Positive Vibes
So, I watched a superior team out play another and still lose the game today. Why? Because they made a couple timely plays and caught just about every break. I refuse to point blame or say a coach should be fired. I think we played well enough to win. I hate to go “any given Sunday” on everyone. But the inches are all around to win the game. A vast majority were out of our hand. I personally think we got screwed. I’ll say it. Not one drive MSU had was not aided by some drive extending bullshit. Us on the other hand, earned every yard. I felt the same way I did after harbaughs first game against Utah. We lost that one, but, i felt optimism after that one too. Do you think we aren’t the better team watching that game? I mean, we lost on the scoreboard and there has to be something said for that. But, we’re better. Clearly. So just chill and pump the breaks on hot takes.
October 31st, 2021 at 5:47 AM ^
The problem is that people are equating the results (which include all the fluke luck involving an oblong ball, kids just out of high school, and flawed amateur refs) with preparation. As you said: we *should* have won this game, but why was that? Because the staff has done a good job recruiting, getting them developed, and the players have been doing well. For most of the game they clearly looked the better team, but some mistakes & bad luck still happened (and at very inopportune times). We have never seen JJ fumble an exchange previously, and the first time for it to happen to him came at the worst time (and the reason JJ was in for that play was that Cade was in the medical tent). The overturn of the strip sack was so baffling even the FOX crew (and their rules specialist) were shocked. There were problems, but even so it was infrequent: Walker had a few chunk plays, but also got stuffed at the line about as often (if not more).
The point is that the the team was put in a position they could win: it just didn't break that way.
October 31st, 2021 at 8:56 AM ^
You know what makes this loss unacceptable? It isn’t the fact that he lost to a good msu team. If he hadn’t lost in 2015, 2017, and 2020 this would be easier to understand and excuse. Unfortunately he did lose all those games.
Hail, hail to Michigan the 2nd best team in the state.
October 31st, 2021 at 4:15 AM ^
A very important barometer for me will be the PSU game. They were competitive today against OSU for most of that game, even though Clifford probably isn't at 100%, they still can't run the ball at all, and Franklin is most likely poking around. Point being, a flawed team put up a good effort against OSU today, so OSU is not this invincible team. Oregon is a flawed team as well and they found a way to win even though OSU put up over 600 yards against them.
A 9-3 record with losses to MSU, PSU, and OSU (most likely by a lot), would have me wondering what else we have to lose. However, a win at PSU, coupled with a competitive game against OSU, would go a long way to take the sting out of this loss and move forward with Harbaugh and this staff.
We need to be realistic and not get emotional. If we end up on the market for a HC, we will be viewed as a third choice behind the LSU and USC jobs. If Franklin bolts, I'm not sold that we would be viewed as a better job that PSU (their fanbase is pretty demanding as well but they aren't cursed in rivalry games like we are). I'm also not sold that Fickell will take the job if offered given his OSU ties, and keep in mind he may be a prime target for the PSU job if Franklin leaves, and taking that job wouldn't burn the bridges he would burn if he took our job. So for those of you calling for a change, you need to be ready for Matt Campbell or Pat Fitzgerald as your HC next year.
October 31st, 2021 at 8:51 AM ^
Dude, I'm mostly with you, but there is a zero chance of Pat Fucking Fitzgerald getting the UM job
November 1st, 2021 at 12:26 AM ^
For one particular reason over all others: Fitzgerald loves Northwestern and will likely be there until he retires.
October 31st, 2021 at 5:32 AM ^
Anyone claiming that "the better team won" today is simply trying to justify their own preconceptions: a "better team" wouldn't have trailed most of the game (and been down by 16 points in the 3rd) and needed the classic "some b.s." events to put them over the top.
October 31st, 2021 at 5:52 AM ^
Yes, we may be the better team on a player by player basis. Yes, many breaks went the other way.
However, there are 2 reasons we lost IMO.
1. Inability to consistently throw the long ball.
2. Inability to consistently score touchdowns in the red zone.
These problems have been there all year. They will hurt us against better opponents.
October 31st, 2021 at 7:38 AM ^
Well there is only one team who is a better opponent left on the schedule than the one we played today.
October 31st, 2021 at 8:35 AM ^
I would throw out the reasons for our loss;
1. Could not stop the run.
2. Could not run the ball.
3. 2 fourth quarter turnovers.
October 31st, 2021 at 9:52 AM ^
Looking at these last 4 games, Michigan won't have to face another Kenneth WalkerIII but yes, they'll need to to be much better at stopping the run.
The Michigan running game was a big letdown. Sparty dared us to throw and throw-we did. It was not enough in the end.
TO late in the game was by a rookie mistake and then having to throw as time was running out in this game. Yes, those TO did cost us the game, mainly that QB to RB exchange.
