Can this be the team that breaks the end of season trend?
The last three seasons we have had stretches where we have played very good football, but ended the season in a disappointing fashion.
In 2016 I think we all thought we were a legitimate title contender. We got Kinnick’ed, then got hosed in Columbus and then lost the bowl.
In 2017 we were in a tough spot because of qb issues but we still managed to get to 8-2 before dropping the last 3.
Last year we won 10 straight and in somewhat dominating fashion before the let down versus OSU. Then guys sat out and the bowl game was another disappointment.
So we had finishes of 1-3, 0-3 and 0-2 to finish the last 3 seasons. I know this is something the coaching staff is aware of and we all hope this is the year we can finish on a high note. I really think this weekends game will set the tone for the bigger game vs OSU. If we continue to build on our strong play, that will be a good sign for The Game. Does anyone feel like this years team is peaking at the right time and better equipped to finish out strong?
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:08 PM ^
Yes.
Hope that helps.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:08 PM ^
Can it? Sure, why not?
Will it? I have no idea.
Could it? It could, I suppose.
Would it? If given the chance, probably.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:11 PM ^
Thank you for clearing this up.
November 22nd, 2019 at 1:04 PM ^
Clear as mud. LOL
Some team has to break the streak. Why not this team?
Is it probable....No...no one will have us favored in the game nor should they. It will take a special performance by both sides of the ball and a couple breaks going our way.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:09 PM ^
Maybe.
November 22nd, 2019 at 1:13 PM ^
Damn, slow down with this hot take.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:13 PM ^
Well so far this team is actually playing it's best football in November which is a nice change.
Last year's team seemed to drop off after Penn State.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:33 PM ^
In all fairness last year's team was doing great right up until the OSU game. Remember they took care of Wiscy, PSU, and MSU all in a row. But, this is really all about beating OSU and I don't see that happening this year either. We'll see who we face in the bowl game.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:59 PM ^
I think most people would say it started the week before against Indiana. That game was a bad omen
November 22nd, 2019 at 1:10 PM ^
Not really, they kind of seemed to sleepwalk through the Rutgers game, and then Indiana gave us fits.
November 22nd, 2019 at 2:37 PM ^
I agree. Let me add, this board is gonna have an epic meltdown next Saturday. Just like last year after "the game." People are gonna be calling for Harbaugh's head and there will undoubtedly be 10 threads on who is the right person to bring the offense forward. Don Brown and his defensive style will be called into question as well.
Excuse the negativity but this board has become too predictable after a big loss. I hope I'm wrong but I don't see anyone stopping OSU this year. Maybe Clemson but they've played a weak schedule this year. I don't see anyone with the offensive firepower to match the buckeyes and I don't see many teams running up the score on them either.
November 22nd, 2019 at 3:38 PM ^
If I'm being honest if we lose a hard fought close game where OSU just pulls away then I think people will be understanding of that. You just can't lose in a rivalry game like we did to them last year. Fuck, we went toe to toe with them with John O'Korn at QB in 2017.
The only reason people would be calling for offensive changes is if we completely stink up the joint. Were people calling for Harbaugh's head after the 2016 game? No, because a trend hadn't been established yet. The angry reactions this year came from getting down multiple scores early in both losses and not being able to claw back out of it just like what happened against OSU and Florida.
November 22nd, 2019 at 4:19 PM ^
You're wrong about people calling for offensive changes. Everyone talked up Drevno when he first came here. Then he was trash. Same with Pep. Now it's Gattis being talked up. The angry reactions came LAST YEAR after OSU and the bowl game. Jedd Fisch is about the only serious offensive minded coach that hasn't been trashed on this site.
This blog has a habit of sharp knee jerk reactions after a big loss. As I stated, it's predictable
November 22nd, 2019 at 4:45 PM ^
Well put me down as someone who didn't like the Pep hire from the beginning. I thought Drevno as an OL coach would be good, but he had never been an OC before and it showed. People are always going to talk up the new hire, that's what fans do. And when Jedd Fisch was here is when our offense was the best it's been under Harbaugh, so that's pretty obvious.
