Looks like Harbaugh was right... we were close.
A little over a month ago when we were still inconsistent on offense and couldn't put 2 drives together Harbaugh said we were close. We rolled our eyes.
Weeks later he said he liked where we were offensively. We again, rolled our eyes.
Clearly he was seeing things in practice that wasn't translating but was an improvement from what he was seeing before. Nonetheless...it is come along and it's here.
Gattis and his "Speed in Space" is here and Harbaugh is 2-0 with two BEATDOWNS over rivals.
Here's to Harbaugh for staying the course and giving us even a liiittle hope that we can pull off an signature win in two weeks.
Anyway, Harbaugh was right...now let's keep it going!
November 16th, 2019 at 8:52 PM ^
I'm certain that's not true. They hate us.
November 16th, 2019 at 9:42 PM ^
I'm not saying you're wrong, but there's a LOT of teams that hate us.
November 16th, 2019 at 8:56 PM ^
I don’t know how people in Virginia feel about ND, but here in Michigan we certainly consider them a rival, which makes this year’s game really sweet.
November 16th, 2019 at 9:00 PM ^
Nope. I know Notre Dame alums and non-alum fans and they recognize this as a rivalry game.
November 16th, 2019 at 9:43 PM ^
One of my best friends is a Notre Dame grad and a huge football fan. Your assertion that ND wouldn’t consider Michigan a rival is laughable codswallop.
November 16th, 2019 at 10:22 PM ^
I consider ND as one. They are a very similar program to us, and we recruit same area. Bo viewed them as a rival, so does Harbaugh. And so should whoever is reading this.
And its silly to "hate" them. They are a clean program with pleasant fans. Go attend a game in South Bend and you will see. Hard to hate on kind and cordial fans, vs the crassness from MSU and OSU.
November 16th, 2019 at 10:03 PM ^
Note that this guy isn't me!
November 17th, 2019 at 10:05 AM ^
We have people trying so hard to move goalposts on what wins count in the Harbaugh era, that someone is now actually trying to remove rivalry status from an opponent after the fact. I'd be lying if I said I was surprised.
November 16th, 2019 at 8:49 PM ^
I think I saw some speed in space!
November 16th, 2019 at 8:49 PM ^
Well said.
November 16th, 2019 at 8:51 PM ^
Can we please just beat Ohio State?
November 16th, 2019 at 8:57 PM ^
Two beatdowns. Which was more enjoyable? I imagine most people would say the MSU game, and it was glorious. But I actually enjoyed the ND beatdown more because we won’t be playing them for years, while we get MSU yearly. Add to it the way they screwed us when they cancelled the series, and the idea of them having to brood over the game for a decade plus really makes me happy. Now, if we could beat OSU and spoil their season, that might be the most glorious of them all.
November 16th, 2019 at 10:37 PM ^
It’s ND for me too because they’re actually pretty talented. MSU is garbage on both sides of the ball and had tons of injuries.
November 17th, 2019 at 4:57 AM ^
MSU is a dumpster fire. I’m glad we beat the crap out of them but they’re hapless. They can’t do a damn thing on offense and their D is rudderless.
Notre Dame is a team full of pussies. They have some talent to be sure but they showed up to a rainy, cold night and couldn’t hang. Our guys looked built for bad weather, they looked like they’d rather be anywhere else.
November 16th, 2019 at 11:16 PM ^
ND is a non-conference game. I was happy we beat them, don’t get me wrong, but today was the most enjoyable game of the Harbaugh era at Michigan for me.
November 17th, 2019 at 7:53 AM ^
Using the words from previews on the site - we just vanquished Mark Dantonio. Your question gives us two great options and neither is wrong. You make an excellent point about not playing ND for years, but I’m definitely more excited about this win.
MSU has been such a huge pain in our ass since MD got there. This game prevents a positive change, from the MSU perspective, in the trajectory of their program.
Stands up, pulls wooden stake out of vampire, stabs it again. And again. And again.
November 16th, 2019 at 8:57 PM ^
Not sure about that exactly. The offense we were running at the time of his comments was pretty bad. It only got better when they reworked the offense mid-season for the 5th season in a row. They went away from speed in space because Shea couldn't make the necessary reads and the line couldn't block the runs. They have ended up with a hybrid of manball and spread which has enough variability now to keep defenses off balance. They are not Ohio State which runs the same 5 plays over and over again and you can't stop it.
Definitely an improvement over the early season and hopefully this can be sustained through the bowl game and into next year. Just hope it's not another Jedd Fisch scenario and then it's starting over again.
November 16th, 2019 at 8:58 PM ^
These last few games have definitely made me eat crow. I just hope it continues.
November 16th, 2019 at 9:01 PM ^
Shocking....a man that has been around football for 30+ years and was a successful coach everywhere he’s ever been knew what he was talking about.
Jim HArbaugh has more football knowledge and experience in his bent left elbow than 99.99% of the population, specifically message board folk yelling “unacceptable”
And I’m sure Jim knows we need a few more impact players and to up our recruiting just a notch to go from good to elite.
Give him time...so long as the passion is there, he’ll get us there...and do it the right way.
November 16th, 2019 at 10:27 PM ^
All he needs is consistent top QB play and strong DTs, and maybe a few CBs for depth. Everything else is covered.
November 16th, 2019 at 10:56 PM ^
How much time? 6 years? 7? 8? Because we're looking at another 9-3 season at best and another third place division finish this year, and next year looks no better. Harbaugh has always been a "next year" kind of coach, but you can only sell that for so long.
November 17th, 2019 at 9:01 AM ^
I’m happy with 9-10 wins every year with occasional drops to 8 and occasionally hitting 11, assuming we can start beating OSU.
Given the progress we made from the near decade of despair starting in ‘07 with Rich Rod I have Faith we’ll continue to see progress.
