Biggest Positive Surprise of the Game? Biggest Negative?
In honor of BPONE I'll start with OSU's drive running it down our throats to tie it. After the last 2 years I never expected something like that (there was a fair deal of questionable holding). But holy shit did UM respond. Those to drives to go 17-17 and then 24-17 were the pivot of the game, where once again OSU couldn't deal with the fact that we don't cave like everyone else, and Sherrone doesn't Frames Janklin.
Biggest Surprising Positive: Sherrone did not call a chickenshit game or turtle at all.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:07 PM ^
Nobody had a birthday cake ready for Blake. Happy Birthday, Blake!!!
November 25th, 2023 at 6:11 PM ^
Blake got the greatest present imaginable. The single season rushing touchdown record and a win over those fucks
November 25th, 2023 at 6:08 PM ^
I think my biggest surprise was the team rising up immediately after the Zinter injury. That is an incredible display of heart.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:11 PM ^
This is mine, too.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:13 PM ^
An absolutely great moment. Incredible guts.
Barnhardt paved on the backside of it. Blake with the perfect bounce and then the jets.
Huge.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:48 PM ^
Blake has the most incredible killer instinct I’ve seen at Michigan. Woodson and Howard were up there, but when the game is on the line this kid creates wondrous events. Again and again.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:17 PM ^
not a surprise about raising their game. very happily surprised it happened on the next play.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:25 PM ^
Completely fair. This team does extraordinary things.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:09 PM ^
Biggest surprising positive: not getting fucked on the Roman Wilson TD. Thought for sure the Big Ten office was making a phone call during that review.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:44 PM ^
For real. I was 100% sure, even though it was CLEARLY a TD, that the refs would give that to OSU
November 25th, 2023 at 7:07 PM ^
Especially because when I looked in the binoculars at the review screen they weren’t even showing the replays. They were just showing hypnotic ASMR that said, “Screw Harbaugh!”
Somehow the refs scraped by anyway.
November 26th, 2023 at 12:03 PM ^
This x1000. I was sure they would fuck us even though the ball was over the goaline and his knee was down prior to the ball coming out.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:10 PM ^
Positive - My wife gets to stay.
negative - i cant think straight.
ok for real..
positive - we can convert to our tight ends at will it seems.
negative - will there be a let down.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:18 PM ^
Need more detail on first phrase...
November 25th, 2023 at 7:37 PM ^
Archer phrasing meme.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:11 PM ^
The kickoff out of bounds was a negative.
The throw to Barner immediately after the Loveland bloody nose was brilliant.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:11 PM ^
Only real negative going forward in the playoff was that the running game wasn't consistent but they did run it well when it mattered. Our defense is for real.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:27 PM ^
My big surprise was that IIRC, we never used JJ on a designed run. (He did scramble a couple of times.) I thought we were going to need that to loosen up their D.
November 25th, 2023 at 7:21 PM ^
I was yelling at the tv and tweeting all game about this. In 2021, we brought him only mostly to run and now hardly use that weapon at all.
I get he's now our starter and is not 100%, but thought we would use it to loosen up the D a little too.
November 26th, 2023 at 6:11 AM ^
I think there were a few by design, but OSU had us pretty well scouted. They covered the WR route combinations very well all day, and as locked in as JJ was I have to think he'd have pulled once or twice if it was there. When he did scramble, they usually had contain too, so I think they played to stop our run, covered the WR, and lived with what we would get from the TEs/RBs against their LBs.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:12 PM ^
Biggest negative, Moore didn't treat Day like Harbaugh treated Jim Schwartz.
The biggest positive is the interception to seal it. Moore got it, but Harrell was leveling McCord as he threw it.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:12 PM ^
Zinter hurt by far the worst. Did Will Johnson get hurt too? If so, how bad?
best? Spending it with my son and going on the field to celebrate. What.a.Game!
November 25th, 2023 at 6:14 PM ^
I saw Will Johnson unassisted on the field after the game.
You're right about the injuries.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:19 PM ^
Think we can rest WJ for the Iowa game because Iowa's passing game (checks notes)...
yeah.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:36 PM ^
Play wise, I was angry at MHJr TD as I saw them switch him inside to matchup with Barrett. Love Mike but that’s a massive mismatch.
positive, I sensed the running game would break open in the fourth quarter. We didn’t have last year’s breakaway runs but it was well setup to have a 7min drive to just about close out the game.
