State v. Ohio
Very compelling game, yes? I like Sparty here. As much as I was all "Notre Dame blew you out, what a bunch of LOSERS," that kickoff return TD was really the difference in the game. I thought State contained Floyd pretty well, say, like I wish we could have done that. And when did Cunningham get super good. He was always stellar, but I never really saw what I am seeing now. He's clearly a pro and I wasn't even paying attention. State's LB play has also been strong, at least to the naked eye, and I thought that was going to be a weakness for them. They have been lethargic as all hell, I will give you that, but I thought they were snatched pretty quick from the Top 25 after a losing a nearly impossible game to win. (ND had to win that, if that would have been us that week, um yeah, not a chance.)
I also don't think it is legit to consider OSU all washed up as many around here have, especially local media, but I think this sets up well for State. Ohio still trying to find itself, State with a ton of experience. O-line weak, but they overcome it and get the W 24-16. I also want that to be the case, because I don't want them stewing for two weeks about a loss and then going Ivan Drago on us in their military gear. A State win tommorow is good for Michigan, IMO.
September 30th, 2011 at 6:49 PM ^
There are no winners in this game.....
September 30th, 2011 at 6:50 PM ^
Best part of that game is one of them has to lose.
September 30th, 2011 at 8:42 PM ^
If Ohio "wins," that would be best because that win might be vacated later then no one wins.
September 30th, 2011 at 9:17 PM ^
That's what we'd call the best case scenario.
October 1st, 2011 at 11:16 AM ^
Or even a "win-win scenario" in which no one actually, you know, wins.
September 30th, 2011 at 6:51 PM ^
This is another tough one to decide who to cheer for. I want both to lose for the normal "I always want my rival to lose" reasons, but then I have an additional reason for each team. I want MSU to lose because they're in our division and we always want our division mates to lose in cross-division games. But I want OSU to lose because they have farther to fall with a loss. We have a lot to gain by OSU falling down as far as possible, as soon as possible. We've already started making a lot of headway in Ohio recruiting, and a down-trodden OSU will only help matters there.
MSU will have other chances to lose this year, so I'm OK with them winning this one.
September 30th, 2011 at 9:36 PM ^
I am in full agreement with your assessment. The further they fall, the better it is for us. Don't pretend for a second that they were actually sad dying our RR years. It's the worst lie they tell.
September 30th, 2011 at 6:53 PM ^
A MSU loss benefits M, and I think Ohio State rolls through the State O-line
31-17 Ohio State
September 30th, 2011 at 6:54 PM ^
You think states d scores two Tds too, right? I'm with ya man.
September 30th, 2011 at 6:53 PM ^
I think a loss by State is better for Michigan than a win, personally. I would rather have a team doubting themselves for losing two games rather than just hoping they are overly confident. If State loses big tomorrow like they did against ND (which I doubt), it could really trigger a meltdown.
September 30th, 2011 at 7:06 PM ^
I would think that OSU would be much more likely to freak out if they lose this game than MSU would. I agree that MSU would freak out if they lose big, but not nearly as much as OSU would.
September 30th, 2011 at 7:22 PM ^
If I know my fellow fan base, they are going to flip a lid if we lose big. When we get crushed in games, which doesn't happen often (unless it's in a BCS game!) we flip out. Fickell could be losing his job of this and The Game (well and if he were to blow it against Illinois or Purdue -- which sidenote, I am actually scared of Illinois). So yeah. We could be firing a coach over this loss and either recover with a great hire, or slip into a bad, bad cycle of awful recruiting, system changes, etc. that are all too familiar around these parts and ND and Tennessee.
September 30th, 2011 at 9:26 PM ^
I like the way you think.
September 30th, 2011 at 9:26 PM ^
I like the way you think.
September 30th, 2011 at 6:53 PM ^
How is a divisional foe winning two weeks before a game against us a good thing? Sorry, I have to root for Ohio tomorrow. Looking for a crappy game, but still.
