Ohio State Week

[Spartanmack]

Well to be fair Baylor is playing without their quarterback and OU might be one of the most underrated teams out there. They are reminding me a lot of last year's OSU.

As for us, as uneven as this season has been it's amazing that the team's goals are still in front of them if they can pull out a W. The one thing I'm clinging to is that OSU has pretty been uneven at times themselves, and we have played well in our biggest games so far.

Our goals are still in front of us but we're not exactly in control of our own destiny. It looks like we can knock off OSU and Iowa and still end up 5th. Assuming we win out, 2 teams should fall behind us w/ Ok and Ok St and probably Fla/Bama playing each other but if the winners of those games win out and Clemson does as well, we could be 5th if Stanford doesn't beat ND. It's possible we could leap frog a team in front of us that also wins out but I wouldn't count on it. Am I missing something?

Maybe the best thing would be for Bama to lose at Auburn then win the SEC championship - assuming they win the possibly 3 or 4 way tiebreaker for SEC west (it looks like they would with the best overall record)

 

[Spartanmack]

After today, Penn State on the road is a plateful for the Maize and Blue all by itself.

Michigan has its own business to focus on regardless of what happens in CBus next week.

That said I'll be rooting against the Spartans v the Buckeyes for the first time in my almost a half century of Big Ten football.

Sorry.

Hope you will all understand.

you gotta do what you gotta do. I feel the same way - I would only ever be conflicted if a wisconsin win improved our standing in some way - can't stand the badgers.

 

[Spartanmack]

MSU +13. seems a bit high. figured it would be 9 maybe 11

 

[Sbee]

MSU +13. seems a bit high. figured it would be 9 maybe 11

I remember being road underdogs one other time this year

 

[boogerlovejoy]

Our goals are still in front of us but we're not exactly in control of our own destiny. It looks like we can knock off OSU and Iowa and still end up 5th. Assuming we win out, 2 teams should fall behind us w/ Ok and Ok St and probably Fla/Bama playing each other but if the winners of those games win out and Clemson does as well, we could be 5th if Stanford doesn't beat ND. It's possible we could leap frog a team in front of us that also wins out but I wouldn't count on it. Am I missing something?

Maybe the best thing would be for Bama to lose at Auburn then win the SEC championship - assuming they win the possibly 3 or 4 way tiebreaker for SEC west (it looks like they would with the best overall record)

I get what you're saying, but this is not a national championship team. It's not a playoff team, either. It's a very good team with a great record. We are far too weak in the secondary and on the offensive line to be serious title contenders.

I guess maybe that's why I'm not really thinking about getting into the playoffs. I don't think we can be OSU, especially on the road, and I'm not convinced that we could beat Iowa either.

 

[Spartanmack]

I get what you're saying, but this is not a national championship team. It's not a playoff team, either. It's a very good team with a great record. We are far too weak in the secondary and on the offensive line to be serious title contenders.

I guess maybe that's why I'm not really thinking about getting into the playoffs. I don't think we can be OSU, especially on the road, and I'm not convinced that we could beat Iowa either.

I completely agree and would even take it a step further and say we are overrated at #9. my point was just that we could do all that (against the odds) and still not make the playoff. In other words, our goals are in front of us like Matt said but we're not in control of our own destiny.

I said before and continue to believe our likely best case would be to get a chance to spank TCU in a new years six bowl game - I doubt we make it if we lose to OSU and it would probably be against someone else if we did but short of making the playoff, nothing would make me happier than embarrassing Gary Patterson on a national stage.

 

[tomdalton22]

I completely agree and would even take it a step further and say we are overrated at #9. my point was just that we could do all that (against the odds) and still not make the playoff. In other words, our goals are in front of us like Matt said but we're not in control of our own destiny.

I said before and continue to believe our likely best case would be to get a chance to spank TCU in a new years six bowl game - I doubt we make it if we lose to OSU and it would probably be against someone else if we did but short of making the playoff, nothing would make me happier than embarrassing Gary Patterson on a national stage.

While I don't think MSU is a great team I don't think OSU or Iowa are either. Look at OSU last year. I didn't think they would beat MSU in EL but they did. I thought they would lose to Wisky because of the backup QB and then they beat them 59-0. I thought they had no chance vs. Bama and they won there too.

