Michigan State 14, Michigan 10
The final play. [Bryan Fuller]
Death by a thousand self-inflicted cuts.
Michigan State's offense didn't look like it belonged in the same league as Michigan's defense, which forced eight three-and-outs, added a turnover on downs, and didn't allow a point after the 8:07 mark of the second quarter. By those numbers, you'd think the Wolverines would've won this game in a blowout.
But the offense, well, it all went wrong with the offense. They turned the ball over five times: a Ty Isaac fumble that killed any momentum from a promising start, a Sean McKeon fumble when they were driving at the end of the first half, and three John O'Korn interceptions. O'Korn's picks came on consecutive second-half possessions as rain fell from the sky in sheets; the coaches continued to call passes despite O'Korn's struggling and the receivers having a tough time hanging onto the ball.
That was it, really. State needed only one long touchdown drive and another on a short field to get the win while Michigan found new and demoralizing ways to shoot themselves in the foot.
After the game, the quarterback dismissed concerns about the playcalling and the weather, instead putting the loss on his own shoulders.
"I take full ownership for this loss," said John O'Korn. "You can't turn the ball over and expect to win and you can't give them great field position all game and expect to win."
"You've got to execute the plays that are called regardless of the conditions and we didn't do that tonight."
His head coach had a different take.
"Yeah, you can criticize that," Jim Harbaugh said about the playcalling. "We were trying to run the ball. We were trying to piece drives together."
It was a depressingly familiar script. Michigan State had the better, more cohesive gameplan, highlighted by their second touchdown, a gorgeous slip screen off a fake end-around that caught the entire defense on the wrong side of the field. Michigan's pass protection repeatedly broke down; Juwann Bushell-Beatty replaced Nolan Ulizio at right tackle midway through the game with little positive effect. The late-game plays didn't break the right way; MSU all but iced the game when Brian Lewerke dropped a third-down snap, frantically scrambled, and somehow rolled over two players to get the first down before touching the ground.
Another familiar sight—stupid Michigan State penalties—gave Michigan a final shot late, first when a holding call stopped the clock on MSU's final drive, then when senior linebacker Chris Frey committed an obvious late hit on Karan Higdon. Yet again, Michigan committed an unforced error. O'Korn found Eddie McDoom wide open around the MSU 30, only for the ball to clang off McDoom's hands. A couple plays later, O'Korn's Hail Mary heave hit the rain-soaked turf.
The bitter taste from this one is going to linger. Michigan could—should—be 3-0 against MSU under Harbaugh. Instead, they're 1-2. This time around, it was the struggling offense finally costing the team a game this season. Even if we knew that was coming this year, it won't sit well that it happened against the Spartans, especially given the preceding bye week and questionable playcalling.
It's going to be a long week for a lot of people.
October 8th, 2017 at 1:01 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 1:01 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:00 AM ^
Hard not to critisize JH and Drevno's gameplan (whatever it was). Still; if this team can find an offensive identity they can stay in any game with their defense.
What a dong punch of a game.
October 8th, 2017 at 12:20 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:23 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:26 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 10:36 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:01 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:02 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:02 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:02 AM ^
This felt like a Hoke game. Except with Hoke you had that feeling of "Well, what do you expect from Hoke?" He wasn't the first choice of anyone in the fanbase or the administration. Harbaugh was supposed to be the savior on the other hand, the quarterback guru. It's not easy to square that reputation with the o-line this season. I'm too old to get angry about this stuff any more, but this isn't as much fun as I'd hoped it would be.
October 8th, 2017 at 12:02 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:25 AM ^
People are mad at the moment and overreacting... and yeah, I get it. We lost to Sparty again. It sucks.
But Harbaugh is seriously one of the best coaches in football. Really, he is. Despite this loss. And this is one of the YOUNGEST teams in the country. The D is playing way above its potential and the O is playing slightly below.
Harbaugh is playing with a backup QB, no elite running back, a piecemeal O-line, and inexperienced WRs/TEs. The only one of those that really concerns me in the big-multi year picture is the O-line playing below standards, but that's one real long term concern out of the bunch.
