The Game and the argument about how "it is not all on the refs" that Michigan lost.
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.
November 27th, 2016 at 12:29 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
November 27th, 2016 at 12:30 PM ^
The back judge (that called Delano Hill penalty and no-call on Perry) - Kevin Schwarzel - is an admitted OSU fan that was barred from the 2006 game. http://www.athensnews.com/news/local/local-businessman-has-interesting-hobby----he-refs/article_ff61a741-18ae-57a0-ba31-a3188493324b.html
November 27th, 2016 at 12:32 PM ^
From the article:
"This year, I did my first full schedule in the Big 10,' he said. Schwarzel was an Ohio State fan growing up, and said he was excited to be on the field for the Ohio State/Texas game, which featured (at the time) the top-ranked team in the country against the second-ranked team.
His crew worked the Ohio State/Michigan game this fall, which also featured the two top-ranked teams at the time, but Schwarzel was not allowed to work the huge game because he is from Ohio."
November 27th, 2016 at 12:40 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 1:00 PM ^
If it was deemed to be a conflict of interest in 2006, what has changed and why?
November 27th, 2016 at 12:31 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 1:02 PM ^
You make a good point. I look back at the MSU game last year and we had a chance to run out the clock instead of punting and couldn't do it. Every offensive implosion of the past few years points back at the offensive line. Good offensive lines allow you to pick up critical first downs running the football. We do not have a winning offensive line and I think it's really the only thing holding this team back from beating OSU and being B1G champions at a minimum.
November 27th, 2016 at 1:47 PM ^
is the thing that I keep coming back to.
The OSU and Iowa losses (2016) and the MSU loss (2015) are due to lacking an elite offensive line. Could not get that one needed first down late in the 4th to ice the game.
That is the one thing Harbaugh needs to get fixed. He needs an o-line with an All-American and one or more all Big Ten level guys. Until that happens, tight games will be hard to win.
November 27th, 2016 at 7:54 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
November 27th, 2016 at 1:16 PM ^
But we had the chance to run out the clock. The game was in our hands and we couldn't get a first down.
Here's where it's on both us and the officials. Yes, we had the ball with 7:00 left at our own 20, and could potentially have run out the clock, although that's a long time to kill against a defense that stout.
We didn't get it done and punted. But then, our defense got a stop, but the refs called pass interference on Hill on 3rd and long on an uncatchable ball (and for a play that they let go on OSU later on). Our offense should have gotten another chance to run out the clock, but we were denied by a cheap call.
November 27th, 2016 at 12:38 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
November 27th, 2016 at 12:45 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
November 27th, 2016 at 1:04 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
November 27th, 2016 at 3:35 PM ^
Last night. It is still the #1 Topic all over facebook. I have seen the officiating spend more time resetting the clock than was spent reviewing that play. Had they called the pass interference in the 2nd overtime Michigan also would have had a fresh set of downs. The officiating Human Error had an impact in the final minutes of this game no matter how you look at it.
Michigan Fans are Passionate! I don't consider this whining, which has been said many times. All you need is a set of eyes and everything else was obvious.
It was hard watching Michigan Insider this morning. Felt for the players & Harbaugh. It was hard watching them point out the officiating errors in the 2nd overtime alone. Michigan is a Great Team and will have a Great Bowl Game. They will fight another day. GO BLUE!
If they really want to get it right in the CFP committee all they need to do is comparable matchups between Michigan and Ohio St. Michigan kicked Penn St. ass, Kicked Michigan St. ass, Outplayed and beat Wisconsin in regulation. Michigan, I believe is the only team who has beaten 3 teams that are playing for conference championships. I am done venting.
November 27th, 2016 at 1:22 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 1:34 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 1:48 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 1:48 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 1:48 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 2:03 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 2:05 PM ^
Those two screw ups don't happen, Michigan wins.
Can't expect refs to be your pals on the road against a major team either.
It is what it is. This was an extremely good team whose players aren't used to being in these kinds of games, against a team that might not have been as good as them, but has players who have seen this rodeo before and a culture built over multiple seasons of expecting to be successful in big games. That's the one thing Michigan doesn't have yet, but they'll get it.
November 27th, 2016 at 2:31 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
November 27th, 2016 at 4:43 PM ^
Look, every play, every call, dictates what happens next. Darboh was tackled while the ball was in the air on a promising drive, early in the game. A ridiculous non-call. We are a passing team. We've won in the air all season, no matter what you think of our running game. If our recievers are going to have to play on that playing field...we don't win.
On the other side, there was a call on our guy, was it Strib?, early on, where their reciever was pushing off, twisting and falling. It was quite questionable, yet they got the call.
After those two call, I got a pit in my stomach knowing full well, we were screwed for the afternoon. How Michigan was able to dictate most of the game was outstanding. A hurt Speight, unable to scramble much or willing to take a hit, was terrific at times.
Later, in the second, we were unable to connect on a throw to Butt in the endzone because he was being ridden. These all add up to missed opportunites and the inablilty to make plays and put the game out of reach.
Cut to the second overtime, going to the air to Perry, who is clearly intereferred with and no call, Michigan is forced to kick the field goal and inevietable lose the game.
Yes turnovers hurt. Does not mean Michigan should have lost the game, regardless? No.
These kids fought their hearts out. Even though they made mistakes, they deserved an even playing field, but did not get it. Even with those mistakes, they deserved the game. Period.
As for blaming Speight, the throw from the endzone, quite frankly, was due to Perry's roughing the kicker penalty. Michigan has the ball on the 30 yard line or whereabouts, where Peppers makes the fair catch after that first punt with no penalty. With the penalty, OSU was able to keep the ball, forced to punt after gaining better field position, pinning us down at the 2. Speight threw that pass under duress only because he wanted to avoid the Safety. Each play constitutes what is to come. That play is not all on Speight.
November 27th, 2016 at 10:04 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 10:58 PM ^
"They are going to beat them in A2 next year."
I don't know about anyone else, but I'm god damn sick and tired of hearing about next year. Especially when it never happens. Just look at the last 15 years of this series. Even the 1 win we do have was against an interim coach and even that win was really shaky. We were loaded with seniors and they had just lost a bunch of seniors and still come up short. Just my 2 cents.