Wolverines riding high, but Spartans climbing back
For the first time since Week 2, Michigan football and Michigan State football both landed in the win column Saturday.
The Wolverines remained undefeated after demolishing Penn State, 41-17, in a game that was more lopsided than the score indicated.
Meanwhile, Michigan State sweated out a 34-28 double-overtime victory over Wisconsin and snapped a four-game losing streak in the process.
Have the Spartans regained their footing just in time for their rivalry showdown with the Wolverines on Oct. 29?
Let’s examine both sides of the big game:
Michigan
Reason to be optimistic: Jim Harbaugh has his program exactly where he wants it.
It took seven years for Harbaugh to realize the lofty expectations set for him when he returned to coach his alma mater in December 2014. Progress always was interrupted by frustrating setbacks, blunting any momentum the Wolverines established. But in the past 131⁄2 months, Harbaugh has forged a team that plays with consistency, ferocity and precision. During that period, Michigan has won 19 of its last 21 games, enjoying the best stretch of Harbaugh’s tenure. The latest boffo performance came in the Wolverines’ demolishing of Penn State, when they reduced a top-10 team to rubble.
“The team made a real positive statement today,” Harbaugh said. “They call it a statement game? OK, it’s a statement game.”
Confidence is now sky high inside Schembechler Hall, where Harbaugh has extracted the best out of a squad that excels at playing the brawny style of football he prefers. Michigan should be favored to win every game until its high-stakes November matchup with Ohio State that could pit two undefeated rivals against each other
“It’s been amazing to see,” quarterback J.J. McCarthy said, “and like I said, we still haven’t
even reached what we’re capable of.”
Reason to be concerned: Red-zone execution has been far from perfect.
One of the few problems unresolved last season was the team’s performance inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. Among Football Bowl Subdivision teams, Michigan ranked 60th in red zone touchdown percentage, crossing the goal line 61% of the time. This year, the Wolverines are tied for 49th, reaching the end zone on 66.7% of their opportunities. Against Penn State, Michigan failed to maximize its chances to blow the game wide open in the first half, bogging down once it crossed the Nittany Lions’ 20.
Three of the Wolverines’ first four red-zone forays ended in field goals, which allowed Penn State to stay close despite being thoroughly
dominated. Conservative but judicious playcalling in that condensed part of the field contributed to the disappointing results. Only four of Michigan’s 20 red-zone plays were passes, as Harbaugh played it safe with McCarthy, a rookie starter, at quarterback.
Michigan State
Reason to be optimistic: With a new look, the run defense held strong.
Maybe the return of defensive tackle Jacob Slade helped. Perhaps it was coordinator Scottie Hazelton’s shrewd decision to beef up his unit by reconfiguring his base formation, adding an extra linebacker and inserting Aaron Brule as a starter for the first time this season. Whatever it was, it seemed to do the trick against Wisconsin. The Spartans managed to contain the Badgers’ ground attack, limiting them to 3.9 yards per carry. It was MSU’s best performance against the run since Big Ten play started. In previous weeks, the Spartans were trampled by Minnesota, Maryland and Ohio State.
Wisconsin appeared in line to do the same before Saturday. But Hazelton tweaked his scheme and lineup, finding a solution to a problem that vexed MSU and contributed to its sudden regression. Could it be a sustainable fix? It just might. Michigan State, after all, faces Michigan the week after its upcoming bye. The Wolverines lead the Big Ten in rushing, averaging 241.7 yards per game. It would seem prudent for Hazeton to trot out the same personnel and use similar tactics against Michigan, given how effective they were against Wisconsin.
Reason to be concerned: The end-of-regulation coaching was alarming.
What the heck happened in the waning moments of regulation? After Michigan State appeared on the verge of completing a successful winning drive, everything went to pot. The Spartans advanced 42 yards in the first 1:13 of the possession, getting the ball to Wisconsin’s 36. Then, in the next 42 seconds, they moved just seven yards before rushing to attempt a field goal that inexplicably turned into an interception on the final play. In between, there was a toxic combination of bad play calls and poor clock management. Offensive coordinator Jay Johnson’s decision to run Elijah Collins twice into the teeth of Wisconsin’s defense forced head coach Mel Tucker to burn his last two timeouts.
Then, with no way to stop time other than getting out of bounds, Johnson dialed up a quick flare to Jayden Reed on the wide side of the field. Reed was immediately tackled for a 1-yard loss, which led to the calamitous final sequence that featured a botched snap on a 46-yard try and a wobbly pass from holder Bryce Baringer that landed in the hands of Wisconsin safety John Torchio. Had MSU not regained its composure in overtime to pull out the victory, the Spartans could have regretted their mismanagement of situational football at the end of regulation. Tucker will need to review what occurred and fix it, because it can’t happen again.
Wolverines up to No. 3 in coaches poll
With all the ranked-on-ranked matchups on the Week 7 college football slate, there were bound to be a lot of changes in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll. That is indeed the case, with four top 10 teams losing their first game, including formerly top-ranked Alabama.
Georgia returns to the top spot following an easy romp over Vanderbilt. The Bulldogs received 43 of 63 first-place votes this week and top the poll by 39 total points. Ohio State, which had the weekend off, moves up to No. 2 while increasing its first-place vote total to 17.
Michigan football climbs to No. 3 after handling then-No. 10 Penn State. The Wolverines picked up a single No. 1 vote and edge Tennessee by three points for the third position. The Vols vault four places to No. 4 after taking down the Crimson Tide but picked up a pair of firstplace nods. Clemson, a winner at Florida State, holds steady at No. 5.
Alabama checks in at No. 6 following its loss, just ahead of future opponent Mississippi at No. 7. TCU makes a seven-spot leap to No. 8 after rallying to upend previously unbeaten Oklahoma State.
No. 20 Illinois and No. 25 Tulane make their season debuts in the poll. The Fighting Illini make their first Top 25 appearance since Oct. 16, 2011, while the Green Wave are in for the first time since the final rankings of the 1998 season on Jan. 6, 1999.
SEC fines Tennessee 100K; Vols crowdsourcing new goalposts
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southeastern
Conference has fined Tennessee $100,000 for a wild, field-storming celebration after a win over Alabama.
Meanwhile, the school has turned to fans to help pay for new goalposts.
The league announced the fine on Sunday for the school’s second violation of the access to competition area policy.
The third-ranked Volunteers knocked off No. 6 Alabama 52-49 on a last-play field goal Saturday at Neyland Stadium. It ended a 15-game losing streak to the Tide.
Fans stormed the field, ripped up one of the goal posts and heaved it into the Tennessee River.
Tennessee turned to crowdsourcing to pay for replacement goalposts. More than $18,000 had been raised as of Sunday afternoon.
A third offense and beyond would cost Tennessee
$250,000.