Essence of the Michigan Man: The 10 Greatest of All Time

Most people have heard the term “Michigan Man.” It was a term made most famous by former Michigan coach Bo Schembechler.

But a question resides within the term…What is a “Michigan Man”?

How do you become a “Michigan Man”? How do you define its meaning?

Do you become a “Michigan Man” through success on the field or the classroom?

Do you become one by representing the school with class and…
Continue reading at Bleacher Report – Big Ten Football

Esscence of the Michigan Man: The 10 Greatest of All Time

Most people have heard the term “Michigan Man.” It was a term made most famous by former Michigan coach Bo Schembechler.

But a question resides within the term…What is a “Michigan Man”?

How do you become a “Michigan Man”? How do you define its meaning?

Do you become a “Michigan Man” through success on the field or the classroom?

Do you become one by representing the school with class and…
Continue reading at Bleacher Report – Big Ten Football

Big Ten Football: Defending The Conference

It’s just about time for bowl season to begin, which means that it’s also time for everybody around the country to start tearing down the Big Ten for being a weak, inferior conference.

It’s becoming an annual tradition, but is this criticism of the Big Ten conference justified?

No way.

These criticisms are rooted in myth and misconception. It’s become the nature of the college football fan to disparage a conference that doesn’t contain the defending national champion.

Some fans have been so delusional that they find fault with the Big XII North, which boasts four teams in the top 13 BCS slots. They don’t play defense, say the analysts. They’re winning somehow, aren’t they? Last I checked, a ‘W’ was the only thing that mattered.

As much unfair criticism as that division has endured, the Big Ten has put up with more. Fans of Big Ten teams are supposed to believe that we’re still attached to our horse-drawn carriages while the stupendously-rich SEC and Big XII are driving Bugatti Veyrons.

It’s time to put these lies to rest and give the Big Ten the respect it deserves.

 

Myth No. 1: Ohio State is terrible

This is the argument that people love to use against the Big Ten. It’s also the argument that makes the least amount of sense.

The Buckeyes are 1-3 in BCS title games this decade, and they’ve lost their last two, in consecutive years. The SEC has convincingly beaten OSU two times in a row, and many people have taken this to mean that OSU, and by extension the Big Ten, is incapable of winning important games.

How many teams aside from OSU have even made it to two consecutive title games?

Let’s see, Florida State played for three straight BCS titles, winning just one of them. Miami and USC have each played for two titles in a row, each coming up short on their second attempt. And Oklahoma also played in two title games in a row, losing them both by a combined score of 76-33.

I don’t recall anybody jumping on Oklahoma and the Big XII the way that they have with Ohio State and the Big Ten. Oklahoma’s 55-19 loss to USC in 2004 is the biggest beat down in BCS title game history, yet they were never disrespected to the extent that Ohio State has been.

Look, winning a title is hard. Less than two percent of the Division 1-A population even gets to play for one at the end of the season. Probability says that it’s extremely unlikely that the same team would even make it to the title game twice in a row, but that’s exactly what Ohio State did.

But they beat weaklings to get there, you’ll say.

Not true, not by a long shot.

In 2006, Ohio State beat No. 2 Texas, No. 24 Penn State, No. 13 Iowa and No. 2 Michigan en route to the title game. 2007 featured wins over No. 23 Purdue, No. 25 Penn State, No. 21 Wisconsin and No. 21 Michigan. Four ranked teams each season.

In the 2006 season they had even bigger wins than Oklahoma enjoyed this season. The 2008 Sooners have beaten only one top five opponent.

It’s also worth mentioning that this year’s Fiesta Bowl will be Jim Tressel’s fourth straight appearance in a BCS bowl game. Along with Pete Carroll, he’s proven himself to be one of the most consistent coaches of the BCS era.

You know who hasn’t been to four straight BCS bowls? Texas and Florida come to mind.

Myth No. 2: Michigan State is an awful 9-3 team

As a Spartan fan, this one baffles me. Sure, statistically, the Spartans aren’t among the country’s elite. But statistics alone don’t tell the whole story.

MSU played the same conference schedule this season as they did last year. Last season, the Spartans were 3-5 in conference play. This season, they ended up 6-2 with a shot at the Big Ten title on the line in their final game.

