OT: Michigan with the largest choke job of all time

Suppose the punter had just fallen on the ball. How likely would Michigan State have been to make a long FG?

Fencer said:

Suppose the punter had just fallen on the ball. How likely would Michigan State have been to make a long FG?

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That's pretty much the root of the debate. Whether he (or the QB) attempt to kill off several seconds before either throwing it away or simply falling on the ball, the Spartans would've had it on the 45 with time for one more play.

No way they are kicking a 62 yd FG, but there's always concern for the Hail Mary.

When botching the snap AND allowing a scoop and score is the only combo that can beat you in that situation, one would think that there'd be some consideration for taking a different approach. I don't care what anyone says, it would've been worth some consideration to have a player or two "deep." We've seen guys like Brady and Roethlisberger pooch punt the ball just fine with minimal blocking, so I'm not buying into that theory that you need 10 guys in front and zero in the back.

As another poster mentioned, everything is 20/20 in hindsight, but it will certainly be debated for awhile.

Michigan only ran for 62 yards, 1.9 yards per carry, which is their entire offense along with short play-action passes. And the Michigan QB threw for only 168 15/25. Michigan State's special teams are terrible, and Michigan's are excellent--until the last play. That punter constantly was turning the tables for field position, booting an 80-yarder in the first half!

Michigan's equally stout defense kept the Spartans to only 58 yards rushing, a 1.8 average.

All Michigan had to do at the end of the game, however, was convert on third and 3, and kneel down. But they ran into a stone wall as they had most of the game.

And the epic goal line stand by Michigan State in the third quarter is very controversial. Twice a TD had been awarded to the Maize and Blue, except on further review it was overturned. The third time was the same thing--or should have been--the head ref seemed to say, "Screw it, this is embarrassing. Let's just give it to Michigan." The ball carrier's forward momentum had clearly been stopped for several seconds.

Overly conservative play calling by Dave Warner, MSU's offensive coordinator, should have cost the Spartans the game. If they had thrown 50 times in the game, esp. on first down, the Miracle in the Big House would not have been necessary. Connor Cook is a potential NFL first round draft pick. I hear Buffalo's very interested. And Michigan's Ruddock looks the part...but that's about it.

As we Patriots fans know, the QB position makes or breaks a team. So why keep running it on first down when that's what the opposing defense wants you to? Ah, college.

What a finish.

Neither team deserved to win. Conner Cook didn't impress me at all.

It's amazing to realize that no first-year Michigan football coach has defeated Michigan State since the mid-twentieth century. Considering the domination Michigan has had over the 1970s and 80s, that's pretty shocking. The rivalry is personal. Michigan tried to keep Michigan State out of the Big Ten way back when. The Spartans under Dantonio keep a count-down clock just for this game at their training facility. It runs year-round!

Great Freep column by Graham Couch, who almost perfectly predicted the score before the game: Michigan State earns lasting respect in unforgettable win over Michigan

Tunescribe said:

No way, no how. No college team could stay on the field with even the worst NFL team.

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Mentally, I agree with you. And deep down inside, I know you're right.

Then I watch the Jaguars on TV and I don't know...my eyes mislead me...

Jalen Watts-Jackson, the Michigan State player who scooped up the fumble and scored with time at 0:00, is in hospital. According to his sister's Twitter account, he'll be having surgery this morning for a broken hip. Michigan State Football: Jalen Watts-Jackson out for season with broken hip after game-winning play | isportsweb

Get well, Jalen! Ten seconds turned you into a hero from obscurity who'll never need to worry about a meal in East Lansing again. Don't tell the NCAA I said that.

BTW the Michigan scoreboard went dark almost immediately after the game. Michigan State athletics like to take a picture of it to us as a holiday greeting card.

State said:

Jalen Watts-Jackson, the Michigan State player who scooped up the fumble and scored with time at 0:00, is in hospital. According to his sister's Twitter account, he'll be having surgery this morning for a broken hip. Michigan State Football: Jalen Watts-Jackson out for season with broken hip after game-winning play | isportsweb

Get well, Jalen! Ten seconds turned you into a hero from obscurity who'll never need to worry about a meal in East Lansing again. Don't tell the NCAA I said that.

BTW the Michigan scoreboard went dark almost immediately after the game. Michigan State athletics like to take a picture of it to us as a holiday greeting card.

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BTW, **** YOU guys! Just kidding. I am kidding...no. This one hurt.

But heck of a program you guys have built. I don't like MSU, but I respect MSU, which I couldn't say 20 years ago. Dantonio has done a great job there and built a top-notch national program. Hope you guys make the play-offs and represent the Big 10 well.

Local TV station in Michigan reports that Michigan won the game. Dewey beats Truman. You can't make this stuff up.

With a thread title like this, I expected a 45 point comeback...not a 2 point comeback.

Oh a Harbaugh got screwed by the football Gods....