September 30th, 2011 at 7:00 PM ^
on Saturday, I still think State is a good team, like the team that took us behind the shed last year, and they are going to pissed as all hell on the 15th if they lose. (And likely healthier) I don't fear them as an M fan, but I don't want to add a "need to prove themselves" type element to our game with them. They are falling hard to Wisky and/or Nebraska, so all things considered, throw them a bone against tOSU. I bet you feel more comfortable going into the State game if they win tommorow. I care about the division, but beating State is a bigger part of winning the Division than OSU beating them is.
September 30th, 2011 at 7:06 PM ^
If we beat MSU and lose two games while they win out, they're in over us.
September 30th, 2011 at 9:49 PM ^
MSU is next (vs. Ohio) on our schedule and you don't want them to have momentum. Also, MSU trending down helps restore world order. Ohio can be next.
October 1st, 2011 at 6:33 AM ^
This is the right answer.
September 30th, 2011 at 6:58 PM ^
October 1st, 2011 at 12:45 AM ^
I will never be able to root for Ohio. I hope they lose every game they ever play.
September 30th, 2011 at 6:58 PM ^
They both suck big donkey dicks.
September 30th, 2011 at 7:05 PM ^
They can't even get big donkey dicks. They suck mini donkey dong.
October 1st, 2011 at 6:34 AM ^
The bigger, the better.
September 30th, 2011 at 7:02 PM ^
I don't see State winning this game. I'm sorry, gotta say, OSU by at least a few TDs in this one. MSU is just not that good. They overacheived last year, which is great for them, but I see 4-6 losses for them this season. They need to be knocked off their high horse anyways.
September 30th, 2011 at 8:34 PM ^
I hate to say it but I highly doubt State will lose 5 more games. 8-4 is probably their floor; they have too good a defense and while their o-line is very weak right now, they have too much talent at the skill positions (somehow) for their offense to just get "shut down" all the time, especially considering the Big Ten is as weak as it is.
Having said that I'm slightly higher on OSU than MSU right now, mostly because it's at Peden. After that I think Wisconsin and Nebraska beat them like those guys that Sauron was pounding in the One Ring intro at the beginning of LOTR, and considering the whole count-down-clock-payback/Hoke's Alchemist Bowels thing I don't think it's fair to just count Michigan out like an automatic win for them.
October 1st, 2011 at 6:36 AM ^
MSU is a 7-5 team.
October 1st, 2011 at 1:43 AM ^
LOL have you seen osu play? msu wins this 27-10
September 30th, 2011 at 7:05 PM ^
This is why I like that we only have one "rival" since no one under age 80 considers the Illini a rival. This is a win-win/lose-lose for you guys this weekend. I mean, you can see the bright side either way, but you also have a problem on who to root for during the game. Not that you have to, but I always feel like when I watch a game I have to pick a side and cheer for it throughout just to make it interesting to me.
Divisions puts a new twist on it though. If I were a UofM fan, I'd think I'd have to be pulling for the Buckeyes. We should all agree then, Go Bucks!
September 30th, 2011 at 7:37 PM ^
It has to be young people, scarred by 3 whole losses in a row, who want Sparty to win. Ohio St is our real rival, not little brother. I hope they whoop you guys 50-0.
September 30th, 2011 at 7:53 PM ^
September 30th, 2011 at 7:08 PM ^
Dantonio has a little extra incentive this year against the Buckeyes, he probably wants to exact some revenge for the way the OSU admin treated his "tragic hero" Jim Tressel
"To me, it's tragic. He becomes a tragic hero in my view. Usually tragic heroes have an ability to rise above it all in the end. That's what I'll look for in the end."
September 30th, 2011 at 8:50 PM ^
Quote of the year
September 30th, 2011 at 7:21 PM ^
The last time Sparty beat Ohio State was in 1999. I remember that day because I was at the big house watching Tom Brady & Company beat up on Northwestern. When the score was read over the speakers that MSU was beating OSU, that stadium cheered pretty loud. And remember, this was when we owned OSU on the field. I think that's how the majority of Michigan fans feel if you put a gun to their head and forced them to choose.
