Are "we" better than OSU right now?
Less than a month away from the Game, I think a lot of MSM personalities are writing us off.
Why?
I'm a subscriber to the notion of buy low, sell high. Perception of our team is WAY lower than it should be. We lost to an NFL team in Texas, should have beaten a top 5 team South Bend, and had our only 'bad' loss to a solid team in Nebraska at night (without our star performer). Our defense has solidified in tough situations. Our offense is slumping, but very dangerous.
OSU is flying to high to the sun right now. 9-0, but one of the ugliest 9-0 teams I've seen. Almost lost to Indiana, among other weak opponents. Looked very sloppy out of conference. Defense is a sieve.
Granted, three losses will drive the perception that we are not on their level. So will the shallow topical commentary by media members. But I think that our team will be able to drive on their defense, and I don't think can match our point production.
My opinion is that we are a better football team this year.
October 29th, 2012 at 9:43 PM ^
"Now why would you ask a stupid question like that?"
October 29th, 2012 at 9:44 PM ^
At home, yes. We are better (with Denard.) On the road, I think we are worse. Denard has never had a good game on the road against a decent opponent, except for the 2010 Notre Dame game. In all of the marquee road games Denard has played in, he has stunk. As much as I think Michigan can beat Notre Dame, Nebraska, or Ohio State, the reality of Denard's road woes sinks in.
October 30th, 2012 at 10:58 AM ^
This is exactly why I think M will lose to Ohio this year. As good as our defense has been this year, our offense has been pitiful against teams with a pulse, especially on the road. I think Ohio will beat us by at least two scores. I don't think they will score a lot on our defense, but our inability to score many points is why I think Ohio will defeat us. Their offense is explosive, our defense is good to great, so we will see what happens there, but even though their defense isn't up to par, I still think they will be good enough that day to shut down our terrible road offense.
October 30th, 2012 at 11:09 AM ^
Denard was excellent against Penn State that year and very quietly moved the team up and down the field against OSU in the first half of that game. I'm not sure that the sample size is big enough to say how good Denard really is on the road. A combination of shitty offensive playcalling and ultra tough defenses have probably conspired to overexaggerate how bad Denard is on the road. And upon further review, he was excellent throwing the football against Nebraska. About 100 yards worth of offense hit receivers in the hands and then ended up on the ground for one reason or another. The overturned Roundtree catch was a thing of beauty, as was the pass to Gardner that would have been a TD if they DB hadn't held him. Even with the hold, a really good receiver makes that catch.
October 30th, 2012 at 7:33 PM ^
October 29th, 2012 at 9:50 PM ^
Even without Horford and McGary.
...What?
October 30th, 2012 at 3:52 PM ^
I lol'ed.
October 29th, 2012 at 9:52 PM ^
Are "We" better than OSU? Always. Always, always, always, always, ALWAYS, always, always.
Our football team? Maybe, but maybe not.
October 29th, 2012 at 9:56 PM ^
will muschamp is mad you'd ask such a question
October 29th, 2012 at 10:46 PM ^
I'm trying to read his lips. He's not very happy.
October 29th, 2012 at 11:02 PM ^
I saw. "Little peice of shit..... middle words..... DO IT NOW"
October 29th, 2012 at 11:31 PM ^
"ERRRRRR. You...mount..the table! THATS WHAT I THINK DO IT NOW!"
October 30th, 2012 at 1:31 PM ^
Hadn't seent that. I'm sure glad Hoke isn't like that.
October 29th, 2012 at 9:58 PM ^
with denard at home? yes
with denard away? no
with bellomy away? helllll no
October 29th, 2012 at 10:00 PM ^
October 29th, 2012 at 10:00 PM ^
October 29th, 2012 at 10:00 PM ^
I personally think so. OSU has been the least impressive team undefeated team in the history of the sport. They can't defend spread formations worth a dime, 2 out of three LBs are a joke, their special teams is a dumpster fire, and they have one playmaker on offense. I think we beat them in the Toilet seat.
October 29th, 2012 at 10:00 PM ^
is "we" in quotations? It makes it seem like you are asking 'we' as fans. You are allowed to refer to yourself as 'we' when talking about the home team on a blog.
October 29th, 2012 at 10:28 PM ^
Not sure what my opinion on that is. Always feels weird to me, but is a lot easier than saying "the football team that represents the university that I attend and that I'm a fan of."
October 29th, 2012 at 11:09 PM ^
Remember when we went to the moon? That was cool.
Yeah, It's weird.
October 29th, 2012 at 11:15 PM ^
No way. That's great! WE LANDED ON THE MOON!
October 30th, 2012 at 12:29 PM ^
A good way to show your awareness of a common point of contention around here. I don't know how many times I have deleted us and we and replaced them with UM or Michigan. From now on I will use quote marks to indicate me and this mouse in my pocket.
