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 5:52 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 6:36 AM ^
??
Why "should" we have won this game? The other team outplayed us, took care of the ball, and deserved it.
Little Bro lost a bunch of their team to suspensions, and we lost to them at home in Year 3. That fact has to be faced square-on. The shine is off Harbaugh for me. He might be right there with Meyer, the loathsome Dantonio, and Franklin -- maybe -- but we're deluding ourselves if we think he's clearly better.
October 8th, 2017 at 6:49 AM ^
M can't win big games anymore and gets jailsexed by their two biggest "rivals" but hey, Harbs does a jackknife!
October 8th, 2017 at 8:05 AM ^
October 9th, 2017 at 12:38 AM ^
He was holding his shoulder.
October 8th, 2017 at 8:09 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 8:42 AM ^
I'm also wondering about giving Peters or McCaffrey a chance. Georgia and Texas are starting freshman QBs, and they are making plays. Michigan looks like a 7-5 or 8-4 team anyway.
October 8th, 2017 at 1:00 PM ^
Excellent points... glad to see someone else calling for a move to Peters or McCaffery.
October 8th, 2017 at 8:10 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 8:41 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 9:26 AM ^
We are really missing Jedd "Good Shit" Fisch right now.
Why didn't you just give him sole ownership of the OC job, Jim?
It's time to demote Drevno and get Don Brown's offensive equivalent before Don gets fed up and leaves too.
October 8th, 2017 at 11:32 AM ^
He hired Pep Hamilton, from the 1-15 (2016) Cleveland Browns. And we wonder why the offense looks like it does.
October 8th, 2017 at 8:21 AM ^
I didn’t yell, I didn’t even feel all that disappointed because the team didn’t seem to give a shit for 60 minutes so why should I? I could criticize the play calling, which has sucked all season, complain about O Korn who gave us all a glimpse into why Speight is the starter, wonder how in the last decade we have yet to recruit any offensive lineman, and praise the defense for carrying this team. All of that could be argued, but what’s missing to me? Heart, the will to stomp an opponent. I don’t see it. Maybe Harbaugh does, but I don’t. Tonight was “Hokish”, it was embarrassing.
October 8th, 2017 at 9:00 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:43 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 8:47 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 9:11 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 10:18 AM ^
Careful
They'll take away your 'points' for saying the O-line is bad.
October 8th, 2017 at 9:33 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 9:53 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 10:16 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 1:47 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 9:55 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 10:06 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 10:09 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 6:31 PM ^
When is the post where he makes up the score and we all agree UM won?
October 8th, 2017 at 10:41 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 10:43 AM ^
"Michigan State's offense didn't look like it belonged in the same league as Michigan's defense"
Did we watch the same game? Because pre hurricane - they absolutely CARVED. US. UP. Post hurricane, sure, we got 3 and outs. But that's all they needed to win.
Whether it was offense or defense, MSU had the better game plan and was better coached. Are we better coached than Hoke years? Sure! But we pay $9 million per year for this? Dantonio is the far better coach, and he's able to own us with far less talent.
Maybe it's time for us to realize that we are just another above average regional program with an above average coach. And maybe we should just be happy with that? We aren't nationally relevant and haven't been for a long long time. And Harbaugh is as good of a coach as we'll probably be able to get. So... Lloyd-like 9-3, 3rd place B1G East indefinitely FTW?
October 8th, 2017 at 10:46 AM ^
IMO this offense needs to solidify who the playmakers are.
In my general observation as an armchair QB/coach this is how I’d roll from here on out:
QB- Peters- the fact we lose OKorn, and Wilton is done for this year and who knows with next year. Somehow someway they need to implement even a little rpo elements.
RB- higdon, Evans, issac, Walker. (it’s a interesting move, but I would have been repping Kwitty Paye as a power back or FB).
FB Hill, Poggi, Mason, Paye
TE- McKeon, Gentry, Wheatley
HB- Eubanks, Poggi
LT- Cole
LG- Bredeson
C- Kugler
RG- onwenu
RT- JBB
WR- DPJ, Colins (for dedicated, simple routes that can get him on the field)
Slot- Perry, Scheonle, and more perry, Evans, McDoom
This offense needs to start hammering down who has the best playmaking ability, who adds explosion, and stick with them. There needs to be changes made. Look at who we have who can make plays and coach the hell out of them. Get creative!
October 8th, 2017 at 11:49 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:13 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:24 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 11:03 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 11:06 AM ^
of a TIGHT ENDS COACH. WOW!!!!...........overreact much after a loss? Million things need to be improved on offensively but I highly doubt bringing in another TE coach will all of sudden be the key to getting things fixed.
October 8th, 2017 at 11:34 AM ^
Everybody wants to keep talking about all the offensive talent not being utilized but I just don't see it. Throw out recruiting rankings and go by the eye test on the field.
I watch a lot of college football and in my view we're below average at running back, receiver and quarterback. Tight ends are above average. Hard to identify the level of raw talent on the line but it does not seem all that high but obviously experience and cohesion are just as important there as physical talent.
