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- Thread starter 3yardsandacloud
- Start date
Now that TSUN has jumped to #2 in the BCS standings, here's the answer to the obvious question:
Have the #1 and #2 BCS teams ever played in the regular season? (By definition, they have met in the BCS Championship Game after each season since 1998).
It has happened twice, both times right after the first BCS standings of the year were issued. In each case, the BCS #2 was the home team and won.
10-28-2000, BCS #1 (#1 AP) Nebraska 14, BCS #2 (#3 AP) Oklahoma 31 (in Norman, OK)
- After the game, Oklahoma went to #1 in both the BCS and the AP, Nebraska dropped to BCS #4 and AP #5 in the next rankings. In the final BCS rankings, undefeated Oklahoma was #1 and 1-loss Florida State edged out 1-loss Miami for #2.
10-27-2001, BCS #1 (#2 AP) Oklahoma 10, BCS #2 (#3 AP) Nebraska 20 (in Lincoln, NE)
- After the game, the next BCS rankings were Nebraksa-Oklahoma-Miami. Before this game, the AP poll was Miami-Oklahoma-Nebraska, after the game it was Miami-Nebraska-Oklahoma. In the final BCS rankings, undefeated Miami was #1 and 1-loss Nebraska edged out Colorado and Oregon for #2.
Have the #1 and #2 BCS teams ever played in the regular season? (By definition, they have met in the BCS Championship Game after each season since 1998).
It has happened twice, both times right after the first BCS standings of the year were issued. In each case, the BCS #2 was the home team and won.
10-28-2000, BCS #1 (#1 AP) Nebraska 14, BCS #2 (#3 AP) Oklahoma 31 (in Norman, OK)
- After the game, Oklahoma went to #1 in both the BCS and the AP, Nebraska dropped to BCS #4 and AP #5 in the next rankings. In the final BCS rankings, undefeated Oklahoma was #1 and 1-loss Florida State edged out 1-loss Miami for #2.
10-27-2001, BCS #1 (#2 AP) Oklahoma 10, BCS #2 (#3 AP) Nebraska 20 (in Lincoln, NE)
- After the game, the next BCS rankings were Nebraksa-Oklahoma-Miami. Before this game, the AP poll was Miami-Oklahoma-Nebraska, after the game it was Miami-Nebraska-Oklahoma. In the final BCS rankings, undefeated Miami was #1 and 1-loss Nebraska edged out Colorado and Oregon for #2.
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flagcitybuckfan
Newbie
Anyone have pics if UM students taunting us?
was listening to WTVN on the way home from the game...comments were made about UM students holding up signs during the Iowa game...saying "We're coming after you, Tressel"...."We're coming, Columbus", etc.
Fools...
Not that the Bucks need bulletin board material....but I'd love to see these pics on message boards, blogs, etc. to get "Buckeye Nation" even MORE fired up for 11/18.
GO BUCKS!!!
was listening to WTVN on the way home from the game...comments were made about UM students holding up signs during the Iowa game...saying "We're coming after you, Tressel"...."We're coming, Columbus", etc.
Fools...
Not that the Bucks need bulletin board material....but I'd love to see these pics on message boards, blogs, etc. to get "Buckeye Nation" even MORE fired up for 11/18.
GO BUCKS!!!
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If anybody needs a sign in the stands to get fired up for this one, you're in the wrong place.
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OregonBuckeye
Semper Fi Buckeyes
I want to be on record for predicting us to win comfortably. On October 23rd, OregonBuckeye's The Game prediction is:
tOSU-35
scUM-20
tOSU-35
scUM-20
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buckeye247
# 33
OregonBuckeye;641081; said:
"Not so fast my friend". scUM offensive line is amazing at zone blocking i wouldnt predict us to win comfortably at all. We have yet to play an Offensive line that zone blocks. Minny does it sometimes but not enough to give us alot of practice for nov 18. I think this is the key to the game. If we can stop hart and nullify the zone blocking using alot of stunts and DE fallbacks i think we will have a great chance of winning.
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Believe it: Next 3 key for Blue
By Matt Singer
10/23/06
After Chad Henne took a knee to seal a hard-fought victory over Iowa, there were no visible signs of relief from the Maize and Blue.
No wild celebrations. No hugging at midfield. No stampedes to the student section.
The Wolverines had just emerged unscathed from a brutal six-game stretch, setting the stage - according to pundits and fans alike - for a monumental clash in Columbus Nov. 18.
You're excited about that game. I'm excited about that game. Your grandma's best friend's second cousin is excited about that game.
The anticipation is completely understandable, given the potentially earth-shattering ramifications of this year's Michigan-Ohio State matchup.
But this Wolverine squad is too smart to fall into that line of thinking.
"Everyone's talking about No. 1, No. 2," junior running back Mike Hart said. "Everyone's talking about O-State, O-State O-State. But we know we have games before O-State - obviously that's the big one , but we have games before that. So that's where leadership comes in."
All season long, Michigan has had plenty of reasons to let down its guard.
After beating Notre Dame, the Wolverines could've soaked up the hype and looked past Wisconsin. A few hiccups at the beginning notwithstanding, they rolled to a two-touchdown victory.
Likewise, Michigan could've let Michigan State's shocking loss to Illinois affect its approach against the Spartans. But the Wolverines stayed focused and crushed their in-state rivals.
And on Saturday, Michigan could've underestimated an Iowa team coming off a stomach-churning upset loss to Indiana. Again, the Wolverines prepared for Iowa's best shot and successfully deflected it.
So what if Northwestern, Ball State and Indiana don't carry the same prestige as those traditionally solid Big Ten squads? The undefeated Wolverines have come too far to slack off with a potentially golden finish in sight.