Bad teams don’t contend for conference titles that late in the season. Unless you’re from the ACC.

Bad teams don’t have victories over five bowl-bound opponents on their record, either. FAU, Notre Dame, Northwestern, Iowa and Wisconsin are all playing in the postseason, but all fell victim to the Spartans.

Three games from last year became wins this year: Wisconsin, Iowa and Northwestern. Many people will point out that Wisconsin was a major disappointment, but Iowa and Northwestern were actually much better than they were last season. Both of those teams missed bowls last season and are playing in pretty darn good ones this season.

So, Michigan State’s conference schedule this season was actually tougher than last season, and they found ways to perform at a higher level.

Further comparison between last season and this season is necessary. Last season, every Spartan loss was by a touchdown or less. This season, they lost three times, twice in blowouts, but figured out how to win the close ones. Wisconsin and Iowa were victories that came down to the last minute and would have likely been losses in 2007.

Fans around the country like to point to the OSU and PSU games as reasons that Michigan State is a bad team. While it’s true that Michigan State isn’t at the elite level of those two programs yet, these people are also ignoring the Spartans’ growth under Mark Dantonio.

A program has to learn how to win the close games before they can learn how to win the big games, and the Spartans did just that. Dantonio came in last season and immediately turned around a program that had hit rock bottom under John L. Smith*.

With the team winning sixteen game and appearing in consecutive bowl games for the first time in over a decade, the Spartans will continue to improve.

While their total yardage and scoring defense statistics might not have been that impressive, they were tops in the conference in red zone defense. That’s how they were able to win the close games, by forcing teams to settle for three points instead of seven. By bending and not breaking.

MSU also happens to boast the best linebacker in the conference not named James Laurinitis, Mr. Greg Jones. I wonder if the nay sayers would be willing to step into the pocket if they knew Jones was coming on in a blitz.

*A word on John L. Smith. Much of the criticism leveled towards the Spartans, including the dreaded “same old Spartans” phrase seems to be hangover from the failed John L. Smith era.

Smith had no clue how to win football games and hasn’t landed a coaching gig in two seasons. He’s not prowling the sidelines in East Lansing anymore, so I think we can all stop anticipating late-season collapses. It didn’t happen this season, and it won’t happen again under Dantonio.

Mental toughness, it’s a beautiful thing.

Myth No. 3: Big Ten offenses are terrible

Not terrible, just old school.

Big Ten coaches recognize the importance of controlling the clock, especially late in the game. Why throw 50 times a game when you’ve got the best running backs in the country at your disposal?

Shonn Greene, Javon Ringer and Beanie Wells combined for 46 rushing touchdowns this season. Ringer led the country in rushing touchdowns, Greene took home the Doak Walker award, and Wells started the season as a Heisman favorite before going down with an unfortunate injury.

There’s also Evan Royster, Kory Sheets, and Wisconsin’s two-pronged rushing attack to deal with.

No other conference has such a wealth of rushing talent at their disposal.

Big Ten offenses are built to grind it out, not shoot it out. That’s why you see scores during conference play in the 20s and 30s instead of the 50s and 60s. Low scores don’t mean that the offenses are ineffective.

Against Florida Atlantic, Michigan State ran their way to a 17-0 shutout. Javon Ringer ran for 282 yards, 57 more yards than FAU’s entire offense managed. It wasn’t pretty, but it was devastatingly effective.

Iowa beat Penn State on a cold, blustery day in Iowa City thanks to the ground game. Shonn Greene helped the Hawkeyes’ control the clock with 117 yards on 28 carries.  Again, a pretty ugly game, but Iowa was able to kill Penn State’s national title hopes thanks to Greene’s efforts.

And how did Penn State keep Ohio State at bay? By out rushing them by nearly 100 yards. When the game is 13-7, you’ve got to be able to keep the opponent’s offense off the field.

And if we go back a few years, Lloyd Carr and his old-school attack fared pretty well (unless his opponent was Jim Tressel.) He had a better bowl record than Bo Schembechler, won five conference titles and shared one national championship.

