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#11 Michigan @ #23 Michigan State: Battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy

  • Trueblue23
    HUGE game for Michigan this week..
  • Classyposter58
    Go Green!
  • dwccrew
    I don't think Michigan will get their 7th win in this game. MSU at home in a big rivalry. Although Michigan is 6-0 I am still not sold on them. They haven't played anybody except Notre Dame and Notre Dame had more to do with losing that game than Michigan did winning it IMO. The game plan to beat Michigan....stop Denard. That's it and good defensive minded coaches, like Dantonio, can do that and have done it. I'll take MSU 34-31
  • Tobias Fünke
    Michigan State by a nose.
  • WebFire
    I don't think MSU is as good as people think. This will be a tough game, but I think Michigan gets the tough win on the road and shows it's new attitude. They are hungry, and with the coaching staff's ability to make adjustments, I think they'll be fine.

    I almost hesitate to say that the defense will be the difference in the game, and that Michigan's D will do just enough to let the offense outscore MSU.
  • vball10set
    Sparty
  • dwccrew
    WebFire;928692 wrote:I don't think MSU is as good as people think.
    I think the same can be said about Michigan. Not that I think Michigan is bad at all, I just don't think they are a top ten team yet.
  • Writerbuckeye
    I am not sold on MSU at all. I'm also not sure UM is much better at this point. I've come to the conclusion that everyone but Wisconsin in the Big Ten is pretty average, if not below or (IU, Purdue) far below average.

    Honestly, either of these teams can win this game, but since it's a rivalry game at MSU, I'll take Sparty in a close one. It will probably be very high scoring, though, as I don't think either defense is really that good.
  • WebFire
    dwccrew;928782 wrote:I think the same can be said about Michigan. Not that I think Michigan is bad at all, I just don't think they are a top ten team yet.
    That is fair and valid. Should be a good game!
  • WebFire
    For anyone concerned with Sparty's extra week of prep, here is an article that debunks that myth...

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703673604575550133637891028.html

    Since 2002, teams in the six major conferences have a .480 winning percentage in conference games following a bye
    In the Big Ten in particular, byes seem to hurt more than they help. The Big Ten's 11 teams are a combined 17-32 since 2002 when playing conference games on extra rest.
  • Trueblue23
    It sucks, but I don't think we beat Sparty this year.

    My heart says yes, my head says no.
  • WebFire
    Trueblue23;929001 wrote:It sucks, but I don't think we beat Sparty this year.

    My heart says yes, my head says no.
    What is so impressive about Sparty to make you think so?
  • Trueblue23
    WebFire;929045 wrote:What is so impressive about Sparty to make you think so?
    A few things..

    Their d-line is very good. They're better than us at special teams, and Cousins is a veteran QB. They're more than capable of running the ball, have good WRs and are good at stopping the run.
  • WebFire
    Trueblue23;929062 wrote:A few things..

    Their d-line is very good. They're better than us at special teams, and Cousins is a veteran QB. They're more than capable of running the ball, have good WRs and are good at stopping the run.
    I really think Cousins is overrated. The D line is legit. Special teams can still cause us some issues. Overall I'm not sold on MSU. I think it will be a tight game and either could win. But right now I think Michigan does just enough to get it done.
  • Trueblue23
    I'll leave it at this.

    Michigan plays like they did in the 2nd half vs Northwestern, they win.

    aka Denard plays SMART football, defense swarms.
  • WebFire
    Trueblue23;929087 wrote:I'll leave it at this.

