Michigan/Penn State - fork in the road
Considering the way the season has gone, the constant message from Schembechler Hall that this team is different, new culture and all. In addition to that, factor in the loss, although controversial, to msu two weeks ago, this game against Penn State will truly define where we are as a program.
Penn State will be ready for UM. Like many teams, we always get their best shot. I am glad there is a high noon kick off, still leaves a hostile environment. We will NOT be getting the Penn State team that lost to Illinois or played lackluster against Maryland
Win and it is a springboard to what should be 10-1 and a HUGE game against our bitter rival OSU. Winning out is the expectation and PSU is game 2 of the stretch run. Anything less than a fired up Michigan team that is executing on offense and flying all over the field on defense isn't acceptable. Losing isn't an option and let's hope the verbiage we hear isn't just rhetoric. I believe in this team 100%
Time will tell. I am all in on this team and coach Harbaugh and his staff. What say you?
Go Blue!!
November 7th, 2021 at 7:19 PM ^
On the road in Happy Valley is always a tough place to play. I do think Michigan matches up well with this PSU team, but this will probably be a pretty low scoring game. PSU's defense is legit, but I really think they will have trouble scoring with any consistency. Clifford looks like he's definitely playing banged up, and PSU doesn't have much or a rushing threat at all.
Dotson is definitely going to do his thing, but if Michigan can avoid any major busts on defense I could see them winning a 20-13 game or something of the approximate.
November 8th, 2021 at 1:39 AM ^
Michigan, like usual, will score more FGs than TDs. That will be their undoing in this game. PSU 27-19
November 8th, 2021 at 7:38 AM ^
While I don’t disagree with the first half of what you said, I think Michigan has shown their offense is capable of having a lot of drives. Against MSU they scored 7 times, against IU 6 times. I’m not sure how you even score 19, 2 FG + 2 TD with a missed 2pt conversion? Gattis has to dial up some red zone plays though for sure.
November 8th, 2021 at 12:09 PM ^
Don't excel in math do you nonalumfan. 1 td = 7 points plus 4 FGs is 12 points. FGs by the way, are 3 points each. 7 + 12 = 19. And Indiana/MSU doesn't have the defense that Penn State has. It will be challenging scoring on that PS defense.
November 8th, 2021 at 7:47 AM ^
They have had penalties in the red zone that set them back; that increases the difficulty of scoring a TD right there. I think if they limit the penalties, the TD scoring rate will go up.
November 8th, 2021 at 8:55 AM ^
PSU does not have the offense to score on 5 scoring drives let alone able to put up 3 TDs. Anything can happen but this D is better than anything they have faced especially with their QB not 100 percent.
November 8th, 2021 at 9:50 AM ^
Penn State was tied with Maryland 14-14 at the beginning of the 4th quarter. Clifford will connect with Dotson on several bombs and it will suck. But if you tackle well and keep big plays to 10-30 yards rather than letting KWIII scamper to the endzone, they have similar redzone scoring struggles as we do (Ohio State does too recently).
It'll be a dog fight, but we should absolutely win this game, even on the road. Their offense is 1-dimensional (passing only) whereas we can be balanced when we need to be
November 8th, 2021 at 10:24 AM ^
Effectively, this is for the Rose Bowl (of all the big goals that require this win, that one is the most realistic).
Fingers are crossed re: our health, but I think they’ll be ready.
November 7th, 2021 at 7:22 PM ^
We will be all over Clifford like a cheap suit, the question is will our D make Noah Cain look like the second coming of Earl Campbell?
November 7th, 2021 at 10:26 PM ^
If you are going to reach that far in the way back machine, then George Rogers is more appropriate for MGoBlog. I was there for that game versus South Carolina and it was not a good experience. We’re done with helping Heisman candidates for this season.
November 7th, 2021 at 7:22 PM ^
Clifford and the PSU Oline better be ready. I get the feeling Hutch and Ojabo are gonna be hungry.
November 7th, 2021 at 7:29 PM ^
This photo never gets old.
November 7th, 2021 at 8:02 PM ^
Yup, looks like a damn tree branch feel on him.