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Laurinitis, Jenkins, Pryor earn All-Big Ten honors

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Grades: Michigan Gets Pounded By Ohio State For Fifth Straight Year

Ohio State 42, Michigan 7

Final Record: 3-9, 2-6 10th place in Big Ten

Before I get started let me just add this little disclaimer. I was thoroughly hammered during most of the game and don’t remember much of the second half.

I started pounding beers after Beanie Wells 59-yard touchdown run that looked eerily similar from the past two seasons.

Guess not much has changed after all. Three straight years Wells has now made Michigan’s defense look foolish with long runs right up middle.

And it wasn’t just that play. It was multiple big plays by Ohio State that took me from light afternoon drinking straight to binge drinking.

For the first time in history, Ohio State has won five straight against the Wolverines and for only the second time in history has Michigan lost to all three of its rivals in one season.

Bo Schembechler is rolling over in his grave.

But the worst season in Michigan history is finally over and I don’t have to grade performances anymore so let’s get this over with.

Offense

At least we can all take solace knowing that Nick Sheridan will never again take a snap as the starting quarterback of the Michigan Wolverines.

The only throw he’s capable of making is the wide receiver bubble screen pass. Other than that he can’t throw the ball past the line of scrimmage unless the wideout is fully expecting to catch the ball at his feet.

His 8-for-24 and 87 yards performance wouldn’t be good enough on a middle school football team. How this guy has ever been considered a quarterback past the pee-wee level is beyond my understanding.

Michigan put together one decent drive all day that relied on two fourth down conversions including Brandon Minor’s touchdown run.

Minor finished the day with 77 yards on 14 carries to lead the rushing game but most of that came on one carry for 32 yards.

After Carlos Brown had a good day against Northwestern, he only carried the ball three times on Saturday in Columbus.

Michael Shaw got some carries and showed some flash but then he was no where to be found again.

The entire offense was abysmal. Martavious Odoms continued dropping the balls thrown right to him including the only good pass Sheridan can throw, a bubble screen.

The Wolverines started the game with six consecutive three and outs and finished the game with 10 total.

I really don’t know what happened to Michigan’s offense the last two weeks. It had made such progress the previous weeks against Purdue, Minnesota and each week it seemed to be improving.

But the last two games have been a total nightmare.

Offensive Grade: F

Defense

For the second straight week Stevie Brown intercepted a pass on the opening drive only to see the offense squander the opportunity to put early points on the board.

Then, right on cue, he goes back to being the same old Stevie Brown we know and hate.

Terrelle Pryor continually challenged Brown throughout the game after being intercepted by him early on. It’s like Pryor took offense to being picked off by one of the worst safeties in the conference and made it a mission to make him look stupid.

It was really disappointing to see the defense collapse like it did. They held Ohio State to one first down on its first four drives then the big plays started happening.

The defense must of thought to itself ‘hey, the offense isn’t going to help us so screw it.’

Obi Ezeh once again has not proved that he’ll be a leader on this team next year and Donovan Warren was so upset he refused to talk to the media after the game.

Can’t blame him either. I wouldn’t want to talk about the most embarrassing loss to Ohio State in 40 years either knowing I was responsible for it.

I’m not saying Warren is necessarily responsible for it but the defense just seemed to give up especially after giving up another big touchdown run early in the third quarter.

Dan Herron’s 49-yard run took all the air out of the defense and deflated the Wolverines.

Defensive Grade: F

Special Teams

K.C. Lopata has officially joined the ranks of Phillip Brabbs and will forever be among my most hated Wolverines of all time.

Remember the days when Michigan had kickers like Jay Feely, Hayden Epstein and field goals were just automatic? Yeah, me neither.

And it really boggles my mind why Rich Rodriguez continually puts Martavious Odoms on punt returns. Michigan fans should take out a restraining order against him barring any involvement with special teams.

Zoltan was reliable as always.

Special Teams Grade: D-

Coaching

Rich Rodriguez had no trick plays up his sleeve and basically did nothing but shove his players out onto the field and said lets get this over with.

A shouting match took place between him and John Thompson early in the game after a timeout was called.

It was sad and looked very dysfunctional.

