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How confident are you that we will beat UM?

  • but agree with much of your post. Denard will turn it over and take a beating.

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    Harry Hood

  • Fletch said...

    Wake up - this game will not be close. People need to stop believing the hype about UM's defense being "vastly improved." It is not significantly different than last year. ND walked all over them. WMU marched up and down the field. How many yards did Northwestern rack up in the first half Saturday?

    Their defense is still a joke. They're taking more chances with blitzes and forcing a few more turnovers, but that is not going to be enough to mask their glaring deficiencies against a balanced team. MSU's O-line is going to be in heaven going up against this D-line and linebackers compared to what they had to deal with in Columbus. Baker and Bell are finally going to have holes to run through, and the running game will open up play action and wide open receivers being covered by inept DBs.

    Offensively, nothing has changed for UM. For all the talk of making Robinson a more traditional QB, the game plan is exactly the same - pen him in and dare him to throw. Hit him when he runs. Cash in on the inevitable turnovers.

    The script has not changed from last year. MSU will win this game easily.

    MSU's WR crew is not functioning like it did last year. Dell was such a huge piece of it, same with Gantt.

    Running game is starting to improve a bit, not where it was.

    Offensively, we are a notch below where we were last year and UM may have improved a little bit on both sides.

    It's a 10 point game now. 34-24 MSU.

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    Formerly Venomous Green Duck. Join Date: Nov. 2004 # of posts: 17,867.

    VenomousGDuck23 ●

  • I really hope we don't get the same officials from this UofM v NW game last week. Still puzzled as to how a ball that hits the ground is an interception (even after instant replay!), and how removing a QBs helmet by the facemask isn't a facemask penalty (then to give out a 15 yarder for arguing the call!). If we get that team, we are screwed.

    Overall, I'm more nervous about this game than I've been in awhile. I was really enjoying the de-emphasis that RichRod put on this game, and the lackluster UofM performance that resulted; it seems that Hoke has corrected this. I'm sure we can get Denard to make mistakes, but can we play mistake free on offense? UofM seems to just sit back and play an average game and wait for you to shoot yourself in the foot, then they make you pay. Cousins doesn't need to have the game of his life, he just needs to not make mistakes.

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    The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude.

    His Dudeness

  • I feel that we should win. However, you just never know in this game. scum may not say it but they want this one more than anything.

    We could use a defensive score. I am surprised at how good scum has looked - they are tough and we better come with our A game. It's time to pull it all together cuz we are going to need it.

    Spartytruth

  • I am concerned a bit, but then I also wonder how much more "luck" can be on UM's side.

    "If they want to mock us, I'm telling them it's not over. It will never be over here. It's just starting." - Mark Dantonio, 2007

    Spartalufagus

  • Fletch said...

    Wake up - this game will not be close. People need to stop believing the hype about UM's defense being "vastly improved." It is not significantly different than last year. ND walked all over them. WMU marched up and down the field. How many yards did Northwestern rack up in the first half Saturday?

    Their defense is still a joke. They're taking more chances with blitzes and forcing a few more turnovers, but that is not going to be enough to mask their glaring deficiencies against a balanced team. MSU's O-line is going to be in heaven going up against this D-line and linebackers compared to what they had to deal with in Columbus. Baker and Bell are finally going to have holes to run through, and the running game will open up play action and wide open receivers being covered by inept DBs.

    Offensively, nothing has changed for UM. For all the talk of making Robinson a more traditional QB, the game plan is exactly the same - pen him in and dare him to throw. Hit him when he runs. Cash in on the inevitable turnovers.

    The script has not changed from last year. MSU will win this game easily.

    Do you honestly consider MSU a balanced team? The running game has been non-existent averaging 3.4 yards a carry. Maybe MSU can get it going a little better on the ground this week? I would not consider the MSU offense balanced at this point however.
    BTW UM is averaging 6.4 yards a carry. Thats almost double the running production of MSU with 3.4. Now that does not preclude MSU from stepping up this week but im merely pointing out that there are no reasons for this over confidence.

    Braska11

  • Fletch said...

    I fully expect MSU to be a balanced team against a subpar defense, which is exactly what UM is. This isn't the OSU or ND defense they're facing on Saturday. Dantonio has a simple formula against UM that will not change this year - line up and smack them in the mouth. Control the ball and the line of scrimmage. IMHO, UM's defense is not good enough yet to keep that from happening.

    How the UM rushing stats figure into this conversation I'm not sure, but it's laughable to try to compare stats of two teams at this point in the season. See: UM's stats at this point in 2009 and 2010.