But I’m also realistic. With the recruiting we have available in Michigan, and our desire to avoid scandals, we may be self limiting to where this program can go.
MSU had a long flare of success because UM was down and they didn’t mind getting people of questionable character. I don’t want that at all.
November 16th, 2019 at 9:14 PM ^
Well, let's not start sucking each other's dicks quite yet. We could very well lose our last three games and finish 8-5 again.
November 16th, 2019 at 9:27 PM ^
We could put off the dick sucking for good as far as I'm concerned.
November 16th, 2019 at 9:39 PM ^
No...let him finish.
I will sign the treaty.
November 17th, 2019 at 4:28 AM ^
You know, you can get a good look at a t-bone by sucking a bull’s dick. But I think I’ll take the butchers word for it.
November 16th, 2019 at 9:25 PM ^
The offense has started humming and Shea threw for almost 400 yards in our 2nd beatdown of a rival this season.
In the meantime, OSU is beginning a late-season collapse by allowing TWENTY-ONE POINTS to RUTGERS.
All according to plan, right? Guys?
November 17th, 2019 at 5:08 AM ^
Uh, their 1st team offense exited the game with a 42-7 lead one drive into the second half. They rested 4 starters on defense and had one suspended.
I’m glad for the 385 yards passing but I’d look sideways a anyone who wasn’t concerned by the lack of a running game the past two games.
November 17th, 2019 at 7:44 AM ^
So you're saying they still allowed Rutgers to score 7... SEVEN meaningful points. Complete and utter shitshow if you ask me. We're coming for you, Buckeyes.
November 16th, 2019 at 9:35 PM ^
I’m still pissed we didn’t beat PSU.
November 16th, 2019 at 10:02 PM ^
That loss haunts me. I think we were playoff bound if we don't choke that game away
November 16th, 2019 at 11:20 PM ^
If nothing else, a win would made the OSU game more compelling and would have put UM squarely in the conversation.
November 16th, 2019 at 9:42 PM ^
There was similar bravado going into OSU last year. The hubris here is absurd. Sparty is a TERRIBLE team.
November 16th, 2019 at 9:59 PM ^
Hey, wait just a minute. MSU has that no fly zone thing. Their pass defense is really, really . . .
bad. Yeah, you have a point.
November 16th, 2019 at 10:14 PM ^
Agreed. Michigan has pounded on a few bad teams this season. Shea is still mediocre. Wolverines are going to have their hands full next week at Indiana. Extremely unlikely this team beats OSU this season.
November 17th, 2019 at 12:01 AM ^
Sparty was terrible last year too and we only scored 21 on them.
November 17th, 2019 at 7:56 AM ^
Yes, MSU is hot trash, but do you honestly think we win this game 44-10 a couple months ago? Michigan had become known for the late season collapse under this staff, but here we are witnessing the team improving like our Beilein-coached basketball teams have. I was as down as anyone after the Wisconsin debacle, but the development the team has undergone so far is pretty remarkable.
November 16th, 2019 at 9:51 PM ^
I'm with Ajcoss, et al. Let's pump the brakes a bit until we see it on the road.
BUT, it's serious progress since the beginning of the year. I have no problem saying I was wrong when I said 5-7/6-6/7-5. Looking decent for 9-3, with a possible 10-3 if we show up in the bowl game. So, historical. Also beating ND and MSU in rivalry games.
A nice improvement from the team....just need to play better on the road.
November 16th, 2019 at 11:04 PM ^
How is 10-3 an "improvement" That's what we were last year, and we supposedly had better talent and experience this year, and all of the rivalry games at home. Wouldn't count on much in a bowl game, either. We'll be playing in a meaningless Alamo or Outback Bowl, and nobody who's eligible for the draft is going to risk injury for that, including Patterson. We'll have at least 8-10 starters sitting out the bowl game. Patterson, DPJ, Collins, Runyan, Bredeson, Onwenu, Ruiz, Thomas, Hill, Danna, Kemp, Uche, Metellus, Hudson, Glasgow, Dwumfour, McKeon
November 16th, 2019 at 10:17 PM ^
I have seen a big difference in Jim too. I am not talking about sideline demeanor (which I think is overrated), but in game mgmt. He has gone for it on 4th down multiple times. Shea has kept it more and the O seems more aggressive than before.
November 16th, 2019 at 10:18 PM ^
This thread is hilarious. The ultimate what if, Michigan's best friend.
November 16th, 2019 at 10:52 PM ^
Yep. And another chance to blame the refs for every loss in the history of Harbaugh, instead of shitty preparation, shitty play and shitty coaching.
November 16th, 2019 at 11:04 PM ^
Well yeah, blaming the refs is about the easiest weak take you can possibly make that involves the least amount objectivity.
November 17th, 2019 at 8:11 AM ^
(repeat post)
November 17th, 2019 at 8:12 AM ^
Do you think Dantonio and co. give a rat's rear about how good or bad we were when they beat us?
Yes, it's more satisfying to beat a good MSU team. But I'm just as happy about beating them down when they're back to typical MSU form. Even more so as long as Dantonio's at the helm for them.
November 16th, 2019 at 10:28 PM ^
Today's game was awesome. That being said, Michigan state is a 4-6 team after today. They have an abysmal offense and a defense that has been gashed by more than a few teams this year.
Fun won today. The offense seemed to be clicking and the defense seemed solid. I personally don't see this game as proof that the team has "put it all together", but that msu is just a below average team this year. I will still enjoy today's victory all week. Go blue!!!
November 16th, 2019 at 10:33 PM ^
Don't you understand? We beat a 4-6 team pretty handily (after the first half). That means Michigan could win all previous losses, and bring on teams like Georgia and LSU.
Pretty easy to understand if you ask me.