It was clear to me that things have been just too complicated for these kids all season long and they just weren’t getting whatever he was preaching.

If he had just simplified things early on and progressively added things as the season went on, Michigan might of won a couple more games.

There was also no continuity. Especially in the backfield. Every other play there was a different running back. Where was Carlos Brown throughout the game, why didn’t Brandon Minor get more carries and now Sam McGuffie seems all but lost after being alienated by the coaching staff.

Coaches grade: F

Final Thoughts

I’m so sick of losing to Ohio State and now Buckeye fans are starting to say that this isn’t a real rivalry anymore.

One, they’re full of crap. They love it that they’ve won five straight now.

Two, this just fuels the rivalry fire. More and more frustration is being built up in Ann Arbor and sooner or later it’s going to explode. Hopefully right in Jim Tressel’s face.

Three, someone find me a high powered drill so I can take it to my temple.

Final Grade: F

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Illinois Football 2008: The Big Orange Waste

For the second time in my life, Illinois, fresh off a BCS Bowl, has pushed itself right back into the mediocrity pit.

In 2002, the Illini posted a 5-7 record after going to the Sugar Bowl the prior year.  This season, Illinois finished with a similar 5-7 whimper after their performances against Ohio State and Northwestern.  One can’t help but wonder about the connection.

Step forward, fall back.

Oh, but this season was supposed to be different.  Linebacker Brit Miller told us so: “We don’t want to be that class that’s remembered for a 6-6 year.”(1)  Well, congrats, Brit, you won’t be.

This year was supposed to be it, the year Illinois as a program would finally sustain long-term Big Ten success, to nose their big orange nose back in with the top of the conference.

Junior quarterback Juice Williams was finally coming into his own and started – gasp – Heisman buzz after overshadowing Chase Daniel in the opener.  Martez Wilson, 5-star recruit, was supposed to light up the Big Ten as a sophomore.  Will Davis?  Leader on one of the best defensive lines in the country.  Safeties, offensive linemen, running backs?  More than enough talent to replace what departed, they told us.

A funny thing happened on the way back to Pasadena.

With a Swiss-cheese defense and a running game that intimidated nobody, Illinois beat only four Division I teams, only three from the Big Ten, and only one that will go bowling this year, a close-cut win over rivals Iowa at home.

They lost to Western Michigan.

They lost to a Wisconsin team that had lost four straight and beat Cal-Poly by one point.  In overtime.

They gift-wrapped a game to Minnesota at home.

Even with the blessing of Michigan’s worst team since Bo Schembechler arrived in Ann Arbor, Illinois finished 5-7.  They’re the first Big Ten Rose Bowl squad not to go bowling the next year in decades.

Martez Wilson?  Big Ten doesn’t know he exists.  Juice Williams?  Interception-crazy and inconsistent in his leadership.  The lines?  Let’s just say no one’s going to be writing about them next preseason, and don’t even get me started on the pass defense.

Aside from Miller, WR Arrellious Benn, S Donsay Hardeman, and perhaps CB Vontae Davis, no one impressed with any kind of consistency.  The running-back-by-committee approach couldn’t hold a candle to one Rashard Mendenhall.  The coaches, likewise, lost many admirers with another season of questionable decisions and fundamental gaffes.

This was supposed to be the year that Ron Zook’s superior recruiting was supposed to shine, with seniors who’ve known no other coach and his first renowned class entering their third years.  It wasn’t just with the top-ranked studs like Wilson, either, but also with the lower-ranked players Zook brought in, heralded as diamonds in the rough.

Instead, it appears we might have some dull, Ron Turner-style duds.

No one in 2002 wanted to chase Turner from the program.  Everyone said that he deserved a chance and his superior coaching skills would turn the ship right back towards the top of the Big Ten.  Instead, we sank to the bottom.

I don’t think that will happen with Zook, but there’s certainly little sign that the program is anywhere near where we thought.

In the end, Illinois fans must come to terms with the fact that last season’s team was a 7-5 team who went 9-3 while this year’s team was a 7-5 team that went 5-7. Unfortunately, that puts a downward trend on recruiting; and indeed, today, highly-sought-after LB Hiawatha Bell announced he would attend North Carolina instead of Illinois.

