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      • Michigan Football vs Rutgers (September 25, 2021)
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Michigan Hockey v Wisconsin Recap

11/29/2018

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    Last weekend, Michigan Hockey faced off with one of their Big Ten rivals, the Wisconsin Badgers. As the friday game started it was clear that this was not going to be an easy win for either team. Both teams were evenly matched in skill, size and agility, yet Michigan dominated the first period in shots. This was not problem for the Badgers though, since they had their star goalie in net, Jack Berry. Berry had some crucial saves for the Badgers in the first period, not letting Michigan score at all. The score remained 0-0, until Wisconsin forward, Tarek Baker, scored off a rebound given up by Michigan goaltender, Hayden Lavigne, leading the Badgers to have a one goal advantage. Finally during the third period, Adam Winborg, gets his first goal of the season to tie the score 1-1. The third period ended in a tie calling for the first overtime of the season at Yost.
The five minute overtime started with the same intensity as the first period but at the end of the “fourth period” both teams still remained tied. As the fifth period, three-on-three began, it was Michigan’s three star players out on the ice that lead to a quick goal by Josh Norris with the assist from Quinn Hughes. After two overtimes, Michigan Hockey took home the win against the Badgers and got ready to play them again the next night.
    Saturday night at Yost started with Michigan’s top line on the ice. They now had their starting forward, Jake Slaker, who was injured on Friday night and had not dressed for the game. Wisconsin had their back up goalie, Daniel Lebedeef, starting in net. The first period was dominated by Wisconsin, who got the goal off of Michigan’s first penalty. Defenseman, Ty Emberson, got the goal in the powerplay for the Badgers. With the second period underway, Wisconsin continued off of their first-period momentum and scored another goal, from a blue-line slap shot by Jack Gorniak. With the score 2-0 Wisconsin, Jack Becker got the quick rebound off Lebedeef, making the score 2-1 with Michigan trailing into the third. With the third period underway, Michigan got a lucky breakaway and scored another goal tying the score at 2-2. This goal was scored by Luke Morgan, his first of his career here with the Wolverines.
As the buzzer went off to signal the end of the third period, the game was tied yet again. As the first overtime started, both teams had shots on net but both Lavigne and Lebedeef were ready to compete. This caused the two teams to enter double over time for the second night in a row. However, the Hughes, Lockwood, and Norris line could not do what the did the night before and were unable to score a quick goal in the three-v-three. Both teams were unable to score in the fifth period overtime causing this game to enter a third and final overtime, a shootout, with sudden death elimination. Both Hughes and Lockwood shot for Michigan but were unable to secure the overtime win. The Badger’s third shooter, Max Zimmer, had the hard top-shelf slapshot goal, to lead to the triple overtime win.
However, in college hockey when a game enters triple overtime, the match will go on both teams records as a tie, but the winner of the shootout gets the extra point for the Big Ten. The Wolverines remain number 14 in the USA college hockey polls. Overall, Michigan hockey played well and will continue to move forward as they play their brother-rival, Michigan State this upcoming weekend.

Written by Vanessa Litchard
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Undefeated Wolverines Now #1 in Big Ten

