Still not enough emphasis on the rivalry and it shows
Now to the point where their players are calling us out on it.
“I just think that we take it more seriously than they do, I think,” Fields said. “We prepare for it all year. Like (Director of Football Mickey Marotti) said, we’re preparing for them next year right now.
“I think it just means more at Ohio State. That’s pretty much the bigger reason we have more success than they do.”
I don't care if you have to start calling them ohio again. I don't care if you have to use osu branded toilet paper. DO SOMETHING TO SHOW IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT GAME!!!!!!!!!!
November 30th, 2019 at 6:13 PM ^
Man, great point. I really think the difference in this rivalry is the “emphasis” and has nothing to do with their 5 star recruits at almost every position.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:19 PM ^
Hoke arguably had a bigger talent differential and still played Meyer's teams close every single year. If you believe it's only talent you've got your head in the sand.
Auburn plays Alabama close and actually manages to beat them at home once and a while. Currently down 1 to them. Apparently our talent differential to OSU is a 3 TD difference every year?
November 30th, 2019 at 6:36 PM ^
Agree. A talent disparity of course explains some things but we are being out coached, it’s that easy. I wish I could agree with the op that the staff doesn’t emphasize this game, I think they do, sadly I don’t think it matters because Harbaugh isn’t the coach we want him to be.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:46 PM ^
Hoke had pretty decent talent, couldn’t coach them tho
November 30th, 2019 at 8:08 PM ^
Hoke sure as hell could coach them against OSU. We almost won games we had no business being in.
Maybe bring him back as a defeat OSU at all costs consultant.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:54 PM ^
Many things are arguable in the world of college football. Doesn't mean the argument has merit. So it is with one about Hoke coaching better than Harbaugh in this or really any game.
November 30th, 2019 at 7:38 PM ^
I fully appreciate the instinct that “they want it more” is a hot take, but after reading that Athletic article about how they put our recruiting board up next to theirs in the office, and the 11W article about the speech Meyer gave explaining that beating Michigan is a “way of life” for them that they work in every day, and Dwayne Haskins talking about how he watched Michigan film every week, it’s not a hot take.
Harbaugh’s philosophy until this year was that the most important game on the schedule was the next one, a la Bo. No special treatment for OSU. The Meyer-Day approach is clearly superior.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:14 PM ^
That and they have more talent, more discipline and they take care of the football.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:14 PM ^
Start the revenge tour! Oh wait, already tried that.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:16 PM ^
This is such a stupid and ridiculous argument. I’ll tell you what WD, say that to a player and see how well that goes for you.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:19 PM ^
This has nothing to do with the players and everything to do with the people who are in charge.
We were favorites last year with multiple first round draft picks and while underdogs this year were at least at home playing our best football heading into this game in years.
The players aren't to be blamed for any of this.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:58 PM ^
I don’t remember seeing Don Brown untying Dobbins’ shoe or Chris Partridge jumping offsides on 3rd and 4 or Josh Gattis fumbling a snap inside the twenty or Jay Harbaugh hitting Fields out of bounds. Coaches and players alike share the blame.
November 30th, 2019 at 7:13 PM ^
Presenting logic and reason to WD will just get you put in his troll cave. LOL.
November 30th, 2019 at 9:06 PM ^
It's not logic you fool! It's OPINION!
And coaches teach, instill, and create a DISCIPLINED team that doesn't do those things. It is clear the coaching is lacking--we have had different players for these last five losses but one constant remains: HARBAUGH. Shit, even different coaches. And yet: HARBAUGH.
Sorry, Harbaugh Mafia. The problem is his overblown sense of self and our willingness to crown him the savior, and now to be his excuse machine.
December 1st, 2019 at 9:46 AM ^
I’m sorry, but after last year I just don’t believe anyone on our team forgot about Ohio State until last week. They said they were installing plays in practice each week for the game.
At this point we’ve changed scheme, changed philosophy (weekly prep), changed staff, etc. The problem is Tressel started the cheating, and built the momentum (after our 89 NC gave us recruiting momentum). They are living of that momentum just like Bama is.
Net: it’s the Jimmy and Joes and we’re not fixing that without NLI or bag.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:16 PM ^
Yes. The toilet paper is the problem. Clearly.