The Fighting Illini still have plenty of top recruits lined up for next year.  They’re currently 5th by most evaluations among Big Ten schools for ‘09 recruiting, and many expect them to move ahead of the crumbling Michigan program.  Guys like DE Craig Drummond and QB Nathan Scheelhaase look to be promising prospects for the future, and younger players like DT Corey Liuget, WRs AJ Jenkins and Fred Sykes, and RB Jason Ford have already made a positive impact on the field.

But for now, we as fans have no choice but to declare the season an absolute waste of everything.  Momentum?  Gone.  The claim to be an on-the-rise program?  Vanished.  Returning All-Big-10 players on defense?  Good-bye.  Legitimate Rose hopes?  Not for a few years now.  First Illinois team to go bowling in back-to-back years since Makovic?  Here’s looking at you, 2010.

Perhaps it was just a bad year to wear orange.  Tennessee, Syracuse, Clemson, and not even Texas are where they want to be right now.  Perhaps there were off-the-field issues that haven’t come to light, struggles between coaches and players, or emotional cancers in the locker room.  Perhaps the filming of The Journey distracted the team from their task on the field.

I just feel it was a wasted season, to be on the threshold of turning the corner, complete with a beautifully renovated stadium and a self- proclaimed “Illini Renaissance” only to run and hide from even the desperate Motor City Bowl Committee.

Step forward, fall back.

Illinois football.

It’ll be a long offseason.

(1) Daniel Johnson “Illini Senior Linebacker Brit Miller Talks Rantoul, the Big Ten, and Belly Flops.”  Daily Illini.  7/29/2008. 

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No. 1 Thing Is OSU Versus Michigan

COLUMBUS, Ohio — There’s a sign in the Ohio State locker room that says, "Do you remember the score the last time Michigan beat us?"

It’s a reminder – in the chill of winter or the heat of August – that "The Big Game" is never far away.

On his first day as coach at Michigan, somebody gave Rich Rodriguez an Ohio State button. It sits by the phone in his office. He sees it every day.

A year of pretending not to be thinking about it is over. The 105th meeting between the archrivals is at hand.

This season’s edition of Ohio State-Michigan has two new central figures and something rarely seen when these two perennial powers get together: a losing team.

While No. 10 Ohio State (9-2, 6-1) has much to play for, it’s only about pride for Michigan (3-8, 2-5).

A win and the Buckeyes can grab a share of the Big Ten title and continue to stand in line for a spot in the Bowl Championship Series.

The Buckeyes don’t see that as much of an advantage, however.

"I don’t want us to get complacent or comfortable," Ohio State defensive lineman Nader Abdallah said. "We only have one more game in the Horseshoe and then hopefully a bowl game but right now the No. 1 thing is OSU vs. Michigan. If we go out and we don’t take care of business then people will remember you for the last thing you did and not what you did before."

Michigan is a three-touchdown underdog playing out the string in a dreadful season, hoping to end on a good note while deflating the Buckeyes’ hopes. Rodriguez first season in Ann Arbor after taking over for the retired Lloyd Carr has produced the most losses in any of the storied program’s 129 seasons, the first losing season in 41 years and the first season without a bowl trip in 34 years.

But this series is marked by major upsets. The biggest took place in 1969, when a rookie coach named Bo Schembechler led the Wolverines to a 24-12 upset of the top-ranked and defending national champion Buckeyes, ending a 22-game winning streak.

Woody Hayes, Schembechler’s friend and former boss, would say later that those Buckeyes were "probably the best team that ever played college football."

Earle Bruce, who followed Hayes as Ohio State’s coach in 1979, spoke to the Buckeyes on Sunday night. He brought up the 1969 game and talked of how overconfidence can ruin a team. They say they got the message.

"There’s plenty of history of people saying there’s no way this team could lose this game in the rivalry, and the other team ends up winning," linebacker James Laurinaitis said.

Michigan has also had former players come in this week and they, too, have discussed that ‘69 stunner.

Would an upset make up for all of Michigan’s miseries?

"If you had a win over Ohio State, that’s what you’d try to remember the most," quarterback Nick Sheridan said. "To say that it will block out all the other bad memories that you have from this year, I don’t think that’s the case. Yeah, it would be big for us to beat Ohio State. But that’s how it is every year."