"Everyone knows we played our toughest stretch of games," Hart said. "That's not a lie, everyone knows it. So the fact is, what are we gonna do these next three weeks? Are we gonna fall wayside, so we're not ready when we get to O-State? Or are we gonna get better every week? That's what we want to do. We want to get better every week, or we're not gonna be prepared to play Ohio State."
All signs point to the Wolverines backing up Hart's words in the upcoming weeks. For one, the memory of last season's 7-5 record remains seared into the psyches of the returning players. The Wolverines know all too well the gut wrenching feeling of blowing games they should've won. If that's not motivation to practice hard, I'm not sure what is.Plus, the team still feels as if it has something to prove after it was virtually ignored as a preseason contender. Obviously, things have changed since the Wolverines were ranked 14th in the preseason, and the national media is currently abuzz about No. 2 Michigan's return to the big stage. But don't expect the attention to get into the Wolverines' heads - they know that the hype can vanish just as quickly as it appeared.
"The quicker you get the buzz, the quicker you're going to lose it," senior co-captain LaMarr Woodley said. "You only get the buzz when you're winning. As soon as you lose, somebody's going to say 'Oh, I knew they were going to lose.' So I definitely don't enjoy the buzz, because it can get taken away like that."
Of course, barring a complete catastrophe, the Wolverines will be 11-0 heading into Ohio State week. But Michigan must prepare the way it has for the past six games, treating each opponent as a serious threat to steal away its undefeated season.
Because the Wolverines still have plenty to work on before taking on the Buckeye behemoth.
Against Northwestern, Ball State and Indiana, Michigan must:
- Learn how to put up points in the first half.
- Tighten up its pass defense.
- Redevelop a vertical passing game given Mario Manningham's uncertain status.
- Establish large enough leads to give backups playing time, keeping the starters fresh for Ohio State.
Those things can be done - I wouldn't put anything past this coaching staff - but only if the Wolverines continue to treat each game seriously.
It won't be easy. Hart admitted that the next three contests would present a serious psychological challenge for the Wolverines.
"Of course it's hard," Hart said. "But that's what makes great teams, is coming out here and being prepared to play games like this, to see where your focus is. That's when it shows up, that you have great leadership."
My suspicion is that the Wolverines - their coaches, their captains and their upperclassmen in particular - will stay focused against the next three less challenging opponents.
And if they do, the Buckeye faithful might end up feeling a little bit blue when the game of the century comes to the Horseshoe.
Believe it: Next 3 key for Blue
By Matt Singer
10/23/06
After Chad Henne took a knee to seal a hard-fought victory over Iowa, there were no visible signs of relief from the Maize and Blue.
No wild celebrations. No hugging at midfield. No stampedes to the student section.
The Wolverines had just emerged unscathed from a brutal six-game stretch, setting the stage - according to pundits and fans alike - for a monumental clash in Columbus Nov. 18.
You're excited about that game. I'm excited about that game. Your grandma's best friend's second cousin is excited about that game.
The anticipation is completely understandable, given the potentially earth-shattering ramifications of this year's Michigan-Ohio State matchup.
But this Wolverine squad is too smart to fall into that line of thinking.
"Everyone's talking about No. 1, No. 2," junior running back Mike Hart said. "Everyone's talking about O-State, O-State O-State. But we know we have games before O-State - obviously that's the big one , but we have games before that. So that's where leadership comes in."
All season long, Michigan has had plenty of reasons to let down its guard.
After beating Notre Dame, the Wolverines could've soaked up the hype and looked past Wisconsin. A few hiccups at the beginning notwithstanding, they rolled to a two-touchdown victory.
Likewise, Michigan could've let Michigan State's shocking loss to Illinois affect its approach against the Spartans. But the Wolverines stayed focused and crushed their in-state rivals.
And on Saturday, Michigan could've underestimated an Iowa team coming off a stomach-churning upset loss to Indiana. Again, the Wolverines prepared for Iowa's best shot and successfully deflected it.
So what if Northwestern, Ball State and Indiana don't carry the same prestige as those traditionally solid Big Ten squads? The undefeated Wolverines have come too far to slack off with a potentially golden finish in sight.
"Everyone knows we played our toughest stretch of games," Hart said. "That's not a lie, everyone knows it. So the fact is, what are we gonna do these next three weeks? Are we gonna fall wayside, so we're not ready when we get to O-State? Or are we gonna get better every week? That's what we want to do. We want to get better every week, or we're not gonna be prepared to play Ohio State."
All signs point to the Wolverines backing up Hart's words in the upcoming weeks. For one, the memory of last season's 7-5 record remains seared into the psyches of the returning players. The Wolverines know all too well the gut wrenching feeling of blowing games they should've won. If that's not motivation to practice hard, I'm not sure what is.Plus, the team still feels as if it has something to prove after it was virtually ignored as a preseason contender. Obviously, things have changed since the Wolverines were ranked 14th in the preseason, and the national media is currently abuzz about No. 2 Michigan's return to the big stage. But don't expect the attention to get into the Wolverines' heads - they know that the hype can vanish just as quickly as it appeared.
"The quicker you get the buzz, the quicker you're going to lose it," senior co-captain LaMarr Woodley said. "You only get the buzz when you're winning. As soon as you lose, somebody's going to say 'Oh, I knew they were going to lose.' So I definitely don't enjoy the buzz, because it can get taken away like that."
Of course, barring a complete catastrophe, the Wolverines will be 11-0 heading into Ohio State week. But Michigan must prepare the way it has for the past six games, treating each opponent as a serious threat to steal away its undefeated season.
Because the Wolverines still have plenty to work on before taking on the Buckeye behemoth.
Against Northwestern, Ball State and Indiana, Michigan must:
- Learn how to put up points in the first half.
- Tighten up its pass defense.
- Redevelop a vertical passing game given Mario Manningham's uncertain status.