    Michigan plays like they did in the 2nd half vs Northwestern, they win.

    aka Denard plays SMART football, defense swarms.
    Agreed. Play like the 1st half, and lose.
  • Trueblue23
    Big Ten Network showing the game from 2004
  • athlete37
    Sparty by 6+. Michigan doesn't have the secondary to capitalize fully on Cousins' mistakes, and he'll hurt them when he's on. Would love to go to a MSU-UM game at either stadium because both are great places to be (even though I'm 0 for 1 in East Lansing and 0 for 2 at the Big House with my Irish)
  • Tiernan
    Anybody know WTF Paul Bunyan has to do with either of these schools? Cousins shreds the scUM weaksauce DBs. MSU by 10+
  • FatHobbit
    Tiernan;932180 wrote:Anybody know WTF Paul Bunyan has to do with either of these schools? Cousins shreds the scUM weaksauce DBs. MSU by 10+
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Bunyan_Trophy
  • WebFire
    Cousins is ok, but I think we've already played QBs better than him. Hell, his pass efficiency isn't even as good as Denards.
  • WebFire
    Good write up on the game on ESPN.com.
    Seven of the top 10 teams in the country hit the road Saturday. Other than the obligatory warning against sleepwalking (Stanford, Clemson), there's little evidence to suggest that this weekend will be the one that finally shakes up the top 10.Of course, it usually happens when you least suspect it. The biggest danger for the top 10 might be not realizing they're in a fight until it's too late, but the No. 11 team should arrive with its eyes wide open. Michigan is undefeated, though I'm still not quite sure what to make of the Wolverines. Snatching victory from Notre Dame's jaws like a honey badger taking a football from a Gator was a thrilling finish. But the rest of Michigan's season has been as scripted.
    [+] EnlargeRick Osentoski/US PresswireBrady Hoke can lead Michigan to its first 7-0 start since 2006 with a win over Sparty.


    The win at Northwestern was nice, but the day Michigan defines itself by beating the Wildcats is the day TCU coach Gary Patterson donates to an SMU fundraiser. If Michigan is legitimately the 11th-best team in the country, it needs to beat Michigan State on the road.
    History hasn't been kind to new maize-and-blue coaches the first time they match up with Michigan State. Writer Michael Rothstein points out onWolverineNation that Bo Schembechler, Lloyd Carr and Gary Moeller all started 0-1 versus Michigan State. Bennie Oosterbaan beat State in his first try in 1948 but then lost the first Paul Bunyan Trophy game in 1953. Rich Rodriguez was 0-for-Sparty. Brady Hoke, your turn.
    Spartans defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi tied "Shoelace" in knots last season, holding Denard Robinson to 86 yards on 21 carries. The Spartans also picked off Robinson three times.
    Robinson has thrown nine picks already this season. That's the same number as now-former South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia. Only two quarterbacks in the country have thrown to the wrong jersey more often. Obviously, Michigan needs much more than that from its star quarterback if it is going to taste victory on the banks of the Red Cedar River.
    Michigan State's offensive line needs to do a better job creating space for running backsEdwin Baker and Le'Veon Bell. It's unfathomable that those two average a little over 100 yards per game combined. That's less than half the number the duo put up against Michigan last season.
    On Saturday, they'll face a greatly improved Michigan rush defense. Quarterback Kirk Cousins hasn't had the senior season he expected up to this point. But in East Lansing, all wrongs can be righted with an offensive explosion against their despised rival to the south.
    The keys are simple. Who can run it? Robinson or the Spartans running backs? If the answer is neither, then who takes care of the ball passing? Cousins' touchdown-to-interception ratio is only 6-to-4. The winner emerges as a favorite, along with Nebraska, in the Legends Division of the Big Ten.
    http://espn.go.com/ncf/notebook/_/page/gamedayKickoff117/week-7-preview
  • WebFire
    This is the Denard we need Saturday.

    [video=youtube;r39CD2xcOuc][/video]
  • Tiernan
    Who the fk knew Meecheegan was a noted lumber producing state?

    I do know scUM will be taking some hardwood deep into the rectum come Saturday though.
  • charliehustle14
    I like Michigan in this one. I think the key for them is stopping the power running game of Sparty. If they can manage to do that, they'll be fine. I don't really see Denard going off against MSU's D, but I also see Cousin's making some critical mistakes.