Phil Steele's Forecast : OSU 30, Michigan 23
Phil Steele's confidence in Michigan shining through again:
http://blog.philsteele.com/2009/11/18/week-12-top-25-forecasts/
An interesting link there on the past 12 match ups between OSU and Michigan. Past 5 matchups Michigan has been decisively gained by the Buckeyes:
http://www.philsteele.com/Pdf/2009_L12Y/Big10_09_L12Y/OhioSt_09/OHIOSTA…
Not sure that will be the case this time around, or at least not to the same extent. Michigan should move the ball and score more than last year.
November 18th, 2009 at 1:33 PM ^
I don't think it will be that close and by watching the Rodriguez press conference, he doesn't expect it to be a close game either.
Rodriguez basically threw up the white flag in his press conference, inferring Michigan will not be able to compete with the likes of OSU until his boys grow up to be men. Currently Rodriguez sees it as a man against boy contest, and I unhappily agree with him.
OSU 42 Mich 20
November 18th, 2009 at 1:35 PM ^
but that's one helluva paraphrase you wrote up.
Care to support that with
quotes?
November 18th, 2009 at 1:37 PM ^
NO. watch the depresser, and you can see for yourself. you can link to it at MGOBLUE.com
November 18th, 2009 at 1:37 PM ^
I took that comment as a challenge to this team to start playing like men... as in now, on Saturday against OSU.
I didn't interpret that comment to mean he needs two more recruiting classes and the current So/Fr starters to be 20 years old before we'll ever beat a good team.
November 18th, 2009 at 1:46 PM ^
I think you looked at it through maize and blue glasses. Rodriguez was as down and forlorn as I have ever seen him. Me thinks he knows his shot at a coveted 6th win is highly improbable.
I know, how dare I voice such opinions. Michigan fans fear factor will rise in direct correlation to the amount of negs I receive for dissenting with the mob.
November 18th, 2009 at 1:52 PM ^
You won't get negged to hell and back for "dissenting with the mob"...but you will get wrapped up in a neg-orgy because what you said was pretty stupid.
I don't care who the coach is, you really think he would stand up there and admit defeat before the game even started? Love him or hate him, Rodriguez hates to lose and he doesn't intend to go into the Big House and lose to our biggest rival.
November 18th, 2009 at 1:56 PM ^
Watch the damn press conference he said it not me. He may not "intend" to lose, but he sure as hell knows he is up against it and so do you.
November 18th, 2009 at 2:00 PM ^
Well, yeah. Of course we're up against it. It's a football game and we're the underdogs. I still don't see how admitting that we are the underdog in this game = "Well shit guys, we're gonna get our asses kicked. Lets not even show up".
This is why we play the game. Its called an upset and I personally believe we can pull one. Just like I believe we can win every single time Michigan steps out on that field.
November 18th, 2009 at 3:28 PM ^
You are an idiot!
November 18th, 2009 at 3:53 PM ^
thanks for clearing things up for me, very astute of you my friend
November 18th, 2009 at 3:33 PM ^
Coach never actually said any of the things you attribute to him. What he said was, paraphrase: we will beat osu when we have a better team than they do. - Translation: Michigan will beat osu when they execute correctly what they have practiced and play up to the potential that the coaching staff see in them.
This could very well happen Saturday, but no coach in his right mind is going to tell the media that his team WILL do that. A good coach puts the pressure on himself and his staff, not his players. If the coaches prepare them and they execute, then they will put themselves in a position to win.
November 18th, 2009 at 1:34 PM ^
Dodd at CBS Sportsline is the only of 5 "experts" to pick Michigan to win. Harman picked OSU 27-14.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/expertpicks
November 18th, 2009 at 2:32 PM ^
I have emotionally picked Michigan to win and I am sticking to it. Do I count as an expert? If I do chalk it up to 6. Maybe I should lay off the Kool-Aid till Saturday but I'm going to ride this one out.
November 18th, 2009 at 1:39 PM ^
I am in my annual email exchange with friends who happen to be Buckeye fans. So I tried to look at positive indicators for talking points for The Game. Here's what I came up with:
1) We're ranked 9 places higher than OSU in Total Offense
2) They lost to Purdue by 8 points (we only lost by 2 points)
3) They barely beat a second string QB led Iowa in OT 27-24 (we lost by 2 against Stanzi)
4) Our starting QB is healthy this year (as opposed to the last two times we've met)
So come on ya'll, while the outcome may appear gloomy, it may not be. I for one am hoping Tate Forcier and crew light OSU up on Saturday.
Go Blue, Beat the Buckeyes!
