Today's Schedule of Games
This isn't just a bye week for Michigan, it's also a bye week for quality matchups. Not much to plan on ahead of time. This is a week to do chores, er, a week to keep an eye on the scoreboard and see which matches wind up actually being compelling as they are already underway.
So today is a day for some creative watching:
At noon I will be doing the same thing as the entire Michigan coaching staff and all of the Michigan players: Watching Michigan State - Indiana to see how good MSU really is / really is not. Indiana is not a useful surrogate for Michigan as a comparable opponent, but it's all we've got.
Also at noon, a random stew of curious ingredients: Oklahoma State - Texas could be interesting. If nothing but to see what Mr. Worthy does. *sigh*. I'll check in on UCF - Cincinnati to see how the Bearcats handle success. I will also keep a side eye on Florida - LSU. I sense a surprise there. Meanwhile, Texas A&M - Missouri is the trappiest of trap games. But sometimes a team is just better (A&M) even at a half-assed pace. Also Nebraska - Minnesota. Nebraska will beat Minnesota even though they will still trip over themselves in the process.
At 3:30, the "headline" game: Kentucky - Georgia. But I'm not sure if the headline-level interest of this game even lasts until halftime. Georgia slowly and methodically strangles Kentucky.
At night at 7:30: TCU - Oklahoma could be a surprise. Oklahoma has still not come down to earth. And they will have to deal with the off-the-bench-QB thing where a QB comes off the bench with no notice, wins a big game, and looks like a star . . . and then gets a week to think about it when he realizes he is the starter now. A lot of those don't end up well.
Also at night at 7:30: I think I'll check in on the first 5 minutes of 'Ole Miss - Tennessee to see how pleasantly the Vol's welcome back their 'Ole buddy Lane Kiffin.
Also at night at 8:00: I will NOT watch Army - Wisconsin. If for some bizarre reason I feel the need to check in on it, I will listen to it with my Grandpa's 1952 vacuum tube RCA radio, the way God intended.
Late night at 10:00: Your Pac 12 After Dark Special - meaningless, crazy football just for the fun of it - Arizona State - Utah. This is the kind of game where Utah gets them in 3 OTs.
SATURDAY OCTOBER 16, 2021:
AWAY HOME TIME TV
UCF at #3 Cincinnati 12:00 PM ABC
#10 Michigan State at Indiana 12:00 PM FS1
#12 Oklahoma State at #25 Texas 12:00 PM FOX
Auburn at #17 Arkansas 12:00 PM CBS
#20 Florida at LSU 12:00 PM ESPN
#21 Texas A&M at Missouri 12:00 PM SECN
Nebraska at Minnesota 12:00 PM ESPN2
Rutgers at Northwestern 12:00 PM BTN
Yale at UConn 12:00 PM CBSSN
Tulsa at South Florida 12:00 PM ESPNU
Ohio at Buffalo 12:00 PM ESPN+
Duke at Virginia 12:30 PM ESPN3
Ball State at Eastern Michigan 2:00 PM ESPN+
Akron at Miami (OH) 2:30 PM ESPN+
Troy at Texas State 3:00 PM ESPN+
#11 Kentucky at #1 Georgia 3:30 PM CBS
Purdue at #2 Iowa 3:30 PM ABC
#19 BYU at Baylor 3:30 PM ESPN
Western Kentucky at Old Dominion 3:30 PM ESPN3
UAB at Southern Miss 3:30 PM -
Miami at North Carolina 3:30 PM ACCN
Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech 3:30 PM ESPN2
Toledo at Central Michigan 3:30 PM CBSSN
Bowling Green at Northern Illinois 3:30 PM ESPN+
Kent State at Western Michigan 3:30 PM ESPNU
Arizona at Colorado 3:30 PM PAC12
Fresno State at Wyoming 3:30 PM FS2
Vanderbilt at South Carolina 4:00 PM SECN
Texas Tech at Kansas 4:00 PM BIG12|ESPN+
Rice at UTSA 6:00 PM ESPN+
#5 Alabama at Mississippi State 7:00 PM ESPN
Liberty at UL Monroe 7:00 PM ESPN+
Colorado State at New Mexico 7:00 PM -
Utah State at UNLV 7:00 PM CBSSN
TCU at #4 Oklahoma 7:30 PM ABC
#13 Ole Miss at Tennessee 7:30 PM SECN
#22 NC State at Boston College 7:30 PM ACCN
Iowa State at Kansas State 7:30 PM ESPN2
Stanford at Washington State 7:30 PM ESPNU
Army at Wisconsin 8:00 PM BTN
UCLA at Washington 8:30 PM FOX
Louisiana Tech at UTEP 9:00 PM ESPN+
Air Force at Boise State 9:00 PM FS1
#18 Arizona State at Utah 10:00 PM ESPN
Hawai'i at Nevada 10:30 PM CBSSN
October 16th, 2021 at 1:50 PM ^
sparty/IU halftime stats:
sparty 4/10 for 34 yds in the air; 13 rushes for 23 yds on the ground.
