Well, when you start your first offensive drive at the opponent's 8-yard line and get nothing, you know you're in for a long afternoon. However, the first drive was actually the low point of the first half for Michigan's offense. They came back with a 66-yard touchdown drive a little later and mounted another 53-yard drive that technically didn't score, but the defense and special teams finished it off by forcing a quick 3-and-out and blocked a punt for the touchdown. Not too shabby after failing on the early scoring chance, muffing a punt and giving up a touchdown run on 3rd and 18.Then the typical, second-half offense took the field after the break. They didn't have a single 3-and-punt drive in the first half, but their first four drives in the second half did just that. Again, the Michigan offense disappears in the third quarter: only 28 yards in five possessions and 16 of those yards came on the last drive of the quarter. And then more incompetence kept them from getting the job done in the fourth. Sheridan threw 8/29 (not even 33%!) for 61 yards including eight straight incompletions to finish the game, Threet came in and nullified great starting field position with another interception in the end-zone and where the heck was Feagan?!
Overall, the defense actually played fairly well. They forced a couple turnovers and kept NU under 100 yards rushing and just under 200 yards passing. If only they could stop someone on 3rd and long. The 3-man front is just bad news for Michigan. The D-line is one of the only strengths on this entire team right now; keep four at the line and go after them! But no, they go to a 3-man front on 3rd and 18 and give up a 21-yard touchdown run. They do it again when it's 3rd and goal from the 17 and give up a TD pass. And I have no idea what that 53-yard pitch and catch in the third quarter was all about. Before that, NU could only capitalize on Michigan's special teams errors. But mistakes all across the board are what did Michigan in this week.
Standings:
| This Week | W | L | (Overall) |
| A True Blue Husker | 14 | 8 | (178-80) |
| The Rev | 16 | 6 | (173-85) |
| Dr. L | 13 | 9 | (172-86) |
| The Guvna | 14 | 8 | (172-86) |
| Kenny Pickett | 15 | 7 | (171-87) |
| Chief Justice | 14 | 8 | (169-89) |
| O-knee-der | 15 | 7 | (169-89) |
Schedule:
Wednesday, November 19
7:00 PM ET #17 Ball St. at C. Michigan
Thursday, November 20
7:30 PM ET #23 Miami (FL) at Georgia Tech
Saturday, November 22
12:00 PM ET Michigan at #10 Ohio St.
12:00 PM ET N. C. State at #22 North Carolina
12:00 PM ET W. Virginia at Louisville
12:00 PM ET Clemson at Virginia
12:00 PM ET Indiana at Purdue
12:30 PM ET Tennessee at Vanderbilt
2:30 PM ET Syracuse at Notre Dame
2:30 PM ET Arkansas at Mississippi St.
3:30 PM ET #15 Michigan St. at #8 Penn St.
3:30 PM ET Air Force at #16 TCU
3:30 PM ET Mississippi at #18 LSU
3:30 PM ET Stanford at California
3:30 PM ET Illinois at Northwestern
3:30 PM ET Boston College at Wake Forest
5:30 PM ET Duke at Virginia Tech
6:00 PM ET #14 Brigham Young at #7 Utah
7:00 PM ET #20 Pittsburgh at #19 Cincinnati
7:00 PM ET #21 Oregon St. at Arizona
7:00 PM ET Iowa at Minnesota
7:45 PM ET Florida St. at #25 Maryland
8:00 PM ET #2 Texas Tech at #5 Oklahoma
Sunday, November 23
8:00 PM ET Connecticut at S. Florida
6 comments:
Two predictions: Michigan this week and Auburn next week will keep "The Game" and "The Iron Bowl" very close. I don't expect wins, but I expect really good football games. Well, if Michigan can catch kickoffs and the Fighting Tubbervilles can actually gain multiple first downs on a drive.
-Guess who
ORDER HAS BEEN RESTORED TO THE UNIVERSE!!!
ESPN has signed on to broadcast the BCS bowls from 2011-2014. No more FOX!!! No more snowball throwing robots ushering in replays! Release the confetti!
Now, let's just hope the dark lord doesn't mettle where he doesn't belong (which would be anywhere) and screw things up by instituting some stupid playoff!
Well, if there is to be a spreadsheet, great, I want to see it so I know who else picked Central Michigan. If not that's fine too, because then no one except Doc and Kenny can make fun of my picks.
Hey I was watching some flashes of Michigan vs. OSU on ESPN Classic at work this afternoon. I believe it was from 1988. Michigan wins.
But a reasonable question for the present. My good friend and fellow Wolverine supporter, Chris Fink, told me that even if both teams were riding down the 3 win path, the winner would have their season salvaged. I doubt he pictured seeing anything resembling this scenario after only 2 years, but still, do you think there is any merit in his statement? Can a win restore a dismal season for the players? For the fans?
First of all, I picked the Fighting Letterman's!
As far as salvaging a season, I wouldn't use that term. At the end of the day, you're still 4-8, the worst season in school history. But at least you can hold onto going out on a high note. Ten years from now, this season will still be a disgrace (and I speak as one who went through a disgrace last year) but for now, in the off-season, you'll have reason to hope and you can at least gloat over the Buckeyes. Does that count as salvaging? In my opinion, getting to a bowl would be salvaging. But this would make the pill a little easier to swallow, if you will.
Let's play Rivalry Lane. What is your fondest OSU-Michigan moment? For me, it was 1995 when Touchdown Tim Biakabatuka ran wild over, around, and through the Buckeye defense for a 31-23 victory that shut up all the nincompoops who thought OSU belonged on the field with the greatest team of all time, my Huskers! 1996 was good too, because for a moment, it gave Nebraska title hopes. I would rather not talk about the Big XII title game at this moment, thank you.
So much for fond memories. You took mine. =(
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