You never know...MSU has a good QB, nice RB and 2 great WRs. They may have a weakness in the secondary but I think OSU and Iowa do most of their damage on the ground.

 

[MSUMatt28]

Our goals are still in front of us but we're not exactly in control of our own destiny. It looks like we can knock off OSU and Iowa and still end up 5th. Assuming we win out, 2 teams should fall behind us w/ Ok and Ok St and probably Fla/Bama playing each other but if the winners of those games win out and Clemson does as well, we could be 5th if Stanford doesn't beat ND. It's possible we could leap frog a team in front of us that also wins out but I wouldn't count on it. Am I missing something?

Maybe the best thing would be for Bama to lose at Auburn then win the SEC championship - assuming they win the possibly 3 or 4 way tiebreaker for SEC west (it looks like they would with the best overall record)

True we would need some help. I think ND will be hard-pressed to win at Stanford though.

 

[Spartanmack]

While I don't think MSU is a great team I don't think OSU or Iowa are either. Look at OSU last year. I didn't think they would beat MSU in EL but they did. I thought they would lose to Wisky because of the backup QB and then they beat them 59-0. I thought they had no chance vs. Bama and they won there too.

You never know...MSU has a good QB, nice RB and 2 great WRs. They may have a weakness in the secondary but I think OSU and Iowa do most of their damage on the ground.

I think Meyer made a big mistake starting Jones most of the year. OSU is a much different, much better team with JT Barrett - the dual threat he presents will be very difficult for MSU on the road. A lot has been said about our secondary and Nebraska exposed it again, particularly late but what folks don't seem to realize is that Nebraska ran very effectively that day - 180 yards at 5 yards per carry (I think 5 for 15+). With Elliot and Barrett as well as a solid passing game our defense is in for a major 3 dimensional test. If our kick/punt coverage coughs up good field position all day like they have, it could be ugly. And i have to think OSU will run a lot of misdirection like Nebraska but with potentially much greater effect.

The game has to be played and it is winnable - I think we can score on the buckeyes but if both teams play near their best games I think we lose by a TD+ unless we happen to get a disproportionate edge in 50/50 plays and/or all the bounces go our way. My approach is to prepare for the worst and hopefully be pleasantly surprised rather than heavily disappointed.

 

[Sbee]

I think Meyer made a big mistake starting Jones most of the year. OSU is a much different, much better team with JT Barrett - the dual threat he presents will be very difficult for MSU on the road. A lot has been said about our secondary and Nebraska exposed it again, particularly late but what folks don't seem to realize is that Nebraska ran very effectively that day - 180 yards at 5 yards per carry (I think 5 for 15+). With Elliot and Barrett as well as a solid passing game our defense is in for a major 3 dimensional test. If our kick/punt coverage coughs up good field position all day like they have, it could be ugly. And i have to think OSU will run a lot of misdirection like Nebraska but with potentially much greater effect.

The game has to be played and it is winnable - I think we can score on the buckeyes but if both teams play near their best games I think we lose by a TD+ unless we happen to get a disproportionate edge in 50/50 plays and/or all the bounces go our way. My approach is to prepare for the worst and hopefully be pleasantly surprised rather than heavily disappointed.

They're good and we're not likely to win but I do think that the secondary we roll out there is going to be a lot better than the one that played at Nebraska. With Hicks finally back we are hardly playing any true freshmen, Hicks is solid and Colquhon has turned into a plus corner, you have Cox sliding back to safety which is his natural position and Monte Nicholson is playing better as well. Edmonson didn't get one snap last week and they were limited for Miller, Willis, and Smith. We played 9 DB's against Nebraska, even down to Monty Madaris who has been a DB for all of 2 weeks. We'll have to go deeper vs OSU than Maryland for sure.

Also, as far as the playoff, I'm not too concerned. Nate Silver has us with an 87% chance to get in if we win out. if we didn't get in I'd be happy with a rose bowl and big ten title.

