In such games, it is useful for the favorite to get a sufficient lead to play the "twos" some to get PT.I'd like to see Michigan play their #2 QB, true frosh JJ McCarthy with the 1's for a good chunk of this game. They should've been playing him a lot more than they have. He's the future and simply put he can just do things that the starter McNamara cannot.
In such games, it is useful for the favorite to get a sufficient lead to play the "twos" some to get PT.A Fitz coached team might surprise a few teams especially if they are 20+ pt underdogs.
A Fitz coached team might surprise a few teams especially if they are 20+ pt underdogs.Harbaugh will have a revolt on his hands if he drops this game. Not saying it can't or won't happen- it absolutely could I do not trust that booger eating retard with anything for one second. Point is- his seat starts getting warm if he drops this one a week before what looks to be an epic top 10 unbeaten showdown in EL.
expected to lose might be the best thing for NW not making a call here but never count Fitz out his teams always continue to get stronger as the year goes on
If a depleted LSU can beat Florida, anything can happen, but we can't predict reliably. I of course expect something like 34-10.Any given Saturday, right? But not sure that's a great comparison. Even when LSU stinks they have plenty of guys that will play on Sundays. Plenty. Northwestern? Ehhhh. Maybe a couple, at best.
Northwestern sure looked different vs Rutgers than they did vs NebraskaYeah, they played at home against a shitty team (Rutger) vs. going on the road in a hostile environment against a team that's 3-5 but "better than their record" indicates in Nebraska. I get it, you are what your record says you are- but Nebraska has some talent and can put up points when they click. They just find all kinds of ways to lose games right now though- and that's what bad 3-5 teams do. But there is no question they have a lot better players and lot more firepower than a sad sack of shit team like Rutger. I mean, Adrian Martinez would probably be the best player in Rutger history if he played there.
did they find something during the "bye" week?
not this week related, but Michigan related....It appears FOX and ESPN rotate 1st picks. When ESPN gets the first pick they put it in primetime. When Fox gets the first pick they make it Big Noon Saturday. ESPN had the first pick this week, and took OSU-PSU. So Fox got a pretty damn good second pick. But it still meant Noon.
looks like Michigan @ Michigan State will be a noon kickoff on Fox. If this is the case- Michigan dodged a bullet. Having to play night games in hostile environments suck.
Northwestern Wildcats (1-2, 3-3) at #6 Michigan Wolverines (3-0, 6-0) |
NOON - Ann Arbor, MI - FOX |
So are we primed for another Pat Firtzgerald October resurgence? As has been pointed out here many times, that has been Northwestern's M.O. in three of the last four non-pandemic seasons. In 2017 they upset Maryland on October 14 to get to 3-3, and then didn't lose again. The one difference is the only ranked team they played during their 8 game win streak was a 10-3 Michigan State team...at home...who they beat in triple overtime. They didn't play a road game against a team who won more than 4 games. Let's just summarize that an undefeated Michigan team on the road is a much stiffer test than anything that 2017 team faced. The Wolverines might not have to attempt a pass. They will, but they won't have to. The most surprising part about Northwestern's win last week wasn't the win, Rutgers is always Rutgers, but how they did it. A defense which had been getting absolutely shredded on the ground, giving up over 8 yards per carry in two Big Ten losses, held the Scarlet Knights to under 2 ypc. Rutgers doesn't have the best run game, but they aren't in the Big Ten basement either, and the Northwestern defense did better than the Michigan, Ohio State or Michigan State defenses did. I'm calling fluke. I think the Wolverines are going to absolutely bully the Wildcats up front. What prayer does Northwestern have? Big passing plays. Northwestern can't run the ball, and I don't see this being their get right game. But, even in losses, they've hit big plays through the air. Even with Hunter Johnson, who was benched, he was still hitting splash passes. But Ryan Hilinski adds a little bit of better accuracy, while still capable of the big plays. He completed 55% of his passes last week, which still isn't great, but hit three different receivers for 30+ yard plays. For the historians among us, that was sort of how Michigan State upset Michigan last year, against questionable cornerback play. I don't think it matters. Those corners look at least competent this year, even if they aren't a strength, and the defensive line, led by a healthy Aiden Hutchinson looks to have made 2020 a blip. I think Michigan will be able to consistently drop 7 and still get plenty of pressure on Hilinski. |
MICHIGAN 38, NORTHWESTERN 10 |