11/29/2018

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​As the Michigan Wolverines warmed up to play the North Carolina Tar Heels, in Ann Arbor on Wednesday night, they were haunted by the memory of what happened last year in Chapel Hill. A devastating 86-71 loss in which the Wolverines got out played, both offensively and defensively. This year with a top ranked defense and their leading scorer Ignas (Iggy) Brazdeikis, only a freshman, this team is a fair matchup against the Tar Heels’ fast offense. 
        Last night Crisler Center was packed to the brim with students and fans filling the seats to watch the Michigan Basketball team go on a “Revenge Tour” of their own. The Wolverines got off to a rough start leaving an uneasy feeling within Crisler. Trailing North Carolina 11-21 halfway through the first half, the team stepped up the intensity and got into their groove. Brazdeikis took it upon himself to minimize their deficit with 6 points in less than 30 seconds.
        As the first half was wrapping up, the crowd experienced a very familiar sight. The Michigan defense forced a UNC turnover in which sophomore guard Jordan Poole got the ball. With 2 seconds left on the clock he sunk a 3 pointer. His famous buzzer beater shot last year in the March Madness tournament against Houston flashed across every fan’s mind as the crowd roared out of their seats. The Wolverines ended the half leading 39-37. Despite the lead, the team was falling short shooting free throws, shooting only 40% in the first half compared to UNC’s first half 100%. Although a small aspect of the game, increasing that percentage could make a big difference in future games.
        During the second half, a new team stepped out of the locker room. A flashy display of scoring got the fans off their seats and loud. With Iggy and Poole shooting two three-pointers in the first three minutes the tide seemed to pull toward the Wolverines. A dunk by Jon Teske increased Michigan’s lead to over 10 points, which was all the team needed to get the ball rolling. They strengthened their defense, holding the Tar Heels to 30 points lower than their points per game average, although the defense did allow more points than normal by their standards.
        Key players of the game were Iggy Brazdeikis with 24 points, and Charles Matthews with 21 points, scoring a combined 45 points. They also led defensive rebounds with 5 each and while Matthews racked up 2 offensive rebounds. The part they played in their 84-67 win last night gives the team momentum going into their game against the Purdue Boilermakers on Saturday at Crisler Center. With this win bumping their record to a perfect 7-0 they are ranked 1st in the Big Ten after Ohio State and Michigan State’s losses last night.
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Big Ten-ACC Challenge Preview

11/26/2018

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By: Alex Drain

This week is the Big Ten-ACC Challenge in basketball, which pits the 14 Big Ten teams against the 14 ACC teams to see which conference wins more games. It's a major barometer of which teams are good and which teams are not and also provides March contenders with an opportunity to beef up their tournament resume early in the season. Without any ado, let's dive right in, dividing the games into tiers based on intrigue. 

Tier 1: The Big One

North Carolina at Michigan, 9:30 pm Wednesday
This is the only game that features two top 10 KenPom teams, let alone two top 7 KenPom teams. By nature of the site that I’m writing this for, most of the readers are probably well-aware of Michigan. The Wolverines are off to a tremendous- and uncharacteristically good- start for a John Beilein team, opening the year 6-0, beating every team by at least 19 points, including a systematic dismantling of Providence (#60 KenPom) and a blowout of #15 Villanova on the road. They have the nation’s #1 defense, which will set up a fascinating matchup when North Carolina, the nation’s #3 offense, comes to town. The Tar Heels are 6-1 and have scored at least 90 points in all but one of their games. They are led by returning seniors Cameron Johnson and Luke Maye, as well as top tier freshmen recruits Nassir Little and Coby White. This is the marquee matchup of the Big Ten-ACC challenge and will be a huge W for the March resume of whoever emerges victorious.

Tier 2: Other good matchups

Nebraska at Clemson, 7 pm Monday
A matchup of two similar teams brings plenty of intrigue as 5-1 Nebraska visits 5-1 Clemson. Nebraska is a team looking to make it back to the NCAA Tournament after having previously made it in 2014 and most of all, are looking to win their first NCAA Tournament game in program history. Nebrasketball is led by three seniors, all of whom are Jrs., ironically: James Palmer Jr., Glynn Watson Jr., and Isaac Copeland Jr.. The very talented Isaiah Roby is also a factor for the 5-1 Huskers, who beat Seton Hall at home and dropped a game against a very good Texas Tech squad at a neutral site. Clemson on the other hand was a Sweet 16 team a year ago and they currently check in at KenPom #24, with no real quality wins and a close loss to Creighton. This would be a prime opportunity for the Big Ten to steal a game and for Nebraska to prove they have what it takes to be a Big Ten player.

North Carolina St. at Wisconsin, 9 pm Tuesday
Wisconsin missed the NCAA Tournament last year for the first time in ages but they appear to be back on the right track in 2018-19. The Badgers beat Oklahoma and Stanford as part of their non-conference tournament before losing narrowly to Virginia. They are led by 17th year senior Ethan Happ, who is the best post player in the conference, and have also seen considerable growth from D’Mtrik Trice, as well as the return of Brad Davison. Their stellar start to the year have slingshot the Badgers into the KenPom #12 position and they host KenPom #35 at the Kohl Center on Tuesday. The Wolfpack are 6-0 on the year and have played literally no one, with their best win being over KenPom #175 Mercer (!!!!). Half of their opponents so far are in the bottom 20 of KenPom teams nationally. Basically, we have no idea how good this NC St. team is, which is why this game is worth watching.

