The Game and the argument about how "it is not all on the refs" that Michigan lost.

Submitted by Brandon_L on

The head ref was fired in 2002 (Daniel Capron), or suspended and somehow allowed to ref again in the Big Ten. 

link to 2002 LA times article http://articles.latimes.com/2002/oct/03/sports/sp-colfbnotes3

The ref who made the call on the 4th and 1 spot was none other than ohio native (Cincy) and OHSAA hall of fame ref Bobby Sager who is a known Buckeye football fan. He is also the ref that threw the flag on Harbaugh for a personal foul when he threw his headset. Ironically when the Buckeyes didnt get the first down on the fake punt Urban threw his headset without getting a foul. Bobby Sager is the ref who told Habaugh he was a basketball ref and that what Harbaugh did would have been a tech in Basketball. 

Here is another link http://ohiovalleyofficials.com/2016/06/17/ohsaa-officials-hof-adds-sage…

Lastly, Michigan turned over the ball 3 times, but when you add in the peppers Int, and urbans whiffed fake punt call call that is basically the same a s a turnover in their own territory it gives the Buckeyes a plus 1 in the turnover margin. We also sacked Barrett 8 times, 8 god damn times and still lost the game.

Now, add in the 3 "missed" PI calls and he fact that Ohio State got the same calls to go their way, and the 4th and 1 spot this game looks and feels like a cheap sleazy night at motel six that ended with crabs and Chlamydia. 

Ohio State has the talent advantage and its being bridged quick because we have the superior coach. It took Saban 3 years to beat Urban and we know the deal down in T-town. Michigan has just gotten started and if by the tiniest margin we get a rematch with this years Buckeyes in January, they will feel the fury of a thousand suns from this team. If Michigan must wait the requisite 365 days so be it. They are going to beat them in A2 next year. One way or another this will go our way at some point. 

TrueBlue2003

November 27th, 2016 at 1:19 PM ^

more than 5 yards for a TD in regulation!!!  It is almost unfathomable how well our defense played and how badly we gave away opportunities on offense (dropped Butt third down, poor playcalling inside the five on the first FG, fumble on goal line) and had them taken away by refs (missesd PI call to end the second drive).

JTGoBlue

November 27th, 2016 at 11:47 AM ^

Totally agree with everything in this post. Harbaugh needs to do a Urban Meyer/Scott Frost campaign to get this team in the playoff, and after the season Michigan needs to exhaust every effort/vehicle to hold these referees accountable.



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SalvatoreQuattro

November 27th, 2016 at 11:48 AM ^

Three turnovers. Why do people insist on ignoring these?

OSU won the turnover battle, 3-1. Without the two picks UM wins by double digits. The harsh truth is that the turnovers made the officiating matter. UM put itself into a position to where the game could be decided by incompetent officials.



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ST3

November 27th, 2016 at 2:09 PM ^

and the refs had even more costly mistakes. I rewatched the first 20 minutes of the game this morning. On a 20 yard run by Barrett, the OSU center is behind Glasgow, he wraps his arm around him and falls on him. No holding call. A few plays later, Darboh is held trying to release from the LOS. No call. Next, the Buckeye LG gets his hand in Glasgow's face mask and shoves his head upward. This was certainly more egregious and more obvious than Cole's face mask, but no call is made. We had 2nd and goal at the nine. The ball is in the air, the defender is grabbing Butt, but there is no holding or Pass Interference called. Watch Butt's reaction. He clearly thought he was held. An automatic first down  the 4 would have been really nice there. OSU gets the ball back and on 3rd and 8 or 9, they throw an 8 or 9 yard pass. The Buckeye receiver is tackled at the sticks at the 14 yard line. The official walks up to the 15 and spots it there. No need to measure when you predetermine they made the first down and give them an extra yard. But you keep blaming the pick-six if that makes you feel better. I would post all these photos but I'm not good with that sort of thing.

