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Stadium observations, game thoughts and big picture comment (long)

  • Stadium experience – I’d been to the Big House a bunch of times before. Beautiful weather, but a little windy. Not sure if that was apparent on TV, but the wind was definitely as issue at field level, especially for the kicker. The Maize Out was (predictably) underwhelming. It might look OK if everyone actually did it, but I’d put participation on maybe 70%. Lots of people wearing blue (some PSU fans in white) or other random colors. I kind of get if it’s really cold out and you don’t own a maize parka, but it was 55 degrees. I also noted that the crowd seemed less “classy” than times I’d been there in the past. There was a “**** Penn State” chant from the student section at the beginning of the game, the crowd boos the visiting team entrance (far more than you see at Beaver Stadium) and boos their own band when they do their “PSU tribute Song (I assume this was hail to the lion, but couldn’t hear because they were facing the visitor section which was the opposite site of the stadium from me). They also do this super annoying “You suck” sing along to whatever song the band plays after a 3rd or 4th down stop. Very juvenile. Anyway, I’ve certainly seen worse at away games, but the environment there has changed from 10 (or maybe even 5) years ago.

  • (disclaimer on comments on the game: I haven’t re-watched on TV yet, so there may have been things I couldn’t see from the stands)

  • I think the defense actually played OK in the first half. They gave up yards between the 20s and forced FGs. That’s generally what they’ve done all year. And they got a pick six. The FG at the end of the half was disappointing, but it was greatly aided by what I thought was a pretty bad DPI call against Dixon (the receiver appeared to initiate contact on the downfield defender). However, down 16-14 at the half was not unacceptable, given how little the offense did.
  • Speaking of the offense, I noted several pass plays that seemed to be “interesting designs” but it seemed that if the primary receiver wasn’t open (they generally weren’t) there didn’t seem to be a viable check down. Not sure if the secondary receivers just aren’t getting open, or if the play design focuses too much on getting the primary open at the expense of making everyone else just “window dressing.”
  • The real killers were the two long runs, which took that game from 17-16 PSU to 31-17 Michigan. The second one (Corum) seemed to involved a pretty blatant missed holding call (86 tackled 43) right in the hole at the point of attack. I get that holding could be called on every play yada-yada, but right at the point of attack just has to be called. Probably not a difference maker in the game, but certainly didn’t help.
  • On PSU’s possession after the first long run (score is 24-17 Michigan), the OPI against PSU was brutal. If that play stood it would have been 1st and 10 at the UM 27 (instead of 3rd and 19 at the PSU 48). Even if PSU only gets a FG there 24-20 feels a lot different. It sounds like the issue there was the receiver (Singleton) being past the LOS for a play that is designed pick (but blocking allowed if pass is behind the LOS). Not picking on Singleton but for those of you clamoring for “all freshmen, all the time”, this is a side effect of that.
  • At some point the TOP just caught up to the defense. You cannot let you opponent have the ball for 75% of the game and expect the defense to have any gas to get a stop when needed in the 4Q.
  • Anyone else find it odd that up 3 scores with 5 minutes left, Harbaugh still had all his starters in? He is, and forever will be, a milk drinking douche.
  • Big picture comments: no one likes to lose a game like that but for all the doom and gloom, how many posters here predicted we’d be 5-1 at this point? Or to ask another way, if I told you in August PSU would be 5-1, would you be OK with that? Also recall, that in 2016, PSU also got blown out by Michigan @ Michigan (I’d argue that was a much worse loss). I think most people would agree the 2016 PSU was a good team. An 11 win season is still on the table. We are….

On the big picture, if someone had told you that Auburn would be atrocious and might only win 4 games this years, I think everyone would have predicted 5-1 or 4-2 at worst.
 
On the big picture, if someone had told you that Auburn would be atrocious and might only win 4 games this years, I think everyone would have predicted 5-1 or 4-2 at worst.
Auburn isn't atrocious. They aren't a great team, but certainly have some talented guys. They should have beaten LSU. They obviously play in a tough division. Probably a 5 or 6 win team, but I'm not sure that's all that different than predicted at the beginning of the year.
 
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The score was 41-17 and rapidly going in the wrong direction.
Agreed, but it could just as easily been 24-24 with it going in the right direction. That's why the play the games. People are overreacting to this loss in an absurd fashion.
 
Agreed, but it could just as easily been 24-24 with it going in the right direction. That's why the play the games. People are overreacting to this loss in an absurd fashion.
Sorry, I planned to stay out of a food fight here, but that is just a dumb comment on how the game was going.

The yardage, the momentum, the line of scrimmage on both offense and defense -- all decidedly in favor of Michigan. It was close on the scoreboard for a while due to some surprising plays but the trend of the game was not close.
 
Sorry, I planned to stay out of a food fight here, but that is just a dumb comment on how the game was going.