Indiana at Duke, 9:30 pm Tuesday
This is a game that features four of the nation’s top seven recruits from the most recent class. Duke has three of them: RJ Barrett, Cam Reddish, and Zion Williamson, while Indiana has Romeo Langford. Duke has quickly established themselves as one of the nation’s best teams, beating up Kentucky but also losing to a very good Gonzaga team in Maui. They are #2 in KP offense and #8 in KP defense for an overall ranking of #1. Indiana is KenPom 22, having destroyed a solid Marquette team at home and dropped a close one on the road to a mediocre Arkansas team. The Hoosiers are led by Langford, who is shooting over 50% from the field despite not being much of a three point threat and 6’8” senior Juwan Morgan has been blazing hot, averaging over 17 points per game on 9 of 15 from three and 72% from the field. Because this game is in Durham, I would expect Duke to win pretty easily, but if Indiana can just play it close for a half, that’s a good sign for both them and the Big Ten overall.

Syracuse at Ohio State, 7:15 pm Wednesday
This is an interesting matchup of a pair of teams that are solid but not great. Ohio State has had a better than expected start to the year, beating a pretty solid Creighton team on the road in the Gavitt Games and besting Cincinnati at home. Syracuse on the other hand has had a bit of a disappointing start to the year, being ranked in the top 15 before losing to both Connecticut and Oregon. The Orange were a sweet sixteen team a year ago (albeit a bad one at that), led by star guard Tyus Battle and the trademark Jim Boeheim 2-3 zone, while Ohio State has had to weather the losses of Keita Bates-Diop and Jae'Sean Tate by getting improvement from Kaleb Wesson and solid play from a few freshmen early on. This game is another test to see if Syracuse was simply overrated or if we need to temper expectations on the Buckeyes.

Purdue at FSU, 9:15 pm Wednesday
Purdue lost a lot of talent off of last year’s squad, including four of five starters. However, they did bring back the league’s best player: Carsen Edwards. The Boilermaker point guard is having a sensational start to the year, averaging over 25 points per game, including 41% from three and 92% from the free throw line. His supporting cast isn’t as strong as last year, with Matt Haarms attempting to be the new Very Tall Foreign Blonde Dude, the role Isaac Haas held last year, though he isn’t the same offensive threat in the post that Haas was. Ryan Cline has emerged as the number two scoring option for Purdue on the perimeter, but it’s really the Edwards show. Purdue is 5-1 to start the year, with no good wins but one close loss to a pretty good Virginia Tech team and they check in at #13 in KenPom. Florida State returns after making the Elite Eight a year ago and are pretty much the same team: a bunch of hyper athletic dudes who are not that well coached. However, they’ve started the year 5-1, and are #14 in KenPom. This should be a good measuring stick for both teams.

Tier 3: Upset potential

Virginia Tech at Penn St, 7:00 pm Tuesday
Buzz Williams has helped to rebuild Virginia Tech and has the Hokies in KenPom top 16 at a sterling 5-0 record. VT has three players averaging over 15 points per game and they have the nation’s #7 offense, led by sophomore guard Nickeil Walker-Alexander. The Hokies already have one win over a Big Ten team (Purdue) and are looking to procure another when they travel to State College on Tuesday. Penn St. has had to stomach the loss of star guard Tony Carr but have made up for it thanks to a monster start to the year by Lamar Stevens, averaging over 24 points per game and running the Nittany Lions as a one-man show. Despite checking in at KenPom #38, Penn St. does not appear to be a good team, having lost to DePaul and Bradley, but the Bryce Jordan Center is never an easy place to play.  

