Thoughts on Michigan & Michigan State

[BW Lion]

Michigan St. should win their next 4-5 games, cake schedule for them.

Unless their OL gets called for holding (unlikely) which they do on most every play.

 

[Art]

If you are referring to those Bubba Smith/George Webster teams in 1965-66 (when, of course, Penn State had to play them), the Spartans finished #2 in the AP Poll both years.

In fact, I think UCLA defeated MSU in the Rose Bowl after the 1965 season, led by QB Gary Beban. Penn State had to play them both in 1966 and got soundly trounced by both teams.

Ironically, JoePa's first season as HC had him playing what might have been 3 of the respective teams' greatest squads: MSU, UCLA, and Ga Tech (ranked #5 when it routed PSU).

UCLA did beat MSU in the Rose Bowl after the 1965 season. It also lost to MSU in the opening game of that season.

 

[MacNit07]

I agree they have a boatload of talent but the key - as you mentioned - is getting "the D to gel." I'm on the OSU boards a ton (banned from Eleven Warriors) and don't understand what's going on with players like Tyreke Smith and Zach Harrison who have been extremely quiet this year. Big things were predicted - especially for Harrison

Season is not over yet.

O$U is loaded.

 

[HazletonLion]

Michigan St. better buckle up against WKU this week, and MIch - Wisky could be interesting.

 

[ryoder1]

Michigan St. better buckle up against WKU this week, and MIch - Wisky could be interesting.

I like Wisky to beat scUM this week.

 

[Wallace Breen]

Michigan St. better buckle up against WKU this week, and MIch - Wisky could be interesting.

WKU is deceptively strong but I think MSU got got the wake up call they needed against Nebraska and will come out on fire. As for Wisconsin, I am looking at loss number 3 and for it to play out similar to this past Saturday against Notre Dame. Close through the half and then Michigan pulls away. Michigan is going to be able to play them straight up given how below average (for Wisconsin) their backs and line are and keep both safeties in coverage and Wisconsin will make a mistake.

 

[psu_et_vt]

I like Wisky to beat scUM this week.

So many seem to think Chryst is a great coach. Let’s see if he can circle the wagons and get his guys to win a few

 

[lazydave841]

WKU is deceptively strong but I think MSU got got the wake up call they needed against Nebraska and will come out on fire. As for Wisconsin, I am looking at loss number 3 and for it to play out similar to this past Saturday against Notre Dame. Close through the half and then Michigan pulls away. Michigan is going to be able to play them straight up given how below average (for Wisconsin) their backs and line are and keep both safeties in coverage and Wisconsin will make a mistake.

I think Sparty is decent. Talent on par with Nebraska. They shouldn't have trouble with WKU but I don't think they have fire.

Kinda agree about Wisconsin, but Michigan didn't inspire much in that second half vs Rutgers. Without Ronnie Bell, they don't have a down field threat.

Wisconsin has the turnover flu though. That's worrisome. Looks like a 10-10 type game, barring the turnovers.

 

[Wallace Breen]

Kinda agree about Wisconsin, but Michigan didn't inspire much in that second half vs Rutgers. Without Ronnie Bell, they don't have a down field threat.

Wisconsin has the turnover flu though. That's worrisome. Looks like a 10-10 type game, barring the turnovers.

Same regarding Michigan but that 10-10 type of game was exactly what happened against Notre Dame, only the Irish actually game planned for it. I would expect Michigan to do the same. Wisconsin is just stuck playing 11 on 11 football within 15 yards of the line of scrimmage with the talent they have and there is nothing they can do about it and they don't have the horses in the secondary on defense. Minus the secondary, they are a less talented Michigan right now.

 

[wilbury]

I think Sparty is decent. Talent on par with Nebraska. They shouldn't have trouble with WKU but I don't think they have fire.

Kinda agree about Wisconsin, but Michigan didn't inspire much in that second half vs Rutgers. Without Ronnie Bell, they don't have a down field threat.

Wisconsin has the turnover flu though. That's worrisome. Looks like a 10-10 type game, barring the turnovers.

MSU isn't bad but they played even with Nebraska and NU has no offense whatsoever. No downfield passing game to speak of and Martinez is a turnover machine. NU shut down the MSU running game pretty efficiently and the MSU QB isn't a world beater. Not a bad QB but not great arm strength and not a running threat.

Michigan is the same as always. Shut down their running game and force them to throw.

Could easily lose to either one of them but neither team is really scary at this point.

 

[BBrown]

I was not aware of Nebraska doing that - I thought they were just telling the future OL to simply stay on the farm and get bigger naturally and then come to Lincoln and get juiced up and play OL.


Duffy Daugherty was the MSU coach in the 1960s - he pulled a lot of black kids from the south to play at MSU because they couldn't/wouldn't play at the local southern schools. That is the correlation I made with what Mel Tucker is doing with the portal - he is taking in kids that can't/won't play at other schools and giving them an opportunity.

Ok. Glad you clarified.

 

[BBrown]

Michigan has looked great to me. They can run the ball so well and they have a very fast back in Blake Corum. We are missing that, but it does look Lovett has some explosiveness.

Michigan's pass game has been suspect though. Especially against Washington.

MSU has looked great.

Both will be tough games for PSU.

"Suspect", I'd say MIA.

 

[BBrown]

The East is a beast this year. Three games in and Michigan State has looked like the most impressive team in the Big Ten. But, the competition is suspect. Northwestern is bad. Miami might be but they may not either. Right now, Michigan State has the best running back and receiver in the Big Ten and a top four QB. Michigan's defense is the best in the Big Ten right now but they played NIU, a John Donovan coached offense and an under-rated Western Michigan team. They run because they can and because they don't have to pass. Eventually that will change. Bottom line, we don't know how good either team is. Same with our team. We know what we did against the schedule we played but we don't know how good any of them actually are, especially given the cluster that was college football 2020.

Embrace the uncertainty. Things will change rapidly and from week to week.

Dotson says hi.

 

[wolve1972]

The East is a beast this year. Three games in and Michigan State has looked like the most impressive team in the Big Ten. But, the competition is suspect. Northwestern is bad. Miami might be but they may not either. Right now, Michigan State has the best running back and receiver in the Big Ten and a top four QB. Michigan's defense is the best in the Big Ten right now but they played NIU, a John Donovan coached offense and an under-rated Western Michigan team. They run because they can and because they don't have to pass. Eventually that will change. Bottom line, we don't know how good either team is. Same with our team. We know what we did against the schedule we played but we don't know how good any of them actually are, especially given the cluster that was college football 2020.

Embrace the uncertainty. Things will change rapidly and from week to week.

You might want to check out that FR RB Henderson from OSU. Explosive is an understatement

And the top 3 receivers in the B1G - IMHO - are Wilson, Dotson, and Olave

 

[KCLion]

Re: Michigan State vs Nebraska, why in the hell did the Nebraska punter kick the ball to the left while the entire coverage team ran to the right like it was supposed to be a directional kick in that direction.