naysayers here proclaim) Michigan sucks and is a trash team... that means msu barely beat a bad team at home (and needed to come back from a double digit deficit to do it). That doesn't sound like a team that should be favored against osu, a recovering psu, and a plucky Purdue team possibly in a night game in Ross Ade (edit: 330pm game, but will go into the evening).
Or... msu is a great team and Michigan played them to the wire on the road - meaning not all hope is lost and either team could still win out.
October 31st, 2021 at 4:04 PM ^
Don't count out PSU - especially if Clifford is healthy. their biggest issue is is their running attack behind their subpar OL. Their defense is pretty solid.
October 31st, 2021 at 4:22 PM ^
Yeah if we can sludgefart for large parts of Rutgers and Northwestern I can see an entire game of that happening. Can you move up the rankings after a loss (PSU vs Osu) because PSU did about as well as any team will do. To beat OSU you are going to need drops, TOs, and refs to come into play. Against us not happening.
October 31st, 2021 at 6:18 PM ^
Agreed. Their offense is quite good when Clifford is healthy. Their defense seems to be a Jekyll and Hide situation without Mustipher.
October 31st, 2021 at 6:34 PM ^
Agreed. Although I think 9 is low. I think Sparty is really good...I also think we are really good. I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that OSU beats us, nor do I think it's a foregone conclusion that OSU beats Sparty. The CFP is still on the table for us.
And yes, I'm drinking, but not smoking. So lay off.
October 31st, 2021 at 3:12 PM ^
MSU isn't going undefeated. Michigan played equal it's just that MSU made the bigger plays. They rode Walker to victory. Michigan has no dominant WR (but hello Andrell, he may be!) And RB that's like Walker. This is fair ranking for an improving Michigan team (ans yes they are improving, no one here predicted 400 yards from Cade)
October 31st, 2021 at 3:20 PM ^
Great point here that I fully embraced yesterday. Walker III is on a different level than our backs. Corum and Haskins are still studs with lots of game, but not near Walker III.
October 31st, 2021 at 3:44 PM ^
Good thing we made it easier on Walker by failing to understand you don't sub against tempo. Him running two TDs in because we couldn't get our D on the field and lined up turned out to not matter at all. It was really neat.
October 31st, 2021 at 6:47 PM ^
I just never know how to distinguish the skill of the running back from the effectiveness of the offensive line. Walker was awesome. He also had some big holes to run through -- which I didn't see for Corum or Haskins.
Eh, I don't know. I'm not going to slam our running backs. I'm a huge Haskins fan. But yeah, we sure made Walker look good yesterday, no doubt.
October 31st, 2021 at 3:14 PM ^
I think this team is going to be hungry after they watch the game film. We need to punish Indiana badly.
A loss is always going to suck, but now we know we are capable of beating anybody with our offense. I'm just wondering if we are going to see the same passing game next week? That was fun to watch.
October 31st, 2021 at 3:23 PM ^
For all the self loathing on this blog in the past 24 hours, it's going to be hilarious when Sparty loses to Purdue next week and we suddenly find ourselves in control of our own destiny once again.
October 31st, 2021 at 3:33 PM ^
Why would MSU losing to Purdue a week after beating Michigan make Michigan fans feel better? That would just make it a million times worse.
October 31st, 2021 at 3:40 PM ^
Are you truly this dense or is it just an act? If we win and staee loses, we (practically) control our own destiny and have a clear shot at the conference championship game. This is something most fans would be in favor of, but apparently a little over your head
October 31st, 2021 at 3:49 PM ^
Think he's just saying an MSU loss would make it look like we lost to a mediocre team who can't even beat Purdue, as opposed to a great top 5 team. Thereby, making us look even worse.
I usually think that way too unless it prevents us from advancing to something such as a championship game. So, in this case, I hope MSU loses.
October 31st, 2021 at 3:50 PM ^
No doubt I would prefer MSU to lose, because duh, but as you explained, it certainly wouldn’t make me feel any better about yesterday.
October 31st, 2021 at 3:49 PM ^
1) Michigan wouldn’t be in control of their own destiny because they would be tied with MSU and MSU owns the tiebreaker.
2) If you’re assuming MSU loses to either PSU and/or OSU, then how can you not assume that UM will lose to them as well?
3) MSU losing to Purdue would mean that they aren’t actually a good team and that Michigan’s loss yesterday was to a non-good team, which will only intensify the disappointment caused by it.
October 31st, 2021 at 4:03 PM ^
Purdue - not a bad team
MSU - pretty good team
PSU - pretty good team
OSU - death star
Michigan - pretty good team
This season is not over. I believe our team is vastly improved with some weaknesses. We still have the chance for something special.
Beat Indiana. Mercilessly.
October 31st, 2021 at 4:42 PM ^
This may shock you, but I'd be totally fine with Sparty losing out, whatever fictional transitive effect it may have upon 2021 Michigan football's reputation.
October 31st, 2021 at 7:09 PM ^
You claimed MSU losing to Purdue would put Michigan in control of their own destiny. That’s false since both teams would have 1 B1G loss and MSU owns the tiebreaker.
October 31st, 2021 at 10:44 PM ^
Msu losing to Purdue can only be good for Michigan at this point. You can feel however you want about Michigan losing to them, but at the end of the day that would still be a loss that helps Michigan assuming they also lose to one of PSU/OSU. I think a lot of people would agree that Michigan looked and seemed like the better team yesterday, so it is not out of the question that they are in fact, still a contender.
October 31st, 2021 at 5:07 PM ^
Ham, stfu
October 31st, 2021 at 6:34 PM ^
All it says is that there's more parity in the Big Ten than in any other year in recent memory.
October 31st, 2021 at 5:09 PM ^
Michigan needs to have OSU beat MSU and then win out themselves in order to recover control of their own destiny. I this scenario, MSU also losing to Purdue would seal their fate. This would likely land Michigan into the CFP.
October 31st, 2021 at 6:36 PM ^
Yeah, that's not gonna happen. This isn't John L. Smith's Sparty.