This game sucked. This season will probably continue to suck. But also keep in mind that literly every single bounce/ounce of luck went Sparty's way tonight and we still almost won. (It was unreal how one team could be so much luckier with the breaks) . But the future is brighter with Harbaugh than any other coach we could have right now. Harbaugh will own this rivalry with time. OSU is more of the worry.
October 8th, 2017 at 12:38 AM ^
Holy shit... there's reasonable people on the board right now?
October 8th, 2017 at 1:25 AM ^
all these things you say about the offense: backup QB, bad OL, no RB, young WR/TEs are all true but also partially on the coaching staff (only 3 OL in taken in 2016...wtf!!!!!!).
The list of reasons MSU should be struggling is a lot longer than our list and they just beat us at home.
Big coaching failure.
I haven't seen anyone calling for Harbaugh's head and it'd be insane to suggest he needs to go. But they need to get it figured out.
I get that he loves hard nosed TEs and FBs as football players but there's a reason no one wastes many scholarships on them anymore. If you can't figure out how to give them time to get the ball or open holes, maybe focus a little more on the OL.
This isn't Bo's Big Ten anymore. I trust they'll do what they need to do.
October 8th, 2017 at 1:52 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 2:14 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 2:22 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 1:00 PM ^
Sorry, but Harbaugh is not a good coach because RESULTS.
Anything else is subjective fluff.
October 8th, 2017 at 10:57 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:43 AM ^
We are really young on defense, but that's not the problem.
On offense we started a 5th-year QB, soph, junior, and 5th-year senior RBs, senior FB, two seniors and three sophomores on the OLine, and only one freshman WR. Almost of these guys were highly rated recruits and are in the second year of the system. Being young is the way of the world in college, and this offense is not that young.
FSU almost beat Miami today with a true freshman QB and RB. And they scored more than 10 points.
October 8th, 2017 at 2:12 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:03 AM ^
This offense has failed for the most part in every game this season. If we think we are going to sweep Wisc, PSU, OSU we are delusional. Also a few other games not automatic. Can easily finish 8-4.
October 8th, 2017 at 12:23 AM ^
I mean, do we really feel good about going on the road to Indiana next week?
October 8th, 2017 at 12:30 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:40 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 3:12 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:42 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:07 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 1:33 AM ^
gives up the plays that are way too pro-style (depend too much on good routes and good throws). Embarrassing that MSU has a much more creative, modern and effective offense than we do.
They have a terrible OL and they scheme around it! Maybe we should try that.
October 8th, 2017 at 12:04 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:04 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:04 AM ^
Play calling does seem less creative this year, regardless of QB/OL performance.... When can we start talking about Pep Hamilton not being a positive additions.... at least in this respect...
October 8th, 2017 at 12:16 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 1:38 AM ^
our passing game looks terrible and we've taken a huge step back. Is it all on the OL and young pass catchers? Maybe.
But look at MSU. They have a younger, less talented offense and they're doing better than us. Our offense hasn't overacheived since the second half of 2015 (pre-OSU). Would be nice to actually play well again on offense.
October 8th, 2017 at 12:04 AM ^
This was an absolute disaster!
That O-Line flat out blows! They waited until this game to replace Ulizo with Bushell-Beatty? That should have happened a few games ago.
Once again...the game plan lacked imagination and was predictable.
Receivers are far too young and lack experience. It's almost as if they expect the ball not only to come to them but, also magically stick to there hands without fighting for it.
This team....as it is playing now. It's going to get massacred in Happy Valley in two weeks.
October 8th, 2017 at 1:17 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 3:16 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 6:01 AM ^
...called "panic." As in the Michigan coaching staff is in panic mode and is just throwing shit up against the wall in hopes that some good will come of it. Disgusting.
October 8th, 2017 at 10:41 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:05 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:06 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 11:42 AM ^
Too loyal to an underachieving Drevno and son. Have you ever tried to fire a relative? Thanksgivings get really awkward.
October 8th, 2017 at 12:06 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
October 8th, 2017 at 12:15 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 1:04 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 9:51 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:06 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:07 AM ^
Sure I’m bummed, but I already feel like I’m over it. Just a game, and life could be a whole hell of a lot worse.
October 8th, 2017 at 2:06 AM ^
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