October 5th, 2010 at 10:51 PM ^
What game?
October 5th, 2010 at 10:51 PM ^
Less hype going into it, but the result was pretty memorable.
Other than that, I won't argue with you. It's big.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:04 PM ^
That's what she said?
October 5th, 2010 at 10:52 PM ^
Disagree. This is either just another step to a vastly improved season (even in a loss), or just another step to playing OSU for a huge game later this season.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:07 PM ^
I will agree with you that this isn't the biggest game since '06, but I disagree that it is "just another step" [ed. emphasis mine]. First, it is an important rivalry game and thus is more important than games against other Big Ten foes all else being equal. Secondly, it would probably be the best team a Rich Rod coached Michigan squad has beaten (barring perhaps '08 Wisconsin and with the usual caveat that it is still early in the season). However, I do think that winning or losing doesn't make or break the season and am more of the mindset that winning any combination of 2-4 of our next seven games is the goal, no matter who it is we beat, unless that team happens to be OSU, and then it's time to go bat shit insane.
October 6th, 2010 at 1:01 AM ^
...certain that whatever the result may be... it will be telling.
October 6th, 2010 at 10:20 AM ^
Recruiting even though RR said a kid would not make up his mind based on 1 game I really think that recruits are looking at this game to confirm that RR is off the Hot seat in terms of perception weather true or false. Another reason I think this is a big game is because it is sold out and I cannot get tickets and will be forced to watch it in CHICAGO!
October 5th, 2010 at 10:52 PM ^
it probably is. A loss by no means destroys Michigan's season but it is a big game for perception. If Michigan wins this week people are going to start talking about a lot bigger things than just a bowl game.
October 5th, 2010 at 10:55 PM ^
Sooooooooooo big.
October 5th, 2010 at 10:57 PM ^
Insectosaurus?
October 5th, 2010 at 11:06 PM ^
Sparty wishes this game was as big to us as insectosaurus.
October 5th, 2010 at 10:56 PM ^
If we win this game, it could determine how the rest of the season goes. Yes, I'm damn excited for this one.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:55 PM ^
I'm sooo pumped to be in those stands saturday! it completely helps determine the rest of the season. The momentum Michigan would have going forward would be HUGE. If they lose.... i don't wanna talk about it. it's all about having momentum w/ this team.
October 5th, 2010 at 10:56 PM ^
I think this game is important, but a loss will be more detrimental to MSU in my opinion, because the whole fan base will realize playtime's over, big brother's all healed up and ready to resume dominance.
If and when we lose a game this year, I have complete confidence that the team will rebound like the champs they are.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:42 PM ^
In terms of the Little brother syndrome, a victory here will send a clear signal that the world is returning to its normal order.
October 6th, 2010 at 12:09 AM ^
not to get ahead too far but sparty has to be scared wittless of losing, there is no way in hell they compete with this team next year.
October 5th, 2010 at 10:58 PM ^
I think it's pretty big - but pretty much all upside. A loss would suck but would not be devastating. A win makes us immediately bowl eligible and makes 9 wins very reachable.
October 5th, 2010 at 10:57 PM ^
Since this is right now but I would argue the 07 Ohio State game was bigger. Big Ten title on the line.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:01 PM ^
MSU has won the past two years and knows that we are on the ropes here. IMO we haven't proven anything yet this season, other than that we can beat inferior opponents. This game is HUGE for us and a win for us proves that we are moving forward from the disasters that were the last two years. State has nothing to lose. If they win, we will never hear the end of it. If they lose, they will say that their inability to stop Denard was the reason.
October 6th, 2010 at 4:03 AM ^
If we've already proven we can beat inferior opponents then you might as well chalk this weekend against MSU up as a win. They're always inferior even when we lose.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:05 PM ^
Since this is right now but I would argue the 07 Ohio State game was bigger. Big Ten title on the line.
MNC appearance on the line. That game was orders of magnitude bigger than this weekend. Last weekend was almost as big as this game in terms of the season.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:10 PM ^
you're thinking '06, he's talking '07.
October 6th, 2010 at 2:15 AM ^
No, I think that 2007 game is what he was talking about, and I agree. OSU had a national championship game berth on the line in 2007, and we had the chance to not only spoil it, but win a piece of the Big Ten. I agree with FA: the 2007 game was far more important than this game between two 5-0 teams with nothing but a second Big Ten win at stake and a chance to become bowl eligible. It SEEMS super important right now, and believe me, it is to me too, but it's not really anywhere near as important as trying to win a piece of the Big Ten, stop OSU from going to the MNC game, and really end the regular season strong after The Horror and Oregon's pantsing of us to start the year.