And all of this was in the first 20 minutes. Let's not forget about the non-PI on our last drive or the failure to throw a flag for holding on the play prior to the 4th down "spot" play. Jourdan Lewis is held and then ridden out of bounds by the buckeye defender. I'm sure I could find more examples if I cared to watch the 40 minutes between the beginning and the OTs.

Maison Bleue

November 27th, 2016 at 2:17 PM ^

No. I truly believe that the refs figure out a way to get OSU the win even if WS hadn't thrown the picks or fumbled on the one. Good luck trying to convince me otherwise. The B1G wanted two teams in the playoff instead of the one team that gave them the best shot to win it. Why else would two OSU fans be officiating the UM-OSU game yesterday?




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Fieldy'sNuts

November 27th, 2016 at 11:56 AM ^

We had numerous chances to win and blew it, but it was obvious ohio state needed help from the refs to win and they got it. Ohio State could not have won without the assist from the refs.

SD Larry

November 27th, 2016 at 12:18 PM ^

I also appreciate you wrote what I was thinking to myself about a rematch against OSU this post season.   Ok fellow bloggers, maybe I need therapy after this one.  

 FWIW, this morning something strange happened to me here is SoCal.  Walking out of the gym into the parking lot today, a young man I don't know wearing a gray LA hat rolls down his window and says to me "That wasn't a first down".  I do a double take and say huh? and he says again "That wasn't a first down.  I was watching with my friends yesterday and we all said Barrett didn't make that first down."  I paused, said "Thanks man" , then walked over and gave him a fist bump and said "God Bless you man", he says "Take care brother".  Again, I don't know this young man, and don't typically wear M stuff to gym, though I do wear Navy and a lot of people there know I love Michigan.  Maybe Go Blue license plate holder, but wasn't at my car yet.  Anyway, doubt it happens, but would personally love a rematch with OSU in a bowl or playoff game.   Any opportunity  to give this chance to our seniors not to mention an opportunity  give the Big Ten and Big Ten officiating a facial they deserve after the terrible officiating yesterday would be most welcome from my maize and blue point of view.

 

 

samdrussBLUE

November 27th, 2016 at 11:58 AM ^

Peppers gets a decent amount of blame in the pick six. If he actually fields the punt at about the 15 like he should have we are never backed up and they never bring that type of pressure and it never happens. Peppers made a number of not good/bad plays yesterday. This was one of them



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DavidP814

November 27th, 2016 at 12:09 PM ^

Did it land at the 15?  I thought it landed close to the 10, but I may be wrong.

Regardless, the key error in that series of plays was Grant Perry's running into the punter.  The argument at the time (on my Twitter, at least) was that the penalty didn't hurt UM b/c the Buckeyes promptly went 3-and-out again.  However, if you remember the first punt, Peppers fair caught the kick at the 30.  The 2nd punt was downed at the 5.  The running-into-the-punter penalty cost Michigan 25 yards of field position.  If Wilton is standing at his own 23 yard line instead of in the end zone, does he even throw that ball?

Mannix

November 27th, 2016 at 12:17 PM ^

Agree on this. For all the hype, he was beat twice by a lumbering TE (sideline out, and the post on 3rd and goal from the 18. Chip shot field goal followed), and he allowed Samuels out of jail and gave opportunity to reverse field to set up the play which sucked.



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991GT3

November 27th, 2016 at 11:59 AM ^

will become more diffcult. This was the year to beat them because they are in a rebulding year. Next year we will be rebuilding and OSU young players on this year team beat us. Also, OSU will have a better recruiting class than Michigan next year. 

Final point. I think we all put JH build a shrine for JH without him having to prove anything. The reality is he has yet to win a big game, win a championship (except at a college 3 level) or demonstrate he can. No doubt he is a terrific coach and right for Michigan but at least for now he is no Saban or Meyers. He needs to up his game and I am sure he would agree.

