Michigan opens as 7 point favorite for Brown Jug
From Mlive's Nick Baumgartner...
ANN ARBOR -- It's Little Brown Jug week in Ann Arbor. And Michigan, despite an ugly home loss Saturday against Utah, will enter Big Ten play as a favorite. The Wolverines (2-2) opened as a seven-point favorite over visiting Minnesota (3-1) for next Saturday's game at Michigan Stadium (3:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN2), per VegasInsider.com. After dropping a 30-7 decision at TCU two weeks ago, Minnesota got back in the win column last week with a 24-7 win over lowly San Jose State in Minneapolis. Michigan is 39-3 against Minnesota since 1968. Minnesota currently ranks No. 107 nationally in total offense (336 yards per game) and No. 67 nationally in total defense (383.3 yards allowed per game). Minnesota's passing offense ranks No. 124 nationally (99.8 yards per game), but its rush offense current sits at No. 30 with 236.25 yards per game.
September 21st, 2014 at 8:33 PM ^
We will be fine this game. I know we've flat-out sucked the last few weeks (even with a W), but this team will NOT lose to Minnesota Saturday. No, we're not a good team. But we will find a way, probably not pretty, and pull it out. We don't need to support the coaches, but I'm supporting the players 110%.
September 21st, 2014 at 8:55 PM ^
I don't disagree.
What are you going to do about your username after this season?
September 21st, 2014 at 9:09 PM ^
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September 22nd, 2014 at 12:56 PM ^
Heh, I might be changing it in the VERY near future..
September 21st, 2014 at 8:56 PM ^
I don't disagree.
What are you going to do about your username after this season?
EDIT: I suck.
September 22nd, 2014 at 8:14 AM ^
Glad you're so sure! I think you've been drinking the Hoke koolaid!!
September 22nd, 2014 at 11:10 AM ^
I will always support the players.
Keep fighting fellas
September 21st, 2014 at 8:34 PM ^
Rivalry game, coming to play!
September 22nd, 2014 at 7:29 AM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 8:35 PM ^
Free money!!!! Totally taking minny for this game.
September 21st, 2014 at 8:40 PM ^
Don't do that. At the end of the day, it's still Minnesota. They couldn't even beat us in 2008 in Minneapolis.
September 21st, 2014 at 8:47 PM ^
I'm sorry but that is just dumb. Aside from Fred Jackson not one person from either team in 2008 will be on the field Saturday.
September 21st, 2014 at 9:12 PM ^
The 2013 Minnesota team got trashed by 29 points in the Big House last year.
Better?
September 21st, 2014 at 9:08 PM ^
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September 22nd, 2014 at 7:08 AM ^
Well if the minnesota team from saturday shows up we will probably win..
THey passed it for 1 completion and also threw a pick..
Let them run the ball all game, they still won't do much
September 21st, 2014 at 8:35 PM ^
I don't know what it is but Michigan can't score and Minnesota's entire offense is built around their run game. If there is anything I have almost complete faith in at this point it is Michigan's ability to stop the run. Maybe a nice 2 to 0 game, Frank Clark with the game winning safety.
September 21st, 2014 at 8:38 PM ^
So take the points and the under?
September 21st, 2014 at 8:53 PM ^
Well it is tough to outscore a team by more than 7 when you can't score an offensive TD. The defense just needs to produce one TD and know for every one they give up they need to score one more to cover the all important spread.
I also believe that line will move down as we get closer to the game.
September 22nd, 2014 at 11:12 AM ^
given that neither offense has shown the ability to do anything against a competent defense. Unless the offense makes a big jump, we'll have a hard time beating anyone by 7. Best guess, we win 9-6 or 9-7, maybe 9-3 if we don't turn it over as much as usual.
September 21st, 2014 at 8:57 PM ^
Their offense is built around their run game? Sweet. I'm so glad we have a damn good run defense.
September 21st, 2014 at 8:36 PM ^
Cannot be.
September 21st, 2014 at 8:41 PM ^
No, but it means they're worse than us.