November 7th, 2021 at 8:29 PM ^
Lol
insee what you did there
November 7th, 2021 at 8:26 PM ^
Never gets old and will always get +1 from me.
November 7th, 2021 at 8:33 PM ^
I am fairly certain Anthony Morelli got off the ground only recently after that hit. That was a mean hit. It was nice to watch live.
November 8th, 2021 at 9:23 AM ^
I haven't heard from Morelli since; he lived, right?
November 9th, 2021 at 1:00 PM ^
Agree
November 7th, 2021 at 7:31 PM ^
Don't love the matchup. Clifford is good and due for a big game.
That said, you are exactly right. This game (and MSU) are the two.
You gave MSU away, Michigan has to come in and take care or PSU in a rather comfortable fashion for me to even come close to believing this team has turned the imaginary corner.
November 7th, 2021 at 7:40 PM ^
People negging you because of their blind fandom
November 7th, 2021 at 7:48 PM ^
This thread is trying to be uplifting. What else we got going on in a thread like this than blind fandom?.
November 7th, 2021 at 8:17 PM ^
People are also negging him because they don't care whether or not something will make him "even come close to believing this team has turned the imaginary corner." This isn't about him.
November 8th, 2021 at 12:55 AM ^
Did I say it was?
No. I stated my opinion and how it'll impact me. That is not making it about me. The fact that you can't separate the two is your problem.
You could do that to 90% of the posts on a message board. Why? Because that's the fucking point of the message board.
November 7th, 2021 at 8:37 PM ^
Really bugs me when fans on a fan site act fan like.
November 7th, 2021 at 8:59 PM ^
Part of being a Michigan fan is knowing that many of us feel the need to have an intellectual dick measuring contest when discussing our team.
November 8th, 2021 at 7:38 AM ^
Et tu, Brute? No, et tu.
November 7th, 2021 at 9:04 PM ^
Negging him for lack of content to justify the negativity.
November 7th, 2021 at 8:12 PM ^
Well shit man, why don't you just cut your losses and tune out for the rest of the season? You're saying you will be completely dismissive of this team if they don't go into Happy Valley and win by at least 2 scores (assuming that is what you mean by "win comfortably")?
If Michigan football, the number 8 team in the country, is such a disappointment to you then why do you subject yourself to it?
November 8th, 2021 at 1:01 AM ^
Because you're taking it out context and being so overly dramatic.
You want any honest answer?
I'll make it simple because you're condescending piece of shit post doesn't deserve much more.
LOSE and I will consider this program still 8-4/9-3, good for Outback and Citrus Bowls.
WIN and I will begin to believe that we've taken a step forward in getting back to a top 2-3 program in the conference.
Winning all the games except MSU, PSU and OSU doesn't do much for me. WIN this game on the road, betting underdog, and look solid doing it? Okay, now we're talking, maybe the culture shift is real and we're back on level ground with the 2nd tier of the B1G behind OSU.
Did that adequately explain my previous post?
November 8th, 2021 at 2:33 AM ^
rough Sunday it sounds like.
November 7th, 2021 at 8:28 PM ^
They've turned *a* corner by beating Wisconsin and Nebraska on the road. This is another measuring stick, but certainly not the only one.
The MSU game was essentially stolen -- even the pollsters recognize that.
[EDITED: I should have looked at the poll threads. Only the coaches put us ahead of MSU. I'll leave up what I said, even though it's wrong. Mea culpa.]
November 7th, 2021 at 8:31 PM ^
100% agree
we have beaten zero good teams this year.
psu on the road at high noon is finally the time to put up or shut up and move on to basketball season.
November 7th, 2021 at 8:51 PM ^
Wisconsin is a good team turns out. Believe they are 6-3 which is exactly what PSU is. They had a tough opening series of games but winning at Camp Randall is no picnic either.
Let’s win this weekend too though.
November 8th, 2021 at 1:09 AM ^
Their offense was a joke when we played them. Different team now.
are we better than we were then?
we will see
November 8th, 2021 at 8:44 AM ^
Who has beaten a good team this year then? Georgia hasn't lost. OSU's defense was a joke when Oregon played them, so that one doesn't count. Same with Alabama vs A&M. Obviously you think Michigan is no good so that's not a good win for MSU.
