As the old expression goes, all good things must come to an end.
I have been spending more than a reasonable amount of time reading the posts on the Red Cedar Message Board, and as could be predicted most everyone on there is at DefCon 1. Fire Roushar! Bench Maxwell! We suck!...blah, blah, blah.
I know that it's asking too much for "reason" from rabid MSU fans after a last-second loss to our bitter rival, but some of these RCMB threads are borderline insane.
I'm shocked at the level of contempt for Andrew Maxwell. He does need to improve his accuracy in long-range passing, but he's not the primary problem for MSU. A decimated offensive line and a lack of play makers on offense have really hurt the Spartans.
For the fourth year in a row, MSU's defense did a great job in containing Denard Robinson. MSU's defense did everything conceivable in giving the Spartans a chance to win the game, but the offense once again could not pick up the slack.
I don't know where MSU goes from here. The team now has three Big Ten losses by a combined six points. The Rose Bowl is out, as is a BCS bowl game. At this point, MSU will have to fight and scratch to get into any bowl game. I don't know what the psyche of the team will be, and the coaching staff faces one of its biggest challenges in keeping these guys' spirits up.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Halftime: Michigan 6, Michigan State 0
After much deliberation, I decided to bite the bullet, take my medicine, and watch the game in real time. So far, unfortunately, it is playing out about the way I thought.
MSU's defense has done about as well as could be imagined containing Denard. The problem is, the Spartans just can't get anything going on offense. That pretty much sums of the season.
The missed field goal by Conroy hurt. For whatever reason, he is not having the seasons he had in 2010 and 2011, but I suppose the same could be said about other players on MSU's team.
If MSU can get anything going on offense in the second half, they have a shot. I'm worried that if the offense continues to struggle, the defense will get tired and we could be looking at Michigan taking advantage of a fatigued defense and scoring some cheap touchdown(s) late in the game.
Well, I am trying to remain positive. It certainly doesn't help that MSU's offensive line continues to suffer casualties. The Red Cedar Message Board reports that Dan France is out with a concussion. (Yes, I know that message boards can't always be trusted with correct information). Pretty soon, Dantonio will be having open tryouts for the O-line!
Catch you after the game, and GO STATE!
MSU's defense has done about as well as could be imagined containing Denard. The problem is, the Spartans just can't get anything going on offense. That pretty much sums of the season.
The missed field goal by Conroy hurt. For whatever reason, he is not having the seasons he had in 2010 and 2011, but I suppose the same could be said about other players on MSU's team.
If MSU can get anything going on offense in the second half, they have a shot. I'm worried that if the offense continues to struggle, the defense will get tired and we could be looking at Michigan taking advantage of a fatigued defense and scoring some cheap touchdown(s) late in the game.
Well, I am trying to remain positive. It certainly doesn't help that MSU's offensive line continues to suffer casualties. The Red Cedar Message Board reports that Dan France is out with a concussion. (Yes, I know that message boards can't always be trusted with correct information). Pretty soon, Dantonio will be having open tryouts for the O-line!
Catch you after the game, and GO STATE!
Iowa 19, Michigan State 16...and Michigan is up next
I've been putting off writing this post, I will admit. But I didn't intend on putting it off until the morning of the Michigan game.
I was out of town last weekend, so I didn't see much of the Iowa game. I listened to the second half on the car radio and watched the end of the fourth quarter and the double overtime in a brew pub, surrounded by people indifferent to the game so I was one of the only lunatics who seemed to care what happened.
I'm still trying to figure out how the Spartans lost. It makes no sense to me.
It's an understatement to say I was disappointed after the game. As I often do (and need to STOP doing), I posted a few "sky is falling" posts on Facebook, going so far as to preemptively congratulate the Wolverines on their win over State. I was rightfully called to the carpet by my fellow Spartans.
Now it's the Michigan game. What happened last week doesn't matter anymore. As the cliche goes in rivalry games, you can throw out the records (not that Michigan's record is that much more impressive than MSU's). However, it looks like MSU's back is really against the wall in this game. The Spartans have struggled to score points, and they are facing a good Michigan defense in a game that looks to be stacked in the Wolverines' favor. The game is in Ann Arbor, it's Denard Robinson's senior season and his last shot to beat MSU, and there is no way Michigan wants MSU to extend it's winning streak in this rivalry to five games. Then again, all the pressure is really on Michigan. They HAVE to win this game. Maybe that will allow the Spartans to play looser.
This is a game in which MSU has to whatever it takes to win: pull out trick plays, play with controlled fury, do anything in their power to make Denard's day a living hell, force some turnovers, play well on special teams, and find ways to score points. All of the obvious stuff.
I was out of town last weekend, so I didn't see much of the Iowa game. I listened to the second half on the car radio and watched the end of the fourth quarter and the double overtime in a brew pub, surrounded by people indifferent to the game so I was one of the only lunatics who seemed to care what happened.
I'm still trying to figure out how the Spartans lost. It makes no sense to me.
It's an understatement to say I was disappointed after the game. As I often do (and need to STOP doing), I posted a few "sky is falling" posts on Facebook, going so far as to preemptively congratulate the Wolverines on their win over State. I was rightfully called to the carpet by my fellow Spartans.
Now it's the Michigan game. What happened last week doesn't matter anymore. As the cliche goes in rivalry games, you can throw out the records (not that Michigan's record is that much more impressive than MSU's). However, it looks like MSU's back is really against the wall in this game. The Spartans have struggled to score points, and they are facing a good Michigan defense in a game that looks to be stacked in the Wolverines' favor. The game is in Ann Arbor, it's Denard Robinson's senior season and his last shot to beat MSU, and there is no way Michigan wants MSU to extend it's winning streak in this rivalry to five games. Then again, all the pressure is really on Michigan. They HAVE to win this game. Maybe that will allow the Spartans to play looser.
This is a game in which MSU has to whatever it takes to win: pull out trick plays, play with controlled fury, do anything in their power to make Denard's day a living hell, force some turnovers, play well on special teams, and find ways to score points. All of the obvious stuff.
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