October 6th, 2010 at 9:53 AM ^
Not to nitpick, but the National Championship game was not on the line for OSU at the time we played them in '07. OSU had lost in the previous week, WVU was poised to get the second spot, not OSU.
'07 was huge, but at the time it was played, it was for a berth in the Rose Bowl and the Big Ten Championship.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:07 PM ^
OSU was our big rival game (when isn't it) and with the B10 title on the line, I dunno. I just didn't get the "feel" for that game. Something was off (uh, Henne's injury was probably what did that to me). I dunno. I can't explain it. I just get that monster feel to this game. I know i'm being repetitive.
October 5th, 2010 at 10:59 PM ^
This game is a key step to putting up a respectable Big 10 schedule, but we've had bigger between now and 2006. I'd argue every game from the point where we had 5 wins last year was bigger, since they all determined bowl eligibility.
If we beat State we beat our second biggest rival and a ranked Big 10 team to boot. That's a nice feather in our cap, but it alone does not determine our resume for the B10 season. If we lose to MSU it would suck but we can make up for it by beating other ranked B10 teams (Iowa and Wisconsin are sure to be ranked when we play. PSU may manage to sneak back in. tOSU of course stands are the brass ring to reach for at the end of the season.).
Beating State is something we SHOULD do, but if we don't we can recover from it with other wins.
Right now I'd say tOSU is our biggest game. We were shockingly competitive with them until we decided to turn it over constantly. It seems like Tresselball doesn't like the spread all that much. If the offense goes into Columbus healthy and the defense can find some decent mojo for one game, a big win could happen.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:04 PM ^
I think this game has huge recruiting implications. That's the biggest reason I look at this as the biggest game since OSU 2006. You might disagree, but to me, this week already has that MASSIVE GAME feel to me. While a loss wouldn't completely criple us, a win would go a long, long, way to restoring us to what once was.
October 6th, 2010 at 8:39 AM ^
CRex is right-- There is no make or break here. We can't go into this with the idea that the entire season is over if we don't get the win. Sparty's not as good as their ranking alludes, probably very much like us. It seems like beating ND early in the season is an eye-opener to voters-- I guess that's what playing a team with its own national TV contract gives you (yes, even though Sparty played them on ESPN).
The Wisconsin win was big, but time will tell over the course of the conference schedule just how good the Baaaadgers really are.
There's nothing King Sparty Cardiac and his lemming followers want more than to be our most feared, most loathed enemy. They want us circling the date, coveting the lumberjack, being the make or break game on our schedule.
Dude, won't happen. Even if you've won 2 straight, you're still just Sparty.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:01 PM ^
About as big as Justin Boren
October 5th, 2010 at 11:02 PM ^
The game is THIS BIG!
October 5th, 2010 at 11:03 PM ^
Win would be great, obviously, but a loss wouldn't be as soul-crushing as many of the losses we've been through. It'd be great to get the 6th win against State though.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:06 PM ^
I am elated with how we have looked so far, but I am amazed at how (relatively) apathetic some people seem to be about this. To me, this loss would blow terribly. I think it would be worse than our worst loss last year, at least (Illinois, imo).
October 5th, 2010 at 11:10 PM ^
I think people still sort of laugh at MSU even with the last 2 years. We need to end that crap now. 3 in a row is too much. Illinois was awful last year, just like Toledo in 2008 (i was there ugh). This would be more heartbreaking than either of those.
October 6th, 2010 at 1:35 AM ^
No way would this be worse than Illinois. That was when Michigan showed it was not ready yet, and was the game that we should have won (in a vacuum). It was not historically bad, like Toledo or App State, but it was bad.
We can bounce back from a loss as soon as next week by beating Iowa.
Also, I was there at the Illinois game, and that game was truly terrible.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:07 PM ^
Big. If UM loses, everyone will just assume they'll lose the rest of their Big Ten games just like last year.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:08 PM ^
It is huge. While both teams have a lot riding on this game, if Sparty wins they've got a great shot at a BCS Bowl and possibly the big ten title. Their remaining schedule sets up real nice: Illinois, at Northwestern, at Iowa, Minnesota, Purdue, at PSU. Obviously the biggest hurdle there is @Iowa, second is probably @Northwestern. The other 4 are probably just speed bumps.