IU 15/24 for 121 yds; 20 rushes for 96 yds
there is no way, no how they are a top 10 team with that stat line vs. IU.
October 16th, 2021 at 2:16 PM ^
The blue print is there for sure
October 16th, 2021 at 1:53 PM ^
If you can stop MSU’s video game big play offense, and do *something* on offense you can beat them. They’ll bring out all the “college crappe” and some panasiuk bs vs us, so nothing for granted, but the blueprint exists.
October 16th, 2021 at 1:55 PM ^
Even though they have a bye next weekend, I'm thinking Sparty is already looking ahead to the Michigan game. Typical Sparty, hope they lose today. Yes, Indiana is exposing the Sparty offense and I like it.
October 16th, 2021 at 1:53 PM ^
Thus far, Indiana has shut down the Sparty offense in the first half. It's a road game for MSU and their defense is keeping them in the game.
Nebraska looks very flat after their big three game set prior to this match up. They played their best against Michigan and seemingly not much is left in the tank.
NW looks decent against a bad Rutgers team that is imploding, also after playing their best against Michigan.
I'm switching the TV channels between these three matchups.
October 16th, 2021 at 1:56 PM ^
The mid tier big ten teams tend to go big or go home vs Michigan bc we have the name brand of Ohio State, but more beatable bc of our lack of NFL factory
October 16th, 2021 at 1:54 PM ^
Nebraska. Thought they had turned a corner? Lol!
October 16th, 2021 at 1:54 PM ^
Minn is owning Neb 21-9 start of 3Q
Edit: Neb intercepts Minn in the end zone
October 16th, 2021 at 2:04 PM ^
Then promptly goes 3 and out.
October 16th, 2021 at 1:55 PM ^
Nice pick by NEB CB. I think that was the guy who had the pick in our game. Seth was high on him.
October 16th, 2021 at 1:57 PM ^
Nebraska must be going through a let down after last week. Minnesota has to start their 3rd string RB, and is dominating.
October 16th, 2021 at 2:00 PM ^
Tanner Morgan remembering how to play QB all of a sudden has been helpful.
October 16th, 2021 at 2:01 PM ^
Here is the deal...after the first half of todays games it looks like Nebraska and Rutgers are the worse teams in BT. It actually makes me more nervous since MIch has PS, Ohio State, Inidiana and MSU ahead of them.
We have 0 marque wins. Yes I get it we went on the road and one two games in hostile environments. That was impressive. But unfortunately Wisconsin and Nebraska are pretty bad this year
October 16th, 2021 at 2:04 PM ^
So Nebraska is worse than the Northwestern team they beat 56-7?
October 16th, 2021 at 2:21 PM ^
Watch out - Nebraska is storming back and Minnesota isn't getting 95% completion from Morgan.
October 16th, 2021 at 1:57 PM ^
That was very impressive by that Nebraska corner, crazy interception.