Or you could catch the ball, keep your run fits, don't do dumbass penalties, etc. etc. etc.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:16 PM ^
That is a secondary reason. Being motivated to win the game against your chief rival goes a long way. The main reason we keep losing is the talent disparity.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:33 PM ^
Talent disparity had been there for 20 years. We won twice. Purdue, Illinois, Iowa need I go on? They’ve all had horrific rosters comparatively and won in easy fashion. Game plan, preparation, and sheer motivation is what pushed them over the edge. And yet, Michigan year-over-year, cannot find themselves to get up and get prepared for this game. Details win game. Every year we fail to meet that goal.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:40 PM ^
This is just such a dumb fucking take and I’m sick of hearing it. Yeah OSU loses these games, against clearly inferior opponents, because at the end of the day it’s a meaningless game that has no bearing on the outcome of their season, pretty much ever. They are kids, they fall asleep at time, esp meaningless games. But guess which game they’ll never sleep on, THE game. Don’t be stupid dude.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:52 PM ^
Well clearly we sleep on it every year
November 30th, 2019 at 7:59 PM ^
Listen, you've been caught having multiple accounts on this site that post with a positive narrative towards your opinion. I don't blame you for doing it, considering your idiotic posts, and wanting approval, just don't it to me. Save that shit for someone else...
November 30th, 2019 at 6:33 PM ^
Talent disparity has been there for 20 years. We won twice. Purdue, Illinois, Iowa need I go on? They’ve all had horrific rosters comparatively and won in easy fashion. Game plan, preparation, and sheer motivation is what pushed them over the edge. And yet, Michigan year-over-year, cannot find themselves to get up and get prepared for this game. Details win games. Every year we fail to meet that goal.
November 30th, 2019 at 10:05 PM ^
Cause they spend 50/50 of that week preparing for Michigan.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:18 PM ^
OSU needs to get up for one rival each year.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:26 PM ^
This ^^^
I've said this before and will keep saying it - Michigan gets everyone's best shot. Every game, every year. I think for the most part they are oblivious to this fact. I know this to be true. Ask fans from the long time B1G teams which school they would most like to beat on the football field. The answer always has been and always will be Michigan.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:30 PM ^
So WI and PSU gave UM their best shot, but not OSU. Interesting take ?.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:20 PM ^
Very upset with our fan base. There was a ton of red in the stadium and I had to sit and listen to them run their mouth all game long. It felt like I was at an away game.
Shame on the ticket holders who sold their tickets to those bastards.
November 30th, 2019 at 7:20 PM ^
OSU's band, their fans, and the players gathered in OUR end zone to sing THEIR fucking song after the game. Fucking embarrassing. Everyone who sold their tix, and I don't give a flying fuck if they got $500 for them, should never be allowed to enter the stadium again.
November 30th, 2019 at 7:22 PM ^
And you... win the Thanksgiving turkey!
Just blame the fanbase, after the debacle of coaches over the last near two (2) decades, and the horrible decisions made by the leaders at the University. Way to be a complete dolt.
If anything the fan base is guilty of having their heads in the sand and blindly supporting and cheering as Rome was burning.
Keep your head in the sand! It's worked great thus far...
November 30th, 2019 at 8:04 PM ^
I’m not blaming the fan base for the loss dumbass. I’m just saying that it was disgusting to see that much red in our stadium.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:20 PM ^
This is very true. I live in Columbus. Ohio State cares more. Their fan base cares more. Their players evidently care more. The regression against the mean tells me nothing different. Until we actually start being legitimate Psychopaths regarding the rivalry we will always get our dick pushed in.
We had a home game with 45% of the fans are there for the other team… None of this makes sense. Critical failure is during critical times of the games for the past 15 years. Eventually… The fans, the program, the players, will realize whatever they’ve been doing, is wrong.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:27 PM ^
Or the Michigan fan base will continue to build apathy towards the rivalry and care about other parts of life because it isn’t worth emotionally investing in something which doesn’t pay the bills or help your kids live a better life.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:38 PM ^
This. I mean I love our football team, and would love them to beat OSU, but seeing OSU fans do the "Xichigan" and the "team up north" and the freaking governor proclaiming an anti-m day to literal Ms being crossed off is psychotic. We literally can't fabricate that hate out of nothing.
November 30th, 2019 at 7:52 PM ^
So has the OSU fanbase, alumni, and others stopped paying bills, parenting or working so that they could dominate Michigan?
Actually the opposite. They spend money on tickets to Ann Arbor to take their families to watch a home away from home game. It isn't crazy to expect our educational institution that invests so much into their football program to beat their rival. We shouldn't have to "water down" the rivalry just because we can't fucking win it. That is some Soviet bull shit when thinking of Capitalism. Where's the fire in the belly of this base?