October 31st, 2021 at 8:24 AM ^
Big Ten East is still wide open. Need MSU to drop two, and we win out.
October 31st, 2021 at 8:26 AM ^
This was a really entertaining game between two good teams in a tough road environment where Andrel Anthony emerged as a potential star. None of the breaks went our way. It sucks, but it happens. Also, none of the people having absolute meltdowns right now would have ever imagined that we would be 7-0 heading into this game. 7 wins was supposed to be our ceiling according to many of the oracles on the board who were certain that Matt, can't beat Iowa, Campbell was our undeniable savior. Well, Campbell is 5-3 in a peak roster year after losing to 3-4 West Virginia last night. We're 7-1 and we lost a top-10 road game to a good opponent. Almost nobody goes undefeated in college football.
October 31st, 2021 at 8:52 AM ^
Matt Campbell's teams seem to lose a lot of games each year. His stock is sinking.
October 31st, 2021 at 8:58 AM ^
His one truly "great" season took place in the flukey COVID year and included a loss to the Ragin Cajuns of Louisiana. He is incapable of beating mighty Iowa.
October 31st, 2021 at 9:21 AM ^
Yeah we need to look beyond that for the future. No more Campbell hype or talk.
I'd prefer to promote from within before I go with Campbell.
October 31st, 2021 at 1:55 PM ^
Campbell has done really impressive things at Iowa State. It is tough to get any recruits there. I’d be interested to see what he can do at a school that recruits better.
Urban came to Florida from the mountain west or whatever Utah used to be in. The Big XII is much harder than that conference and Iowa State has been historically awful. They’ve basically been rich rods first two Michigan years for their entire existence.
Maybe Campbell can do really well at a former blue blood. Maybe he doesn’t and we go back to losing an extra game or two a year. I’d rather take that chance than keep finishing with good not great seasons.
October 31st, 2021 at 8:59 AM ^
My wife has positive vibes in her dresser !
October 31st, 2021 at 9:43 AM ^
As long as Cade can maintain this new level of playing these last 4 games. This is very encouraging. Andrel Anthony could be the answer to a missing Ronnie Bell's season ending injury in Game 1 against WMU. There was better TE play, especially from Eric All, who may be the best TE since Jake Butt.
Mc Donald better have learned his lesson on up tempo offensive play calling or else, they'll get torched some more. The pass defense has improved.
There were a few more positive takeaways than negative after this game. In order to win the the next 3 games, at least, our guys will need all of the above and a little more.
October 31st, 2021 at 9:59 AM ^
If we consistently lose big games on self-inflicted errors, then are we really the better team?
MSU had its share of turnovers but they didn’t let it affect the final outcome. They overcame those hurdles and found a way to win. Michigan didn’t.
They’re the better team.
October 31st, 2021 at 10:36 AM ^
I disagree with this type of perspective 100% and the number one factor is that Michigan had it in its hands to win this game.
Who the fuck comes away with "positive vibes" when you lose a game that you led 30-14 more than halfway through the 3rd quarter?
I see people say the offense played well. The offense after that score went Punt/FG/Fumble/Downs/Interception. That lost the game almost as much as the defense allowing 3 touchdowns on 5 MSU drives after that. On both sides of the ball Michigan crumbled when the pressure ramped up.
That is about as deflating, obnoxious a loss as you can find. No there's no positive vibes. Michigan was once again caught lacking by MSU, and the staff is running out of excuses.
October 31st, 2021 at 11:11 AM ^
Two things can be true: the loss can hurt and we can recognize the vast improvement of this team from a 2-4 nightmare season last year.
Not enough, how about Andrel Anthony? Better yet how about this passing attack that roared to life?
Still not enough to be positive? Referees were literally putting points on the board and taking them off, depending on how you view the Walker and Thorne fumbles (I’m willing to accept both or reject both but not 1 or the other), and this team kept fighting and held a lead despite that.
“Refs aren’t an excuse”? Last year Rocky Lombardi and a one hit wonder receiver torched our DB’s all game long…this year? Under 200 yards and 2 interceptions. Edit: Also, no touchdowns thrown.
Need more? The well defined weakness of our team, the defensive tackles, had pass break ups, constant pressure on Thorne, and clogged the middle. Walker had a, singular, run up the middle (I’m working off memory here but I only remember the one) the rest were bounced outside where the ends, corners, and outside backs were typically being held.
Or the offensive line keeping Cade clean all day. Or Gattis’s play calling. The list goes on and on. This is a really good team that just played another really good team. Yesterday we came up short but, man, if you can’t see positives and don’t feel a little excited about what’s happening with this team as a whole you really need to re-evaluate why you root for Michigan.
