Tag: Michigan State

Michigan 32, Michigan State 23

Jabrill Peppers (image via MLive)

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A win is a win. I know people are upset that the #2 team didn’t beat Michigan State by more, but anything can happen in a rivalry game like this. Michigan State probably isn’t as bad as their 2-6 record suggests, and Michigan hasn’t really proven that they can hang with the big boys like Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, and the like. Michigan fans seemed overconfident this week when talking about this game, and I think that was partially wishful thinking. Ultimately, all we really needed out of this game was a win. It didn’t need to be a by a wide margin, and Michigan didn’t need to be pulling away. When the clock ran out, Michigan just needed to be up by a point. They needed to get over that hump and that mental roadblock stemming from recent years, especially last year’s debacle. Mission accomplished.

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Michigan vs. Michigan State Awards

Surely, this is targeting.

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Let’s see more of this guy on offense . . . Jake Butt. Arguably your best player on offense should not end the game with 1 catch for 4 yards. He did make a “catch” that was ruled a catch by the nearest official, only to be overturned by a more distant official, and the “instant” replay came back without indisputable evidence enough to distinctly rule it a catch. But even then, Butt would have had just two catches. Michigan and Jake Rudock need to find more ways to get him the ball.

Hit the jump for more awards from Saturday’s game.

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Michigan State 27, Michigan 23

Blake O’Neill is surely having a rough time right now (image via MLive)

Worst. Ending. Ever.

1. Michigan State’s backwards-punt-fumble return for a touchdown with zero seconds left in 2015.
2. Colorado’s Hail Mary touchdown victory from Kordell Stewart in 1994.
3. Appalachian State’s blocked field goal in 2007.

I have not been alive forever, but those are the three worst finishes to Michigan games that I can remember. I’ll throw in an honorable mention to Spartan Bob and T.J. Duckett, but the above three are worse, in my opinion.

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Preview: Michigan vs. Michigan State

Rush Offense vs. Michigan State Rush Defense
Michigan is #34 in rushing yardage (201 yards/game), and the 4.77 yards/carry is good enough for #42 nationally. Starting running back De’Veon Smith returned last week after a one-week absence, but he limped off again after gaining 59 yards on 8 carries against Northwestern. Drake Johnson seemed to move into the backup role, but he’s working through an undisclosed injury. That leaves Derrick Green, a recently demoted Ty Isaac, and true freshman Karan Higdon, who just burned his redshirt. At this point it’s anybody’s guess who’s going to get carries from week to week, but you can count on a couple handoffs to the fullbacks (20 carries, 116 yards, 1 touchdown this year) and one or two carries by wide receiver Jehu Chesson. Michigan’s offensive line is #86 in Adjusted Line Yards, so they’re not moving people off the ball with regularity. The Spartans are allowing 130 yards/game on the ground (#34 nationally), and the 3.77 yards allowed/carry is 47th in the country. Middle linebacker Riley Bullough leads the team with 55 tackles, and outside ‘backers Jon Reschke and Darien Harris follow with 38 and 37, respectively. Michigan State is tied for 15th in the nation with 45 tackles for loss, but many of those have come in the form of sacks, not in disrupting the run game. The Spartans lack a consistent disruptive force against the run. I don’t think either team has a decided advantage, but I’ll give a leg up in scheming to Michigan.
Advantage: Michigan

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Recruiting Snapshot: Michigan State

Hubbard (OH) Hubbard running back Larry Scott (#3)

2015 Team Ranking: #22. Michigan State signed five 4-stars and sixteen 3-stars.

Cream of 2015 Crop: Far and away, Michigan State’s top signee was Hubbard (OH) Hubbard running back Larry Scott (see below). The 6’2″, 228 lb. bruiser was a 4-star, the #6 running back, and #59 overall. I was also high on Detroit (MI) King offensive guard/defensive tackle Kyonta Stallworth, the #9 offensive guard and #185 overall player in the class.

2016 Team Ranking: #9. With a recent flurry of commitments, Michigan State has two 4-stars and ten 3-stars verbally pledged. This ranking may jump a little bit in early June, when two highly touted defensive ends (Indiana’s Auston Robertson and Illinois’ Josh King) plan to announce their decisions.

Cream of 2016 Crop: The Spartans’ top two commits are both wide receivers. Cleveland (OH) Benedictine’s Justin Layne is #149 overall, and Sicklerville (NJ) Timber Creek’s Cameron Chambers is #183. Michigan State also earned a pledge from former Michigan verbal commit Messiah DeWeaver from Huber Heights (OH) Wayne. All five of the 2016 players mentioned here held Michigan offers.