Boxscore Link: http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/112914aaa.html

Play-by-Play Link: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/mich/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2014-15/box_score/stats_20141129aaa.pdf

     The astute reader will notice that I put the links up first this week. The reason being is that I don't expect anyone to read through what I have to say, except for my brother, Michael Thomas (YTMT.) Ohio State's Michael Thomas (NTMT) is an imposter, I tell you! I'm not even sure why I'm bothering to write this. But write I will because I had an idea two weeks ago, and I'm not letting it go to waste.

     When I was a kid, I heard that Bo and Woody preferred to run the ball because when you pass the ball, three things can happen and two of them are bad. The Michigan offense of the past two years has redefined that calculus. I now believe that when you pass the ball, six things can happen and five of them are bad. Of course, you have the original two bad items, the incompletion and the interception. I've seen enough of Michigan's offense to realize that we have to add these additional bad outcomes: 1) throwing screen passes for negative yardage, 2) getting sacked, and 3) getting strip-sacked.

     In case there was any doubt, Michigan drove the point home to start the game. On our first play, Drake Johnson ran for 7 yards. On the next play, Devin Gardner threw an interception. On the next drive, Michigan threw a screen pass for -5 yards, ran the ball for 15 yards, took a sack, ran for 4, and took another sack. Three good running plays and four bad passing plays. The second drive ended with yet another poor special teams play, as Jalin Marshall returned a punt 23 yards.

     After the Rutgers game, someone asked the MGoBoard to sum up the season in a song. I went with Johnny Cash's version of Hurt (I focus on the pain, the only thing that's real.) While I still think that song is an apt metaphor for this season, there can be only one song that describes where we're at this weekend. I present to you, the Sunday's, "Here's Where The Story Ends," with commentary provided by yours truly. If you press play and read the following notes, you'll find they sync up like The Wizard of Oz and Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the MOON.

People I know, places I go
Make me feel tongue tied

I think I was aware somthing happened, but I'm not fully aware

I can see how, people look down
They're on the inside

Brady's ultimate insider, Dave Brandon resigned this season. Does he have any support left from insiders?

Here's where the story ends

The story ends with a 31-20 record at Michigan with declining win totals year after year

People I see, weary of me
Showing my good side

Yeah, you can say that again

I can see how, people look down
I'm on the outside

You will be soon (wow, this is starting to sound harsh. But don't blame me, I didn't write this song.)

Here's, where the story ends
Ooh here's, where the story ends

The story ends with your fifth year senior quarterback being outplayed by a freshman and a third string QB

It's that little souvenir, of a terrible year

The tent stake?

Which makes my eyes feel sore

Watching Michigan this season made my eyes feel sore

Oh I never should have said, the books that you read
Were all I loved you for

I'll admit, graduating 69 of 69 seniors is a good thing

It's that little souvenir, of a terrible year

The two bottles of coke?

Which makes me wonder why
And it's the memories of the shed,

In year 4, Michigan was on the wrong end of woodshed games including:
0-31 versus a mediocre Notre Dame team
10-26 versus Utah
14-30 versus Minnesota
11-35 versus Sparty

that make me turn red

No! Anything but red!

Surprise, surprise, surprise

Losses to Minnesota, Rutgers, and Maryland provided the biggest surprises of this season

Crazy I know, places I go
Make me feel so tired

Tired of the losing, tired of the miscues, tired of the turnovers, tired of losing the places you go, i.e., road games.

I can see how people look down
I'm on the outside

Here's, where the story ends
Ooh here's, where the story ends

With Michigan leading #6 Ohio State 14-7 late in the first half, Michigan punted with 15 seconds left on the play clock. Unsurprisingly, Ohio State drove down the field and scored a TD with 7 seconds left.

It's that little souvenir, of a terrible year
Which makes my eyes feel sore

The "KEEP BRADY HOKE" banner that flew over Spartan Stadium?

And who ever would've thought, the books that you brought
Were all I loved you for

Oh the devil in me said, go down to the shed
I know where I belong

But the only thing I ever really wanted to say
Was wrong, was wrong, was wrong

It's that little souvenir, of a colorful year
Which makes me smile inside

I know, it's the "Quit Drinking and Go To Bed" novelty t-shirt I bought from the MGoStore!

So I cynically, cynically say, the world is that way
Surprise, surprise, surprise, surprise, surprise

Here's, where the story ends
Ooh here's, where the story ends

With Michigan down by 14 points, Brady Hoke used his last timeout with 1:12 left to extend the game by one more play. Sorry Brady, you're now out of timeouts. The story ends. Your story. But there's always next year and another story to tell.

See you in '15.