The yardage, the momentum, the line of scrimmage on both offense and defense -- all decidedly in favor of Michigan. It was close on the scoreboard for a while due to some surprising plays but the trend of the game was not close.
Again, it's the scoreboard that matters.

Recall the 1986 championship game against Miami (perhaps you are too young?). Miami dominated that game except for on the scoreboard.
 
Sorry, I planned to stay out of a food fight here, but that is just a dumb comment on how the game was going.

The yardage, the momentum, the line of scrimmage on both offense and defense -- all decidedly in favor of Michigan. It was close on the scoreboard for a while due to some surprising plays but the trend of the game was not close.
Wind did no favors for the passing game but PSU got butt kicked again by michigan.Not even close.Coach jf needs to figure out how to play after a bye week.
 
Sorry, I planned to stay out of a food fight here, but that is just a dumb comment on how the game was going.

The yardage, the momentum, the line of scrimmage on both offense and defense -- all decidedly in favor of Michigan. It was close on the scoreboard for a while due to some surprising plays but the trend of the game was not close.
It was evident very early on that UM was in control of every aspect of the game. The only reason it was close in scoring was due to UM gifting a pick. Couldn't force a punt the entire game, that in itself is an indication of the total dominance UM imposed.
 
Wind did no favors for the passing game but PSU got butt kicked again by michigan.Not even close.Coach jf needs to figure out how to play after a bye week.
As nearly everyone is saying...he needs to stop leaving town to recruit and coach up his team during bye weeks. 9 years, perhaps he will learn next year...lol
 
You are delusional.

They ran for over 400 yards. 400 yards.

That only happens when the other team is simply destroying you.

It was worse than the score.

Not one intelligent person thinks we weren't very, very fortunate to be where we were at halftime.

But anything to back your boy, Franklin.
And they never punted. Probably broke a sweat in anger when they realized that they let PSU hang around a bit despite completely dominating them.

Then put the pedal to the metal and buried us. One of the most dominating performances I have seen between 2 teams with equivalent talent….in a long, long time.

Embarrassing to the stalwarts of our storied program.

Time to give someone else a bite at the apple. 9 years is long enough.
 
Agreed, but it could just as easily been 24-24 with it going in the right direction. That's why the play the games. People are overreacting to this loss in an absurd fashion.
You obviously didn't watch that game. The offense scored 10 pts and struggled to have any consistency. There was no "just as easily" anything for PSU in that game.
 
Agreed, but it could just as easily been 24-24 with it going in the right direction. That's why the play the games. People are overreacting to this loss in an absurd fashion.

No. No, it could not just as easily have been 24-24.

That is like stating "Auburn could just as easily have beaten Penn State".

Fans shouldn't give up on the Nitts, but neither game was decided by a couple of lucky bounces.
 
Again, it's the scoreboard that matters.

Recall the 1986 championship game against Miami (perhaps you are too young?). Miami dominated that game except for on the scoreboard.
There is no comparison. UM would have beat us 50-3 except for a couple of fluke plays.
 
No. No, it could not just as easily have been 24-24.

That is like stating "Auburn could just as easily have beaten Penn State".

Fans shouldn't give up on the Nitts, but neither game was decided by a couple of lucky bounces.
Good lord go away it's over. Better worry about Illinois then Ohio State. Go over to their boards.
 
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I can worry about Illinois and OSU wherever I post.

Instead of replying to me, maybe you should worry about Minnesota and OSU.
The last thing we're going to do is worry about football. There are more important things in life, so get lost and stop hassling us!
 
Both of their backs are very, very fast.

Correct and very good in the open field.

There was another play where JJ McCarthy kept the ball and was headed toward the end zone with the score 6-0. Michigan had two blockers for one guy and he's gone and the DB, J. Brown #16 beat both blockers, splitting them and making the tackle limiting the gain to a 1st down and roughly a 10 yard gain.

It was a helluva play and one that was overlooked, especially with how the game ended up.
 
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I'm talking about the guy who is getting held and is clearly tackled to the ground by the Michigan defender. If you don't see that, I suggest consulting an optometrist.

I don't know, that's what we always called a pancake block. I didn't see anything there other than a OL dominating a LB.
 
I finally got around to watching the TV broadcast of the game. I wanted to see:

a) things I may have missed from the stands
b) how the game played out when you remove the emotion of "as it's happening"

Couple of additional observations:

1) PSU was very much in the game until halfway through the third quarter. It wasn't pretty, but PSU was driving to tie it at 24 when the OPI penalty stalled the drive. Without that penalty, PSU has first down inside the UM 25 with a fair amount of momentum. The penalty resulted in them having to go for it on 4th down and not getting it. The next UM offense play was the Corum TD.

2) I didn't love the 4th down playcall there, but Clifford made a really nice throw that PW probably should have caught (tough catch, but both hands on the ball).

