GBMW Preview and Predictions: Michigan at Michigan State — Paul Bunyan Trophy
Michigan at Michigan State
The Paul Bunyan-Governor of Michigan Trophy
GBMW: Preview of Michigan at Michigan State
It is very simple this week. The team that controls the line of scrimmage will win this football game.
Weather could be a big factor this week with a 60 % chance of showers expected most of the day and a temperature around 54 degrees, with winds around 15 miles an hour and gusts up to 25 miles an hour.
Will Michigan State cover the field as well, because it is supposed to rain most of the day on Friday, or do they want a sloppy field to slow down the smaller, speedier, and more athletic Michigan Wolverines on a potentially thick/tall grass field (old coaching trick).
Neither team is very good defensively, to put it bluntly, or at least not consistent to put it nicely.
The keys to the game will be who can control the line of scrimmage, who runs the ball the best, who prevents the big play, and who limits turnovers.
Michigan is 4-0 because they have done the above fairly well so far. Protecting Tate Forcier will be very important because Michigan will have to score in the 30’s to have a chance to win in our opinion.
How healthy is Tate Forcier, really? Did they close practice this week to protect him and not let people see how he is doing throwing the ball, his movements, and handing the ball off?
Or did UM close practice just because it was Michigan State week and to get the players (especially young players) focused on the game and eliminate distractions? This strategy also helps coaches avoid time answering questions, prevents spying, and lessens the chance of bulletin board material, especially concerning how the press has reveled in turning simple answers to questions from reporters into a national television blitz.
Michigan has displayed an outstanding rushing attack and Michigan State has been good against the run. If Michigan can continue running the ball well we think Michigan State is in trouble.
Michigan State has not rushed the ball very well, and Michigan needs to continue this trend. They need to make Michigan State predictable and also one-dimensional.
Both teams have displayed the ability to make big plays on offense. The team that can best prevent big plays has a leg up to victory, especially if it will be a close game, like many experts along with GBMW, believe Saturday’s game will be.
The one big advantage given Michigan State on Saturday is home field. Michigan State has always played Michigan tough and always brings their best game of the year against Michigan.
This year is no exception, especially with how Michigan State ‘s record is so far this year. The Spartans have had the high expectations dashed already, and if they lose to Michigan all hopes of a good year in the Big Ten are gone. This is their “GAME”, their season, and if they lose this one, they might as well pack it in and call it a year. It seems like every year, this is typical year for Michigan State.
Under Coach Dantonio MSU has grown a chip on the shoulder type of attitude, especially against Michigan, where they always feel slighted in this rivalry game. Where this is “THEE GAME” for MSU, for Michigan it is probably the third most significant rival game behind Ohio State and Notre Dame, especially on a national and fan level of interest.
Yes, this is a huge battle in-state and could mean a lot to both programs, especially concerning in-state recruiting where the Spartans seem to be closing the gap on the Wolverines, meaning in some viewpoints Michigan cannot afford to lose this game for the in-state bragging rights with Michigan State. This view is espoused by the reality that many newspapers have been running articles since last year’s game about how Michigan State has closed the gap and possible even pulled forward against Michigan for fans, recruits, high school coaches, etc…
Do we believe that? — Nah.
The advantage of weather could be in Michigan State’s favor as well, if it is monsoon type conditions with a heavy downpour during the game, with a young UM quarterback, shotgun formation a lot of times for Michigan, cold conditions, wet ball, windy, a fairly new center who had problems last week with the snaps along with the quarterbacks controlling the ball. Hopefully if it does rain the outcome will only be a mist or sprinkle type of rain, where the weather will not be the determining factor in the outcome of the game.
Another advantage, at least right now for Michigan State, is that Michigan has a very young team and they have not played a road game yet, and you never really know how a team will do on the road, especially the first time. Then you throw in the fact it is a state rival, bitter enemies, and possible a hostile environment with a crazy atmosphere, if Michigan State can get their fans into the game by scoring early and being competitive or having a lead, — you / us / coaches do not know how the team will handle this possibility until well into the game.
We look for a high scoring game with the team having the most rushing yards and fewest turnovers likely to win.
Most of us here predict a close game, either way, and some do not feel good about this one for various reasons, such as weather, playing on the road in a hostile environment for the first time in Spartan Stadium, and the health of Tate Forcier, etc…
On a side note, it is going to be fun watching this young Michigan team develop over the next few months and also next year as well.
Go Blue Michigan Wolverine — Predictions:
CoachBt:
Michigan 38
Michigan State 31
Coach Webb:
Michigan 31
Michigan State 34
MaizeMan:
Michigan —
Michigan State —
Doc4Blu:
Michigan 31
Michigan State 30
Steve:
Michigan 32
Michigan State 21
ErocWolverine:
Michigan 36
Michigan State 34
Special guest this week — SuperFan:
Meeeeeeeechigan 48
Team I’m Not Related To 24
Yes the original Michigan Masked Man who has his own site at Michigan SuperFan
Thanks for stopping by Go Blue Michigan Wolverine
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Written by CoachBt, Coach Webb, and ErocWolverine