Karma Baby, she is a *****!

supafly said:

Unfortunately, it isn't quite as easy as you're making it sound in terms of the "bullies" covering the spread vs. unranked talent. What was Ohio State's record vs the spread this year prior to pulling away tonight? They were 1-5.

Alabama vs the spread going into yesterday's game? 2-4.

LSU vs the spread going into yesterday's game? 2-3.

How about Michigan State's failure to cover this year?

And we haven't even gotten out of the top 10 yet.

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And Baylor is 4-2 and Stanford is 5-1 and Notre Dame is 6-1. We could talk stats all day.

supafly said:

As far as blaming Harbaugh, Scott Zolak claimed that they always practiced the 7 step drop/run around and heave it play, since it was much safer than taking risk of bobbling the snap on a punt. I do agree that hindsight is 20/20. There's risk no matter what, but yes--Im pretty sure that teams have put someone back deep in situations where it's the only way you'd get beat.

Either way, we'll be hearing plenty about the decision in the coming days.

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I have to call BS here. This is not the first time a team has had to punt with extremely little time left, and nobody has ever lined up a guy *behind* the punter. I think you're thinking of kneel-down formation.

If he did what you suggested and the punt was blocked, you'd be saying "why did he line someone up behind the punter when they needed to protect against a blocked punt?!?!?"

State said:

And the epic goal line stand by Michigan State in the third quarter is very controversial. Twice a TD had been awarded to the Maize and Blue, except on further review it was overturned. The third time was the same thing--or should have been--the head ref seemed to say, "Screw it, this is embarrassing. Let's just give it to Michigan." The ball carrier's forward momentum had clearly been stopped for several seconds.

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The "forward progress" rule is obscenely subjective, but it's also one that can't be overturned on replay.

XLIX said:

There's about 60 FBS college games per weekend, with the vast majority of players being future accountants, lawyers, doctors, etc.

Yes, you will see some amateur mistakes (which you also see in the NFL). But you will also see some damn entertaining football too.

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Well, the Butt Fumble was entertaining too, but that play may be a worthy challenger to steal the crown from Mark Sanchez as owner of the stupidest football decision followed by horrible execution.

I wonder if Keshawn Martin and Tom Brady had a bet on the game. In past years I know Brady was wearing MSU green as part of a bet he lost with Brian Hoyer.

BTW, I look to see a big game from WR Martin, who had several big games in Indianapolis in the Big Ten Championship. He's ideally suited for the turf with his speed and quickness. I love Keshawn Martin as a football player.

Brady's senior year he was platooning with Drew Hensen. Brady led a furious come-back attempt from a big deficit that fell just short in the fourth quarter. With games like that and his wonderful performance in the bowl game against Alabama, it's a wonder he wasn't drafted earlier. It wasn't as if his ability to lead comebacks was unknown--even against the best competition in college football. MSU was coached then by Belichick's former defensive coordinator in Cleveland, Nick Saban.

shmessy said:

I know people enjoy college football and it is high energy and all, but I cannot watch that kind of crap after being spoiled all these years by Belichick football.

It's like going to a bad restaurant with super excited wait staff.

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I live this every Saturday, watching BC. The two programs are on totally opposite ends of the football universe in almost every way.

XLIX said:

And Baylor is 4-2 and Stanford is 5-1 and Notre Dame is 6-1. We could talk stats all day.
I have to call BS here. This is not the first time a team has had to punt with extremely little time left, and nobody has ever lined up a guy *behind* the punter. I think you're thinking of kneel-down formation.

If he did what you suggested and the punt was blocked, you'd be saying "why did he line someone up behind the punter when they needed to protect against a blocked punt?!?!?"

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Suggesting that it's somehow "easy" money to simply take top 25 teams to cover huge point spreads against poor competition is incorrect, even if we could exchange stats all day.

As far as whether or not Michigan played poor situational football in that scenario, that's certainly up for debate, and there are plenty of people pointing out the fact that consideration should have been given to keeping someone back deep in case of a bad snap. There are 2-3 people alone on the first discussion page on Covers.com who have suggested the same. It doesn't mean you have to agree with that theory though, so I respect your position:

Michigan Formation

supafly said:

As far as whether or not Michigan played poor situational football in that scenario, that's certainly up for debate, and there are plenty of people pointing out the fact that consideration should have been given to keeping someone back deep in case of a bad snap.

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Really? Could you give some specific examples please? Because I have read and heard an awful lot about what Michigan could've/should've done, but I haven't heard a single person (outside here) suggest that they should have lined someone up behind the punter.

Michigan had called a TO before the attempted punt. MSU went with an all-out blitz. Yet, Michigan never addressed this. They kept two gunners who had NO ONE guarding them. So don't blame the punter for being inundated by guys who weren't adequately blocked--they didn't have enough blockers. Dang coaching mistake.