3) So the two plays that turned the game were the OPI and the Corum run.

4) Speaking of the former, while the penalty was on a TE, that was Singleton's fault for running his route 1 yard past the LOS. I don't want to pick on him because I think he will be a great player, but he did not have a good day. In addition to that penalty, he mishandled two KO returns, dropped the nice long ball by Allar and failed to produce much on offense (the last part not entirely his fault; some of that is on OL). For those of you who always want the freshmen phenoms to play, this (lots of mistakes) is part of that equation.

5) Michigan's offensive backups did not enter the game until 2 minutes left to play despite being up by 3 scores much earlier than that. Classless by Harbaugh. Eff that guy.

Anyway, happy to put this game behind us and move on to a victory over Minnesota.

C'mon man!! Michigan scored the TD to make it 41-17 with 5:03 left in the game. PSU had the ball for 9 plays and turned it over on downs with 2:17 left. Michigan took over and subs played. It wasn't "much earlier than that". Accuracy shouldn't be that hard. A quick check of a box score tells you all you need to know.

So since PSU had their offensive starters in down 24 pts and less than 5 minutes left in the game, does that make JF Classless? Nope
 
As nearly everyone is saying...he needs to stop leaving town to recruit and coach up his team during bye weeks. 9 years, perhaps he will learn next year...lol

Every team does that. It's routine. You schedule practices at specific times and recruit around it. Generally the weekend of a Bye week the players have off, then they go into their regular routine Sunday or Monday.
 
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Michigan never punted and ran for over 400 yards.

Any other analysis is unnecessary.

An embarrassment for a once proud football program and a continuance of underachievement under Franklin.
You mean the one that had 4 LOSING SEASONS in 5 years.
 
C'mon man!! Michigan scored the TD to make it 41-17 with 5:03 left in the game. PSU had the ball for 9 plays and turned it over on downs with 2:17 left. Michigan took over and subs played. It wasn't "much earlier than that". Accuracy shouldn't be that hard. A quick check of a box score tells you all you need to know.

So since PSU had their offensive starters in down 24 pts and less than 5 minutes left in the game, does that make JF Classless? Nope
If I could report you for being a troll and a moron, I would. Unfortunately that's not an option. PSU had their backups in tonight with 8+ minutes left. Harbaugh is a tool.
 
If I could report you for being a troll and a moron, I would. Unfortunately that's not an option. PSU had their backups in tonight with 8+ minutes left. Harbaugh is a tool.
So in other words, you're right despite being completely wrong with your supporting facts? Yeah, got it!

And just to spell it out for you one more time... Michigan put their subs in on the FIRST possession they had after expanding the lead. And you have kept reporting that the game was closer than it appeared - leaning on a what if about a legit penalty - yet, Michigan dumps their subs into the game immediately after gaining a big lead.


Is the sky green in your world or do you just not believe in posting truthfulness to support your drivel?
 
So in other words, you're right despite being completely wrong with your supporting facts? Yeah, got it!

And just to spell it out for you one more time... Michigan put their subs in on the FIRST possession they had after expanding the lead. And you have kept reporting that the game was closer than it appeared - leaning on a what if about a legit penalty - yet, Michigan dumps their subs into the game immediately after gaining a big lead.


Is the sky green in your world or do you just not believe in posting truthfulness to support your drivel?
This is wildly incorrect.

And it is very sad that you have nothing better to do on Saturday night than troll PSU boards.

Get a life. I hear Grindr is a thing now....
 
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This is wildly incorrect.

And it is very sad that you have nothing better to do on Saturday night than troll PSU boards.

Get a life. I hear Grindr is a thing now....

That's mature. And there isn't anything I said that's not correct. I've been around 5 years, just not much on this football board. Probably because of interactions like these.

But when you can explain to me that your statement about Michigan putting in their subs had any truth or relevance, I'll listen. Sorry if you don't like to be called out. Then again, don't bother.
 
That's mature. And there isn't anything I said that's not correct. I've been around 5 years, just not much on this football board. Probably because of interactions like these.

But when you can explain to me that your statement about Michigan putting in their subs had any truth or relevance, I'll listen. Sorry if you don't like to be called out. Then again, don't bother.
No worries, it isn't you. Hang around a bit.
 
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That's mature. And there isn't anything I said that's not correct. I've been around 5 years, just not much on this football board. Probably because of interactions like these.

But when you can explain to me that your statement about Michigan putting in their subs had any truth or relevance, I'll listen. Sorry if you don't like to be called out. Then again, don't bother.
The relevance is that Harbaugh is a classless douche. That's it that the post.
 
The relevance is that Harbaugh is a classless douche. That's it that the post.

Perhaps. Opinions can differ on that and I won't argue with yours. But why post bullsh*t reasons to support your claim? Kinda waters down your credibility. When Michigan put their subs in had/had NOTHING to do with the point you're trying to make.
 
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