October 16th, 2021 at 1:58 PM ^
MSU had 2 first downs. I know I was flipping channels. I didn't realize it was only 2. LOL.
October 16th, 2021 at 2:01 PM ^
Believe they had zero in 2nd half vs Nebraska.
October 16th, 2021 at 2:05 PM ^
Basically, if they don't get 50-yard plays, they don't move the ball.
October 16th, 2021 at 2:05 PM ^
Six possessions and six punts. Thorne is 4 of 10 for 34 yards.
October 16th, 2021 at 1:59 PM ^
Outside of one pick six in one half of football there's been no other disastrous plays by Tuttle. Insightful Brock.
October 16th, 2021 at 2:02 PM ^
I am tired of watching IU catch the ball and then start dancing. Just get up field fergodssake
October 16th, 2021 at 2:04 PM ^
Idiots
October 16th, 2021 at 2:04 PM ^
That was a very Nebraska thing to do, Indiana.
October 16th, 2021 at 2:04 PM ^
Nick Sheridan is awful.
October 16th, 2021 at 2:05 PM ^
...and Indian finds a way to bungle up that beautiful punt. Sparty is getting everything it needs to play a completely shitty game yet be in a position to win.
October 16th, 2021 at 2:05 PM ^
LOL...
20 yard net punt for IU
Turtle + incompetence
October 16th, 2021 at 2:05 PM ^
I am sure there will be a scripted big play by MSU
October 16th, 2021 at 2:10 PM ^
October 16th, 2021 at 2:10 PM ^
That's PI, but the MSU ones weren't? Interesting. How good is IU's defense?
October 16th, 2021 at 2:10 PM ^
Well IU deserves to lose this game and they will. Completely dominating but still somehow look pathetic.
October 16th, 2021 at 2:10 PM ^
Nebraska is on pace for another one-score loss.
October 16th, 2021 at 2:11 PM ^
Here comes the momentum for MSU. Can’t beat them with just field goals
October 16th, 2021 at 2:14 PM ^
MSU annoyingly seems to have an endless supply of good kickers and punters.
October 16th, 2021 at 2:14 PM ^
Wow. Big FG by MSU
October 16th, 2021 at 2:14 PM ^
Sparty definitely has good special teams.
October 16th, 2021 at 2:18 PM ^
My two biggest concerns about MSU (other than their standard Panasiuk garbage and the chippiness, cheap shit they pull) are that they have a knack of getting a play when they need it, and Michigan's tendency to settle for FGs in red zone and goal to go scenarios
October 16th, 2021 at 2:19 PM ^
This is how you snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Sparty luck or IU incompetence?
October 16th, 2021 at 2:21 PM ^
Call it what you will, but after doing this for 6 now 7 games, one thing about MSU is that they can get a play when they need one
October 16th, 2021 at 2:20 PM ^
98 yards offense for MSU midway through 3rd quarter. Woof
October 16th, 2021 at 2:22 PM ^
Oh Nebraska . . . don't ever change.
October 16th, 2021 at 2:22 PM ^
Nice job by MN on the goal line stand
October 16th, 2021 at 2:23 PM ^
MINNESOTA HUGE GOAL LINE STAND!! Knocked the momentum out of Nebraska!
October 16th, 2021 at 2:24 PM ^
They bit on the exact same play action. Come on. IU sucks.
Edit: Well, ok, big play there by the D.
October 16th, 2021 at 2:25 PM ^
Nebraska, why the fuck would you go with shotgun with 3 inches to go for a TD?
October 16th, 2021 at 2:26 PM ^
Scotty doesn't know.
October 16th, 2021 at 2:25 PM ^
Indiana intercepts...and they'll do nothing with it.
October 16th, 2021 at 2:32 PM ^
Yep, gave it right back with an int
October 16th, 2021 at 2:25 PM ^
The IU secondary looks legit. Some excellent plays on the ball today.
October 16th, 2021 at 2:26 PM ^
Dax-esque interception.