    I think you might be a little biased here, and thats alright. The UM defense is better than Notre Dame's in national rankings.

    http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/natlRank.jsp?year=2011&div=IA&site=org

    Total D, Rushing D, Scoring D , Red Zone D

    Michigan ---- 39 , 58 , 9 , 2
    Notre Dame -- 50 , 53 , 33, 73

    This post has been edited 2 times, most recently by Braska11 on 10/10/2011 at 11:04 AM

    Braska11

  • 27! And I'm dead serious.

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    RPMadMSU ●

  • Fletch said...

    Sagrin strength of schedule:

    Notre Dame: 10 Michigan: 87

    Come on, bro. no

    All you need to know.

    Notre Dame's Offensive production on the season:

    v. USF - 508 Yards
    @ Michigan - 513 Yards
    v. MSU - 275 Yards
    @ PITT - 398 Yards
    @ Purdue - 551 Yards
    v. Air Force - 560 Yards

    Average: 467

    MSU held ND to almost 200 yards below their season average. That's with MSU's 275 in the average. ND gained 231 less yards again MSU than they have against the average of the other games they played.

    ND has an offense....MSU pretty much shut them down better than anyone, despite what the score said.

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    RPMadMSU ●

  • Fletch said...

    Sagrin strength of schedule:

    Notre Dame: 10 Michigan: 87

    Come on, bro.

    According to this ND is #30. Not a whole lot of difference in 30 and 70 honestly, at least not enough to offset the difference in defensive rankings. Im not so sure how reliable these sos numbers are based on Clemson being ranked 70 and they have played Florida st, Virginia tech and Auburn?
    Bottomline is you are definitely underestimating the improvement of the UM defense and the coaching adjustments that are being made. Due to these adjustments UM has shut out 4 of the 6 opponents in the 2nd half this year!!!

    http://www.teamrankings.com/college-football/ranking/strength-of-schedule-by-team

    Braska11

  • RPMadMSU said...

    All you need to know.

    Notre Dame's Offensive production on the season:

    v. USF - 508 Yards @ Michigan - 513 Yards v. MSU - 275 Yards @ PITT - 398 Yards @ Purdue - 551 Yards v. Air Force - 560 Yards

    Average: 467

    MSU held ND to almost 200 yards below their season average. That's with MSU's 275 in the average. ND gained 231 less yards again MSU than they have against the average of the other games they played.

    ND has an offense....MSU pretty much shut them down better than anyone, despite what the score said.

    I definitely agree MSU has a nice defense. What I find puzzling is why many here keep quoting the yards against ND as if it is a tell all? ND returned a kick for a TD and turned the ball over 3 times which is a loss of 4 possesions. Another factor that has to be considered is ND totally took the air out of the ball in the 4th quarter with the big lead. I think MSU has a real good defense but im not sure why bringing up a game that proved to be a big loss is the way to showcase this?

    Braska11

  • Braska11 said...

    I definitely agree MSU has a nice defense. What I find puzzling is why many here keep quoting the yards against ND as if it is a tell all? ND returned a kick for a TD and turned the ball over 3 times which is a loss of 4 possesions. Another factor that has to be considered is ND totally took the air out of the ball in the 4th quarter with the big lead. I think MSU has a real good defense but im not sure why bringing up a game that proved to be a big loss is the way to showcase this?

    ND turned the ball over quite often v. Michigan and USF too...and still piled up yard they couldn't get v. MSU's D.

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    RPMadMSU ●

  • Beardy said...

    He might have been a d-coordinator in the NFL, but the defense he coordinated instantly got better once he left, and they didn't even really add any playing talent.

    I was talking more about his time at florida which is a little more relevant since it was college football. He did a very good job there, and ended up winning the NC and it wasn't all because of a great offense, their defense was dominant as well and only allowed something like 13 points a game.

    bb011

  • This game will resemble 99 and 09. Dominant defensive performance that never gets its true credit because of late 4th quarter rally.

    Here's hoping im wrong and we win by 30.

    LP

  • Fletch said...

    That ranking includes all opponents, including those they haven't played yet.

    But I'll give you credit, the line "Not a whole lot of difference in 30 and 70" made me

    Truthfully, go look at the teams a #30 has played and then look at the #72, do you see a big difference? Also ND SOS is inflated from playing #10 ranked UM and UM gets no boost from playing unranked ND. To each their own I guess.

    Braska11

  • bb011 said...

    I was talking more about his time at florida which is a little more relevant since it was college football. He did a very good job there, and ended up winning the NC and it wasn't all because of a great offense, their defense was dominant as well and only allowed something like 13 points a game.

    Michigan State likes to trash Mattison's Defenses.

    Mattison's record as DC v. Michigan State Career: 1-8.