November 8th, 2021 at 8:59 AM ^
We will find out if their offense is different in B1G championship game
November 7th, 2021 at 8:54 PM ^
So even though Wisconsin has the same record as PSU, they're no good?
If we beat PSU, will they still be good in your book, or does losing to Michigan automatically make a team bad?
November 7th, 2021 at 11:16 PM ^
I just don't know how you determine which teams are head and shoulders better than others at this point. There's been a lot of parity and a lot of ups and downs. Even Ohio State hasn't looked like itself this year.
November 8th, 2021 at 9:39 AM ^
that's bullshit. As a fan base we have a bad habit that every time UM beats a good team the only reason it happened is because the team suddenly sucks. We pounded ND last time we played them. They must suck. Beat Penn St 42-7 (2018), well, they must suck. Smoked Florida in 2017. They must suck. This year UM beat Wisconsin on the road. All of sudden "we have beaten zero good teams this year." I'm so sick of that take.
November 7th, 2021 at 11:28 PM ^
Disagree about not loving the matchup. Penn State has had very little production from running backs, and Clifford hasn't been running it lately. Rush ends should be able to tee off a bit. Dotson is scary but that's it.
As for the offense, if Illinois can control the clock with the run game I'm pretty sure we can too. And Cade has performed markedly better on the road as well.
PSU has athletes of course and nothing is guaranteed but they have no obvious advantage here
November 8th, 2021 at 8:42 AM ^
Yeah, this actually seems like a good matchup. A one dimensional passing offense with a somewhat wounded QB facing off against Hutch and Ojabo on defense, and a defensive line that struggles with interior running on offense. Illinois adding linemen and pounding it up the middle for 350 yards probably got Harbaugh excited.
November 7th, 2021 at 7:32 PM ^
How about a repeat of 1997!
November 7th, 2021 at 7:33 PM ^
I was at that game with my, at the time, 6 year old son. What a game!
November 7th, 2021 at 7:38 PM ^
I did very much enjoy the victory in 1993 and the goal line stand in Penn States first year in the conference also in Happy Valley!
November 7th, 2021 at 7:59 PM ^
A repeat of 2015 works for me, too.
November 7th, 2021 at 11:21 PM ^
Probably my favorite Michigan game ever. Just utter physical domination of the #2 ranked team in their stadium. The Daydrion Taylor hit truly defined that team in that game, though it sadly ended his career
1993 Rose Bowl vs Washington, 1995 Ohio State, and 2006 Notre Dame are my other candidates, but I think that day was as satisfying as it gets
November 8th, 2021 at 8:10 AM ^
While I agree with your favorites, the 1998 Rose Bowl win over Washington State deserves to be mentioned in this context.
November 7th, 2021 at 7:32 PM ^
I haven't watched Penn State much this season, but with Clifford back they will be tough. Some reasons for optimism include the way Cade has played of late, and the fact that our defense looked good yesterday (and most of the season other than the 2nd half in East Lansing). While Haskins had 162 yards Saturday I feel like our running game as been less consistent of late (making some big plays but not giving the sense that nearly every play was going for at least 4-5 yards that I got from them earlier in the year). That change is likely in part the result of playing better teams and teams scouting us. I'll conclude with obvious that if we can limit big plays from Clifford to Dotson, and if Cade is sharp, we should be in good shape.
November 7th, 2021 at 8:19 PM ^
Question about Clifford-what was his injury earlier and is he fully recovered?
November 7th, 2021 at 8:43 PM ^
I'm no doctor but basically, it sounds like he had a lower back or mid section type injury. During the Ohio state broadcast it mentioned he had a custom 3d printed 'pad' over thus sore spot.
I think he's a good competitor but still not a top 3 player at his position in big ten. There's no Barkley in that backfield either.
This is a game you have to win. I will be disappointed if Michigan doesn't but based on the season so far, with so many calling for 7 wins, we've exceeded expectations.
I'll be at the umd game. Always go blue.