Prepare to Like David Hale
From ESPN writer David Hale
There will be so many moments from Saturday's latest installment of The Game that warrant reflection and debate, but in a battle between teams whose seasons would be defined by the outcome, the most evocative and most significant stretch of heroics was a long slog of a drive, 12 plays and 56 yards, that ticked seven grueling minutes off the clock and ended with a field goal.
There was nothing sexy about Michigan's final drive. The Wolverines had danced with the devil enough by this point -- gone for it on fourth down three times, had its tailback sling the deep ball, rallied behind an O-line down its best player -- but this was pure, bare-knuckle toughness.
For three-and-a-half quarters, Michigan had toyed with Ohio State. The Wolverines never trailed, but neither could they pull away. They landed haymakers and jabs, but Ohio State kept getting back up off the mat. It might've seemed a valid question to ask whether this meant the teams were evenly matched or whether the Wolverines had simply refused to fully flex their true strength until it mattered. That drive provided an answer.
Ohio State's frustrated fan base will cling to its share of explanations for how its once-dominant program has been so clearly superseded by its rival -- Ryan Day's incompetence, Michigan's alleged cheating, some sort of monkey's paw curse -- but the truth comes down to this: When everything was on the line, the Wolverines were relentless, and the Buckeyes folded.
November 25th, 2023 at 7:13 PM ^
Nope. Still fuck ESPN.
November 25th, 2023 at 7:25 PM ^
I'll raise that to a Double Fuck espn!
November 25th, 2023 at 7:16 PM ^
I don't expect any sort of organizational mea culpa, but to see a glimmer of common sense renews my belief in mankind.
November 25th, 2023 at 8:45 PM ^
They only discovered common sense after the charade was over and Harbaugh had served 3 games (!) for a farce and UM again beat OSU which obliterated all the “it had an impact on the games!” nonsense. They need a new way to get clicks so they’ll move on now. Chumps.
November 25th, 2023 at 7:18 PM ^
We toiled in the bowels of college football for a long time. We had to endure RichRod and Hoke. Ohio State is spoiled. They lack humility because they had it good for so long, even as their fanbase looked the other way during their own scandals. They think 2006 - 2020 is the entirety of the history between the two teams.
November 25th, 2023 at 7:31 PM ^
They think their shenanigans were clean and acceptable during 2001 - 2020.
November 25th, 2023 at 8:06 PM ^
Reaping the fruits of their entitlement.
November 25th, 2023 at 9:51 PM ^
I like feisty Wendy!!
Go on!
November 25th, 2023 at 7:19 PM ^
…the Wolverines were relentless, and the Buckeyes folded.
Bet
November 25th, 2023 at 7:19 PM ^
Thanks for copying the txt so I didn't have to give those motherfuckers a click.
Go Blue!
November 25th, 2023 at 7:37 PM ^
Immensely proud of this team. Every Michigan team in each sport faces challenges, but the national media grinder they have been put through has been unprecedented.
The football building has very sturdy walls that is full of exceptionally strong men.
November 25th, 2023 at 7:21 PM ^
FUCK ESPN until those two pos Thamel and Dinich apologize for being hacks
November 25th, 2023 at 8:02 PM ^
That cunt Dinich will still think we should be ranked 5th!
November 25th, 2023 at 7:21 PM ^
Oh please. OSU didn't "fold." That's nonsense. They played great. We played better.
Nothing wrong with saying, "both teams played all-out, and gave their all. Michigan made fewer mistakes, and they won and advance."
Fuck, how does it make us look better to suggest the other team is weak? They're damned strong. We're just stronger.
Move on. Go Blue.
November 25th, 2023 at 7:25 PM ^
I'd say that in a game where OSU consistently, successfully challenged and constricted our run game, that they def folded on that drive, knowing the run was coming and letting us hammer it down their throat. It doesn't mean they're bad to say they folded. It means they reached the limit of their ability to stop us.
November 25th, 2023 at 7:34 PM ^
By getting a stop to hold them to a FG attempt? This was not 2021.
November 25th, 2023 at 7:38 PM ^
More about the 7 min, than the 3 points. We rushed for a fourth of our total rushing yards on that drive, when the game was on the line, and you knew it was coming. Not too far from 2021. But, yea, you didn't have to let us score this time, so it was a moral victory.
November 25th, 2023 at 7:54 PM ^
Not to mention UM's best olineman was out and they had to move a tackle to guard and bring in a backup tackle.
November 25th, 2023 at 7:53 PM ^
Similar. The Buckeyes still have the L. All that matters. One more year to try to get that 100, Cryan .
November 25th, 2023 at 8:27 PM ^
That's fair. This was more competitive than 21 or 22. But the 8-minute drive is a lost art; teams that can do it win championships.
November 25th, 2023 at 11:35 PM ^
That OSU TD Drive where they ran it, what, 6 or 7 straight times to finish…that shook me a bit
OSU did play well. This was not ‘21 or ‘22, where we pulled away. We had to fight to the end and the outcome could have been different
November 25th, 2023 at 7:22 PM ^
"And the buckeyes folded."