    Losses:
    85, 86 while DC for WMU
    95 while DC for Michigan
    97, 98, 99, 00, 01 while DC for Notre Dame

    Wins
    96 while DC for Michigan

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    RPMadMSU ●

  • Braska11 said...

    I definitely agree MSU has a nice defense. What I find puzzling is why many here keep quoting the yards against ND as if it is a tell all? ND returned a kick for a TD and turned the ball over 3 times which is a loss of 4 possesions. Another factor that has to be considered is ND totally took the air out of the ball in the 4th quarter with the big lead. I think MSU has a real good defense but im not sure why bringing up a game that proved to be a big loss is the way to showcase this?

    So, you're saying ND would have had about 800 yards on UM then if not for their 5 TO's in that game, right?

    Fletch is owning you, just time to leave, bro.

    msuferd

  • All I can gather from all the analysis on both sides is that the team that wins will need to play well to win. That being said, I think MSU is probably a little more likely to play well given all they have going for them this week: it's at home, Pro Combats, Michigan's first real road game...

    So, I'm going to put MSU's chances of winning at 6/10, but it could definitely go either way.
    MSU 27
    UM 24

    ...beyond a stretch of Maryland pines there's a river without a name.

    Foot B Dude2001

  • msuferd said...

    So, you're saying ND would have had about 800 yards on UM then if not for their 5 TO's in that game, right?

    Fletch is owning you, just time to leave, bro.

    No, I think your being generous, I actually think ND would have had 900 yards against Michigan. Still dont change the fact that Michigan has a better defense than ND statistically. How would you feel if I said MSU defensive ranking of #1, was not legit because they have played weak opponents? MSU has performed against the schedule they have played and its legit, just as Michigans defensive ranking is superior to ND's. Just leave it at that.

    This post was edited by Braska11 on 10/10/2011 at 1:25 PM

    Braska11

  • Braska11 said...

    No, I think your being generous, I actually think ND would have had 900 yards against Michigan. Still dont change the fact that Michigan has a better defense than ND statistically. How would you feel if I said MSU defensive ranking of #1, was not legit because they have played weak opponents? MSU has performed against the schedule they have played and its legit, just as Michigans defensive ranking is superior to ND's. Just leave it at that.

    It's ranking is superior, but Michigan's D is not superior to ND's.

    Just like MSU ranking is superior to LSU's, but does anyone think MSU has the better defense?

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    RPMadMSU ●

  • RPMadMSU said...

    Michigan State likes to trash Mattison's Defenses.

    Mattison's record as DC v. Michigan State Career: 1-8.

    Losses: 85, 86 while DC for WMU 95 while DC for Michigan 97, 98, 99, 00, 01 while DC for Notre Dame

    Wins 96 while DC for Michigan

    Wow that is pretty interesting. The WMU doesn't really count, but the Notre Dame thing is very impressive. I didn't realize we never lost to a Mattison defense at ND.

    bb011

  • Braska11 said...

    No, I think your being generous, I actually think ND would have had 900 yards against Michigan. Still dont change the fact that Michigan has a better defense than ND statistically. How would you feel if I said MSU defensive ranking of #1, was not legit because they have played weak opponents? MSU has performed against the schedule they have played and its legit, just as Michigans defensive ranking is superior to ND's. Just leave it at that.

    MSU statistically has the #1 defense, but I don't think anybody here is claiming our defense is better than LSU or Bama. But they have shown that they are a really good defense.

    The way you are discounting ND's schedule (compared to UM) is just laughable though.

    msuferd

  • More confident than I was going into the nd game. um runs a sandlot offense and if they (MSU D) can get to dr consistently, game over.

    This post has been edited 2 times, most recently by rob on 10/11/2011 at 12:09 PM

    "I think the world is run by C students" Al Mcguire

    rob

  • Fletch said...

    That's because there's really not much of a difference between the 70th ranked schedule and the 10th ranked.

    In other words, when UM collapses yet again this year beginning with the MSU game and finishes 70th in the country, they'll basically end the year in the Top 10.

    What I said was if you list the teams played between the 30th(not 10) and the 70th rated SOS side by side, theres not a big difference. If SOS is the tell all like you guys are saying, then im feeling better about this weekends game considering MSU is #110 is SOS.

    Braska11

  • bb011 said...

    Wow that is pretty interesting. The WMU doesn't really count, but the Notre Dame thing is very impressive. I didn't realize we never lost to a Mattison defense at ND.

    Just to be complete: MSU is 2-0 v. an Al Borges Offense. Both wins coming during Bores' 2 year stint at Indiana (2002, 2003)

    Maybe Michigan fans can answer this, because no one else has:

    Why has Al Borges been an OC at 7 (fairly large) FBS programs in 15 seasons, but has never been a head coach?

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    RPMadMSU ●

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