Michigan St. at Louisville, 7:30 pm Tuesday  
Michigan St. is off to a strong start to the year, ranking in the top 10 and having just won their non-conference tournament in Las Vegas. The Spartans have one loss, to Kansas, but seem to be about what we expected. Point guard Cassius Winston is still the playmaker, Nick Ward is still a good post player, but a point of surprise has been Joshua Langford, who has discovered how to shoot from three. The Spartans head to Louisville Tuesday to take on the KenPom #59 Cardinals, who are 3-2. This is a game MSU should win, perhaps easily, but it’s never easy to go on the road in a hostile environment.

Virginia at Maryland, 7:30 pm Wednesday
UVA is the same team they’ve always been under coach Tony Bennett: a defensive powerhouse that’s ready to dominate the regular season and tank in the NCAA Tournament (sorry UVA fans). The Cavaliers are #3 in KP nationally with the nation’s #2 defense, sporting a sterling 6-0 record. With a win over Wisconsin, Virginia seems to be for real and they return DeAndre Hunter and Ty Jerome off of last year’s ACC Championship team. Maryland is trying to return to the NCAA Tournament off the backs of returners Bruno Fernando and Anthony Cowan, as well as five-star freshman PF Jalen Smith. The Terps are 6-0 but haven’t really played anyone, so an upset over Virginia in this border state “rivalry” could be an opportunity to show the Big Ten that they are a contender.

Tier 4: Do Not Watch These Games

Georgia Tech at Northwestern

Illinois at Notre Dame

Rutgers at Miami

Minnesota at Boston College

Pittsburgh at Iowa

This is mostly the bottom tier Big Ten against the bottom tier ACC, with the exception of Pitt-Iowa, which is a very bad ACC team against a solid Big Ten team. Watching these games is a waste of your time, so don’t do it.

Image credit: 
https://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/3823b8a324af8ec045d3326098da62d4f915e234/c=83-0-2207-1597/local/-/media/2017/11/29/DetroitFreeP/DetroitFreePress/636475844564419455-SI-20171129-bsd-sd2-45-2-.jpg
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The Only Game That Matters

11/22/2018

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By: Alex Drain

Two fanbases wait 365 days for this. Two states defined by disdain for each other wait 365 days for this. A rivalry rooted in a 19th century war and that flourished under a Ten Year War defined by legendary coaching personas. In modern times, the Saturday after Thanksgiving is The Game. The only game that matters: Michigan and Ohio State.


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The Game is always big, but this one feels bigger. At least, from Michigan’s perspective. For most of my life, The Game was nothing more than a joke of a big game. From the time I was 7 until I was 16, it was two very mismatched teams, teams that didn’t belong on the same field as the other. In 9 of those instances, it was a good-to-great Ohio State team with a pathetic Michigan team and in one of those instances (2011), it was the other way around. While older Michigan fans told me it was a big deal, it was hard to take them seriously. The Wolverines had little chance.

But with Jim Harbaugh’s return to Ann Arbor came a sense of meaning to The Game again. In 2015, a Michigan team feeling new life was sternly reminded just how far they still had to come against a supremely talented yet underachieving Ohio State team in a brutal 42-13 beatdown. In 2016, the two teams were starkly different, yet nearly even in skill: a Buckeye team with almost entirely new starters versus a Wolverine squad that was almost entirely composed of seniors. The result was the closest you could possibly get to a tie in modern college football: a double OT thriller decided by literal inches, one that Ohio State was on the right end of. 2017 felt like a reversion to the style of game I grew up with during the lead up, as OSU appeared to be vastly better on paper but a near-perfect Michigan game-plan produced an incredibly tight game until the final moments. But again, Ohio State was on the right end of it.

