The Obligatory Predictions Competition - Thanksgiving Edition

by Jonathan Franz on Nov 24, 2011 2:35 PM CST in Obligatory Predictions Competition

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! My apologies to Iowa, Nebraska, Penn State, and Wisconsin fans, but we're only picking one game on this site this week. Log onto Yahoo! to submit your picks for The Game, and all the others.

OHIO STATE vs. No. 17 MICHIGAN (11/16) 12:00 p.m. ABC

GRAHAM predicts MICHIGAN

I picked Michigan over Michigan State. Big mistake. MSU was stronger, angrier, more aggressive. I feel the same way against OSU, but you can't discount the momentum that Michigan has picked up. UM at home in front of an ape-shit crowd.

JON predicts OHIO STATE

Graham and I met on a cloudy Saturday in November in 2003, when I hosted an Ohio State/Michigan party on campus at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and he showed up decked out in the maize and blue, instantly endearing himself as persona non grata. No. 5 Michigan beat No. 4 Ohio State that day in Ann Arbor. In the eight years (and two days) we've been friends it's the only time he's been able to celebrate the outcome of The Game. Meanwhile, I've had my fair share of opportunities to gloat. It's been an incredible ride, but all good things eventually have to end.

On paper this looks like a clear win for TSUN. Michigan is rightfully ranked and coming off of its best win of the season, a 45-17 blowout of a solid Nebraska squad. They're playing confident football on both sides of the ball -- especially on defense where first year coordinator Greg Mattison has pulled off a miracle turnaround. Ohio State meanwhile has weathered back-to-back losses, has a one-dimensional offense, and a defense that's somehow more inconsistent than Oregon's uniforms.

So why am I picking the Buckeyes? Well, for starters, I'd rather eat the point than pick the maize and blue. And, for those of you who demand logic, Ohio State has shown that when it brings its "A Game" it's still pretty formidable (see Wisconsin.) Plus the pressure is on the Wolverines to win. The Buckeyes have everything to gain.

Of course, they also have a lot to lose. We'll probably never see a streak like this again in our lifetimes. Unless, that is, a certain Urban Meyer ends up in Columbus. I kid, I kid.

Go Bucks!

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Let's go meteor

Schadenfreude ist die schoenste Freude

by Seer on Nov 24, 2011 3:38 PM CST reply actions 4 recs

How was this not green yet?!

by MNWildcat on Nov 25, 2011 12:03 PM CST up reply actions

go banana

by MSUDersh on Nov 25, 2011 8:04 PM CST via mobile up reply actions

One thing I am happy about is no garbage uniforms for the game, just the classic look. Although, I wouldn’t be opposed to both teams wearing home uniforms, that would look pretty cool.

Many people are just blindly picking Michigan BIG, and even though I want to, I can’t. Ohio’s defense, if they give it all on every play up front is very, very good. Simon and Hankins are very good and it will be a good matchup to watch if they can break the Michigan OL into the backfield. The Ohio LB core is good, not great, but if they stay disciplined in their lanes, then they might be able to stop Biakabutoussaint and/or Denard, given they don’t bite on misdirection/fakes. The secondary is probably the weakest part of the defense, but that kind of evens out with Shoelace’s throws. He has improved week to week in his footwork, but he still has a few WTF throws every game. Maybe he shows more improvement this week? Who knows.

The Ohio offense is a big question mark in my opinion. They have been inconsistent all season (shown some really good/very bad flashes) and now with Herron and Posey, who knows what to expect. Posey is a good receiver, and if Miller finds a rhythm (keyword IF) Posey could make some huge plays. Herron is going to get some rushes for 10-15 yards along with Miller getting some big gains on scrambles, that is just the nature of the Michigan defense, they’ll get burned on some blitzes. I think the wild card is the Ohio TE play. Stoneburner and Miller had a connection all year and it could play big into this game.

I still think Michigan wins it, but not by more than a touchdown. However, if Michigan gets going offensively, forces a turnover and is up by 2 scores before halftime, then the game could open up.

by snoopblue on Nov 24, 2011 4:34 PM CST reply actions

Frank Solich's team would kill your team!

Ohio may play in the MAC, but Toledo beat you and they are in the MAC too!

by biggy84 on Nov 24, 2011 8:29 PM CST up reply actions

As a Michigan fan who went to Ohio U

All of this calling OSU as Ohio is really starting to piss me off. I hate OSU, I got accepted to OSU, but went to Ohio because I hate OSU so much. I don’t like people thinking Ohio and OSU are related. Also, Ohio gets very little recognition as it is, I feel like calling OSU “Ohio” makes the real Ohio more insignificant.

by nugz85 on Nov 25, 2011 11:33 PM CST up reply actions