The mantra in Columbus is that Michigan’s 3-8 record is either misleading or irrelevant.

"Their record means nothing in the grand scale of things, because what are they going to be remembered for at Michigan: Did they beat Ohio State? And the same goes for us: Did we beat Michigan?" said Ohio State kicker Ryan Pretorius, a native of South Africa who equates the magnitude of the game with the World Cup of rugby back home.

The game is significant also because it marks a debut on either side.

Rodriguez swears he has an appreciation for the history of The Big Game. His only regret is that he’s taking a team with so many disadvantages.

"Oh, sure. I’d like to go in there and have, you know, four or five veteran receivers running 4.4s, and two or three tailbacks and experienced quarterbacks and a bunch of defensive guys who will be first-round picks," he said. "But, you know, we’ve got guys that can compete. Do I get nervous when I watch the film? Sure I do. I watched last year’s game. We had five (current) NFL players on offense – and we got less than 100 yards against them."

The Buckeyes won that game 14-3 on a dreary day at The Big House. It was Carr’s final regular-season game after coaching the Wolverines since 1995. Ohio State’s Chris "Beanie" Wells ran for 222 yards (most ever by a Buckeyes back against Michigan) on 39 carries and scored both touchdowns.

Wells is back, and will go against a Michigan defense that is OK against the run (128 yards a game) but often spend too much time on the field because of the Wolverines’ unproductive offense.

"It’s a daunting challenge," Rodriguez said. Then, he channeled the late Schembechler, growling, "But if you’re not a competitor as a coach or player and don’t appreciate it … hell, I’ve got guys that can play. These guys can go in this environment and compete their tails off. Who knows what happens? We’re not going to go down there and forfeit."

Playing in his first game in the rivalry will be Ohio State freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor. The Buckeyes are 7-1 since Pryor, who chose Ohio State over Michigan, took over as the starter.

The 6-foot-6, 235-pound speedster can turn a broken play into an end-to-end touchdown. But this is a long way from the Pennsylvania High School playoffs he was competing in a year ago.

"I don’t know, but I just keep getting it pounded in my ears, ‘This is why you came here, for Michigan,"’ he said after last week’s victory at Illinois. "I can’t wait to find out."

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Ohio State-Michigan: Wolverines Look to Prevent Fifth Straight Buckeye Victory

Before I get started with this week’s preview, congratulations are in order. Give some props to the Michigan basketball team for beating the number four-ranked UCLA Bruins Thursday night by a score of 55-52 at Madison Square Garden.

I could not believe my eyes and was ecstatic afterwards. Hey Sparties, still want to wait for basketball season? I can’t wait for Feb. 10 at Crisler Arena when Michigan plays MSU.

On with the preview.

 

Michigan Wolverines (3-8, 2-5) at Ohio State Buckeyes (9-2, 6-1)

Noon, Saturday at Ohio Stadium

Line: Ohio State -20.5

Weather: High of 36 degrees with partly cloudy skies

Well, here it is, folks—the 105th meeting between the University of Michigan and Ohio State University.

The 20.5-point spread is the largest in the history of “The Game,” and there’s a good chance the Buckeyes will cover given how bad Michigan has been this season.

It all depends on which Michigan team shows up Saturday. Are we going to get the Wolverines from the Minnesota game that played solid football for four quarters, or the team that has bombed against the rest of the Big Ten?

How about the team that played against Purdue, where just the offense showed up and the defense decided to lay an egg? Or the teams that played good for one quarter of a game against Wisconsin and Illinois?

All I know is if the Wolverines and the 16 seniors on this team want to beat Ohio State for the first time since 2003, they better show up and hit on all cylinders for a full 60 minutes.

Michigan has never lost five straight against the Buckeyes, but this has been a season of dreadful firsts for the Wolverines, so if this is the year it happens, I won’t be much surprised.

However, if Michigan should pull out the victory on Saturday, I will be elated and proceed to claim it the biggest upset in the history of the series.

It’s going to be a giant uphill battle, though, and I don’t see giving Michigan much of a chance.