October 29th, 2012 at 10:01 PM ^
If we can get 10-ish safeties in the Shoe, we're all set.
October 29th, 2012 at 10:03 PM ^
October 30th, 2012 at 9:21 PM ^
And Borges actually lets him play.
October 29th, 2012 at 10:06 PM ^
Beat Ohio.
I just want Hoke to send Urban packing by the end of next November.
October 30th, 2012 at 11:23 AM ^
Well, Hoke already changed the tide in the rivalry, so there's that.
October 29th, 2012 at 10:06 PM ^
Tits or I'm leavin
October 29th, 2012 at 10:06 PM ^
October 29th, 2012 at 10:23 PM ^
Agreed, their schedule is pretty much junk and then us, but I don't think that 11-1 or even 10-2 with a loss to Michigan is going to get Urban's seat even remotely warm. By notoriety and hype alone he's probably safe through at least 2 crappy seasons, and after the year they had last year, unless they drop every game from here on out they aren't going to be too upset.
October 29th, 2012 at 10:24 PM ^
"Running them into the ground" is overstating the case a bit.
October 29th, 2012 at 10:48 PM ^
October 29th, 2012 at 10:57 PM ^
yourself how Curtis Grant would do under Mattison. Whether you assign blame to Fickell, ultimately the defense IS bad, and that is a reflection of Urb.
October 29th, 2012 at 11:05 PM ^
October 30th, 2012 at 1:26 AM ^
Fickell has been in charge of the LBs since 2004. In that time OSU has produced: A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter, Anthony Schlegel, Larry Grant, James Laurinaitis, Marcus Freeman, Austin Spitler, Brian Rolle and Ross Homan.
All of which were solid contributors when they were starters. So I have no doubt in my mind that Luke Fickell can coach. Even Zach Boren who has only been at LB for 2 weeks is playing at a serviceable level. There are just some players who can't grasp the mental aspects of the game. Heck, Etienne Sabino was the #1 MLB of his class and it has taken him 4 years to grasp the playbook and finally be a starter this season. I feel like Curtis Grant is having similar struggles as Sabino.
The only thing I question about Fickell is his ability to call plays. I can see Urban giving Withers a shot at play-calling before the season ends if the defense doesn't improve drastically.
October 30th, 2012 at 3:58 PM ^
I think you're insane. Dorian Bell and Etienne Sabino were both 5 stars under Heacock and Tressel and never did anything at the LB position. Does that mean it's Tressel's fault? What about him turning 3 star James Laurinaitis into the third best LB in OSU's history? Or Brian Rolle into a good LB? Sabino needed 5 years to be a competent starter. Sometimes kids just don't get it. SOmetimes they do. Urban has spent half a year with Grant, let's not kill him yet.
October 30th, 2012 at 2:45 PM ^
October 29th, 2012 at 10:08 PM ^
As of now, Denard is still recovering.
Our backup QB is Michigan's version of Bauserman. Do you think Bauserman can beat Miller? Right. I didn't think so.
October 29th, 2012 at 10:09 PM ^
Denard will be the second Michigan player to receive a standing ovation at the Horseshoe. It is his destiny.
Forgot the main part of this original post. Defensively, yes. Offensively, no. Fortunately, the two units that are strongest/weakest for both teams match up.
October 29th, 2012 at 10:10 PM ^
The inbreeding has taken such a hold in that cesspool that if Denard were to put up 105 points all by himself next month, they would just throw things on the field or chant, "break his leg" or something.
October 30th, 2012 at 12:31 AM ^
Which other Michigan player got a standing O? Justin Boren on senior day?
October 30th, 2012 at 10:04 AM ^
I believe that would be Mr. Tom Harmon, in 1940.
He passed for 151 yards & 2 TD's, rushed for 139 yard & 2 TD's, had 3 interceptions (1 returned for a TD), averaged 50 yards/punt, and kicked 4 extra points. That's a pretty good day.
October 29th, 2012 at 10:09 PM ^
now my confidence has wavered
October 29th, 2012 at 10:21 PM ^
Why though? The only things we learned last Saturday was that our defense is legit and our offense next year may be in trouble. Nothing else has changed from the this past saturday since Denard was out.
October 29th, 2012 at 11:42 PM ^
and I know Denard got knocked out, but it didn't look like we were going to score 40 prior to that. My confidence in beating OSU was out good D + decent O = 35-20 win but since we had trouble moving it on Nebraska I'm more wary (and yes I know it's an away night game and we had a healthy YPC before Denard was out. It just didn't feel like a dominating offense like I thought it should)
October 30th, 2012 at 12:48 AM ^
Eh, I dunno. We probably would have dropped 30 at least. We were about to go up 10-6, and I know TOP is an overrated stat, but part of the reason we weren't putting up huge points was because we were moving at a very slow pace. You have to figure the running game would have really exploded in the 2nd half.