 

[johnny2x2x]

I think Meyer made a big mistake starting Jones most of the year. OSU is a much different, much better team with JT Barrett - the dual threat he presents will be very difficult for MSU on the road. A lot has been said about our secondary and Nebraska exposed it again, particularly late but what folks don't seem to realize is that Nebraska ran very effectively that day - 180 yards at 5 yards per carry (I think 5 for 15+). With Elliot and Barrett as well as a solid passing game our defense is in for a major 3 dimensional test. If our kick/punt coverage coughs up good field position all day like they have, it could be ugly. And i have to think OSU will run a lot of misdirection like Nebraska but with potentially much greater effect.

The game has to be played and it is winnable - I think we can score on the buckeyes but if both teams play near their best games I think we lose by a TD+ unless we happen to get a disproportionate edge in 50/50 plays and/or all the bounces go our way. My approach is to prepare for the worst and hopefully be pleasantly surprised rather than heavily disappointed.

I think Barrett's injury has been forgotten, he had surgery for a nasty injury and was not 100% at the start of the season.

I don't know what it is, but I have a good feeling about this game. 13 point dogs? I don't care, we've been preparing for Ohio State for a year.

 

[Sbee]

I think Barrett's injury has been forgotten, he had surgery for a nasty injury and was not 100% at the start of the season.

I don't know what it is, but I have a good feeling about this game. 13 point dogs? I don't care, we've been preparing for Ohio State for a year.

I might be being biased here but I have a good feeling too, maybe a 50/50 game.

 

[Spartanmack]

Don't take this the wrong way but the last time I've heard you guys bulled up on the Spartans as underdogs were the last two times we played dook in big hoops games.

I think the game is winnable but don't share your optimism. 13 points is a lot but we could be running into a buzz saw. Last year OSU waited until their trip to East Lansing to start playing up to their potential. Hopefully this year they wait until the uofm game or next year.

 

[Sbee]

Don't take this the wrong way but the last time I've heard you guys bulled up on the Spartans as underdogs were the last two times we played dook in big hoops games.

I think the game is winnable but don't share your optimism. 13 points is a lot but we could be running into a buzz saw. Last year OSU waited until their trip to East Lansing to start playing up to their potential. Hopefully this year they wait until the uofm game or next year.

I thought we'd lose our last two bowl games for what it's worth, we were dogs in both of those. If I were really good at predicting outcomes I'd be a handicapper. I just think some stars are aligning for this one, mainly the defensive backfield and the fact that we should be the hungrier team.

as for the last duke game, I did think they were better but thought we were going to win. the way the game was called we never had a chance to begin with, even though we jumped out to a big lead. I didn't take the whistle factor into consideration

 

[LuciousGameWinner]

How big of an underdog were we against Ohio State in the 2011 championship game?

 

[SpartyNash]

How big of an underdog were we against Ohio State in the 2011 championship game?

You mean 2013? We were +6.5 according to this article:

http://www.sbnation.com/college-foo...pionship-game-2013-ohio-state-msu-tv-schedule

I give us about a 10% chance of winning this week. Barrett is going to humiliate this secondary even worse than they were against Nebraska. I'm saying OSU 45, MSU 31.

 

[LuciousGameWinner]

You mean 2013? We were +6.5 according to this article:

http://www.sbnation.com/college-foo...pionship-game-2013-ohio-state-msu-tv-schedule

I give us about a 10% chance of winning this week. Barrett is going to humiliate this secondary even worse than they were against Nebraska. I'm saying OSU 45, MSU 31.

Yes 2013. I don't know why I thought rose bowl was so long ago.

If jones was starting I'd give us a 40% chance, with Barrett...20% and that's a bit optimistic. But I'll go full homer and say MSU 38 and OSU 35.

 

[LuciousGameWinner]

The 2014 game is on BTN right now. How quickly we've forgotten just how much Ed Davis meant to this defense. I've said it over and over again that he's my favorite player. Was an absolute beast last year. He plays with no fear and is disruptive on every play.

 

[Spartan23MSU]

The 2014 game is on BTN right now. How quickly we've forgotten just how much Ed Davis meant to this defense. I've said it over and over again that he's my favorite player. Was an absolute beast last year. He plays with no fear and is disruptive on every play.

Still wondering when will they determine if he can play next year or not. Doesnt seem to be very clear cut..

 

[LuciousGameWinner]

Still wondering when will they determine if he can play next year or not. Doesnt seem to be very clear cut..

Defense could be great if he and Copeland are back.