SalvatoreQuattro

November 27th, 2016 at 12:36 PM ^

The future is not decide so fretting about it is a silly.

OSU will lost some more guys this offseason and who knows if Barrett can stay healthy. A lot can happen in one year's time. All I know is that Harbaugh has closed the gap significantly with a roster filled by guys recruited by the previous coach.



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SeattleWolverine

November 27th, 2016 at 1:14 PM ^

But part of the reason the gap closed this year is that we were a senior experienced team while they had a ton of turnover. And those guys from the previous coach were actually fairly talented and underperformed in 2013 and especially 2014. Next year will be the opposite. At best we return 6 out of 22 starters and lose our kicker. There's some young talent but there will be struggles next year. 

2018 figures to be a better year but we have @Notre Dame, @MSU, @OSU, Wisconsin, PSU and Nebraska. Hopefully ND and MSU are more like 2016 than 2015 or else that scehdule looks brutal.

M go Bru

November 27th, 2016 at 2:07 PM ^

We return the following starters:

D  McCray Peppers?

O  Poggi/Hill Speight Perry Cole Newsome Bredeson

 

and the following major (minor) contributors:

DB/S Clark?  Kinnel Mettellus Watson (Hudson Long L. Hill)

DL  Gary Hurst Winovich Mone

LB  (Bush Furbush)

RB  Higdon Isaac Evans (Johnson?)

TE  Wheatley Asiasi (Bunting)

OL  (Kugler Onwenu Bushell-Beatty)

WR  (Crawford McDoom Harris)

 

SeattleWolverine

November 27th, 2016 at 4:35 PM ^

Peppers is gone. 

Newsome...I hope he returns healthy but you don't spend a month in the hospital after an injury unless there is some serious stuff going on. We'll see.

Clark is a maybe. Agree the DL is still promising though it lacks depth. 

Perry seems like a guy who can be a useful piece as a 3rd down receiver on short passes like this year but not sure he will be anything more than that. Not sure JBB is more than just a backup. Kugler was a 4th year guy who doesn't play much, Cole moved to his position, young OL passing him for snaps when we have injuries. Not promising. 

I agree there are some talented young pieces. I like Bush, Evans, Asiasi, Wheatly, Crawford, McDoom, Kinnel etc . And the recruits. But they'll need seasoning. I mean, weird stuff happens in college football but 97% of the time when you lose the experienced talent we do you take a step backwards. 

MGB

November 27th, 2016 at 1:28 PM ^

I Disagree. Saban went 7-6 and then 12-2 in his first two years at Bama. With no championships and no major ( bcs ) bowl wins. Harbaugh has gone 10-3 and so far 10-2 in two years at Michigan. Neither Saban or Urban even won their conference until year 3 at their current schools. Urban also lost two games in his second year at osu, didn't win the conference and didn't win their bowl game.. And that was with an experienced team. The next year they were supposed to be in rebuilding mode, and won a NC. People saying " this was our year, and we blew it" ... Look I get the disappointment, I'm devastated by yesterday's loss ( screw job ) but this was not our only year.. We will be good year in, and year out under harbaugh. This program is just getting started. I love this team, but it's worth noting to everyone who says "this was our year" that this team didn't have a Stanford level O-Line.. Or an Andrew Luck caliber QB.. Or a game changing running back. This offense will get better under harbaugh.. He didn't run over the pac-12 in 2 years. When he has fully put his finger prints on this team, we will be able to run the ball and impose our will. And we will beat OSU, and we will win a National Championship!!

markusr2007

November 27th, 2016 at 8:00 PM ^

2016 Ohio State team was one of the least experienced teams in the BIG10 and the nation this year and still finished fucking 11-1.
Buckeyes get everyone back next year plus another top ranked recruiting class.
Michigan is going to be gutted at DL, secondary, Receiver and OL.
Ohio St. will be a giant favorite for BIG10 title this year.
2016 was Michigan's year, and it was fucked away by shitty offensive line play and no running game.