November 22nd, 2019 at 8:26 PM ^
Yeah, I think we'll find a way to make some plays. OSU is athletic on defense, but we've got a really solid line and some really good athletes that can make plays against their defense. The problem will be blocking Young. Runyan won't be able to even with help from a TE. He'll make plays, but we should be able to make some too.
My hope is we can contain their offense. I'm not sure how much we can. While I don't expect 62, I'd also be surprised if we can keep them under 40. If we're in the 42-28 range that sounds about right to me unless we play our best game of the year, get some special teams TDs, or get a bunch of TOs. But, if we show signs of life, make some plays, and just lose to a better team I'd call that a good sign. Then, they lose their entire d-line and secondary to the NFL or graduation. Granted they'll still have Fields and young talented WRs, but a lot of new faces on defense. They finally may not have a top NFL draft pick at DE for once. Then again, Harrison could blow up too. But, I like our chances better next year. No guarantee we'll win, but it should be competitive. Maybe one day it will turn out our way.
November 22nd, 2019 at 7:40 PM ^
The problem is, OSU seems to be getting better and better each year. And while it’s a positive sign that we’re playing our best in November, I just don’t see how OSU can be beat, except maybe by Bama (with Tua) or LSU. Fuck OSU I’m fucking tired of them.
November 23rd, 2019 at 9:23 AM ^
Nobody thought OSU could beat Miami in 2002 either, some call that and the 2001 team the best in college football history.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:13 PM ^
Yes.
Next question.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:16 PM ^
Listen, UM is 2-1 against Florida. They blew one game against S. Carolina & played terrible last year with a depleted squad against Florida. This whole "end of season trend" begins and ends with losing to OSU. And, no that won't end this year. Can they win the bowl game? Depends who they play. I doubt we'll have top draft picks sitting out like last year so that's a good thing. But, bowl games are hit or miss. This is all about losing to OSU and they seem like a juggernaut.
November 22nd, 2019 at 1:16 PM ^
I think they appeared to be a juggernaut 50 years ago too...Bo had something to say about that.
November 22nd, 2019 at 1:41 PM ^
OSU is entirely beatable this year. The only "good" team they've played was Wisconsin, who lost to Illinois.
We will be OSU's toughest test of the year, and they ours, just as God, Bo, and Woody intended.
November 22nd, 2019 at 2:10 PM ^
Uhh dude... UM has sucked in November and bowl games now since 2004.
this program is like 21-25 in Bowl games.
2011, 2007 and 2015 were the few years UM looked excited for bowl games.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:17 PM ^
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:36 PM ^
I don't think it's effort either. Desire?...maybe. I think the OSU staff under Meyer has done a better job of emphasizing the game than JH has. Your point about talent is still valid. OSU is just more talented, and by a wide margin. I don't think UM has enough talent to win without some luck, TOs, or special teams TDs. But, OSU has also done better with execution and game planning, particularly last year.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:48 PM ^
November 22nd, 2019 at 1:19 PM ^
I think UM came in with the "we'll do what's been working for us" rather than "how do we exploit their weaknesses." OSU said, "we think we can pick on (this guy)" and did it.
November 23rd, 2019 at 10:05 AM ^
The offense did fairly well going off memory. The defense played well early, then Day made adjustments in routes and how he was lining up the WRs. Once he did that Brown didn't have an answer. Brown didn't have a back up game plan and/or wasn't able to adjust when his plan wasn't working.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:19 PM ^
Yes, we are peaking at the right time. I just want to go in the OSU game fully healthy for a change. In 2016 and 2017, we went in with a very limited QB (either by injury or ability). Last year, we went in with a banged up Winovich, and Bush got hurt with us down only one score in the 3rd quarter.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:29 PM ^
And that was before our defense could operate out of multiple coverage shells.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:45 PM ^
Good point about starting QB health. I wouldn't mind seeing DCaff for at least a quarter. Hopefully we can build a healthy lead in the first half and rest a few starters. Problem is, IU is a pain in our ass and I don't expect them to go away easily.
