Try to win a shoot out or drag the game into the mud?
I think most people are going to want Michigan to go for broke on offense and take chances on big plays. Problem I see is that OSU will want this game to be a track meet. Would it be better for us to make this game a slog by bleeding the clock on offense and shortening the amount of possessions? I know it’s easier said than done but I feel like our only chance is to control the game on the ground and win time of possession significantly. On defense, make them eat up clock by not giving up the home run ball and hope they make mistakes and kick FGs. And keep Moody off the field unless it’s fourth and goal from the 20. Field goals won’t beat this team. I think we can only win if we have a reverse of the MSU game where we win by scoring all TDs and OSU kicks a bunch of field goals.
November 22nd, 2021 at 1:34 PM ^
As I have posted elsewhere, Michigan has to structure its O and D game plans with the goal of OSU having no more than 12 offensive possessions.
To some extent that does involve slowing the game down, etc. At the same time, it it really hard to see this game being a 21-17 slugfest. If that is Harbaugh's plan, Michigan will lose, and lose by a lot.
It is not 'either/or.' Not either a shootout, or an old fashioned slug out.
Michigan won't win a track meet/14 or 15 offensive possession game. And Michigan also won't win a 21-17 contest where Harbaugh spends the first quarter punting for field position and figuring out what works...
Only possible sort of game Michigan can win is something like a 36-34 game where OSU has no more than 12 possessions (4 TDs and 2 FGs for 34 points).
Michigan does not have the sort of offense that will score 40+ on a good D. Possible. But unlikely.
And OSU has the kind of offense where it is totally unrealistic to hope to hold them below 30. Again, possible. But unlikely. Should not be the game plan to hold OSU below 30...
Harbaugh has to plan to limit OSUs possession and hold them to mid-30s, and also a plan for Michigan to score in the mid- to high 30s, with Michigan edging out OSU. If OSU has more than 12 offensive possessions, they likely score in the 40s or more...
November 22nd, 2021 at 1:38 PM ^
You are NOT going to beat these guys in a shootout. No way, no how.
Michigan’s best chance is to have long, methodical drives where they can dink and dunk down the field against a not very good OSU secondary, for 6-8 minute drives that consistently end in TDs. They need to keep OSU’s offense off the field as long as humanly possible.
November 22nd, 2021 at 2:06 PM ^
Its neither and a combination of both. The MSU game was over within 5 minutes because their Pass defense was just simply that bad.
Michigan is going to have to score 40 points minimum to win this game. I would find it very enjoyable (yet highly unlikely) that Michigan pounds OSU defense for 300+ yards on the ground and control the clock for ~40 minutes. That wont work.
On the other hand, Cade can not be throwing the ball 40+ times. That wont work either. Consistent drives that chew up 4-5 minutes each time and take shots mixed in.
On defense, it is all about minimizing the big plays. I do think that we are going to have to due a package of zone blitzes to get into Stroud face. If he has time to sit back there and set his feet, no one will stop them. Get him moving...
This is going to be a challenge, but there is little chance we will be able to ground them into dust and we certainly are not equiped to win a 55-52 shootout....
November 22nd, 2021 at 6:19 PM ^
November 22nd, 2021 at 2:13 PM ^
other than MN and OR, no one has really been able to run the ball on them, they fixed whatever was wrong with their run d.
we have this habit of continuing to run plays that get stuffed over and over, just knowing that at some point they're going to work.
these fuckerz are beatable, psu and the huskers gave them all they could handle
the d can't give up a bunch of explosive plays, we need to get at stroud early and put a shoulder pad into his rib cage.... and we need to take what their d is giving, not just keep running into a stacked box, because we 'need to establish the run to win'
every year we don't beat them, we're one year closer to winning..... it will eventually happen and this season could be the one. Cade being efficient, a good game plan and smart play calling.... it could just happen
November 22nd, 2021 at 10:43 PM ^
Whatever it takes to get the W!