November 18th, 2009 at 2:00 PM ^
I think Pryor is a little "banged up" (turf toe?), for whatever that's worth.
November 18th, 2009 at 2:18 PM ^
It just came to mind and I have not heard it mentioned yet but this will be Pryors first time in front of the big house crowd. That should get him rattled a bit.
November 19th, 2009 at 11:54 PM ^
Faired ok in front of Happy Valley unfortunately. Hopefully the crowd Saturday brings the same enthusiasm and ruckus those in Happy Valley have grown accustom too and then some.
November 18th, 2009 at 1:46 PM ^
you are out of your mind if you think Rodriguez expects his team to roll over and quit. They may not win, but they are going to play hard on Saturday. I am sure of that.
November 18th, 2009 at 1:49 PM ^
1. It is at home. The big house is louder than ever with the new addition. People will be reved up.
2. The team down south has played some bad games this year. They have played some good ones too, but they have showed they can choke.
3. Its rivalry week! Toss the records out the door. Who performs best and makes the fewest mistakes wins.
4. It is the 40 year anniversary of the 1969 upset. Upset is in the air. Many players from that team will be at the game. You don't think they will get a couple to give a good pep talk? Believe!
5. I'll leave you with this great thought...."They can go out there with all those great backs, and quarterbacks, and defensive backs in this country and this great conference. But there is going to be one team that is going to play solely as a team. No man is more important than the team. No coach is more important than the team. The TEAM THE TEAM THE TEAM! ...and in the end when it is all over its gonna be Michigan! Michigan!"
All In...
November 18th, 2009 at 1:50 PM ^
Be better the last year. No coach no matter what wants to allow back to back beatdowns. Do you really think a coach with the ego of Roch Rod forgot the score last year? Get real this man will pull out everything he can to beat these guys. Will he is another question. I think you are going to see a very hyped up team. I also think that you will see Minor and Brown play thiers asses off. I know they are banged up but what do they have to lose?
November 18th, 2009 at 1:53 PM ^
In the Scouts Inc. (I think that is what it is called) ESPN Insider preview, the Buckeyes have the advantage in every facet of the game analyzed but they predict a relatively close OSU victory: 16-9. Somewhat surprised that these analysts aren't picking OSU to cover.
November 19th, 2009 at 11:59 PM ^
I'd be hard pressed to take their special teams over ours. Many just look @ the offense and defense, and forget that special teams constitues as a 1/3 of the team. Here's to a Desmond like performance from Stonum and who-ever's returning punts come Saturday.
November 18th, 2009 at 1:54 PM ^
but realistically i would take this result based on how we've looked the last few wks, esp if we lose by 7 but have the ball at the end with a chance to tie it up (even though this can sometimes be even more painful than a convincing loss). it sucks losing to osu again but if it's a good game, great atmosphere for the fans and all the recruits coming in have a good time the day can still be somewhat a success (not in the traditional sense but based on what we've gone through the last couple yrs and the outlook going forward).
November 18th, 2009 at 1:56 PM ^
I would love to predict a win for our guys, but I just keep getting glimpses of BG breaking into the backfield and Pryor stepping up into a gaping hole in the middle and running for 50 yards over and over and over because our linebackers are out of position.......Please God let our defense just play fundamentally sound, if they do that we have every chance to win.
November 18th, 2009 at 2:17 PM ^
Our run defense is doing well during the 1st and 2nd downs but its 3rd down that we need to watch out for. We just need to force a turn over every 2nd down and we should not have to worry about the pass over the middle.
November 18th, 2009 at 1:59 PM ^
November 18th, 2009 at 2:02 PM ^
We heard anything on how much Minor has practiced this week?
Perhaps for a new thread, but we've seen a number of combos in the secondary and at linebacker the 2nd half of the year...who do people predict getting a lot of time? Brandon Smith back in the starting line-up? Woolfolk at safety? Warren at some safety? Fitzgerald get any time? baseless predictions encouraged.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:03 AM ^
Warren will not be @ safety...no reason to relive Schafer's coaching debacle of Purdue 2008.
November 18th, 2009 at 3:05 PM ^
We have been outgained by a wide margin in our last five games against the Bucks, and we have also been outgained by our last NINE games against BCS opponents (B10 + ND) dating back to last year. We are going to finish this year without out-yarding a single non-MAC or non-IAA opponent. Last year we outyarded ND, Minnesota, and NW. This year -- nobody off of the yearly schedule. Of all of RichRod's dubious feats, this might be the worst.
November 18th, 2009 at 4:06 PM ^
Damn that RR for purposely having a shitty defense. Damn him.