Stats comparison between Mich and MSU
Through 7 games so far this season Michigan as a team has passed for 1581 yds with 14 TDs and only 2 ints; while MSU as a team has passed for 1645 yds wiht 12 TDs and 8 ints. With a number of blowouts this season, Mich has taken its foot of the gas in the second half of games and is only 64 yds behind MSU with 2 more passing TDs and 6 less ints.
In terms of rushing, Michigan as rushed for 1800 yds and 28 TDS, while MSU has rushed for 1087 yds and 8 TDS.
Michigan is only 200 yds away from passing its rushing mark from last year with 5 games to go!
October 25th, 2016 at 10:22 AM ^
There is no statistical, factual, or otherwise logic-based reason to suspect MSU has any chance of winning on Saturday. That's why, if it happens, I'm going to burn the world. Just... all of it.
October 25th, 2016 at 10:24 AM ^
True, but I can't help but recall 2013 Michigan vs. Ohio State. No reason at all we should've been remotely close to Ohio State and yet only lost 42-41.
October 25th, 2016 at 10:33 AM ^
That Michigan team had a QB.
October 25th, 2016 at 10:34 AM ^
October 25th, 2016 at 11:06 AM ^
October 25th, 2016 at 11:10 AM ^
This cuts both ways. Hoke had plenty of talent in most position groups. Hoke was terrible at getting the most out of his teams week in and week out. But, Ohio was always circled on the calender and, sure enough, Michigan consistently out performed in that game relative to the rest of the season.
Harbaugh's every week is championship week means we are more or less the same team week in and week out.
Now, on the State side, they definitely have this game highlighted as make or break for their season, so yes, I can see them outperforming their statistical profile to date. But with the fancy stats having us up by the margin that's just too wide for feelingsball stuff like motivation to cover.
Plus, State's got the same staff as last year, so it's not a matter of underperforming due to coaching like it was with us. Issues of just not having the talent are much harder to paper over for one, all-in game.
October 25th, 2016 at 12:51 PM ^
An upset is invariably a combination of only so many factors:
- The underdog is underrated
- The favorite is overrated
- The underdog outplays expectations
- The favorite plays like crap
- Luck favors the underdog
MSU isn't a snakebit team; they're every bit as bad as their record. Conservatively, Michigan is a ranked team, having beaten Wisconsin and Colorado and literally everyone else they've played so far. And while MSU had huge, HUGE luck last season, and may get more of it this Saturday, it's unlikely Michigan arrives in East Lansing overconfident. The emotional situation just doesn't have the trappings of an upset. It's not like Michigan's going "we got this y'all" and will spend the night partying and show up hung over. If anything, they're champing at the bit to make up for 2015 and return things to their natural order. They're repping like they're the underdog.
MSU only has control over #3. That won't be enough.
October 25th, 2016 at 12:16 PM ^
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October 25th, 2016 at 12:24 PM ^
What was infuriating was that they played a perfect 2 point conversion at the BWW bowl that would have worked. Ugh Borges
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October 25th, 2016 at 12:30 PM ^
Gardner had a broken foot and I don't think we had a reliable kicker for that game (Wile I believe). Going for two was the right call - just the wrong play call after the timeout.
October 25th, 2016 at 12:31 PM ^
a lucky turnover allowed us back in the game. Going for 2 was the right call, but alas, the actual play called was shit. Classic Hoke-Borges fail.
October 25th, 2016 at 12:33 PM ^
Go for 2 and the win.
Change your playcall when OSU knows what it is.
October 25th, 2016 at 1:38 PM ^
I 100% agreed with that call to go for it. They weren't going to survive overtime. So according to you, they should've passed up the opportunity to win it on a play that they only needed a few yards on, and instead go to overtime where they'd need to score from 25 yards out and stop OSU on offense? Seems like they made the right call. This isn't even mentioning the fact that Gardner was injured and pretty much had nothing left in the tank for OT.
October 25th, 2016 at 10:28 AM ^
-1 for even saying "if it happens"
October 25th, 2016 at 10:32 AM ^
I'm in. I don't think we lose, but if we do, I'm gonna need to help you with the burning.
October 25th, 2016 at 12:26 PM ^
and only burn your couch, right? :)
October 25th, 2016 at 12:58 PM ^
October 25th, 2016 at 3:23 PM ^
The concern troll is back!
Hi Sparty! How's that five-game losing streak feel?
October 25th, 2016 at 10:24 AM ^
October 25th, 2016 at 11:30 AM ^
Well, Stanford ran 37 times for 111 yards per game (3.0 avg) in his first year there, and 41 times for 200 yards per game (4.9 avg) in his second year there. And the 49ers ran 31 times for 128 yards per game (4.1 avg) in his first year there, and 31 times for 156 yards per game (5.1 avg) in his second year there. Last year we ran 38 times for 158 yards per game (4.2 avg), and this year we're running 47 times for 257 yards per game (5.5 avg). So there might be something to that.
