OSU and PSU are pretty rivalrous, right? This seems like a big-time pride spot for PSU and its interim coach. Wiscy likely wants to come out strong tonight too. Am I wrong in thinking tonight could be a wonderful night to put some distance between us the rest of the pack in the standings?
On the other hand, would we rather face an OSU squad that absolutely needs it Sunday post-PSU loss or one that is fairly complacent? I tend to think we will get the bad guy’s best shot regardless.
I’d rather Michigan has as much breathing room as possible. Give me that PSU win all day long.
I also think that you could say Michigan’s desperation to keep breathing room would be just as intense as OSU’s desperation to catch Michigan. But I also find the notion of perceived desperation making an opponent more difficult to be a little too feelingsball for me. I also don’t think that Michigan will have much trouble getting up for that game, considering 1) it’s OSU and 2) they swept Michigan last season.
I think PSU is dead given the MSU and Nebraska losses. They might come out with their hair on fire but it won’t last beyond ten minutes or so.
Yeah 100% of the time give me a guaranteed loss to a team competing for the title against us over some narrative based worry that they’ll be motivated. Especially when that team is OSU
Speculating. Michigan hasn’t had games rescheduled yet (expectation is Illini game will be rescheduled) while B1G is making Nebraska to play all of the games they have missed including Maryland back to back. B1G is okay with Michigan missing the Illini game and allowed them to give them extra days of practices before Wisconsin game. That’s the pros of being the national title contender.
There are just different situations entirely, I don’t think you can judge the timing of both situations. Michigan is probably going to play two games next week… those games don’t really need to be finalized yet.
There are things that go into Nebraska planning (more games, tougher travel, etc.) that don’t go into Michigan planning and things that go into Michigan planning (big TV draw, etc.) that don’t go into Nebraska planning.
Well we can hopefully solve that problem by giving them a reason to hate us for something that happened this year.
Are you including IU in this? Or do you mean two rescheduled games?
Nebraska also doesn’t have to consider the postseason so the guys might want to just play.
Edit: And by this I mean the assumption has been that the Big Ten is forcing this schedule on Nebraska and giving more leeway to Michigan. This could be what Nebraska prefers, even if it isn’t ideal.
My bet would be that Michigan plays on the 23rd (Northwestern) and the 25th (Illinois) but we’ll see.
NW on 2/23 makes sense, but I wonder what the hold up is to announce that since it’s only 5 days away.
Getting games scheduled for next week by the end of this week is pretty much in line with how things have been operating.
Yes M will get OSU’s best shot. M is #1 hunted in B1G. They will get every opponent’s best shot the rest of the season and B1G tourney.
Fair enough. I saw what Wisconsin’s best shot at us earned them so I’m fairly comfortable with this. Go Lions!
hmm can he say this?
Tom Izzo to @BFQuinn: “Guys are up for an audition right now. You've got to see progress or there’s going to be changes. That’s the way it is in the world.”
— Graham Couch (@Graham_Couch) February 18, 2021
“A scholarship is a two-way street. We have an obligation to you. You have an obligation to us.”
(Deleting this whole thing – ESPN has Nebraska and U of I’s schedule completely wrong.)
I mean, he can say that. Should he? Probably not. I guess he has earned the right to but its not a good look.
Would be a shame for him to get negative-recruited by other coaches pointing out that you could get your scholly yanked if you piss off the angry coach.
I don’t really take that as Izzo threatening to pull scholarships. Other than the fact he quite literally can not do that, it just sounds like a typical Izzo/coach quote. “I demand excellence from my players” kinda thing,
Also per Izzo, Foster Loyer will miss the next two games (@Indiana, vs. Illinois) with his shoulder injury. Will be reassessed prior to OSU on the 25th.