osu @ M - Game Day, In Game, Post Game Discussion

[drok]

I had the pleasure of enduring this game in person on Saturday. My brother and I got talking afterwards and remarked on how the atmosphere surrounding this game was truly strange. I've been to at least 7 UM/OSU games and even though we should have been really amped for this game, there was a certain electricity missing from the whole day and I can't figure out if this is just in my head. I didn't feel the same tension before the game, either at the tailgate or on the walk up to the stadium. The crowd itself didn't seem the have the requisite intensity. Something really seemed off. Even RR's sorry bunch elicited more excitement from the crowd. At least that's what it felt like to me. It got loud at times but it never felt like we were ever truly into the game the same way I've experienced other games at The Big House. It's hard to tell if I'm just reflecting how I personally felt, if it had to do with where I sat or if this was something real.

[hack]

Very interesting. Say more when you have more.

[lineygoblue]

I noticed that there was still too much red in the stadium.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Liney ......Let's not go there. We've already had this discussion.

Drok, you sat next to Stan, right?

That would explain it.

[lineygoblue]

Sorry Jeff, but it was obvious on TV.

[iam416]

I don't think it's incumbent upon M fans to stick around to the bitter end of a 42-13 loss to prevent the 10,000 or so OSU fans there from making noise.

I didn't seem like OSU fans were out in huge numbers during the game. Just at the end when everyone was justifiably getting a jump on not watching that crap any more.

JMO.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Sorry Jeff, but it was obvious on TV.

Well, in that case, I'll give you my 2 cents on this.

If season ticket holders are not strong enough fans to come to The Game and cheer on Michigan, preferring instead to sell there tickets to fans like Big Nut .........

https://www.flickr.com/photos/132694475@N07/23106803760

or to leave early so as not to watch the killing fields any longer, so what. More power to osu and their fans. This is not an issue that I am all concerned about. M fans are what they are. osu fans are what they are.

[WM Wolverine]

Tale of the tape (stats) shows this game wasn't near as lopsided as the scoreboard suggests. M needed to get in the end zone instead of FG's and/or do the opposite to OSU, cut down on the penalties and win the big play battle instead of losing.

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OSU exploited the glaring weakness the defense showed vs Indiana and Durkin showed no clue to make any adjustment neither before or during the game. Durkin tried to defend a read-option attack (who weren't much of a threat to throw) leaving a safety or two deep giving the Buckeyes a man advantage in the box. You NEVER check to a pass when you have the man advantage in the read-option...

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Good news is no read-option teams on schedule for '16 other than Indiana, OSU. Both last two games of the season. Yes, I do believe M has talent to POTENTIALLY go 11-0 before heading to Columbus next season, they only need to find a QB (which they might have) and a running back. M plays Iowa and Wisconsin in the West so the B1G slate is relatively tough but OOC is nearly three cupcakes and I don't think highly of the B1G in '16.

[lineygoblue]

M fans are what they are. osu fans are what they are.

And since we know this, there are a lot of M fans that deserve to lose their tickets to other M fans who'd love to come to the stadium and cheer their team on. The kind of fans who'd rather lose their left nut, than see their tickets end up with someone wearing red.

JIMO ...

[Jeff Buchanan]

Tale of the tape (stats) shows this game wasn't near as lopsided as the scoreboard suggests. M needed to get in the end zone instead of FG's and/or do the opposite to OSU, cut down on the penalties and win the big play battle instead of losing.

Not to beat a dead horse (literally M v. osu) but I thought there were two pivotal sequences that were the difference in this game.

(1) The punt from the end zone penalty. In retrospect, I can see the big play thing if the punt gets blocked. So, call it. That had the potential of being demoralizing early to an osu team that was probably a little uncertain of itself. But that is also a high risk option when you're going to get a short field anyway and maybe a big play from Peppers. What ensued was a 65 yard run from Elliot and a TD shortly there after putting any uncertainties in the minds of the osu players and coaches to bed. Costly.

(2) osu's first punishing drive of the 3rd quarter followed by M's inability to match it with a score of their own ..... game over. Why? Because osu had two devastating drives to follow that one that wore down the D.

[Mike]

Re: red in the stadium. Saturday morning I found the 2003 UM - OSU game on Youtube and watched most of the first half. There was SIGNIFICANTLY more OSU fans at the Big House than there was on Saturday. I recall the footage from the 1969 game revealing a heavy buckeye presense as well. This is nothing new.

It's been 12 years since Michigan had a meaningful win in this series. If a season ticket holder can pay for the all their other games by selling the OSU game for big bucks, good for them. And if we're gonna complain about our own fans let's start with the students who leave a huge chunk of empty seats every game.

[iam416]

The roughing the punter penalty was probably the only "turning" point. At the end of the day, Ohio State's offense moved much easier. When they were in 3rd down, it was generally a makeable distance with a play that involved no particular variance. When M moved the ball, they were teetering -- one 3rd down after another. JR making some really, really nice throws to keep the drive alive. It was a sustainable approach, at least in terms of probability.

The most JH could have done is recognized at 21-10 that they weren't going to stop OSU and then play each drive with 4 downs -- at least anything near the 50, go for it.

But, at the end of the day, after its opening drive (and excluding the 30s it had the ball right before halftime), OSU scored on 6 straight drives. And real drives -- 94, 75, 82, 84, 75 and then 47. They probably could have scored one their last two, but they seemed to go into fuck around mode.

[Prime2]

Well Talent, sadly you blew it and it cost you $500.

You lost your nerve and took the first chance to dump the bet. I felt sorry for you, pissing and moaning leading up to the game, didn't want you moving to Hooverville or cutting the kids cereal milk with H20 either.

There is a lesson to be learned here and as soon as I can think of one, I will share it.

Here's to Clemson and Alabama winning out while forcing Meyer & Ohio A & M to watch from the sidelines.

Oh, see you just sent an email.

[hack]

It's hard to know if the roughing-the-punter flag was a REAL turning point or if the beatdown was coming sooner or later anyways. Had Michigan scored on the ensuing drive, maybe the game is still highly competitive late in the third, the defense isn't as gassed, and doesn't lose hope so fast. But those are big maybes. I think that the disparity in schemes was big enough that OSU wouldn't have needed that flag.

[iam416]

Tagline? Eh, how about:

"I was right about about Urban Meyer. I told you so."