Ohio State 30, Michigan 27 (2 OT)
Short. [Patrick Barron/MGoBlog]
I'm staring at my laptop and the sea of exultant Ohio State fans on the field below dancing to "Sweet Caroline" and I feel sick.
Sick that Michigan threw away multiple chances to win this game in regulation. Sick that a dozen little plays one way or the other change the outcome. Sick at that spot. That fucking spot.
Michigan should be playing for the Big Ten championship and a spot in the playoff next weekend. Instead, they will sit at home as either Ohio State or Penn State represents the East. That spot, that fucking spot, will stick in the collective Wolverine memory for much, much longer.
The Wolverines controlled most of this game. Wilton Speight battled back from his still-undisclosed injury to throw for 219 yards and two scores, an effort that would take its place in the pantheon of heroic rivalry performances had the outcome gone the other way. Speight's two interceptions, however, were turned into two Ohio State touchdowns, and that allowed the Buckeyes to keep it close enough to force overtime on a 23-yard Tyler Durbin field goal with one second left in regulation.
The defense, which had played a spectacular game, looked worn out in the first overtime period, ceding a JT Barrett touchdown run on the second play. Speight responded with a fourth-down touchdown to Amara Darboh. Michigan's ensuing possession ended with a field goal after a questionable non-call on a third-down pass to Perry, leaving the door open for Ohio State to win it.
Seemingly given new life, the defense forced an all-or-nothing fourth-and-one. Barrett kept it. The officials gave him a generous spot, and even though it appeared on replay that Barrett's right arm—the one holding the football—never reached the line to gain, that spot, that fucking spot, stood upon review.
In a not-so-alternate universe in which the men in charge of the game are competent, there are Muppets and joy and appreciation of one of the most dramatic football games in recent memory or perhaps ever and scrambling to finalize plans for next weekend. Alas, that fucking spot. Alas.
November 26th, 2016 at 5:48 PM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 9:18 PM ^
you will see 2 different Michigan players get blocked in the back as well.....and a borderline hold.
November 26th, 2016 at 8:29 PM ^
It doesn't have to be an either/or situation. Both our own mistakes and the officials' contributed to the outcome. Both are frustrating to think about.
November 26th, 2016 at 10:30 PM ^
this.
November 26th, 2016 at 10:27 PM ^
of everything taken together.
We weren't infallible -- our qb was injured, for fuck's sake, and still played heroically -- and neither were they, from their first fumble to open the game. The difference is, shitty officiating finished us off, not them.
Damn. If even some of *their* fans are saying the refs screwed us over -- let's not be shittier to our team than our opponents, K?
November 26th, 2016 at 4:48 PM ^
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November 26th, 2016 at 5:13 PM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 5:24 PM ^
Lol you serious?
OSU gave Michigan plenty of opportunity to win this game. Harbaugh n co couldn't capitalize.
November 26th, 2016 at 6:29 PM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 7:03 PM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 8:19 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 9:21 AM ^
He would not be drafted or a very low round pick. He will stay next year.
November 27th, 2016 at 2:07 AM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 6:45 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 12:03 PM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 4:49 PM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 4:50 PM ^
Not a single hold, not a single defensive pass interference, no late hits, no unsportsmanlike shoving, nothing. Not a single goddamn call across 4 quarters and 2 OTs. Every bounce and every call went against Michigan. The world is a cruel, unforgiving place and as such I'll never let go of the resentment and hatred I feel today nor the anguish I feel for these Michigan players.
November 26th, 2016 at 7:06 PM ^
2 penalties for six yards.
November 27th, 2016 at 2:08 AM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 4:52 PM ^
was a much easier call to make than the spot. Spots are hard. That one was obvious and exactly like the PI called on Hill with the arm draped around. I knew when they didn't call OSU for tackling Darboh coming off the line that we weren't going to get a call the whole day.
Then there was the stuff that we did to ourselves...
Fumble at the goal line. When does that ever happen?
Face mask on an OL 15 yards downfield. When does that ever happen?
God this team feels cursed.
November 26th, 2016 at 5:02 PM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 5:21 PM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 6:03 PM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 7:36 PM ^
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November 26th, 2016 at 9:35 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 9:24 AM ^
There were other calls worse than that spot - the spot was good.
November 27th, 2016 at 12:05 PM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 4:53 PM ^
There's always next fucking year.
November 26th, 2016 at 4:53 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 3:35 AM ^
How about 'Asteroid impacts with Monster Truck force'?
November 26th, 2016 at 4:55 PM ^
So close, and yet so far. FML.
November 26th, 2016 at 4:57 PM ^
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November 26th, 2016 at 4:57 PM ^
Anyone saying Michigan fans shouldn't "whine" about the officiating is just wrong. Michigan DID win that game. The record books will say they lost. It's just wrong. The non call on OSU's PI in the 2nd overtime is one thing. It was horrible but you don't know what would have happened next. The ridiculous spot is something else. That was game over--Michigan wins. Anyone who says the officials didn't cost Michigan the game are wrong. Yes, Michigan "could" have won the game other ways. But they DID win the game this way.
There is too much money at stake now. It has ruined everything. If you can't trust the integrity of the game, then what's the point of watching? I just feel sick over it all.
November 27th, 2016 at 2:15 AM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 4:58 PM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 4:58 PM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 5:00 PM ^
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November 26th, 2016 at 5:32 PM ^
We were up 10, deep in the 3rd, and had just go out to the 50 on a crucial 1st down. Probably in a position to finish the 3rd quarter with the ball, in OSU territory
The Cole facemask brought us all the way back, then the pick, and the very questionable stupid unsportmanslike conduct penalty lead directly to OSU punching it in to make it 17-14
That Cole penalty - rightly called - was brutal and the whole game changed from that point. It went from comfortable lead to a frantic race to the finish
November 26th, 2016 at 5:41 PM ^
Speight threw a 1st down completion after the penalty, so that more or less nullified the negative impact of the penalty.
But then....arrrgh that INT. Absolute momentum killer.
November 26th, 2016 at 5:38 PM ^
OSU proceeded to return their gift back to us by an ill-advised punt fake. We scored the TD we should have gotten earlier.
I think Speight's 2nd interception was when the game was lost. Michigan had them on their heels, up ten in the game with the ball. Instead Speight throws it right at their linebacker and turns it into a near-pick-6. And then Harbaugh has his meltdown moment. THAT was the turning point in the game.
November 26th, 2016 at 10:21 PM ^
The fact that there were so many errors from which to shop for the turning point in a losing game is . . . . not good.
November 26th, 2016 at 4:58 PM ^
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November 26th, 2016 at 4:58 PM ^
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November 26th, 2016 at 11:33 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 2:20 AM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 4:59 PM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 5:00 PM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 5:04 PM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 11:35 PM ^
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