October 25th, 2016 at 11:57 AM ^
/s
(nice job)
October 25th, 2016 at 10:29 PM ^
October 25th, 2016 at 10:24 AM ^
MSU has only one win against an FBS team. That FBS team is also 2-5.
Their FCS opponent is 1-6.
October 25th, 2016 at 10:28 AM ^
Yeah, I mean, we are #2. MSU is terrible. I know it's hard, but the worrying can stop.
October 25th, 2016 at 10:28 AM ^
October 25th, 2016 at 10:30 AM ^
^^^^This.
October 25th, 2016 at 12:07 PM ^
Eh, not this for me. I'm really enjoying my udder (ha) lack of worry about this game.
October 25th, 2016 at 12:16 PM ^
Maybe 'worry' is the wrong word. I guess we'll just say that I'm not a fan of counting chickens.
October 25th, 2016 at 12:30 PM ^
Just got back from counting the chickens, there are 22 of them - all decked out in green and white. FUCK MSU.
October 25th, 2016 at 10:32 AM ^
Yeah, me too.
October 25th, 2016 at 10:36 AM ^
Exactly. Last year just prior to The Horror, the guy behind me said "well, we won!" I said to him that we still had to get the punt off and then we were good. Grr, I still cringe at that!
The Kahki Jesus has it right: play every game as if it were a championship game because it is. Work hard, respect your opponent, don't take yourself too seriously, and then go and win it! And then you can enjoy it for 24 hours. :-)
October 25th, 2016 at 10:57 AM ^
October 25th, 2016 at 11:57 AM ^
October 25th, 2016 at 11:11 AM ^
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October 25th, 2016 at 10:33 AM ^
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October 25th, 2016 at 12:32 PM ^
make a couple of plays here and there, but our defense is WAY better than the ones they LOST to (and looked bad doing so). WE are the more motivated team this year, IMO, so flush all that "shoulder chip" bullshit. Have a beer and relax everyone - our boys got this.
October 25th, 2016 at 10:34 AM ^
1) getting the W
2) scoring more than NW did
3) injuries = 0
Beyond that everything else good that happens for us is a bonus.
October 25th, 2016 at 11:09 AM ^
October 25th, 2016 at 12:52 PM ^
Harbaugh eating a Steak at midfield after the game...
October 25th, 2016 at 10:40 AM ^
Sparty just doesn't have the horses to keep up with us. Even if we turn the ball over 3 times, we have the D to hold them and they don't have the D to stop us.
Plus, I don't think they have the heart to compete this year. They will come out all fired up in the first quarter, try their "four quarters of personal fouls", but they won't stand up to Harbaugh's "win with cruelty" approach.
October 25th, 2016 at 10:43 AM ^
The better comparison is 2013 where Toussaint had 20 yards and Gardner -46. This is the kind of D line that is coming to MSU this weekend.
No first downs for the Spartans this week. No positive yards. Win with cruelty.
Sparty is Rutgers bad.
October 25th, 2016 at 10:42 AM ^
if we don't cover
October 25th, 2016 at 10:42 AM ^
Quit acting like sissies! I can't believe you all are scared and nervous, even a little. We are going to DESTROY them! There is nothing they can do against our defense. Our whole team is pissed from last year and we will be all over them from the beginning. No mercy
October 25th, 2016 at 10:54 AM ^
Hoke took a lot of people's balls.
October 25th, 2016 at 10:50 AM ^
Their bile and spittle and anger can only fuel them so much. Even if you assume that's worth a whopping 14 point swing, S&P has us winning by 35 (iirc). Even add in a fluke (say, pick six or kick return for a touchdown) and we 'only' win by 14. This MSU team is one of the worst in recent memory and this Michigan team is one of the best. My irrational side worries but just looking at the facts there's no realistic way they can take this game from us.
Here's some more advanced stats context: MSU is 2 spots behind Eastern in S&P, 2 spots ahead of Central, and 4 spots ahead of Illinois. They are a whopping 10 spots ahead of Hawaii. They are a full 21 (!) spots behind UCF. Which is all to say they'd be projected to have competitive games against teams we've blown out and would be clear dogs against UCF. This MSU team does not belong on the same field as Michigan; the only real question is how crisp we execute and how much Jimmy decides to run up the score.
October 25th, 2016 at 10:49 AM ^
Take them to pound town and never let them leave.
October 25th, 2016 at 10:53 AM ^
October 25th, 2016 at 10:58 AM ^
October 25th, 2016 at 11:06 AM ^
I wouldn't be suprised if he leaves this year before his stock begins to plummet!