November 25th, 2023 at 7:23 PM ^
Shit, they know about the monkey paw y'all! Get rid of it and call up the voodoo squad!
November 25th, 2023 at 7:30 PM ^
Crap. Here comes another three games...
November 25th, 2023 at 7:46 PM ^
I thought I smoked all the monkey paw in South Quad in ‘76.
November 25th, 2023 at 7:28 PM ^
This is supposed to be enough to make me like him? We're not that desperate. They can humble themselves and admit what they've done and why. Then right the record and chastise anyone who still buys the idea that Stalions made any difference at all. I might consider liking someone at ESPN who oversaw that and did it.
November 25th, 2023 at 7:30 PM ^
But what did Lou holtz have to say?
November 25th, 2023 at 7:32 PM ^
OSU knew Michigan would run virtually every play of that drive, and yet they allowed Michigan to move down the field and kill a ton of clock.
November 25th, 2023 at 7:43 PM ^
When you say a "ton of clock", you mean 12% of the total game time, and there was nothing they could do to stop it. Vintage.
November 25th, 2023 at 7:32 PM ^
How exactly did the Buckeyes fold?
They got beat, but I don't see how they folded.
November 25th, 2023 at 7:52 PM ^
It wasn't as spiritless as the last two Haskins TDs of 2021.
Less of a fold and more of a beating they were powerless to stop.
It's irritating that the game was that close. I'd say that you can feel good about that, but I understand that it's hard to feel good about anything on the losing end of this one.
November 25th, 2023 at 8:22 PM ^
They broke on that last drive make no mistake… they knew we were running and they couldn’t stop us … they had been selling out and were holding our run game but when the game was on the line for the third straight year we imposed our will … deal with it !!!
November 25th, 2023 at 8:43 PM ^
They were broken, but they didn't give up. Other DLs can't rotate like ours. Their DTs play the whole game. They were worn down. Remember when we were trying to play Ben Mason at DT? Ryan Day and Jim Knowles are playing the part of Don Brown now. Not as bad, but more than enough to get their rear ends handed to them annually by the Wolverines.
November 25th, 2023 at 8:45 PM ^
You mean it wasn't about Michigan doing what they do best? Give your guys a little bit of credit!
OSU D must've "broke" by allowing more than 4 yards on only one of the final six rushes on that drive. Doesn't really sound like "broke" to me.
November 25th, 2023 at 8:49 PM ^
Lol I have all the faith in my boys … the point is they knew it was coming and couldn’t stop it .. deal with it or don’t .. go give day a hug he needs it
November 25th, 2023 at 9:58 PM ^
Hey Chuck - great game today!
November 25th, 2023 at 11:12 PM ^
Why are you minimizing? That drive took 7 of the final 8 minutes and all your timeouts. Who cares if the last 6 rushes had only one for more than 4 yards. The drive accomplished 98% of the ideal result and left you with almost nothing. Crazy that you’re here arguing about the meaning of a drive where Michigan imposed its will and was nearly perfect for Michigan.
November 26th, 2023 at 5:59 AM ^
Couldn't agree more. You touched on perhaps an underappreciated point. We took all three of their timeouts. Having timeouts (even one) to use on offense at the end of a close game is critical to your chances of coming from behind. It's like taking bullets from the chamber. Had to be deflating. It was surgical.
November 26th, 2023 at 6:16 AM ^
Go Blue!
November 25th, 2023 at 8:45 PM ^
They didn’t fold…….they just bent over and took it up the rear.
November 25th, 2023 at 8:52 PM ^
Didn't fold. I agree.
You had two problems...Day and McCord.
November 25th, 2023 at 8:54 PM ^
At least McCord gave his all … day is a spineless fucking little cnut plain and simple
November 25th, 2023 at 9:56 PM ^
Agreed, Buckeye Chuck. It was a close game all the way til the end.
November 25th, 2023 at 10:48 PM ^
I agree. They did not fold. That was a tough game decided by inches in a number of different places. OSU made more mistakes in the high leverage moments, Michigan largely did not. Both teams played "well" in my view, but Michigan was better when it counted and that made the difference.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:18 AM ^
Welcome to dealing with ESPN bullshit. That one of their writers wrote bullshit that favored Michigan does not lower my contempt for ESPN in the slightest.
November 25th, 2023 at 8:03 PM ^
FUCC ESPN.
November 25th, 2023 at 8:23 PM ^
I believe the word you’re looking for is FUCK
November 25th, 2023 at 8:17 PM ^
Well written but I’ve deleted my ESPN app and moved to cbs sports app. Done with that trash network except for when games are on.
November 25th, 2023 at 8:28 PM ^
I think this piece is spot on. Next question: WHY were the Wolverines "relentless?"
Answer: Because they are coached by Jim Harbaugh
That is his trademark: relentlessness.
More, please. We like relentlessness.
November 25th, 2023 at 9:27 PM ^
Day isn’t incompetent as a football coach, and obviously so. OSU played hard and played well. But by doing what he did to try to kneecap Michigan instead of wanting to beat them, at their best, on the field, he proved that he’s lacking something as a competitor and as a man.