- Establish large enough leads to give backups playing time, keeping the starters fresh for Ohio State.
Those things can be done - I wouldn't put anything past this coaching staff - but only if the Wolverines continue to treat each game seriously.
It won't be easy. Hart admitted that the next three contests would present a serious psychological challenge for the Wolverines.
"Of course it's hard," Hart said. "But that's what makes great teams, is coming out here and being prepared to play games like this, to see where your focus is. That's when it shows up, that you have great leadership."
My suspicion is that the Wolverines - their coaches, their captains and their upperclassmen in particular - will stay focused against the next three less challenging opponents.
And if they do, the Buckeye faithful might end up feeling a little bit blue when the game of the century comes to the Horseshoe.
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Michigan, OSU for real, Iowa coach says
By Steve Batterson | Monday, October 23, 2006
http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2006/10/23//sports//doc453c424c13ff3269936819.txt#
ANN ARBOR, Mich. ? Seeing is believing.
After seeing and losing to the nation?s top two ranked college football teams in the past four weeks, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said top-rated Ohio State and second-ranked Michigan deserve the recognition they are receiving.
?It?s a pretty unique situation,? Ferentz said. ?It?s not very often that you have two teams in the same conference that are of the caliber that those two are, but we?ve seen them both and they?re legitimate.
?There may be three or four other teams around the country that are performing at around that same level, but that?s probably about it. Michigan and Ohio State are awfully good football teams.?
The Hawkeyes are one of three Big Ten teams who have competed against both the Buckeyes and Wolverines so far this season, joining Michigan State and Penn State in contributing to the identical 8-0 starts that Ohio State and Michigan enjoy.
Iowa lost 38-17 at home to Ohio State on Sept. 30 and lost 20-6 at Michigan on Saturday.
?We hung with both of them for 2? quarters or so, that tells us that we can play at that level, but what we learned from playing them is that you have to play that way for 60 minutes, not 48 or 52,?? quarterback Drew Tate said. ?That?s what separates them from the rest of us.?
The sentiments of Iowa players and coaches are shared by others in the Big Ten.
?I didn?t see a dime?s worth of difference between them,?? Penn State coach Joe Paterno said. ?They?re both fundamentally sound and they have everything you want ? size, speed, athleticism. They?re two great football teams.??
Michigan State coach John L. Smith said that while the Buckeyes? passing game might be a little more wide open, he said the addition of Mario Manningham to the Wolverines? receiving corps gives Michigan as many weapons.
?Michigan will run the ball and play action you, while Ohio State will run the ball or put it in Troy Smith?s hands and let him make something happen,?? Smith said. ?That may make Ohio State a little less predictable.
?Both defenses are very good. Michigan?s front gets a lot of attention, but their secondary is pretty good, too, and Ohio State?s defense was as athletic as any we?ve seen.??
Iowa found the Wolverines? defense to be the stiffest it has faced this season, something that didn?t surprise Ferentz.
?Even when you watch them on film, it?s tough to find something where you would say, ?Hey, that might be a good play to run against them.? Their defense is so strong is puts you in predictable situations at second-and-long or third-and-long and that just plays into their hands,?? Ferentz said.
Michigan, OSU for real, Iowa coach says
By Steve Batterson | Monday, October 23, 2006
http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2006/10/23//sports//doc453c424c13ff3269936819.txt#
ANN ARBOR, Mich. ? Seeing is believing.
After seeing and losing to the nation?s top two ranked college football teams in the past four weeks, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said top-rated Ohio State and second-ranked Michigan deserve the recognition they are receiving.
?It?s a pretty unique situation,? Ferentz said. ?It?s not very often that you have two teams in the same conference that are of the caliber that those two are, but we?ve seen them both and they?re legitimate.
?There may be three or four other teams around the country that are performing at around that same level, but that?s probably about it. Michigan and Ohio State are awfully good football teams.?
The Hawkeyes are one of three Big Ten teams who have competed against both the Buckeyes and Wolverines so far this season, joining Michigan State and Penn State in contributing to the identical 8-0 starts that Ohio State and Michigan enjoy.
Iowa lost 38-17 at home to Ohio State on Sept. 30 and lost 20-6 at Michigan on Saturday.
?We hung with both of them for 2? quarters or so, that tells us that we can play at that level, but what we learned from playing them is that you have to play that way for 60 minutes, not 48 or 52,?? quarterback Drew Tate said. ?That?s what separates them from the rest of us.?
The sentiments of Iowa players and coaches are shared by others in the Big Ten.
?I didn?t see a dime?s worth of difference between them,?? Penn State coach Joe Paterno said. ?They?re both fundamentally sound and they have everything you want ? size, speed, athleticism. They?re two great football teams.??
Michigan State coach John L. Smith said that while the Buckeyes? passing game might be a little more wide open, he said the addition of Mario Manningham to the Wolverines? receiving corps gives Michigan as many weapons.
?Michigan will run the ball and play action you, while Ohio State will run the ball or put it in Troy Smith?s hands and let him make something happen,?? Smith said. ?That may make Ohio State a little less predictable.
?Both defenses are very good. Michigan?s front gets a lot of attention, but their secondary is pretty good, too, and Ohio State?s defense was as athletic as any we?ve seen.??
Iowa found the Wolverines? defense to be the stiffest it has faced this season, something that didn?t surprise Ferentz.
?Even when you watch them on film, it?s tough to find something where you would say, ?Hey, that might be a good play to run against them.? Their defense is so strong is puts you in predictable situations at second-and-long or third-and-long and that just plays into their hands,?? Ferentz said.
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OZone
The Wolverine defense continues to be dominant, and their 20-6 win over Iowa is indicative of that. However, as I mentioned last week, the offense is struggling.