October 31st, 2021 at 11:59 AM ^
I don't think you got the point. The point isn't whether a loss 'hurts', it's whether a loss should happen. This type of loss shouldn't happen. And it doesn't happen if the team doesn't crumble in the clutch. It's not like this is a Buckner moment either, a one second faux pas, no, it's failing to make decisive plays, over and over in the last 20 or so minutes of the game.
You're not supposed to give your rivals moments to cherish for decades. Well, we keep doing it. Harbaugh is the latest in a line of Michigan coaches whose photo should be in every MSU and OSU fan's house the way Catholic families used to have photos of JFK in their sitting rooms. Are we OK with that as long as we sneak past mediocre teams like Nebraska and Rutgers and beat up on MAC teams to get to an acceptable win total somewhere between 7 and 10?
And FWIW, I think this was two decent but flawed teams playing each other with the tougher but less talented team winning in the end. And again - is that something we're fine with?
October 31st, 2021 at 4:22 PM ^
So your stance is Michigan should have gone from 2-4 to undefeated and never losing a game again ever. Pre-season there was no way we were going to beat: Washington, Wisconsin, Penn State, or Ohio State and Michigan State was a coin flip. This team has beat early expectations. And now because they didn’t beat State all other achievements are a wash. Walker’s individual effort was incredible there’s no way to get around that. In a tight game between a couple of evenly matched teams Michigan didn’t get the breaks to go their way. Walker had a Heisman day. This stuff happens that’s why they play the game.
October 31st, 2021 at 1:14 PM ^
Better coach and team won. No excuses, or excuse culture. Mel Tucker is a good coach. Congratulations to them.
October 31st, 2021 at 1:37 PM ^
I agree with the OP 100%. Better team lost yesterday and even the most die hard msu slappy, who actually knows the game, has to admit that they sneaked out of that game through the back door with a win… got many breaks….but they made big plays too. Gotta credit them for that, they made plays in red zone , we did not
Still super pissed off about losing to a lesser MSU team yet again but in no way I’m on the side of calling for a head. They will be 10-1 rolling into ohio state (fight me), and if some magical being at the beginning of the season offered that to any of us , but we wouldn’t know who that 1 loss was to, we would all say “shake my hand “
This team is good, msu is good, so now we need to take care of business and hope for breaks from other teams
keep backing this team, this staff, goals are still attainable
October 31st, 2021 at 2:28 PM ^
Again I’m baffled by a lot of takes against my post. You can take a magnify glass to this game and find things done that lost the game. I can find more out of anyones control. The fact of the matter is we played better. How is that bad coaching? Hell, If you want a legitimate complaint, I’d say the rutgers game was worse. We were outplayed there. But, we won. One little break our way would have won this game and the hilarious thing is the entire mood here would be “this is special”. Just like if JT was called short, Harbaugh COULD win the big games. These narratives are made up by overreacting fans and sports writers. Like I had said originally. I felt confident with both sides of the ball watching that game. My only fear was some bullshit happening that factored in. It did. At a comical level. So relax and just cheer for the team. Let people that want to win as much as you focus on that. They are fully capable of doing a good job. Appreciate seeing a competitive team every week. Enjoy the special times and just say “ah shit” when this happens.
there is a shit ton of factors that make great teams. Stop focusing and shining a light on a fraction of it. It doesn’t help. if it were just coaching and five stars, Clemson wouldn’t be a 3 loss disaster this year
and trust me. I know others have different opinions. I know I’m not changing your mind and you won’t be changing mine. I take from personal experience where consistency is pivotal, even when results come in waves.
October 31st, 2021 at 4:04 PM ^
I’m all about positive vibes. Wallowing in the negative feelings after a loss like this one isn’t going to change anything. I will say confidently that we have the better team but for various reasons came out on the wrong end of the scoreboard. We all know the different reasons and narratives. I was following the Reddit thread during the game and a large amount of the non Michigan flairs seemed to be in agreement. Even OSU fans were saying things like we seemed to be bigger and faster at just about every position. I also noticed many of these non Michigan fans saying that was an awesome game and I feel sorry for all you Michigan fans because you got jobbed. It can in fact be seen both ways. If someone’s perspective is we choked that’s not necessarily wrong. If someone’s perspective is we got hosed by the refs that’s also not necessarily wrong. In the immediate aftermath of the game I was not happy. I didn’t call for Jim’s head but I also for the first time felt like I was done defending him and if he was gone by the end of the year then fine. Today I woke up and started life again, with my 6 year old daughter on Halloween and honestly it didn’t bother me as much anymore. It’s sucks but nothing is going to change it. I thought in general we played really well, I don’t feel like MSU is actually better but they get the benefit of they scoreboard so hats off to them. I also hope they get trashed by every team they play for the rest of the season and lose in tragic fashion and we finish ahead of them in the standings at the very least. No moral victories but if we can finish ahead of them in the long run I’ll feel a little better about the loss. Just my possibly unnecessarily long two cents.
edited for typos