Regardless, this is very much like ND/MSU. The only plus is that one of these teams has to lose.
September 30th, 2011 at 7:26 PM ^
1998...Goddamnit! That team was the poster child for why JHCooper had to be fired. That was the best team at OSU I've ever seen. And they gave Sparty back from the clutches of victory. Sparty got a lot of lucky breaks, a punt went off our guys back, they were getting jumpballs, everything fell apart for us. We still beat you guys that year though.
September 30th, 2011 at 7:50 PM ^
Yes, I remember. Your second and final win over us out of 13 tries...before you hired Captain Ethics.
A shame for you because I thought you guys were the best team in the nation that year and would have beaten Tennessee, despite your dismal record against the SEC. But luckily you choked against a very bad Spartan team, which was incredibly entertaining to me. I still fondly remember John Cooper throwing his hat in disgust after Joe Germaine threw that end zone interception. I don't think I've ever cheered that loud for a Spartan victory.
October 1st, 2011 at 12:01 AM ^
hey bucknut I don't mind you posting on this site because you typically keep things respectable, but let's watch the language please. Thank you.
October 1st, 2011 at 2:36 AM ^
lol well good thing YOU don't mind. seriously though, he said "goddamnit" about something that obviously got him excited. you're the only one who was offended. i've read much more profane utterances on this website. quit being all sensitive because he's a buckeye. he seems like a decent guy (wtf did i just say?).
September 30th, 2011 at 7:27 PM ^
Seems to me that in close, low scoring games (which this will be) I’ll take the team with more experience at quarterback. Braxton certainly isn’t there yet, I hope the boo birds don’t come out when he doesn't have a completion over 10 yards at some juncture in the 3rd quarter.
Probably should be rooting against our “divisional” rival in tMSU, but I’m hoping for an undefeated showdown in EL.
Prediction: 21-10 Spartans and many suitcases of Bud Lite consumed.
September 30th, 2011 at 7:31 PM ^
tMSU(?) already has a loss.
October 1st, 2011 at 2:34 AM ^
I'm guessing he means it in a sense where (NT)MSU is Mississippi State. Not sure why though, since we hardly ever talk about Mississippi State these days.
September 30th, 2011 at 7:27 PM ^
An MSU loss would be exponentially better than OSU lose for Michigan. It's a divison loss, plus OSU still plays Nebraska, Illinois, and Wisky in the 3 following games, which are three legitimate chances for losses.
September 30th, 2011 at 7:32 PM ^
Working where I work there are majority Sparty fans and I have had to hear them gloat over the past 3 years like they're world beaters. It has made me hate their fanbase and douchebag coach almost, if not more than Ohio. Now while I can never bring myself to actually root for Ohio, I would LOVE to see those green clowns fade back into mediocrity so their fans can revert back to how things used to be when they were quiet and cute.
September 30th, 2011 at 7:36 PM ^
My only rooting interest will be for the green John Deer "Gator" clearing trash off the field. You can count on a standing ovation every time it makes an appearance.
September 30th, 2011 at 7:46 PM ^
can't root for ohio.
September 30th, 2011 at 7:48 PM ^
To hell with them both.
September 30th, 2011 at 7:49 PM ^
These people in Ohio are so worried about this game that I seriously doubt tsio will pull this one out. My uncle who lives, and breaths tsio football didn't even mention to me their game this weekend when he saw me today. This usually means one thing... He knows tsio is going to lose, and he doesn't want to give me any reason to gloat after the game on saturday.
September 30th, 2011 at 7:51 PM ^
MSU 24-10.
September 30th, 2011 at 7:53 PM ^
September 30th, 2011 at 7:54 PM ^
I'm just hoping for an extremely ugly game that shows that both teams are pretty bad. I don't care who wins or loses as long as it doesn't look good.