Michigan only put up 291 yards of total offense on Iowa. It was the worst offensive performance against Iowa since Syracuse put up 280 yards on the Hawkeyes in week two. Here are the yardage totals that Iowa's Division I-A opponents have put up against them this season: Syracuse 280; Iowa State 323; Illinois 315; Ohio State 400; Purdue 456; Indiana 413. I understand that losing Manningham is big, but c'mon...
Still, offense isn't always necessary, and fans of the 2002 Buckeyes should keep that in mind.
So, with the victory over Iowa, the Wolverines have now officially completed the "iffy" portion of their schedule.
They now begin their prep for Troy Smith and the Buckeyes with games against Northwestern, Ball State and at Indiana. None of these games will provide a test for Michigan. However, when you include the Iowa game, they will have played four straight games against a mobile quarterback.
And while Troy Smith isn't any of those quarterbacks, it will give Michigan looks similar to the ones they'll be seeing against the Buckeyes.
Though it may not matter if Manningham is still out.
Iowa had the ball for 9:44 of the first quarter, then Michigan had it for over nine minutes in each of the final three quarters. Michigan finished with a 34:23 to 25:37 time of possession advantage. Which shouldn't be a surprise, since they lead the nation in that statistic.
With Mario Manningham still out, and no reliable timetable provided by Lloyd Carr, the Wolverines still don't have an available secondary downfield receiver. Adrian Arrington has taken Manningham's spot with some success, but he hasn't had the same impact. The same can be said for Greg Mathews and Steve Breaston, who have tried to pick up Arrington's slack as the "third" receiver.
Breaston is being sent downfield more, but Mathews is pretty much a short route guy. Nobody else has come forward and it doesn't look like anybody else is going to be asked to.
If these three receivers don't step it up even more, it's going to get harder and harder for Michael Hart to find room to run. Fortunately, the caliber of defenses they play won't provide any challenges.
Actually, I don't know if that truly is fortunate. I think you would want a better barometer of where your offense stands before you come to Columbus.
With just those three receivers to choose from, Chad Henne went back to the old Michigan staple--the tight end. This time it was Carson Butler. Though Butler only caught three passes, he showed athleticism and an ability to stretch the field. In fact, he averaged fourteen yards per catch on Saturday, which was by far the best on the team for the day.
Looking at the numbers for the receivers: Adrian Arrington had eight catches for 79 yards; Steve Breaston had seven catches for 49 yards; and Greg Mathews had three catches for sixteen yards. As you can see, that's not exactly stretching the field.
Interestingly, the Wolverines went five wide a few times, even though they only played four receivers on the afternoon.
On the day, Henne was a very respectable 23-33 for 203 yards with an interception. The interception was a pretty bad one, as he threw it downfield over the middle into double coverage and led his receiver too far.
He was sacked three times and the Michigan offensive line had more than a few struggles against the smaller, quicker Iowa defensive line.
Right tackle Rueben Riley allowed a sack that caused a Chad Henne fumble. Right guard Alex Mitchell was called for a couple of penalties. And left tackle Jake Long gave up a coverage sack. It wasn't the best day of pass protection, as Henne was pressured throughout the day.
The pass blocking wasn't the only area of concern for the Wolverines. Michigan ran the ball 39 times for 88 yards, for an average of 2.3 yards per carry. For comparison's sake, the Buckeyes ran the ball 50 times against the Hawkeyes for 214 yards, averaging 4.3 yards per carry.
Michael Hart carried the ball 31 times for 126 yards and scored two touchdowns. Even though there wasn't a lot of room to run, he wasn't credited with any negative rushing yards. His long run of the day was ten yards.
Hart did struggle a bit in the first half, carrying the ball ten time for 27 yards. However, in the second half, he and the offensive line managed to control the game. Hart had 21 carries for 99 yards in the third and fourth quarters.
No other running backs carried the ball for the Wolverines, and it still clearly looks to be a trust issue.
The running game was abused on Saturday afternoon. Damian Sims ran the ball seven times, gaining 22 yards. Albert Young carried it nine times for seventeen yards. The best run of the day came on a 21-yard scramble by Drew Tate.
The tackles were pretty spread out for the Wolverines. The starting linebackers had three tackles apiece. In fact, the leading tackler at linebacker was reserve Chris Graham with four. It should be noted, however, that all three of Crable's tackles went for sacks, and included a forced fumble.
Michigan was playing five and six man fronts for much of the game. In so doing, they moved Shawn Crable all around. He was at rush end at times, where he would be the fifth man on the line and just go after the quarterback. He would also stand up inside and twist and stunt with the defensive tackles. Both instances bred success for the Michigan defense.
Every week, we talk about Alan Branch around this time. But today, let's mention defensive tackle Terrance Taylor first. He had four tackles on the day and was active from the first snap. He's only 6'0", so he can't just maul people like the 6'6" Alan Branch does. Taylor runs and pursues and doesn't stay blocked for long.
Anyway, back to Branch...he just mauls people. He doesn't need to shed blockers, he just takes them with him. Woodley gets all of the sacks and notoriety, but Branch will be the one cashing the bigger paychecks in a couple of years.
Speaking of Woodley, he had another two sacks today, including a forced fumble. He was chasing Drew Tate all day long.
When the Hawkeyes gave Tate time, he was able to go downfield and attack the secondary. He also rolled out on occasion and found receivers downfield. However, nearly every time he rolled out, he paid for it as soon as he released the ball.
So, while the rollout is effective, you have to weigh it against the prospects of a concussion.
The secondary was merely okay this week. And I believe the "okay" is a very accurate indicator of where the secondary is right now, and where it will be on November 18.
If Hawkeye receivers are running free in the secondary, what does that mean for the Ohio State receivers?
Leon Hall is the best cornerback on the team, but he was bailed out by bad throws or dropped passes on a few occasions Saturday. Morgan Trent is still not playing as well as he was prior to his injury, though he?s very close.
