OSU vs TUN

[WolverineSteve]

Two reasons for Michigan's woes vs aOSU in recent years,,,

1-only once in the last ten matchups had M come into The Game with a healthy qb.

2- as a byproduct of #1 the defense has been on the field too long and has worn down late.

This Michigan defense is as special as the 97 unit. Enter a competent qb and Michigan grinds out drives and shortens the games as it has in almost every game. There was a stretch in the middle of the year when the revenge tour was in full stride that the defense was playing less than 50 snaps/game...that is a nice ingredient, Shavior doesn't turn the ball over 18/4 ratio is impressive...not the gaudy Haskins numbers, but Shea doesn't get to chuck it 70+ times per game.

I will never be overconfident in this matchup, but it is nice to feel like we have the roster to hang with and potentially beat OSU like they do their wives. This has been a fun year...well since the first quarter ended in South Bend. If you look at expectations from August (the media's not the program's) Michigan would be playing this game to decide between the Pinstripe Bowl and one of the Restaurant Bowls. Instead it's for the playoff or a New Year's biggie...so in that sense we're in better shape than expected. What has become evident this year is that Harbaugh with a qb will be in the discussion every year. As long as Don Brown's heart doesn't explode, we'll have a great defense.

I spat in the face of a jinx and went ahead and purchased my tickets for Indy.

Go Blue!

35-24 good guys.

[Dinsdale]

Instead it's for the playoff or a New Year's biggie...

If Wazzu wins out (and ND), and Meatchicken goes, that would be a miscarriage of justice. We've seen the Michigan/ND movie before. Same as last year. But bear in mind, I'm of the "every CFB game is a playoff" school. But to each their own.

RACK the wife beating blast. That's what rivalries are all about.

[L45B]

Getting Moeller'd is so 90s. But so is Michigan's defense being "half" decent.

I was at the 'Shoe the last time the scUMmers won in C-bus, thanks to my student season ticket status-- 18 years ago . Wtf UM fan? Doesn't Tai Streets or Drew Henson have any eligibility left???

I was also at The Game in AA the following year, when the Buckeyes won there for the first time since '87. My how the tables turned back in '01. Seems like this is perfect timing for another shift in the rivalry.

But sorry, it's not gonna happen, no matter how much Hairball tries to look like Woody Schembechler on the sidelines.

Yes, tOSU has tripdicked ass backwards into this game while UM has looked more consistent. But this is how Meyer's teams typically evolve over a season. I expect the defense-- which has been utter shit all year, sans MSU game-- will step it up and make some big stops when it needs to. Haskins is going to expose the UM secondary.

This will have the feel of the '04 game, when UM last came into C-bus as the favorite. tOSU had underachieved most of that year but saved its best stuff for The Game, winning 37-21.

Ahhhhh, the hate is swelling in my gut.

[Shoalzie]

Huge game for Captain Khaki...fairly similar stakes to the last time they played in Columbus. Buckeyes made the playoff with the win but didn't go to Indy. Much like the game two years...Patterson can't make mistakes. Speight's turnovers ultimately cost them that last game.

Can't feel cocky about today until they finally get it done. I'm 50/50 in the confidence department. A wounded Ohio State team is still good enough to be most of the teams in the country and there's a reason they've got just as much at stake today as Michigan. Hasn't been as pretty of a path but they're still collecting wins. Hell leading up to the game ago, Michigan had their trip up in Iowa City. Ohio State seems to be past the Purdue debacle.

I hate Urban and hate the Buckeyes but can't under-estimate them. They look wounded and vulnerable but that better not mean Michigan comes in flat.

At risk of being a jinx and Harbaugh making an ass of himself...

Michigan 28
Ohio State 17

[Carson]

Team Up North, per Woody Hayes.

[Screw_Michigan]

Always awesome to see anyone put 62 up on scUM, especially OSU.

[Shoalzie]

Losing is one thing, letting the game get away from you and losing by 3 or 4 scores...not acceptable.

I'm not a Harbaugh honk by any mean...the guy hasn't done anything a coach before him in this spot hasn't done already and sometimes he's done less. You can put this team in a position to win the division and make the playoff but you've got to finish the job. They had fate in their control and they failed. Winning in Columbus isn't easy but rise up to the challenge or the beatings will continue.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Well, the one good thing about continually losing the big games is at least you get to keep THE REVENGE TOUR going.

But...I can't talk nearly as much shit about UM as I'd like to, seeing as my team needed to scrape by a 1-10 Rutgers squad just to win 7 games.

Steve, I just hope you sell those tickets to a Northwestern fan.

[Shoalzie]

The B1G sucked in general. Michigan was able to feast on overrated 2nd and 3rd tier teams. Ohio State obviously showed they were the best of a meh conference.

Looking back, I don't see the Wolverines as total garbage but I think they'd lose to a majority of the teams in the top 10. They were probably around a top 10 team all season long but they lost to the two best teams on their schedule. Their best win was the comeback at Northwestern. I go away from this season thinking they were good but not very good or great.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

But...I can't talk nearly as much shit about UM as I'd like to, seeing as my team needed to scrape by a 1-10 Rutgers squad just to win 7 games.

Your Spartans are one of the biggest shockers of the season. I think you had like 18 starters back and were expecting a monster season, right?

MSU and Wisconsin were stunningly mediocre.

Well, they had a stunningly insane amount of injuries on offense, so I wasn't that surprised by it. That, and the offensive coordinator blows gibbon scrotum.

[Dinsdale]

The B1G sucked in general.

The PAC will be sending a 3 loss team to the Rose Bowl.

[Shoalzie]

To face a 2-loss Michigan probably...yummy.

[Mikey]

But...I can't talk nearly as much shit about UM as I'd like to, seeing as my team needed to scrape by a 1-10 Rutgers squad just to win 7 games.

Your Spartans are one of the biggest shockers of the season. I think you had like 18 starters back and were expecting a monster season, right?

MSU and Wisconsin were stunningly mediocre.

Well, they had a stunningly insane amount of injuries on offense, so I wasn't that surprised by it. That, and the offensive coordinator blows gibbon scrotum.

This sounds a lot like Stanford. They had the Heisman runner-up and their entire starting OL returning as well as at least one all-american caliber TE. Yet their running game has sucked ass all season, partly because some of those lineman have been fighting injuries and partly because their OC and OL coach both left, and the replacements are apparently clueless.

[L45B]

Yes, tOSU has tripdicked ass backwards into this game while UM has looked more consistent. But this is how Meyer's teams typically evolve over a season. I expect the defense-- which has been utter shit all year, sans MSU game-- will step it up and make some big stops when it needs to. Haskins is going to expose the UM secondary.

Just thought I'd come back in here and shed some light on things. Looks like for the Revenge Tour to get back on track, UM will need a rematch with the Gamecocks in a bowl game.

Saturday was probably one of the most lethal assbeatings I've ever seen. Wish I could've seen it live. It's gotta be hard to witness that from a Michigan fan's perspective. Aside from the game being in C-bus, this was the year it was supposed to turn around. Reading all the Detroit press, it seems the consensus is that UM's sun will rise when Urban decides to hang it up. Not sure when that'll be. Rumors around town have been swirling that it could be after this season. I would think UM would want to keep Harbaugh around long enough for when that eventually comes to fruition. You guys have learned your lesson with hiring guys like RichRod and Hoke. Seems desperate now.

Urb really wanted to hang 70 points on you guys. Woody had signaled him in the play but an offensive lineman went down so he took it as a sign that 62 was enough (this time). Good luck next year UM fans. I'm thinking there's a good chance my 4 year-old will be in college before you guys win in C-bus again.