September 21st, 2014 at 8:49 PM ^
No their not. Were evenly matched
September 22nd, 2014 at 8:25 AM ^
We're do you get the idea that where evenly matched?
September 21st, 2014 at 8:55 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 8:37 PM ^
If we lose this game we won't make it to 4 wins this season, its as simple as that.
September 22nd, 2014 at 10:32 AM ^
If my aunt has balls, she would be my uncle.
September 21st, 2014 at 8:38 PM ^
Courtesy of TeamRankings, the preliminary comparison:
Offense
|
Minnesota | Michigan |
Yards/Play | 5.1 | 5.9 |
Points/Play | 0.332 | 0.352 |
Rush Play % | 73.87% | 55.68% |
Pass Play % | 26.13% | 44.32% |
Completion % | 42.55% | 58.93% |
3D Conv % | 32.50% | 45.28% |
RZ Scoring % | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Defense
|
Minnesota | Michigan |
Opp Yards/Play | 5.1 | 4.1 |
Opp Points/Play | 0.276 | 0.316 |
Opp Completion % | 55.56% | 58.33% |
Opp 3D Conv % | 40.48% | 32.79% |
Opp RZ Scoring % | 100.00% | 100.00% |
September 21st, 2014 at 8:42 PM ^
Those red zone percentages are wild. Both teams are scoring 100% of the time when they get to the red zone (yeah, yeah, I know) and both team give up points 100% of the time when their opponents reach the red zone.
So..both Michigan and Minnesota lead the nation in one category and are the worst in the nation in the other.
September 21st, 2014 at 9:05 PM ^
WTF is a Red Zone? /s
Go Blue!
September 22nd, 2014 at 2:31 AM ^
It's the place where the ball is when the defense runs on the field.
September 22nd, 2014 at 11:40 AM ^
!00% in the Red Zone, baby!
We made it there once and we scored once. Probably a FG against App State.
Whoo Hoo! Suck it, Minny!
September 21st, 2014 at 8:39 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 8:41 PM ^
Michigan clobbered them in 2008. Nick Sheridan turned into Tom Brady.
Last year they played their best conference game of the year against them.
They can do this.
September 21st, 2014 at 8:42 PM ^
Think about the opportunities TOs give to the opposite and the negative impact on the defense.
Still, I am completely, absolutely not sure what we may end up with next Saturday.
May be Nuss should send Wilton Speight to start?
September 21st, 2014 at 8:44 PM ^
I'd take the over.
(knocked on wood).
September 21st, 2014 at 8:45 PM ^
I think Speight is our best Long Term prospect. He has height and is accurate, doesn't throw the prettiest ball but thats okay.
September 21st, 2014 at 8:48 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 8:48 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 8:51 PM ^
I'm going to really try to live out each game in a vacuum. There is no season, just each individual game exists in and of itself. I won't survive any other way.
September 21st, 2014 at 9:02 PM ^
I like this philosophy.
I'm going to borrow it and try to do the same.
Of course, when a human is in a vacuum their eyes bug out and they explode ... or so I saw in a movie once. :-)
September 21st, 2014 at 9:10 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 8:53 PM ^
I'll take Michigan 17-13 in an ugly game.
September 21st, 2014 at 8:55 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 9:30 PM ^
They soundly beat both the other bad teams they played.
They have a very good defense.
Last year, when the team was equally as bad.
September 22nd, 2014 at 7:46 AM ^
September 22nd, 2014 at 7:47 AM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 8:59 PM ^
Feels like a 16-7 game. I was thinking this would be a blowout a week ago for our team but seeing our inability to do anything but pass to Devin Funchess and then turnover the ball/punt (without 11 men on the field) makes it more difficult to call. Still Minnesota got blown out by a very average TCU team by 23. All Minnesota does is run, they barely have a passing game. But man if we turn it over on our own 20-30 yard line you cant ask the defense not to give up any rush yards all game. Tough one.
September 21st, 2014 at 9:32 PM ^
And I'm a guy who predicted Utah would win and spent a lot Friday saying Utah was pretty clearly superior.
Unless Shane starts - and then Michigan 23 Minnesota 14