November 30th, 2019 at 8:19 PM ^
100% agree. I don’t have season tickets but did turn one down today. Tell me what I missed. Would a 100% UM crowd have changed the outcome? Do you continue to invest your hard earned money into products that don’t work? Is it coincidence that home attendance tanks when an execution is almost assuredly the outcome? Should I feel bad for not witnessing it in person? People could make an effort not to give/sell to OSU fans but you can’t blame people for not wanting to witness that.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:21 PM ^
I just can't believe the mental exercises people will go to ignore that OSU is simply an elite program that was built by an elite coach and we are a good tier 1b program with a good tier 1b coach, and no one else, including PJ Fleck, is not going to do any significantly different.
Either NCAA rule changes change the game or OSU falls apart on their own.
It's okay though. It's just football.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:48 PM ^
Thank you. These god damn fools. It’s flabbergasting
November 30th, 2019 at 6:49 PM ^
Thank you. These god damn fools. It’s flabbergasting.
as much as it pains me to say, Meyer is a god damn college football diety
November 30th, 2019 at 6:23 PM ^
We seem to have been focused on getting better than the teams we should have always been better than in the RichRod Hoke days. Have to take that step first. OSU has been a machine for years, going back to Tressel. They can afford to stare at us. The last decade, you would have had to literally be a national championship contender to beat them. 2016 was the closest we've been and that was a game.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:54 PM ^
2011 was memory holed? And the closest Michigan has come to beating OSU without actually beating them was 2013 when Michigan was a failed two point conversion away from a win. Guess that game was memory holed too.
Signed,
Winston Smith
November 30th, 2019 at 6:23 PM ^
Top to bottom they are and have been a better team for 20 years. They have more talent and a gear that Michigan can't go to. This isn't about emphasis it's about a systemic difference between the two programs. Like it or not, in this college football climate and culture for M to consistently compete with OSU they are going to have to do the things OSU does to win. There's a reason Alabama, Clemson, and OSU are in the playoff every year and it has nothing to do with rivalry emphasis.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:23 PM ^
Junker fields. Don't care what you think bum.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:24 PM ^
It’s pointless. Michigan is IU status. Wouldn’t be surprised if OSU goes on a 20+ year streak at this point. This rivalry is dead. Everyone knows it.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:27 PM ^
This is a BIG LOLZ
I read posts on here from people who don't think it's that big a deal--that we are much better than them.They're beneath us. We lead in the All Time series.
Although to think Harbaugh doesn't emphasize this game, seeing as to how he played in it, seeing as to how he created some shit with his "guarantee" back in 1987--I find that argument pure silliness.
Harbaugh just isn't a very good coach.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:27 PM ^
Let them have football. we’ll keep our olympians, Nobel Prizes, and Ann Arbor.
and that’s a lot of talk from a dude that transferred in. Go to class, Justin.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:47 PM ^
Sorry bro, but this is loser talk. This is the old, "well we didn't really want to win this game anyway!" talk.
No matter the excuse, they won. That's all that will be remembered.
November 30th, 2019 at 7:09 PM ^
Whatever kind of talk it is, it's the talk of the self-anointed ones on this board. The one's that say 9-4 and 10-3 is as much as anyone should expect, so be happy. I mean if somebody is good with losing three or four games a year, it should be expected that one of those losses will be to OSU, thus it would follow that they are good with losing to OSU year in and year out.
November 30th, 2019 at 10:07 PM ^
The flip side is just a bunch of noise about how fans (passive observers) deserve better. Firing a coach is not a solution. Not every team can be elite. Just grow up child or at least offer something better than regurgitated exclamations about what Michigan football should be.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:27 PM ^
We care and we prepare. It was evident today that it’s definitely psychological. These kids don’t believe they can win straight up. They feel extreme pressure to make every play and they feel they have to press to win which was obvious with many awful and obvious penalties.
OSU comes prepared to win and Michigan just doesn’t believe yet that they what it takes and then that’s exactly what’s shows up from both sides. These games have been lost before they started.
It’s become the culture at both schools and no coach has the answer yet.
November 30th, 2019 at 8:57 PM ^
Totally agree that we didn’t prepare well.
Completely disagree that our guys don’t believe they can win. Revenge tour last year, this years cockiness against MSU and the swagger after Indiana. If anything, our guys are over confident. They beat an over ranked ND team in the slop. That’s the best win. Our players play like they are entitled to something....only ones to blame for that are the coaches.