Defensive coordinator Ron English has mixed Johnny Sears into the cornerback rotation. He has potential, as does the long ago benched Charles Stewart, but Sears is too inconsistent and is still a bit overmatched.
Fortunately for Michigan, the schedule will now allow for mismatches in certain positions. It will make for good learning situations for those who need it. Namely, Sears and Trent.
Brandon Harrison has also been playing quite a bit, but it almost seems like he's the designated blitzer right now. He's small, so he's not always an easy pick up for the running back or the lineman.
Brandent Englemon and Jamar Adams went most, if not all of the way, at the two safety positions. While both are big hitters, and solid tacklers, neither is especially great in pass coverage.
It seems like the same story every week, but that's because it is.
The front seven is hiding a suspect secondary right now.
Zoltan Mesko again did all of the punting. He has such a huge leg that he is capable of out-kicking his coverage. I don't know how wise it would be to give Ted Ginn fifteen yards of distance between he and the first gunner. Fortunately for the Wolverines, Mesko is also starting to find his touch. Of his five punts on Saturday, three ended up inside the twenty-yard line.
The Wolverine return defense wasn't too bad, though they did give up a nineteen-yard punt return to Dominique Douglas.
Garrett Rivas made all of his placements, kicking a 20-yard and 37-yard field goal, as well as hitting both of his extra point attempts. He also handled all of the kickoffs, putting three of his five kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks. This is a distinct improvement from his 0-4 last week. Much like the punting situation, I wonder if Michigan will try to reach the end zone when they play the Buckeyes.
The offense will do enough to win the next three weeks.
Chad Henne will continue to try to find open receivers. But those receivers will have to do a better job of getting open.
The defense won't have any problems laying waste to their ninth, tenth, and eleventh opponents.
It also means that we are now in that portion of the season where Michigan and Ohio State are showing each other purposeful looks.
Michigan went with five wides and five and six-man fronts.
The Buckeyes, meanwhile, are throwing passes with Ted Ginn.
Even though the games may not be that interesting leading up to November 18, the gamesmanship sure will be.
The Road To The Big One
Sept. 2 Michigan 27 - Vanderbilt 7
Sept. 9 Michigan 41 - Central Michigan 17
Sept. 16 Michigan 47 - Notre Dame 21
Sept. 23 Michigan 27 - Wisconsin 13
Sept. 30 Michigan 28 - Minnesota 14
Oct. 7 Michigan 31 - Michigan State 13
Oct. 14 Michigan 17 - Penn State 10
Oct. 21 Michigan 20 - Iowa 6
Oct. 28 Northwestern at Michigan
Nov. 4 Ball State at Michigan
Nov. 11 Michigan at Indiana
Nov. 18 Michigan at Ohio State
Football
Michigan Monday
By Tony Gerdeman
Michigan Monday
By Tony Gerdeman
Remember last week when Michigan was only up a touchdown for most of the Penn State game, but the game never really seemed in doubt? That was the situation again on Saturday, except there was a little more doubt in the air.
Much of that, of course, is attributable to Iowa quarterback Drew Tate, even though he's only better than Anthony Morelli in theory anymore.The Wolverine defense continues to be dominant, and their 20-6 win over Iowa is indicative of that. However, as I mentioned last week, the offense is struggling.
Michigan only put up 291 yards of total offense on Iowa. It was the worst offensive performance against Iowa since Syracuse put up 280 yards on the Hawkeyes in week two. Here are the yardage totals that Iowa's Division I-A opponents have put up against them this season: Syracuse 280; Iowa State 323; Illinois 315; Ohio State 400; Purdue 456; Indiana 413. I understand that losing Manningham is big, but c'mon...
Still, offense isn't always necessary, and fans of the 2002 Buckeyes should keep that in mind.
So, with the victory over Iowa, the Wolverines have now officially completed the "iffy" portion of their schedule.
They now begin their prep for Troy Smith and the Buckeyes with games against Northwestern, Ball State and at Indiana. None of these games will provide a test for Michigan. However, when you include the Iowa game, they will have played four straight games against a mobile quarterback.
And while Troy Smith isn't any of those quarterbacks, it will give Michigan looks similar to the ones they'll be seeing against the Buckeyes.
Though it may not matter if Manningham is still out.
When Michigan Had The Ball
Even though they had it for most of the game, they didn't do much with it.Iowa had the ball for 9:44 of the first quarter, then Michigan had it for over nine minutes in each of the final three quarters. Michigan finished with a 34:23 to 25:37 time of possession advantage. Which shouldn't be a surprise, since they lead the nation in that statistic.
With Mario Manningham still out, and no reliable timetable provided by Lloyd Carr, the Wolverines still don't have an available secondary downfield receiver. Adrian Arrington has taken Manningham's spot with some success, but he hasn't had the same impact. The same can be said for Greg Mathews and Steve Breaston, who have tried to pick up Arrington's slack as the "third" receiver.
Breaston is being sent downfield more, but Mathews is pretty much a short route guy. Nobody else has come forward and it doesn't look like anybody else is going to be asked to.
If these three receivers don't step it up even more, it's going to get harder and harder for Michael Hart to find room to run. Fortunately, the caliber of defenses they play won't provide any challenges.
Actually, I don't know if that truly is fortunate. I think you would want a better barometer of where your offense stands before you come to Columbus.
With just those three receivers to choose from, Chad Henne went back to the old Michigan staple--the tight end. This time it was Carson Butler. Though Butler only caught three passes, he showed athleticism and an ability to stretch the field. In fact, he averaged fourteen yards per catch on Saturday, which was by far the best on the team for the day.
Looking at the numbers for the receivers: Adrian Arrington had eight catches for 79 yards; Steve Breaston had seven catches for 49 yards; and Greg Mathews had three catches for sixteen yards. As you can see, that's not exactly stretching the field.