So that’s where we stand entering November 24, 2018. Michigan, snakebitten over the last three years, is eager to avenge the past losses and finally exorcise The Narrative™ about Jim Harbaugh in Ann Arbor. In August, this year’s edition of The Game felt like a Must Win. Not that it had much basis in reality given that OSU appeared to be loaded with talent and the only true competitor to Alabama for the national crown, but to be a successful season, it felt like Michigan had to find some way to beat Ohio State. Since then, the 2018 version of The Game has become a Should Win. Not just a Must Win anymore. Indeed, the course of this year’s season has revealed this Michigan team to appear to be Harbaugh’s best since coming home to his alma mater, while the Buckeyes have been revealed to be the weakest OSU team since Urban Meyer got the program up and running (you can argue 2012 was a bit worse). Based on everything from old fashioned metrics to advanced metrics to simply their body of work across the preceding 11 games, Michigan is a clear cut higher than Ohio State. It’s why they’re favored by 4.5 points despite being the road team. It’s simply a Should Win game. Not a coin flip. A Should Win. And to every Michigan fan who has endured the last decade, that thought is terrifying.

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Now for real game analysis:

Ohio State Defense
Ohio State’s defense has been much maligned, and for good reason. They’re surrendering an average of 398.6 yards per game and if you take out a major outlier against Rutgers (just 134 yards against in that one), the average balloons to 425 ypg allowed. This includes ugly 450+ yard gashings against TCU, Penn St., Nebraska, and most recently, Maryland. Per S&P+, they are the 38th best defense (out of 130), which feels a bit generous, but it is still the worst Buckeye defense of the Urban Meyer era. Their defensive line is pretty good, though the loss of star Nick Bosa to a season-ending groin injury was significant, with sophomore DE Chase Young and junior DT Dre’Mont Jones leading the way. But if you get beyond the first level, things get ugly, with a linebacking corps that’s been described by OSU fans as the worst in decades and a weak secondary. Their back seven issues have resulted in the Buckeye defense being the 8th worst in the country at giving up explosive plays (IsoPPP+). Michigan is not much of a big play offense given Harbaugh’s methodical style, but they will gladly take whatever the OSU defense gives them.

Ohio State Offense
This is the strength-on-strength side of things, as it pits the #2 S&P+ defense against the #5 S&P+ offense. Ohio State’s offense is a little different in past years because they have a new QB, Dwayne Haskins. While Haskins is a far better passer than JT Barrett ever was, he is also not nearly the same caliber of running threat that Barrett posed to opposing defenses. Prior to last week, Haskins was running only 3 or 4 times a game compared to Barrett’s 15 to 20. Haskins’ insertion into the offense has brought upsides and downsides: his prolific arm has shattered school records and opened up the passing attack like never before under Meyer, but the running game has sagged significantly. Haskins’ season line is a sterling 69.3% completion and 36 TD to 7 INT, but the running game has struggled against elite defenses. Penn State (#12 S&P+ defense) and Michigan State (#4 S&P+ defense) are the two best units OSU has faced and in those games they had 3.2 and 2.7 yards per rush, respectively. Ohio State has a ton of receivers with no single standout, just a bunch of dudes. KJ Hill, Terry McLaurin, Johnnie Dixon, Austin Mack, and Binjimen Victor all have 250+ receiving yards on the year from the wideout spot, while Parris Campbell has 711 yards from the scat-back position as the New Curtis Samuel. At running back, JK Dobbins and Mike Weber share carries nearly equally, with Dobbins more of a spread type while Weber is the more conventional back. Each guy has over 15 receptions as well, though Dobbins is the more potent receiving threat. Last week against Maryland, Ohio State started to take some of the old JT Barrett QB read option plays out of the shed, presumably sets they were saving for The Game against Michigan but had to use them to stave off an upset against the Terps. Haskins had 15 rushes in that game, far more than any other game this season, but only for a total of 59 yards. His athleticism is not on the same level as Barrett’s but the deception was useful on the goal line, as Haskins got 3 TD’s. Maryland seemed a bit caught off guard, which was the downside of having to use those plays a week earlier than intended. Lastly, backup QB Tate Martell comes in for a few plays a game. While he has 23 completions on the year, in real games, Martell is pretty much only in as a rusher. The dual threat QB is pretty effective as a runner but he’s a bit of a one-trick pony.

