Best thing you saw: Week 9

Multiple downfield completions 

Best thing?  A rejunvenation of our team and fan base, inspired by the play of BP.  You could really see their demeanor change for the better.  Also, I think having Drevno on the sideline the entire game was a good thing, and hope to see that continue.

Football is fast becoming a team sport dominated by individual talent.  Bryce Love's injury made a should have been stomping into a classic game between cellar dweller and contender.

A really great game in a week of exceptional games.

A passing TD to a RB by BP. Did we have one this year? I don't remember seeing that. Giving our athletes the ball in space would be the best thing M can do going forward.

Because they don't deserve to have a football program, when they lose a heart breaker it's the best thing to see. I really wish 0-12 on them every year, they deserve it.

will be here for the next few years contributed yesterday. Loads of frosh and soph talent that are gaining experience and showing high potential. That was my UM best. A lot of close, good games yesterday and some outstanding individual performances like Kelly Bryant, Saquon, JT, and Tate.

Best thing from M: Hope for the season in #18, as many of you have said.

Best thing non-M: MSU taken down in OT.

Any day Michigan wins and MSU loses is a great day of football.

Brandon Peters and the notion that a QB can have touch when throwing a pass. He's just starting folks. Actually, the more I think of it, I kept getting the feeling the way he throws reminded me of someone. I finally figured it out: Joe Montana. (yes, #toosoon)

Another best (and frightening) thing: OSU's defensive line. Once they got going, PSU couldn't block them. At the end of that game, they were doing to PSU what we had only hoped to do. How the f*** is OSU so damn good each year baffles me, it's like going against Darth Vader and the empire (though I guess that kind of worked out).

A fun thing was an MSU QB deftly evading a sack in order to throw a hail mary on like 2nd down, especially considering that Northwestern D wasn't stopping anybody in OT anymore. That was quite enjoyable - as a few more Sparty losses would be.

A last horrific thing: it is so damn hard to defend JT Barrett. I am just hoping he tweaks an ankle -- nothing serious -- but misses one game this year. Yes, I'd much prefer that than seeing him win another f***ing game in the Big House.

 

But doesn't Rashan Gary seem to be turning it up a notch every game now?

Peters, Collins, Walker, Solomon, etc.

The first time insertion of Peters for an extended period of time went swimmingly.

Best thing I saw was right before they went to commercial after the 1st Peters TD drive, they showed O'Korn finding his way to Peters to give him a high five.

it was Brandon Peters play.

getting open, occasionally.

Come back late to tie it. Then have to tie it in 1st OT. Then have NW tie it in 2nd OT. And then Lewerke throwing a punt into the EZ when he had 2 more downs if he threw it away.

Also...seeing Franklin choke away a chance for a NC (I don't see PSU getting back into the mix) - up 35 to 20 in the 4th and have the ball 1st down at OSU 42 after a fumble. Maybe he'll learn not to ice kickers up 50-0 and hurry a play in the final 10 seconds up 42-13. Hate OSU as much as I can, but Urban isn't like that.

Seeing Butch go down to Kentucky (UK's 2nd win vs. UT since '84). 

Looking forward to Zona at USC next week - that will be a mix of offenses!

Best Michigan thing:

Brandon Peters. His performance and the energy that it gave to the team, the stadium, everything. For the first time all season, the defense was able to feed off of offense. I was excited to see what the offense would do for the first time all season.

Best Non-Michigan thing:

Sparty losing!

Under the topic of give credit where credit is due:  JT Barrett hits his last 16 passes in a row to come back from 18 down to beat Penn State.

Wow.

Last year he couldn't hit 3 in a row.

Of course he gets hot just in time for us.

In the Big Ten East, you have to keep pace.  Your offense has to be elite, not just your defense.  You are not going to win games scoring 17 points, ala Bo's era.  Penn State scores 38 points and still loses.

It's Iowa State for me! Best wins in the country...and should've beaten Iowa. Crazy they could be 7-1 and a Top 10 team

5 sacks on d
Dominating Rashan Gary
Peters finally plays
2 109 yard rushers
Coaches keep it simple but call great game for him
State loses (kind of mixed on this one, but Spartan friends were unusually Dickey’s this year so f them).
Chance to better ruin oSU season

The lack of 12 hot take posts about what a disaster Michigan football is

When you consider Michigan is one of the youngest teams in ALL of college football, it is amazing they are 6-2 in a very tough conference.  PSU and MSU was painful to be sure.  That said, I am convinced next years outcome in MSU/PSU will be in favor of Michigan.

There are times in most programs that some seasons are just a struggle.  Look at MSU and ND last year. Both teams cratered.  Michigan/Harbaugh is NOT cratering.  In fact, I believe the balance of year will be one of progress and potentially lead us to upsets of both Wisconsin and OSU.  I think last year Michigan peaked too early in year and with Speight's injury just changed complexion of season.

Rutgers has a good D line.  Michigan Oline looked very similar to some crushing Oline's of old for most of game.  That is undeniable. Again, it is Rutgers, but there has been significant improvemnt from early in season.  And pass pro is even better.  Running backs look much better, mainly due to Oline.

Many are comparing Peters showing yesterday to Okorn's against Purdue.  I understand those comparisons.  HUGE difference, Peters seems unflappable.  His demeanor will not allow his confidence to crash.  Okorn has proven to be the same player we saw against Indiana last year with one flash of brilliance. Peter's may have a bad game due to Freshman mistakes but he will continue to ascend. Enough so, that defenses will have to stay honest which will keep our run game effective.

I was much more optimistic on season then I am now.  I am now a realist.  I see the team for what it is.  A very young, very talented team that will be lights out in 2018.  A team that will get to 9 or 10 wins this year.  A team that most will see as a team that didn't reach it's potential.  I see this team that realized Harbaughs best coaching job in his career and far exceeded realistic expectations based on youth and ferocity of conference.  No, it won't reach my UNREALISTIC expectations.

I do think Harbaugh waited on Peter's more for improvement of the offensive line and WR's rather than Peter's ascension.  I think Harbaugh rolled dice on Okorn hoping a 5th year senior would be better for a young team.

And the blossoming of our hope for the future.

I knew the fans would respond when Peters went in, but I was most happy to see the energy it seemed to put into the offense when he went in. From what we'd heard, it sounded like Peters didn't have command of the huddle previously, so it was a good moment. At least it appeared that way to me. Also happy the way the whole team on the sideline seemed to give him their full attention when he went out, as well as congratulated him when he came to the sideline.  

I know the players kept saying they had full confidence in JOK, and I'm not intending to demean the job he did stepping in when Speight went down, but after what they'd seen, at least in games, and probably in practice, it's hard to believe they weren't hoping for this move sooner rather than later.

Hopefully, this game wasn't a misleading sampling of Peters' skills and capability. I see him only getting better, though, as he goes forward, getting more and more comfortable as he gets the majority of reps on the first team. 

Brandon Peters. He's not a heisman candidate but he played beautifully. I know they eased up on the offense but he did all the right things right when we needed them.

I saw the beginniing of the golden era of Harbaugh.

Get ready college football. Michigan is coming!

We still need a dominant safety who can cover, and a right tackle, but they are coming.