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nes5775

November 27th, 2016 at 12:07 PM ^

The face mask foul on Mason Cole was a spot. If the foul occurred after Smith had picked up the 1st down, why was the following play 3 and 5? Huge call considering that the next play was an interception!

Muttley

November 27th, 2016 at 12:43 PM ^

  • 3rd and 6 at MICH 16

    (2:50 - 3rd) Wilton Speight pass complete to De'Veon Smith for 16 yds to the Mich 32 MICHIGAN Penalty, Face Mask (15 yards) (Mason Cole) to the Mich 17

  • 3rd and 5 at MICH 17

    (2:34 - 3rd) Wilton Speight pass complete to Grant Perry for 13 yds to the Mich 30 for a 1ST down

  • 1st and 10 at MICH 30

    (2:12 - 3rd) De'Veon Smith run for a loss of 4 yards to the Mich 26

  • 2nd and 14 at MICH 26

    (1:30 - 3rd) Wilton Speight pass intercepted Jerome Baker return for 22 yds to the Mich 13

  • http://www.espn.com/college-football/playbyplay?gameId=400869650

  • (The 32 was the spot at which the penalty was called.  Smith made it all the way near midfield.)

Heywood_Jablome

November 27th, 2016 at 12:07 PM ^

I honestly didn't think the spot on that 4th down was terrible.  It was close and could have gone either way.  I've seen a ton worse than that. Whichever way that was ruled on the field was going to stand.

 

1VaBlue1

November 27th, 2016 at 12:25 PM ^

I'll agree with this, a little.  I don't know how far off the line the camera actually was, but it doesn't appear to have been too far.  The parallax error couldn't have been half a yard, though.  I don't know where that spot should have gone, but it doesn't look like the ball got past the 15 yd line - which is what was needed for a first down.  The yellow line on the screen was a foot short and totally misleading.  But spots are an official's judgement call - always have been and always will be.  That one was bad, but I've seen far worse.

The other calls, and non-calls, were far more egregious.  And are being totally overlooked and poo-pood by the national medai talking heads.  I hate whining about bad calls because they usually even each other out.  But this game was so completely one-sided it deserves to be called out by Harbaugh.  I kinda hope he keeps it up throughout the bowl season just to embarrass the B1G officiating crew.

Last thing - I normally root for the B1G in bowl games, but this year I hope OSU gets ass raped by whoever they play.  I'm so fucking tired of that team getting every fucking break every time I turn around.  Fuck them.

991GT3

November 27th, 2016 at 12:31 PM ^

every team except possibly Clemson. Alabama hasn't given up a touchdown in five games playing agtainst SEC competition. I certainly wouldn't want Michgan to face them especially with our average OL, average running backs and above average banged up QB. 

Jeff4179

November 27th, 2016 at 12:14 PM ^

If only teams who play perfect games can complain about refereeing, then no one would/could ever complain about the refs.  Of course, if Michigan had minimized mistakes then the blatantly unfair calls would have had less impact.  But the fact is, they made mistakes, more then I wish they would have, but despite that, they were in a position to win the game and the refereeing had a huge impact on them losing.  

SalvatoreQuattro

November 27th, 2016 at 12:23 PM ^

There are mistakes and then there are catastrophic mistakes.

UM made three of the latter.

Every team makes mistakes. OSU certainly did. But it is the type and how many that often decide the game. UM had too many catastrophic errors to overcome the brutal officiating.



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kehnonymous

November 27th, 2016 at 12:29 PM ^

Turnovers were undoubtedly the larger factor, I don't think anyone here could argue that.  Without the turnovers, we win.

That said, yes - refereeing was also a factor as well.  With competent and even-handed refereeing we have a much greater chance of winning.  

Should you play well enough to overcome bad refereeing?  A thousand times, yes - I'll never waver from this.  Nor, however, will I waver from my feeling that one-sided refereeing should never be a factor, which it absolutely was yesterday.