Keys to the game for Michigan:
  • Don’t turn it over: It’s generally a good rule to live by in sports but even more so when you’re the better team. Inferior teams win games when they are handed golden opportunities. Michigan fans can think back just two years to how important this is, when three Wilton Speight turnovers killed the team in regulation and sent the game to OT
  • Red zone conversion: Michigan is gonna gain a bunch of yards in this game. The way that the Buckeyes win this game is if they hold the Wolverines to field goals rather than touchdowns. Last week’s performance of 6 field goals on 8 red zone trips against Indiana is not going to cut it against OSU. When Michigan gets into the red zone, they need touchdowns.
  • QB Contain: The one thing that has hurt Michigan’s defense consistently over Don Brown’s tenure is when mobile QB’s escape the pocket. JT Barrett did that a few too many times versus the Wolverines over the years and while Haskins is no Barrett, he’s also not Peyton Manning. If the pocket cleanly collapses and no one’s open, Haskins will run it. Peyton Ramsey had a handful of frustrating scrambles a week ago against the Michigan defense. The defensive line needs to know to enclose the pocket around Haskins, even if it means laying off the aggressive pass rush slightly.

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The real reason this game feels so big is that it feels like a crossroads of sorts. On one hand, you have Michigan, a program that seems like it’s on the verge of breaking through at long last. The team has its goals in front of them: two wins and the Wolverines will be playing in the College Football Playoff in all likelihood. If Michigan wins these next two weeks (and they would be extremely heavy favorites over Northwestern next week), all the narratives, from Harbaugh Can’t Win Big Games to Never Finished Higher Than Third in the Big Ten East, go away once and for all. Michigan will have arrived and finally returned to the national stage. Combine that with the high probability that a Michigan CFP appearance is likely coupled with a strong finish to an already stellar recruiting class (getting a commitment from 5* DE Zach Harrison would be the potential crown jewel), and it feels like Michigan is so close to finally achieving the salvation that Jim Harbaugh was brought here to deliver: a true return to national contention, with The Game being the most important hurdle left.

However, if Michigan doesn’t win this one, it feels like the season has all been for naught in some ways. The same old same old feeling will rein and it will seem like Michigan is farther away than ever. The Narrative™ will sound louder than ever as well. Furthermore, given all that I have said about Ohio State and their disappointing season, a matchup of Harbaugh’s best Michigan team versus arguably Meyer’s worst should be a win for the Wolverines. Perhaps easily. As a result, if Michigan cannot win, it will create a feeling of helplessness, a “if not now, when?” feeling. If this season was a make-it-or-break-it season for Harbaugh’s tenure at Michigan, then saturday’s game is the defining moment of his time in Ann Arbor as the head coach, win or lose.

On the flip side, Ohio State also feels like a program in flux. With Urban Meyer leading the Buckeyes, it seemed as if OSU would be good forever. Now, it seems much more up in the air. First there’s the stuff that happened in the offseason. This space is not the place to relitigate the Zach Smith situation and I made my thoughts clear at the time, that Meyer’s actions were unremorseful, arrogant, and reprehensible and that he should have been dismissed. His punishment and the handling of it was a clown show, but it shouldn’t have seriously impacted this Ohio State team. Instead what has occurred is a season where a team that was pre-season #1 in S&P+ and crowned the most talented OSU ever has been by far the weakest since Meyer got the program up and running. They have slogged through 11 games, quite lucky to still be in the Big Ten race at all, and that loss was a total meltdown against an opponent that may not even make a bowl game.

Along the way, Meyer and his coaching staff have failed to develop blue chip recruits into a functional back-seven, spent most of the season trying to shove a round peg in a square hole on offense (Haskins vs Barrett), and watched the squad’s best player quit on the team and withdraw from school after suffering a season-ending injury. Mixed in all of this is the drama with Meyer’s increasingly distressing sideline presence, with the coach claiming that a brain cyst is impairing his ability to coach. This has left him on the sideline looking disoriented, stressed to the max, gaunt, and during a crucial time out last week when he should have been, you know, coaching, he was 10 feet from the team huddle, bent over with his hands on his knees looking like he’s about to pass out. All of this has raised questions about Meyer’s health and ability to coach going forward, with rumors circulating that the 54 year-old coach may retire in the offseason. The roller coaster of a season has left OSU’s 2019 recruiting class in trouble, ranked 12th nationally, which would be the worst of the Meyer era and a far cry from the last several seasons when they were reeling in top 2 classes. Notably, the class hasn’t picked up any significant commitments since the Zach Smith situation and if anything, recruits have slid away from them, including Zach Harrison, the nation’s top defensive end and #5 player in the country, who hails from just 20 minutes outside Columbus. In years past, Harrison would have been the easiest commitment possible for OSU but now Harrison looks probable to go to Michigan and should the Wolverines beat the Buckeyes, it seems highly likely that they would pluck the 5* talent out from Ohio State’s backyard.

