Wolverines/Spartans Game

[Flintstones32]

Cant remember last time both teams played each other when they were undefeated. Hope its a good game. Hope it is a high scoring game because that means state is in it. State can't stop michigan, our D is horrendous, just hope Cousins gets his head out of his ass this week and makes some better decisions.

Robinson needs to be careful in this one though, he keeps rushing head on without sliding and state could hurt him. His knee is already tender after the Indiana game.

MSU 52
UM 50

:lol

[samikeyp]

52-50 :lol

Nice...and very possible!!! :lmao

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Oh this is going to be an outstanding game!!! Can't remember the last time the two were undefeated, either. Robinson MUST stay out of trouble and quit taking licks like he's done the past two weeks, or it could get ugly real quick. Haven't watched any of Sparty's games, but I do know the Maize and Blue have NO defense whatsoever. Zilch. Nada. Reminds me of the way my Aggies have been playing defense for the past decade :(

I want to predict a UM win, but my gut tells me:

sparty: 48
UM: 45

......in OT.


GO BLUE!

[JamStone]

Still a lot of unknown with both teams. I don't think MSU can really stop Denard, but I think the Michigan defense is so poor that they won't stop the Spartan offense at all either. Plus, in some of these conference games that should be more competitive, the Michigan lack of a quality kicker and punter is going to really bite them in the ass. Denard needs to put on another offensive fireworks show for Michigan to win. My hope is since this will be MSU's first road game, it will be one of their first true tests as well. They did beat Wisconsin last week, but I'm hoping this will be a different animal playing in Ann Arbor.

Go Blue!

[sa_butta]

I see this being another high scoring game similar to the game last week against Indiana...I think Shoelace will bail us out again. I say Michigan 42 MSU 38...I really hope the defense and special teams improves...Do you think we are scoring too fast and the defense is just gassing out??? I hope we got some good recruits coming in to help out.

[LoneStarState'sPride]

I see this being another high scoring game similar to the game last week against Indiana...I think Shoelace will bail us out again. I say Michigan 42 MSU 38...I really hope the defense and special teams improves...Do you think we are scoring too fast and the defense is just gassing out??? I hope we got some good recruits coming in to help out.

No, the defense is just that bad. In between the highlight reel runs, UM has actually strung together some typical drives (i.e., they're not either scoring quick or going 3 and out). The secondary is playing an appalling amount of "stand and watch" defense, and the rush up front is not going to throw a scare into a decent offensive line any time soon. Here's hoping that Shoelace just puts up Xbox numbers again so we don't have any drama :lol

[JamStone]

No, we're not scoring too fast. You can't tell the offense to not try to score on big plays if they're available. Is Denard supposed to burn through the secondary and then slide at the 50 yard line even though no one is in front of him? If Roundtree or Hemingway get by their corner, should they let them recover? If there are big plays, you take them. It's the defense's job to get off the field as quickly as possible. Problem is the secondary is so young (seems like they're all freshman and converted wide receivers) and they give a lot of cushion, even on third down. Third down coverage is what's killing the defense, not the offense scoring too quickly.

If this defense didn't have Mike Martin and Jonas Mouton, it would give up 800 yards of offense a game easily. The secondary just has to grow up, has to learn how to play tighter without letting receivers get by them, and overall tackling has to improve. Our best tackler is that walk on kid Kovacs. And I'm sorry, he's not that good. Like his story and he hustles a lot, but his coverage is poor and he gets a lot of tackles because he sits behind the line of scrimmage like a linebacker.

The defense is putrid. And the kicking and punting game aren't much better. The conference schedule will get scary really quickly if Denard can't keep up what he's doing. And chances are he won't, at least not to the same extent. I think this game is extremely important for the Wolverines if they have any chance at getting to 8-4 and having what I think most people will view as a successful season that shows significant progress. 7-5 after a 4-0 start would be disappointing to me, albeit an improvement over the last two seasons.

[LoneStarState'sPride]

.....7-5 after a 4-0 start would be disappointing to me, albeit an improvement over the last two seasons.

This. This is why that D has to buck up and take some pressure off the offense. I'm not even going to get into special teams. If UM has to start winning that way then they're already screwed.

[JamStone]

Yeah but I also want to make it clear I'm not getting ahead of myself. Michigan started 4-0 last season and ended up 5-7. I'm not saying the Wolverines should get to 8 wins. I'm saying it's a disappointment if they don't. If they don't at least go 7-5 after this start, it will be disaster. But that still could happen.

I'm that worried about the defense and the special teams. While not a must-win, this game is about as close as you can get if you ask me in terms of what this season needs to become for Michigan. And that's especially considering how the last two seasons have gone.

[kamikazi_player]

Mich St. 35
Mich 38
Going to be a great game

[Flintstones32]

was interested so figured I would look it up. 1999 was the last time they played when both were undefeated. State won 34-31. Saban was coach then. Of course in good 'ol spartan fashion we went on to lose the next two games and then won the last 4 to finish 10-2. We lost to drew brees and purdue but quite a bunch and then ron dayne ran all over us with wisconsin. Here is a link if anyone is interested in the big ten that year heh.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/sfc/big10/sfcd99.htm

[Flintstones32]

Looking back at 1999, damn big ten was pretty stacked that year. I remember now the controversy of michigan getting in the orange bowl of msu even though spartans finished tied with michigan and had beaten them. Spartans go to citrus bowl and beat florida and michigan beat alabam in the orange. was probably our best season since the bcs began.

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Looking back at 1999, damn big ten was pretty stacked that year. I remember now the controversy of michigan getting in the orange bowl of msu even though spartans finished tied with michigan and had beaten them. Spartans go to citrus bowl and beat florida and michigan beat alabam in the orange. was probably our best season since the bcs began.

I remember that season. God DAMN that was a classic orange bowl between UM and Bama. Back and forth right up to the end.

[JamStone]

Michigan's defense is embarrassing

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Michigan's defense is embarrassing

:depressed

[The Franchise]

Looking like it's a wrap.

[MannyIsGod]

Michigan's defense is embarrassing

Punting down by 3 scores with 6 minutes left is embarrassing. Worst coaching decision I've seen in awhile.

[MannyIsGod]

Dernard was due for a bad day I guess. 2 really poorly thrown balls in the red zone really killed this team today.

[Flintstones32]

Gg sparty. Didn't make any mistakes and just played ball like the wolverines used to.

Hopefully next week is not a let down against the illini and especially the following week against NW which could be another game against unbeatens.