Without looking up the other 10 teams, that's probably the easiest schedule for a big ten team for the final 6 games. You've got probably the 2 worst teams in the big ten (Purdue and Minnesota - to make it even easier at home), another team in Illinois that will probably finish in the bottom half of the big ten, a team in PSU that will probably be around 500 in conference play, one legit big ten contender in Iowa and a team that is hard to get a read on because they haven't really played anyone yet - Northwestern.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:09 PM ^
allow the shoelace and mr. official explain. and hopefully they keep reminding you throughout the game.
thiiiiiiiiis big
October 6th, 2010 at 8:37 AM ^
Life, the Universe, and Everything is on the line people!
If I could +1 ya, I would. Not sure when I'll get those privileges back.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:18 PM ^
Not to be all coach-speak, but the biggest game is always the next game. UM is no longer viewed as a dominant program, one that presumed bowl eligiblity from training camp and spent the season chasing a MNC birth. The past two years have humbled many a fan and player, and so until this team returns to its place as an elite national team, every win, every game is as important as the last. Hopefully soon beating MSU will be an expected outcome, and competing for Big 10 titles a given, but right now the team is 5-0, and will hopefully be 6-0. Then the focus will turn to biggest game in their season against Iowa, and so on for the rest of the season.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:34 PM ^
Ohio State is bigger. Always has been, always will be. The importance of Michigan State is distorted in the State of Michigan. Outside the state, it matters less. I would argue this game is much more important to MSU than to UM. I believe we will end up with four more wins this year, but I am unsure who we will lose to. A 9 - 3 season is more than successful enough for us, regardless of whether or not we beat State. Beating OSU, now that gets national attention, ends the streak of losses, and would be memorable. Ask yourself: what win are you aware of from 1969? OSU. Where did Bo focus? OSU or MSU? What ends the season? OSU or MSU? Admittedly, those living in Michigan can't stand grief from Sparty, but it just isn't as big.
We beat State, and media will go "meh." We lose, they go "meh." We beat OSU, they take notice, and so does everyone else. It was the OSU game that sealed the Heisman for Howard and Woodson. If we beat OSU, and Denard has a killer game, it paves the way for a Heisman for him too.
October 6th, 2010 at 2:20 AM ^
I wish I could upvote you more than just one point for this, SRK. I wholeheartedly agree. Think nationally, not intrastate, people. MSU is still MSU. OSU is still OSU. Hell, they're a perrenial top-5 team now. MSU gets hot and bothered over 6-7.
October 6th, 2010 at 7:41 AM ^
Really well put!
October 6th, 2010 at 8:25 AM ^
Which loss would be more devastating this year, MSU or OSU? I'm torn here, but really because of expectations. This weekend is a home game, unlike the one in November. It isn't against the "#2" team in the country, like it will be in November. The conditions are perfect for payback from the last two games. So is it more realistic to expect us to win this Saturday, and therefore a loss would be more devastating? Does anyone really expect us to win in November (and by this, I mean given our rankings, level of progress RR has made in his tenure vs. Tressel's already in place team, etc)?
I think the OSU game in the big picture is bigger, always has been, but the conditions surrounding this one game , this year, make this one right up there, too.
October 6th, 2010 at 8:36 AM ^
Smartest thing anyone has posted here all week.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:40 PM ^
Its big because Im sick of pride comes before the fall and all that gibberish, and I want MSU to die a slow painful death. I think I want a last second win because then I want them to suffer. I hate them and want them to be heartbroken (not literally, no heart attacks again).
October 5th, 2010 at 11:44 PM ^
have Michigan blow them off the field.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:43 PM ^
It's the biggest game in RR's UM tenure.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:43 PM ^
This is our chance to shut the mouths of the annoying fan base of Sparty for the entire year. This win means an end to their two year streak and puts the meaning of "little brother" back into effect. I'm sick of these green bastards talking shit on every Michigan fan board and website that they can spout their bull shit on. Michigan Stadium dons two colors. Maize and blue not green and white. I want to put these Spartan bastards in their place so bad that I have taken the liberty of getting a bonfire party ready before game night and burning a Spartan hockey jersey that I bought for 5 bucks at a garage sale and cook hotdogs over it's flames. I hate them, I hate them, I hate them. Do I need to say anymore?
October 5th, 2010 at 11:45 PM ^
I would say it's the biggest game since the 08 capitol one bowl being that we beat Florida and Lloyd retired