November 22nd, 2019 at 1:14 PM ^
I just watched the 2018 Indiana game highlights and several things really surprised me.
First, we had SIX drives stall in the red zone! We scored 2 TDs and kicked 6 field goals to get to 31 points. That's really, really...bad.
Second, our offense vs MSU last weekend and vs IU in 2018 looks COMPLETELY different. Speed in space is much more dynamic and puts the team in a far better place to stretch the D in the red zone and get the matchups we want to exploit. I couldn't believe the difference between last year's offense and this year.
So I think that we have a good chance to see something very very different this year, even though we are playing an away game. IU has a good record against bad teams, but has not shown the chops to hang with a good team with a winning record.
I think we win comfortably.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:22 PM ^
Win in Bloomington. And Go Blue!
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:23 PM ^
Not enough people talk about the Harbaugh Narrative and bowl games.
Even if you get shtoinked by Ohio State, or yet another game in which the referees have stolen creeps up, the bowl games are a redemption of sorts. Win those, and everybody parties all offseason long and has gigantic boners.
Florida State in the Orange Bowl after the OSU/Referee Fartfest in 2016 is another example. Michigan did not play particularly well, but fought back valiantly and took a lead with about three minutes or so??
Then a freakish kickoff return where the guy took it in the end zone (LOLZ SNICKER), almost downed the ball, then said, OH fuck, run it out what the hell.
some 70 or so yards later and FSU is on a short field-takes it in for the TD and once again, Michigan and bowl games prove how much they hate each other.
The bowl game with South Carolina? Big lead, blow it, lose.
Bowl games matter.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:45 PM ^
"Win those, and everybody parties all offseason long and has gigantic boners."
Are you suggesting that a win in a bowl game leads to an 8.5-month-long erection of unusually large stature???
November 22nd, 2019 at 1:41 PM ^
Yes!
But conversely, if your team loses the bowl game, no boner.
November 22nd, 2019 at 2:30 PM ^
So pulling a boner results in. . . no boner. Mind asplode.
November 22nd, 2019 at 5:50 PM ^
At that point, many people here get PBONERS.
November 22nd, 2019 at 9:26 PM ^
You are correct.
Bowl games are a sort of redemption.
They matter in terms of national media perception.
They matter in terms of recruit perception.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:23 PM ^
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:24 PM ^
Last year, obviously, we finished the season really badly.
But I don't think losing to FSU 33-32 or South Carolina 26-19 is really in the same vein as losing to Florida by whatever it was last year. FSU/USC were winnable games that happened to go the other way at the end. We made costly mistakes in crunch time but I didn't fault the effort.
Likewise I felt that in the '16 and '17 OSU games, we left it all on the field. 2016 was rotten luck and in '17 we just didn't have a QB.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:24 PM ^
One game at a time. Go out beat Indiana and there’s hope. Can’t look ahead
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:31 PM ^
I really want to believe you're being sarcastic. Very much so...
November 22nd, 2019 at 1:02 PM ^
This username is exceptional. Unless you actually are Amani Toomer, in which case, it is orders of magnitude better than exceptional.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:32 PM ^
That 2016 team just breaks my heart still. Getting Kinnick'd, and Speight's injury there, sucked but I remember being at that Wisconsin game and feeling my heart drop out of my chest when future Senator Grant Newsome got hurt.
Reverse this program's cosmic misfortune for Grant, fellas.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:35 PM ^
1) Right now has almost nothing to do with the bowl season.
2) I absolutely do not feel better at this moment than I did before the IU game in 2018. So what difference does it make what we think? We don't know shit.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:41 PM ^
Can it be? Yes.
Will it be? No.