 

Michigan Pass Offense vs. Ohio State Pass Defense

All Michigan fans can do is hope that Nick Sheridan brings his stallion and sword prepared to be knighted again instead of his usual white flag signaling surrender.

He’s got the 13th-ranked pass defense in the country to deal with, which has 14 interceptions, led by Kurt Coleman’s four and Malcolm Jenkins’s three.

Jenkins also has eight pass breakups, so I would advise against throwing to his side of the field altogether.

Michigan’s offensive line did pretty well against Northwestern last week. The Wildcats had a ton of sacks entering that game but only got one on the Wolverines.

I would normally feel all right about Michigan’s ability to pick up the pass rush, but Steve Schilling might not play after spraining his knee in practice this week.

Ohio State has a decent pass rush, accumulating 21 sacks this season.

In order to compensate, Martavious Odoms, Darryl Stonum, and Kevin Koger are all going to have to step up their game and get open quicker.

Stonum has been having a rough time with routes, and Odoms has a propensity to drop the ball, being the freshmen that they are.

Marcus Freeman and James Laurinaitis will most likely get to Sheridan before he can even get to his second read, which takes long enough as it is.

Advantage: Ohio State

 

Michigan Rush Offense vs. Ohio State Rush Defense

Brandon Minor is back this week, and after Carlos Brown returned from oblivion last week, Michigan should have a solid one-two punch this week.

The offensive line is run blocking better and better each week, and Brown and Minor should have some good lanes to run through—although those lanes might get filled up by the nation’s 26th-ranked run defense that only gives up 3.7 yards per carry.

The Buckeyes have an astonishing 54 tackles for loss, led by Freeman’s 6.5 and Laurinaitis’s 4.5.

Speed kills, though, and Minor and Brown have shown a lot of speed this season. Minor is bound to break a long run or two, while Brown almost did a couple times last week.

Advantage: Michigan (barely)

Ohio State Pass Offense vs. Michigan Pass Defense

Terrelle Pryor is going to be a nightmare to deal with for the Michigan defense. He doesn’t throw a lot, but when he has, it’s been effective.

Pryor has a 152.16 efficiency rating and has 10 touchdowns and just three interceptions.

While he’s lethal on the ground, he can be just as lethal if not more through the air.

Brian Robiskie is his favorite target (seven touchdowns), and Brian Hartline is averaging over 20 yards per catch.

Michigan’s pass defense has been a complete disaster this season, with Stevie Brown, Charles Stewart, and Brandon Harrison leaving the middle of the field wide open.

The Wolverines’ secondary ranks 89th in the country and gives up over 230 yards per game through the air.

Advantage: Ohio State

 

Ohio State Rush Offense vs. Michigan Rush Defense

This is the key matchup in the game if both teams want to be successful.

If Ohio State has a big day on the ground, expect another Buckeye victory, but if Michigan can slow down Beanie Wells and Pryor, the Wolverines will have a chance.

The Buckeyes rank 29th in the country, averaging 187 yards per game, with Wells rushing for 119.6 per game and 5.4 per carry.

He killed Michigan singlehandedly last year with 222 yards and the only two touchdowns at the Big House.

Now he has Pryor to aid him once in a while, who gets 50.9 yards per game and 4.8 per carry.

Obi Ezeh and Jonas Mouton are going to be crucial in slowing down Wells and keeping Pryor contained.

Ezeh and Mouton need to step up and show that they can be leaders on this team next season, and this is their audition.

Seniors Terrance Taylor, Will Johnson, and Tim Jamison are just itching to get their first victory against OSU.

If the defensive line can slow down Wells, and Ezeh and Mouton keep Pryor contained, Michigan can win this game.

Advantage: Even

 

Special Teams

Ohio State has two punt returns for touchdowns this season, but don’t expect them to get one this weekend with Zoltan “Space Lord Emperor of the Universe” Mesko kicking the ball into the upper atmosphere.

Neither team’s field goal kicker is dead-on accurate either.

Advantage: Even

 

Final Thoughts

The media has been blowing up stories about just how much Rich Rodriguez knows about this rivalry.

