How’s THAT for a quick season? Is it just me?
Tomorrow the top-10 ranked Buckeyes will play The Worst Michigan Team In History. Seriously. In 111 years, no OSU team has faced a statistically worse UM opponent.
UM fans, if you think that makes Buckeye fans breathe easier or act overconfident, guess again. Games like this always make me nervous. On paper, OSU should have an easier time with the Wolverines tomorrow than they had against I-AA Youngstown. Which is precisely why I’m hoping the OSU team doesn’t think of it that way. If there’s one weakness with this current class of senior leaders, it’s that time and time again they’ve failed to take the big games seriously. Cakewalking into Florida. Infighting against LSU. Choking against USC.
However, if there is a reassuring theme from the Tressel era, it’s that he’s always been successful at getting the players fired up for Michigan. Even in his one loss, the overmatched Buckeyes kept it close into the fourth quarter.
Unlike what you’ve read in the papers, The Worst Michigan Team In History did not miss out on a bowl game this season. Actually, they earned a spot in the “Horseshoe Bowl,” and that’s how the Worst Players in Michigan History are looking at it.
Below are the tables comparing apples to apples between the good and bad guys.
The tables list the opponent(s) in chronological order down the first column, and include the following ‘important’ stats: total points (Pts), total yards (Yds), total first downs (Dwns), and turnovers (TOs); for each team and its opponent (Opp).
Table 1: The Worst Michigan Team In History
Pts | Pts (opp) | Yds | Yds (opp) | Frst Dwns | Dwns (opp) | TOs | TOs (opp) | |
Wisconsin | 27 | 25 | 268 | 384 | 14 | 18 | 5 | 4 |
Illinois | 20 | 45 | 319 | 501 | 17 | 19 | 2 | 0 |
Penn St. | 17 | 46 | 291 | 482 | 15 | 22 | 1 | 1 |
Mich St. | 21 | 35 | 252 | 473 | 13 | 22 | 4 | 3 |
Purdue | 42 | 48 | 300 | 522 | 15 | 25 | 1 | 1 |
Minnesota | 29 | 6 | 435 | 188 | 20 | 8 | 1 | 1 |
NrthWstrn | 14 | 21 | 264 | 257 | 15 | 14 | 2 | 2 | TOTAL | 170 | 226 | 2129 | 2807 | 109 | 128 | 16 | 12 |
AVERAGE | 24.3 | 32.3 | 304.1 | 401 | 15.6 | 18.3 | 2.3 | 1.7 |
Table 2: Ohio State
Pts | Pts (opp) | Yds | Yds (opp) | Frst Dwns | Dwns (opp) | TOs | TOs (opp) | |
Minnesota | 34 | 21 | 414 | 268 | 21 | 18 | 1 | 3 |
Wisconsin | 20 | 17 | 327 | 326 | 17 | 19 | 2 | 2 |
Purdue | 16 | 3 | 222 | 298 | 14 | 18 | 0 | 2 |
Mich St. | 45 | 7 | 332 | 240 | 18 | 14 | 0 | 5 |
Penn St. | 6 | 13 | 287 | 281 | 14 | 18 | 2 | 0 |
NrthWstrn | 45 | 10 | 441 | 294 | 23 | 20 | 0 | 3 |
Illinois | 30 | 20 | 354 | 455 | 16 | 25 | 1 | 2 | TOTAL | 196 | 91 | 2377 | 2162 | 123 | 132 | 6 | 17 |
AVERAGE | 28 | 13 | 339.6 | 308.9 | 17.6 | 18.9 | .85 | 2.4 |
sportsMonkey,
Nice job with the analysis, thanks. As a long-time Buckeye fan (pre-Woody vs Bo), I still get a little jumpy with this game; leave it to the goddamn Wolverines to pull a game out of their ass, and it has to be this one.
I’d like to see the Bucks hang 50 on the ‘rines, but who knows? A ‘Twilight Zone’ possibility is for JT to take the air out of the ball and run it 75 times, result should be the same, just not as dramatic. He’ll have you out of the stadium and on your way by 2:00pm.
GO BUCKS!
i’m nervous about this game, just like every game with scUM. i know that beanie will have a huge game. i know that pryor will have a huge game (shades of troy). i know we will win, and i know i will be nervous for every second.
tOSU: 41
scUM: 10
GO BUCKS!
My prediction was 34-21, with Michigan getting a worthless TD in the waning seconds. I still think that’ll happen…BUT I HOPE OSU BEATS THEM 75-0!!!!!!!!!!!
GO BUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!! BEAT MICHIGAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can’t you just feel that if Woody Hayes had this opportunity he’d try to put 100 points on the board for the Buckeyes? Tressel isn’t like that though, some nonsense about “sportsmanship” or whatever. Pff. I still think the Buckeyes score 5 or 6 touchdowns, and maybe a couple by accident.
UofM: 17
OSU: 49
I like you reference to the current Michigan team as the worst team in UM history. You mention OSU being ready. That is the only fear, overconfidence. But they should blow them out.
Is Michigan really THIS bad?
Yes
Will the game be a total washout?
No…
Not unless Jim Tressel takes the handcuffs off Terrelle Pryor…which won’t happen. Wells and Pryor will make a couple big plays each and build a big enough lead where JT will slam on the breaks and run dive plays the rest of the game until it’s time to put in the seniors to reward them for all their hard work.
Note:
Todd Boeckman will see a lot of playing time in this one.
OSU: 38
UM: 9