Interestingly, the Wolverines went five wide a few times, even though they only played four receivers on the afternoon.
On the day, Henne was a very respectable 23-33 for 203 yards with an interception. The interception was a pretty bad one, as he threw it downfield over the middle into double coverage and led his receiver too far.
He was sacked three times and the Michigan offensive line had more than a few struggles against the smaller, quicker Iowa defensive line.
Right tackle Rueben Riley allowed a sack that caused a Chad Henne fumble. Right guard Alex Mitchell was called for a couple of penalties. And left tackle Jake Long gave up a coverage sack. It wasn't the best day of pass protection, as Henne was pressured throughout the day.
The pass blocking wasn't the only area of concern for the Wolverines. Michigan ran the ball 39 times for 88 yards, for an average of 2.3 yards per carry. For comparison's sake, the Buckeyes ran the ball 50 times against the Hawkeyes for 214 yards, averaging 4.3 yards per carry.
Michael Hart carried the ball 31 times for 126 yards and scored two touchdowns. Even though there wasn't a lot of room to run, he wasn't credited with any negative rushing yards. His long run of the day was ten yards.
Hart did struggle a bit in the first half, carrying the ball ten time for 27 yards. However, in the second half, he and the offensive line managed to control the game. Hart had 21 carries for 99 yards in the third and fourth quarters.
No other running backs carried the ball for the Wolverines, and it still clearly looks to be a trust issue.
When Michigan Was On Defense
Per usual, Michigan's run defense was the story. They held the Hawkeyes to 41 yards on 24 carries.The running game was abused on Saturday afternoon. Damian Sims ran the ball seven times, gaining 22 yards. Albert Young carried it nine times for seventeen yards. The best run of the day came on a 21-yard scramble by Drew Tate.
The tackles were pretty spread out for the Wolverines. The starting linebackers had three tackles apiece. In fact, the leading tackler at linebacker was reserve Chris Graham with four. It should be noted, however, that all three of Crable's tackles went for sacks, and included a forced fumble.
Michigan was playing five and six man fronts for much of the game. In so doing, they moved Shawn Crable all around. He was at rush end at times, where he would be the fifth man on the line and just go after the quarterback. He would also stand up inside and twist and stunt with the defensive tackles. Both instances bred success for the Michigan defense.
Every week, we talk about Alan Branch around this time. But today, let's mention defensive tackle Terrance Taylor first. He had four tackles on the day and was active from the first snap. He's only 6'0", so he can't just maul people like the 6'6" Alan Branch does. Taylor runs and pursues and doesn't stay blocked for long.
Anyway, back to Branch...he just mauls people. He doesn't need to shed blockers, he just takes them with him. Woodley gets all of the sacks and notoriety, but Branch will be the one cashing the bigger paychecks in a couple of years.
Speaking of Woodley, he had another two sacks today, including a forced fumble. He was chasing Drew Tate all day long.
When the Hawkeyes gave Tate time, he was able to go downfield and attack the secondary. He also rolled out on occasion and found receivers downfield. However, nearly every time he rolled out, he paid for it as soon as he released the ball.
So, while the rollout is effective, you have to weigh it against the prospects of a concussion.
The secondary was merely okay this week. And I believe the "okay" is a very accurate indicator of where the secondary is right now, and where it will be on November 18.
If Hawkeye receivers are running free in the secondary, what does that mean for the Ohio State receivers?
Leon Hall is the best cornerback on the team, but he was bailed out by bad throws or dropped passes on a few occasions Saturday. Morgan Trent is still not playing as well as he was prior to his injury, though he?s very close.
Defensive coordinator Ron English has mixed Johnny Sears into the cornerback rotation. He has potential, as does the long ago benched Charles Stewart, but Sears is too inconsistent and is still a bit overmatched.
Fortunately for Michigan, the schedule will now allow for mismatches in certain positions. It will make for good learning situations for those who need it. Namely, Sears and Trent.
Brandon Harrison has also been playing quite a bit, but it almost seems like he's the designated blitzer right now. He's small, so he's not always an easy pick up for the running back or the lineman.
Brandent Englemon and Jamar Adams went most, if not all of the way, at the two safety positions. While both are big hitters, and solid tacklers, neither is especially great in pass coverage.
It seems like the same story every week, but that's because it is.
The front seven is hiding a suspect secondary right now.
Special Teams
Michigan had their first big special teams play of the season, as Steve Breaston returned a kickoff 64 yards. He still can't really get anything going on the punt return, though. He had two returns for four yards, with a long of five.Zoltan Mesko again did all of the punting. He has such a huge leg that he is capable of out-kicking his coverage. I don't know how wise it would be to give Ted Ginn fifteen yards of distance between he and the first gunner. Fortunately for the Wolverines, Mesko is also starting to find his touch. Of his five punts on Saturday, three ended up inside the twenty-yard line.
The Wolverine return defense wasn't too bad, though they did give up a nineteen-yard punt return to Dominique Douglas.
Garrett Rivas made all of his placements, kicking a 20-yard and 37-yard field goal, as well as hitting both of his extra point attempts. He also handled all of the kickoffs, putting three of his five kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks. This is a distinct improvement from his 0-4 last week. Much like the punting situation, I wonder if Michigan will try to reach the end zone when they play the Buckeyes.
What Does It All Mean
It means that Michigan needs Mario Manningham badly, but not soon. The offense will do enough to win the next three weeks.
Chad Henne will continue to try to find open receivers. But those receivers will have to do a better job of getting open.
The defense won't have any problems laying waste to their ninth, tenth, and eleventh opponents.
It also means that we are now in that portion of the season where Michigan and Ohio State are showing each other purposeful looks.
Michigan went with five wides and five and six-man fronts.