November 25th, 2023 at 7:08 PM ^
Negative: we couldn’t create that same mismatch with Donovan Edwards.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:12 PM ^
There is not a single ounce of BPONE in me. The Zinter injury is heartbreaking though.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:12 PM ^
Biggest negative, Zak's injury.
Biggest positive, winning without Coach Jim on the sidelines...monumental. What a great demonstration of Coach Jim's leadership, for his team to excel and crush the Nuts' ass in his absence.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:12 PM ^
It took awhile for both our lines to impose themselves but in crunch time they got it done
November 25th, 2023 at 6:14 PM ^
Our most boring player making the least boring play in the history of the rivalry!!
And just winning it with our defense. I thought the call to kick the field goal was the death blow. The BPONE had me by the throat. But we pulled through. Let's fucking go!
November 25th, 2023 at 6:14 PM ^
Can't say there were huge positive surprises. Boys did exactly what we've come to expect. If I had to pick one, it would be Orji lining up in the wildcat.
Biggest negative obviously Zak going down.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:15 PM ^
Thought we’d have better pressure on McCord.
Thought our run defense would be more stout.
Thought MHJ would’ve wanted to show up.
And don’t care about any of those thoughts for 24hrs. Great victory, we are valiant!
November 25th, 2023 at 6:21 PM ^
Run defense was better than I thought based on what PSU did. No big plays.
Pass rush was as expected - we don't have an Uche, Ojabo, Winovich type. Forget Hutch.
Was very happy how we limited Stover - thought he was going to be more of a player in this game.
The Beard was way too conservative he should have gone or more points on one of those early 4th downs and at end of half. Pathetic.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:29 PM ^
We had to use light boxes most of the day because of how dangerous their receivers are. Still, we did a really good job on Henderson - 60 yards on 19 carries with a long of eight. That guy had been playing out of his mind over the past month.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:17 PM ^
All the recruits getting to watch OSU lose a 3rd straight game to Michigan, with our interim HC.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:18 PM ^
Biggest positive surprise? UM's ability to run the ball in the 2nd half, even after Zinter went out. OSU's improved D still couldnt stop the precious yards UM needed to salt the game.
Negative? JJ was forced to take a couple of sacks. UM's pass-blocking has been better than it's run-blocking all season.
#GoBlue
#Bet
November 25th, 2023 at 6:20 PM ^
Unsung hero of the game was the FG kicker. That guy has made me nervous all year, but he made 3 huge kicks today.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:29 PM ^
His name is James Turner (said in fight club voice)
November 25th, 2023 at 6:22 PM ^
Negative?
Zak going down.
He has been the heart of the offense since the team turned the corner after 2020. Different QBs and different RBs and different TEs and receivers. Different OCs. Even different acting HCs.
But one right guard mauling on every down.
Gutting. :(
November 25th, 2023 at 6:23 PM ^
biggest positive: we won
biggest negative: Zinter and not winning by more
November 25th, 2023 at 6:24 PM ^
Negative- pass D minus will johnson was rough and d-line didnt have the impact I was hoping for
Positive- this team is just littered with all time program guys who carried this team to victory. Sainristil, Barrett, McCarthy, Corum, and others Im forgetting. This is a special group
November 25th, 2023 at 6:24 PM ^
Biggest negative is Zinter's leg exploding.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:29 PM ^
Ryan didn’t shit himself. Response post Zinter was great.
November 25th, 2023 at 7:08 PM ^
I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure McCord peed himself on that 3rd and 9 in the 4th
November 25th, 2023 at 6:31 PM ^
I thought that run call on the last 3 down was a little turtle-ish, but the pressure and pick to seal the win has to be the biggest positive surprise to me. Thought for sure Ohio was going to score the winning TD there.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:32 PM ^
Day turtled at the end of the 1st half. Not surprising since he coaches scared.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:34 PM ^
He was really content to try that 50+ yard field goal. I was content that he did so as well.
I also was relieved when he punted on 4th and 1 just shy of midfield.
November 25th, 2023 at 8:14 PM ^
Yea both those calls were super weak by Day which of course shouldn’t really be that surprising.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:34 PM ^
Look, I'm just hoping Klatt got out of his tsio cheer sweater without dislocating anything.
November 25th, 2023 at 6:56 PM ^
1000%
The OSU and Ryan Day sycophancy with both announcers all game was putrid. They were doing their damnedest to will OSU to victory, and save Day's job in the event of a loss. Didn't work on the victory, and we'll have to see what happens to Day. Even Urban at halftime was giving Day the "attaboy" fellatio for settling for 3 before the half and not getting it.
#keepwinning