We already know Sweater Vest’s opinion and passion for this game. It’s the only big game he can win (at least since the 2002 championship game).

Rich Rod has been very open with the media, a lot more so than Lloyd Carr ever was, but I think he’s been holding something back.

There’s something he hasn’t told us yet.

Bo Schembechler said after the historic 1969 win that not even his players knew it, but every day they were practicing something for the Ohio State game.

Maybe RichRod has been doing the same and has a trick or two up his sleeves.

I still don’t think it’ll matter, but maybe it’ll help.

Prediction: Ohio State 31, Michigan 13

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THE Game: Can Ohio State Make It Five In A Row Over Michigan?

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OSU – UM history….In The Numbers

The below information was sent to me via email and was originally written by Jack Park and published at BuckeyeExtra.com. I thought is was worthy of reposting…. ENJOY!

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Rich Rodriguez hopes to avoid becoming an anomaly: a Michigan football coach who loses his first game against Ohio State.

The 105th chapter of college football’s greatest rivalry will be written Saturday afternoon when Ohio State entertains Michigan with a noon kickoff in Ohio Stadium. The Wolverines lead the all-time series 57-41-6, but the past 80 games (1928 through 2007) are even at 38-38-4.

Michigan’s 16 more victories than Ohio State are primarily the result of the Wolverines’ record of 13-0-2 during the first 15 games (played from 1897 to 1918). Halfback Chic Harley led OSU to its long-awaited initial win, on Oct. 25, 1919 — 13-3 in  Ann Arbor.

Ohio State has won the past four games. With a victory Saturday, OSU’s five-game winning streak would be its longest over the Wolverines. Prior to the present winning streak, the Buckeyes twice won four straight — 1934-1937 under coach Francis Schmidt and 1960-1963 under coach Woody Hayes. Michigan’s longest winning streak over Ohio State is nine straight from 1901-1909. The Wolverines also won six in a row from 1922 to 1927.

Coach Rich Rodriguez is in his first season at Michigan. The Wolverines have had 12 different head coaches, from 1897 through 2007, who guided their teams during the 104 previous games against the Buckeyes. Only one of those 12 lost to Ohio State during his first season as Michigan’s head coach — coach Harry Kipke’s first UM team lost to OSU 7-0 in 1929.

Jim Tressel is the fifth head coach to lead Ohio State in eight or more games against the Wolverines. The other four are Dr. John Wilce (11 games), Woody Hayes (28 games), Earle Bruce (nine games) and John Cooper (13 games). With a win Saturday, Tressel’s record against Michigan would be 7-1. The Ohio State coach with the second-best mark over his first eight games would be Woody Hayes at 5-3 from 1951-1958.

Ohio State and Michigan have faced each other each year since 1918. The Game was moved to the last game of the regular season for both teams in 1935. Only once has a game been decided by a single point. Michigan won 17-16 at Ohio Stadium in 1926 to hand the Buckeyes their only setback that season.

Five times Ohio State has entered the game ranked as the country’s No.1 team, while Michigan has been top-ranked three times. The Buckeyes are 3-1-1 when ranked No.1 — winning in 1954 (21-7), 1975 (21-14) and 2006 (42-39); losing in 1969 (24-12); and playing to a 10-10 tie in 1973. The Wolverines are 3-0 as the nation’s No.1, being victorious in 1947 (21-0), 1948 (13-3) and 1997 (20-14).

Both schools have all-time winning percentages higher than .700. Only once during the 105 seasons Ohio State and Michigan have met have both teams ended the season with losing records. The Wolverines finished 4-5 and the Buckeyes 3-5-1 in 1959.

Saturday’s date is Nov. 22. Hayes and UM’s Bo Schembechler each coached their first victories in the series on Nov. 22 — Hayes (27-7) on 11-22-52; Schembechler (24-12) on 11-22-69. The series’ 100th game was also played on this date — UM won 35-21 in Michigan Stadium on Nov. 22, 2003.

In addition to winning the past four, Ohio State has won six of the past seven and seven of the past 10, but only nine of the past 23 (9-13-1) and 13 of the past 32 (13-18-1). This year’s encounter will be in Columbus, but the home field in this series has been only a slight advantage (52-46-6).

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