Staff Predictions: Michigan vs. Michigan State
Depositions of the head coach related to his recruiting practices, non-concussions that look exactly like concussions, mass transfers … what are they putting in the water up in East Lansing?
Thanks to senior linebacker Joe Bachie, finally busted and suspended for PEDs (and Mark “No O” Dantni’s latest “tragic hero”), at least we’re closer to solving that last mystery.
Yes, it’s a mess in East Lansing. The Spartans are a .500 program since 2015 (coincidentally, the same time the Wolverines hired a worthy head coach), reeling after Brandon Peters, a “Michigan reject” as their fans taunted him throughout the game, threw for 369 yards in a 37-34 Illinois win at Michigan State last week.
That was the latest setback for a program that has now lost four straight and scored a total of 17 points in the month of October. On a positive note, as the P.A. announcer noted while Dantni walked off the field and led his troops in from slaughter last weekend, MSU fans “won” donuts with green and white sprinkles from their local Tim Horton’s since the Spartans scored 21 points.
We feel for the poor guy in marketing who came up with the idea. He’s probably since been fired despite the 100,000 to 1 shot of it actually coming to fruition.
Alas, throw out the records, blah blah blah … it’s Michigan vs. Michigan State, a tale of two programs on different trajectories regardless of what happens Saturday. And make no mistake … MSU can win this game. It might take another fluke punt drop like 2015 or a handful of Michigan turnovers and an assist from Mother Nature like 2017, but the hatred runs deep. That alone could keep this one closer than it should be.
Congratulations to last week’s winner. This week’s receives boxes of the unclaimed Tim Horton’s donuts — stale, of course, to fully capture the football culture down the road — and our appreciation.
The picks:
CHRIS BALAS: If they keep their cool, don’t get baited into stupid penalties, etc. and don’t give the game away, Michigan should win this one going away. MSU has some talent on defense and can stop the run, so this could be a slobberknocker.
Michigan puts it away in the fourth quarter. Michigan 24, Michigan State 13
JOHN BORTON: This won’t be the humiliation some Michigan fans would like. On the other hand, Spartan hatred, rage and residual chemistry only get them so far.
There will be no glory in your sacrifice…Michigan 34, Michigan State 17
AUSTIN FOX: "It’s not a product of the team but their program,” Jim Harbaugh said on the Monday following Michigan’s victory over MSU last year, using Mark Dantonio’s own words to refer to the pregame shenanigans that took place beforehand.
Jack Harbaugh admitted this past Tuesday that Bo Schembechler took Michigan State lightly in his first season of 1969, and it resulted in a Spartan win. Bo never made that mistake again, Jack Harbaugh said, and Michigan wound up winning the next eight in the series and 13 of the next 14.
Perhaps the stunt Dantonio and his players pulled before last year’s game served as a similar wakeup call for Harbaugh in this rivalry. Saturday’s game won’t come down to the wire, but MSU’s defense will prevent it from turning into a complete blowout. Michigan 24, Michigan State 7
EJ HOLLAND: TBA
CLAYTON SAYFIE: Mark Dantonio is much wiser than most. Back in 2007, he uttered the line, "Pride comes before the fall." As we sit here in 2019, I have to believe that he has "God's favor," because his prediction from 12 years ago came true as the Spartans are on a free fall back into irrelevancy. To those who say MSU will pull off the upset on Saturday, I say, "That's BS." They can go check the tape on FOX after the game. Michigan 35, Michigan State 6
DOUG KARSCH:This isn't particularly complicated. The key to victory is simple ... don't help your opponent out. Make them go 80-plus yards, don't turn it over, don't give up the big play on special teams. Be dialed in, focused and workman-like. MSU will likely throw the kitchen sink at the Wolverines... what do they have to lose?
Everyone knows the Spartans best punch is always saved for Michigan. This will be close until the end. Michigan 24,MSU 11
DOUG SKENE: The Michigan Agricultural College football team has fallen way short of all the dark horse pre-season predictions. Is it getting to be the time to “have a moment of silence” for MSU football? Mark Dantonio called for one after Michigan’s 2007 loss to Appalachian State and the rest is history. Michigan’s preseason predictions were lost in the first 20 minutes of the Penn State game. Fortunately for us UM fans, there is still plenty of juice and venom for that green and white team. This game has no bearing on B10 titles but still matters deeply to both sides.
This game will be closer than many think because if Sparty has anything left in their tank, we will see it Saturday. Michigan 24,Michigan State 16
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