The Buckeyes, meanwhile, are throwing passes with Ted Ginn.
Even though the games may not be that interesting leading up to November 18, the gamesmanship sure will be.
The Road To The Big One
Sept. 2 Michigan 27 - Vanderbilt 7
Sept. 9 Michigan 41 - Central Michigan 17
Sept. 16 Michigan 47 - Notre Dame 21
Sept. 23 Michigan 27 - Wisconsin 13
Sept. 30 Michigan 28 - Minnesota 14
Oct. 7 Michigan 31 - Michigan State 13
Oct. 14 Michigan 17 - Penn State 10
Oct. 21 Michigan 20 - Iowa 6
Oct. 28 Northwestern at Michigan
Nov. 4 Ball State at Michigan
Nov. 11 Michigan at Indiana
Nov. 18 Michigan at Ohio State
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Wolverines
MARK SNYDER: Hart: The next three games toughest
October 23, 2006
Mike Hart will make sure players practice with intensity for Northwestern and not think about No. 1 Ohio State.
Saturday's game
So when he says the next three games matter -- even though No. 2-ranked Michigan's opponents have a combined 8-16 record -- he's not blowing smoke.
"This is the toughest part right here," said Hart, U-M's junior tailback. "Our toughest games have probably went by. But this is the toughest part of our schedule. What are we going to do now?"
His theory is that the mental challenge of facing Northwestern, Ball State and playing at Indiana the next three weeks will test the 8-0 Wolverines' mental fortitude.
Even if some of his teammates are watching TV and noticing that every Michigan and Ohio State segment are paired together, Hart refuses to let them believe that the Nov. 18 showdown is the only goal remaining.
He said this week he plans to talk -- a lot.
He'll get in players' faces, he'll scream at them when they're slacking and he'll force them to bring their intensity level near his -- no easy task.
"Of course it's hard," he said about avoiding the temptation to look ahead. "But that's what makes great teams, coming out and playing competitive games against these (other) teams. That's when you find out how good a team's leadership is, when you come out for these next few games. Everyone knows we've played our toughest games, our toughest stretch. Everyone knows that. Now what are we going to do these next few weeks? Are we going to fall by the wayside so we're not ready when we get to O-State, or are we going to get better every week?"
It would be just like Lloyd Carr to crack out a few motivational ploys this week, something from a book about focus and staying the course.
But even he understands how difficult it will be -- especially for the younger players.
Even though the opponents don't carry the cachet of Michigan's past six-game stretch, capped by Saturday's 20-6 win over Iowa, the Wolverines still have work to do during these three games.
? Health: Michigan needs to heal. Tight ends Tyler Ecker (ankle) and Mike Massey (shoulder) missed Saturday, offensive lineman Rueben Riley left with a bad ankle, Steve Breaston's leg kept him out of practice two days last week and wide receiver Mario Manningham's knee surgery rehab continues.
? Defending the pass: While the secondary hasn't broken yet, opponents are bending it more and more each week, shown by Iowa's 197 passing yards Saturday. Northwestern's spread attack should be a good test this week.
? Maintaining focus: Michigan needs to continue battling even through a slow start. Just like on Saturday, when its favorite non-scoreboard statistic -- time of possession -- was working against the team early. After trailing 9:44 to 5:16 after the first quarter, Michigan won each of the next three quarters by almost four minutes each, showing a growing resiliency.
? Special teams: Carr praised the Wolverines relentlessly this weekend about their special teams, most obvious in Breaston's 64-yard kickoff return. But what has been overlooked is the stellar play by punter Zoltan Mesko -- whose 42.9 average would be among the top 20 nationally if he had enough attempts -- and kicker Garrett Rivas, whose 85.7% field-goal success is his career best and leads the Big Ten.
Even after years of the Michigan-Ohio State game hype, Hart has still found a way to make it special -- by redefining the opponents' nickname.
"We're focused on what we have," Hart said. "When O-State comes, it's O-State. This is Northwestern week and not the O word. You don't prepare like you do for O-State, but you have to be ready to play, and you have come out and practice as hard as you can."
Wolverines
MARK SNYDER: Hart: The next three games toughest
October 23, 2006
Mike Hart will make sure players practice with intensity for Northwestern and not think about No. 1 Ohio State.
Saturday's game
- What: No. 2 Michigan (8-0, 5-0) vs. Northwestern (2-6, 0-4).
When: Noon Saturday, Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor.
TV: ESPN.
Line: Michigan by 35.
RESULTS/SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT RESULT Sept. 2 Vanderbilt W, 27-7 Sept. 9 Central Michigan W, 41-17 Sept. 16 at Notre Dame W, 47-21 Sept. 23 Wisconsin W, 27-13 Sept. 30 at Minnesota W, 28-14 Oct. 7 Michigan State W, 31-13 Oct. 14 at Penn State W, 17-10 Oct. 21 Iowa W, 20-6
DATE OPPONENT TIME TV Saturday Northwestern Noon ESPN Nov. 4 Ball State TBA TBA Nov. 11 at Indiana TBA TBA Nov. 18 at Ohio State 3:30 ABC
So when he says the next three games matter -- even though No. 2-ranked Michigan's opponents have a combined 8-16 record -- he's not blowing smoke.
"This is the toughest part right here," said Hart, U-M's junior tailback. "Our toughest games have probably went by. But this is the toughest part of our schedule. What are we going to do now?"
His theory is that the mental challenge of facing Northwestern, Ball State and playing at Indiana the next three weeks will test the 8-0 Wolverines' mental fortitude.
Even if some of his teammates are watching TV and noticing that every Michigan and Ohio State segment are paired together, Hart refuses to let them believe that the Nov. 18 showdown is the only goal remaining.
He said this week he plans to talk -- a lot.
He'll get in players' faces, he'll scream at them when they're slacking and he'll force them to bring their intensity level near his -- no easy task.