I don't care how many 4 stars are out there, I see a lack of speed and athleticism at the skill positions outside of DPJ and that goes way beyond youth. Our backs get what's blocked and little more, the receivers struggle to get open, even on fly routes which should be an opportunity to showcase athleticism against inferior talent and we all know the QB issue. Yes, we're obviously young - so is Michigan State.
I'm just as frustrated as everybody on the offensive game plans but I think the bigger issue is talent. There is just no explosiveness which means you've got to move down the field in 5-8 yard chunks, which means more plays and more chances for errors and turnovers, requiring perfect execution. That's hard enough to do in the NFL when it's your full time job, much harder for college players.
Everybody compares us to Stanford. Comparable, conservative offenses, but look at the difference in talent at running back the last few years. When our offense executes a run play perfectly we get maybe 15 yards. When they do, McCaffrey or Love take it to the house, whether's it's from 20 yards or 80. They have had QB issues as well which is why they've dropped a couple games but raw talent helps cover up a lot of issues.
October 8th, 2017 at 11:49 AM ^
It is NOT!!
It is an emotional game!! Practice is cerebral but games are won/lost on emotion and motivation.
Who is our emotional leader on this team?? Who is going to call people out on the sidelines when they make shit plays? Give shit effort? Tell me who that guy is and I'll tell you when we will have a championship caliber team. Until then, get used to it.
October 8th, 2017 at 11:56 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:03 PM ^
Who let this guy on here? Hyperbole, exaggeration and lack of long range perspective only today.
October 8th, 2017 at 12:11 PM ^
I'm all for having patience, and things are looking better overall than they were before Harbaugh was hired. Nevertheless, this loss stings and it should. Michigan was at home playing a team with less talent and with even more holes to fill than Michigan had. The defense did its job for the most part (although I wonder if some of that had to do with MSU playing safe) and gave the offense opportunities to win. Michigan had a chance to win even on its very last drive, and came up short.
Yes, it's a young team, but even more experienced players struggled. Isaac and O'Korn are fifth-year seniors. Higdon's what, a junior? McDoom's a sophomore - okay, that's still a little inexperienced, but he should have been able to make that catch and he didn't.
Players didn't execute and MSU was better-coached for this game. There needs to be improvements - there's still a chance to make this a good season, but it's got to start now.
October 8th, 2017 at 12:32 PM ^
MSU wanted to score more points. This idea they shut it down purposely isn't based on reality. Maybe after it turned into a deluge weather wise they stopped passing. But before that, no way. He wanted to pound us and make us look bad on national TV.
The calculus that we couldn't move the ball would have been a dangerous guess because we DID move the ball. Right before the half where we fumbled. Then pulled it within 4 with a quarter and a half to play.
He had them in the shotgun numerous times when the weather got bad too. If he was playing out some master plan of icing the ball and not trying to score, he's not the coach everyone says he is.
And I think we all know he is a hell of a coach.
October 8th, 2017 at 2:05 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 5:28 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 5:53 PM ^
No B1G championship since 2004
No Natty since 1997
2 wins vs OSU since 01
2 wins vs Sparty since 07
From 05-13 Michigan was a pedestrian 37th in win percentage.
Franklin won the B1G last year in spite of the beat down.
October 8th, 2017 at 12:03 PM ^
I'm not looking forward to that Amazon documentary nearly as much anymore.
October 8th, 2017 at 1:45 PM ^
Alabama doesn’t seem to have issues motivating players. Either they get people with better characters or the coaches motivate players better. My vote is on the latter.
October 8th, 2017 at 12:56 PM ^
Think what PSU went through. Their whole program decimated in the most ugly and public way possible. And now they are #4 in the country!
I think Harbaugh has been spending way too much time reading his own press clippings ... and believing them. He's suppposed to be a "quarterback coach," and while Speight was OK, JOK was deer in the headlights all evening. Two weeks to prepare, and this is what we got?
Offense is pathetic. Up front blocking stunts don't work in Q:1, yet they keep trying it. None of the running backs are strong/quick enough to break anything with any regularity. Need to re-think.
I throw 100% of the blame on the head coach. He's had plenty of time to get something going with this team, and they are barely mediocre. They weren't even fired up coming into this game; you could see it.
Too many needless penalties. And Harbaugh should put in a rule: NO—I repeat NO—celebrations for a good play or a score unless and until Michigan is ahead. The penalties and this other foolshness speaks to an undisciplined bunch of kids. And that, my friends, lies squarely on the shoulders of the head coach.
Extremely doubtful that we will win against PSU in two weeks, and we won't have a prayer against the school down south who is getting BETTER every week.
When is sombody going to call Harbaugh out? I repeat—he's had enough time to show some progress. Gee, we may be able to beat IU and Rutgers.
Huge disappointment.
October 8th, 2017 at 1:32 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 1:33 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 1:33 PM ^
Yeah I"m not sure another round of "Hoke left the cupboard bares" are in order after this debacle. Hoke actually left behind a ton of talent. A little unbalanced, but nevertheless -- a ton of talent.
And this is Year Three.
October 8th, 2017 at 1:35 PM ^
The offense is vanilla at best, if not primitive.
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