Michigan - Ohio State Predictions

It will match the biggest upset of the 20th century in 1969.  I was there !

Nebraska and PSU hung with them and they're both worse teams than us.

No reason Michigan can't do the same.

State peaked when they played us. Michigan we a whole has been getting better every week. Michigan’s pass defense is good because of the DB’s improvement, scheme wise and they have an elite pass rush. State does not they’re elite at be physical and lack any real pass rush. 

On it's face, that game appeared to be an ominous foreshadowing of what OSU has in store for Michigan next week. But I will say having watched most of the first half, Michigan State looked like total dog shit. If they had trotted out that performance out against Michigan we would have whipped the field with them. Their offensive line was absolutely terrible yesterday, and their pass rush was nonexistent. That is the recipe for disaster against OSU,  and Ohio State did what you would expect them to do (and maybe a little more just for good measure) against literally the worst pass defense in all of college football.

This is not to say I think we're going to shut down OSU's offense, or don't need to put up our best offensive game of the season by far to beat them (we absolutely will have to). Just saying that I don't think OSU's curb stomping of a lethargic, terrible MSU pass defense tells us anymore than what we already knew before Saturday. Their pass offense is a juggernaut for anyone to handle. I think Michigan's defense is better equipped to mitigate their potent pass offense than Michigan State is.

I hope they lose in the most excruciatingly, nauseatingly painful way and that we collectively say:

Shit happens, bum juice!

This isn’t what I want, but we were asked for predictions. I say:

OSU: 35   Mich:  17

Wow I feel a whole lot better after reading this, thanks for the uplift.

I admire your "unwavering" fandom towards M :)

This exact scenario baring other crazy things happening to the other top 4 would push the talk to having 2 big ten teams in the playoff. 

Hard to face pressure when he will 3 step drop and throw

I hope you are right, but I remember 2018 when we were saying some of the same things that Gary/Paye/Winovich and a few Bush blitzes would be able to get rush on Haskins……did not happen, ball was out within 3 seconds every play to receivers crossing the field. 
 

I do believe that Hutchinson and Ojabo are better talents overall  and in a better scheme than that bunch, but OSU is very crisp with their 3 step drops and routes.  
 

All that said, I think the team truly plays their best game and matches the crispness/execution of OSU and is able to make at least one more play (be offense or defense), and we win. Wont give a score though. I think Haskins has a BIG day as well. 

I think you nailed it re: QB pressure. Getting pressure on Stroud will be absolutely pivotal as to whether or not Michigan has a shot to beat them in this game. MSU basically let him stand on his spot all day long in the pocket and he absolutely eviscerated their defense. He would do the same thing against pretty much any defense in America, although perhaps not quite as emphatically as yesterday.

They're going to have to hit him early and often in the pocket and confuse him in coverage. I am really hoping MacDonald has a handful of defensive schemes they have been practicing and installing all season designed specifically for this game. If we get something like that, executed well and the very best from Hutch and Ojabo I think we could have a legitimate shot in this one.

I happen to agree with you. The rational fan in me expects a 45-24 type of loss and knows there’s a possibility it could be much, much worse. OSU just completely embarrassed a team that we lost to and their entire team believes that we ducked them and that they owe us a bludgeoning for doing so. They have an offense that is completely unstoppable if you let it get going and we’re coming off a very disconcerting defensive performance against Maryland. The scoreboard shows 18 but Maryland easily could have put up 25-30 with competent QB play and not killing their own drives. Our defense produced zero, I repeat zero QB hurries against Maryland. I cannot stress how concerning that is. OSU has far and away the best offensive line we will face and I seriously doubt our ability to generate organic pass rush. Hutch and Ojabo might do it once or twice but they’re not going to get pressure consistently. And our D tackles are complete non-factors in the pass rush. Maryland ran the ball very effectively against us as well and re-set the line of scrimmage on quite a few runs. 
 

Bottom line is if OSU plays well I don’t see us keeping them under 40 and on the other side we have never shown the ability under Harbaugh to win a shootout type of game. We can and will score some points, but a great game offensively from us might get us to 31-35. That won’t be enough barring some miracle type plays or an injury to Stroud.

They took down the ticket spreadsheet awhile back. Not sure why.

Someone started a thread last week looking for tickets and I piggybacked on it and got 2 tickets from a fellow mgoblogger. You do have to be careful though. 
 

My guess is Brian and the boys wouldn’t mind one more thread with people looking for tickets. Many folks out there don’t want their tickets going to buckeyes.

Good luck.

Judging by your posts, Saturday sounds like your least favorite day of the week.

I believe that I saw Hotel Putin (and Mad Hatter?) also saying all season that UM would upset OSU. I don't know you or them, you and they are all likely insane people, but I am strangely encouraged!  

I'm hopeful not just the change in scheme, but overall philosophical approach defensively from MacDonald will pay dividends in this game. Don Brown's approach was to "solve all problems with aggression" and only throw the heater... and OSU hit it into the parking lot, to use a baseball metaphor.

What we've seen from MacDonald this year suggests he's much more of a poker player than Don Brown is. 

If we see some new coverage schemes and blitz packages that hit home, I think we have a punchers chance in this one: I'll let my fan bias predict 45-41 Michigan

If OSU faces the same schemes and tendencies they've been scouting all year, this one will get ugly: 55-38 OSU

I feel they have broken this trend the last 2 games, one of those against the best red zone defense in the country, and I think we see Harbaugh more aggressive on 4th and 6 or fewer inside the 25, as he KNOWS he needs touchdowns. Win or die trying.