"Of course it's hard," he said about avoiding the temptation to look ahead. "But that's what makes great teams, coming out and playing competitive games against these (other) teams. That's when you find out how good a team's leadership is, when you come out for these next few games. Everyone knows we've played our toughest games, our toughest stretch. Everyone knows that. Now what are we going to do these next few weeks? Are we going to fall by the wayside so we're not ready when we get to O-State, or are we going to get better every week?"
It would be just like Lloyd Carr to crack out a few motivational ploys this week, something from a book about focus and staying the course.
But even he understands how difficult it will be -- especially for the younger players.
Even though the opponents don't carry the cachet of Michigan's past six-game stretch, capped by Saturday's 20-6 win over Iowa, the Wolverines still have work to do during these three games.
? Health: Michigan needs to heal. Tight ends Tyler Ecker (ankle) and Mike Massey (shoulder) missed Saturday, offensive lineman Rueben Riley left with a bad ankle, Steve Breaston's leg kept him out of practice two days last week and wide receiver Mario Manningham's knee surgery rehab continues.
? Defending the pass: While the secondary hasn't broken yet, opponents are bending it more and more each week, shown by Iowa's 197 passing yards Saturday. Northwestern's spread attack should be a good test this week.
? Maintaining focus: Michigan needs to continue battling even through a slow start. Just like on Saturday, when its favorite non-scoreboard statistic -- time of possession -- was working against the team early. After trailing 9:44 to 5:16 after the first quarter, Michigan won each of the next three quarters by almost four minutes each, showing a growing resiliency.
? Special teams: Carr praised the Wolverines relentlessly this weekend about their special teams, most obvious in Breaston's 64-yard kickoff return. But what has been overlooked is the stellar play by punter Zoltan Mesko -- whose 42.9 average would be among the top 20 nationally if he had enough attempts -- and kicker Garrett Rivas, whose 85.7% field-goal success is his career best and leads the Big Ten.
Even after years of the Michigan-Ohio State game hype, Hart has still found a way to make it special -- by redefining the opponents' nickname.
"We're focused on what we have," Hart said. "When O-State comes, it's O-State. This is Northwestern week and not the O word. You don't prepare like you do for O-State, but you have to be ready to play, and you have come out and practice as hard as you can."
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lvbuckeye
Silver Surfer
crunched some numbers:
M has allowed 1927 total yards (241 per game) and 12 TDs for an average of 161 yards per TD, and 13 PPG.
Ohio State has allowed 2167 total yards (271 per game) and 8 TDs for an average of 271 yards per TD, and 9 PPG.
Ohio State has 3281 total yards (410 per game), and has scored 37 TDs for an average of 87 yards of O per TD, and 35 PPG.
M has 2901 total yards (363 per game), and has scored 29 TDs for an average of 100 yards of O per TD, and 30 PPG.
split the difference, and the prediction is that Ohio State will have 325 total yards, 24 points, and will travel 124 yards per TD.
split the difference, and the prediction is that M will have 322 total yards, 20 points, and will travel 185 yards between TDs.
M has allowed 1927 total yards (241 per game) and 12 TDs for an average of 161 yards per TD, and 13 PPG.
Ohio State has allowed 2167 total yards (271 per game) and 8 TDs for an average of 271 yards per TD, and 9 PPG.
Ohio State has 3281 total yards (410 per game), and has scored 37 TDs for an average of 87 yards of O per TD, and 35 PPG.
M has 2901 total yards (363 per game), and has scored 29 TDs for an average of 100 yards of O per TD, and 30 PPG.
split the difference, and the prediction is that Ohio State will have 325 total yards, 24 points, and will travel 124 yards per TD.
split the difference, and the prediction is that M will have 322 total yards, 20 points, and will travel 185 yards between TDs.
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Buckeye86
I do not choose to discuss it
I think the key to this game will be for us to shut down the deep ball. When Henne isn't launching it deep to Manningham (or Braylon for that matter) he looks like shit trying to throw it to any other route, throwing it into the turf or behind or anywhere else but a nice pass most of the time, especially when he's under pressure.
I think we're in good shape in this department- we haven't given up a deep ball all year and in fact, I can only think of once where someone has actually attempted to go deep on us (and that was this week when Indiana threw the INT to Amos). Even if it has occurred more than that it isn't very often. I think our CBs match up well against Manningham, especially Jenkins, who has shut down much taller receivers (Sweed, Hardy) who are much harder to cover on the post route as far as I'm concerned.
With the way our run defense has improved over the year, if we shut down the deep ball, we will at least force Michigan to sustain long scoring drives (if they score at all, bend but don't break). If this happens I think we outscore Michigan relatively easily with the wrinkles (crevices) in our offense that we have been saving up all year for the big one.
GO BUCKS! :osu:
edit: I guess McCoy went deep to Sweed once or twice, when Jenkins had superb coverage both times, but those weren't really the type of bombs that Henne excels at
I think we're in good shape in this department- we haven't given up a deep ball all year and in fact, I can only think of once where someone has actually attempted to go deep on us (and that was this week when Indiana threw the INT to Amos). Even if it has occurred more than that it isn't very often. I think our CBs match up well against Manningham, especially Jenkins, who has shut down much taller receivers (Sweed, Hardy) who are much harder to cover on the post route as far as I'm concerned.
With the way our run defense has improved over the year, if we shut down the deep ball, we will at least force Michigan to sustain long scoring drives (if they score at all, bend but don't break). If this happens I think we outscore Michigan relatively easily with the wrinkles (crevices) in our offense that we have been saving up all year for the big one.
GO BUCKS! :osu:
edit: I guess McCoy went deep to Sweed once or twice, when Jenkins had superb coverage both times, but those weren't really the type of bombs that Henne excels at
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