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Final Thoughts:

My thoughts on this game were summed up well by MGoBlog’s Brian Cook on his podcast a few weeks back when he said that “I watch Ohio State and I start to feel really good about The Game and then I want to die”. For Michigan fans who have endured the 15 years of disaster against Ohio State, feeling good about The Game is almost inconceivable. Feeling like Michigan should win, is an even worse feeling. There has become a bit of a feeling among Michigan fans that everything that can go wrong will go wrong when you’re playing Ohio State. The last two matchups against the Buckeyes and the subsequent two years to ponder the pain, where Michigan came oh so close to pulling off the victory, has created a sort of aura where Wolverine diehards won’t believe they can beat OSU until the final seconds tick off the clock. And maybe that’s the way it should be.

But make no mistake: Michigan is the clear favorite in this one. Vegas and S&P+ are in an agreement on this: making a Michigan mid-single digit favorite, a line that would push double digits if the game were being played in the Big House. In games against their six common opponents, Michigan has won by an average of 27 points while Ohio State won by an average of 16.5 points. Returning to my previous thought however, this Michigan team does feel different. They have taken on adversity and overcome it, starting with the opening loss to Notre Dame. There were moments in the second half of the Michigan State game that felt like “here we go again”, yet the Wolverines won handily. They have overcome The Narrative™ several times already, though there is one last gargantuan obstacle to clear.

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The Pick:

Despite all of the mystique around The Game, one brutal fact remains: the better team normally wins. In the S&P+ era (2005-present), only twice has the lower rated team won: 2006 and 2016, the two close OSU wins in the Horseshoe. But in those two games, Michigan and Ohio State were separated by an average of 1.25 in the advanced ratings system. This year, they are separated by 7.2 points. Those games were tossups with two closely matched teams. This game is not. I have pretty good faith that Michigan will have a good game-plan drawn up after watching last year’s affair. Harbaugh & Co. were ready for that and you have to think they will be more than ready for this. There’s also an element of hunger on this Michigan team, the idea of the revenge tour. The passion and the emotion with which Michigan has played against Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Penn State was unlike that previously seen under Jim Harbaugh. This Michigan team wants a win in this game more than anything else.

When you look at Michigan’s performances against similar teams to Ohio State and vice versa, you see a pretty stark comparison. Against defenses similar to OSU’s, Michigan’s offense has gained in the 430 yard range. Against defenses similar to Michigan’s, OSU’s offense has gained in the 350 range. The three best offenses Ohio State has played were Purdue, Nebraska, and Penn State, all of whom have units similar in rating to Michigan. OSU gave up an average of 493.6 yards in those three games. Michigan is yet to face an offense comparable to Ohio State’s, but Michigan held the Buckeyes to 280 yards and 350 yards in regulation in the last two meetings. Given all of this, Michigan should outgain OSU and probably significantly. As long as they protect the ball and convert in the Red Zone, as were the keys to the game, this should be a Michigan victory. Now put me in a coma until Saturday at 4 pm and tell me who won then.

Prediction: Michigan 34, Ohio State 24

Image credit: 
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Why Drew Brees is the NFL MVP

11/21/2018

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By Eric Margolin

Statistically speaking, Drew Brees, not Patrick Mahomes, should win the NFL MVP award this year.


Before I prove this claim I want to put my cards on the table. I am a lifelong Saints fan. I do love Drew Brees for everything he has done for the city of New Orleans. No matter what Drew Brees does, I will always love him for bringing my favorite team a Super Bowl. However, my goal in this piece is to take an unbiased look at the case for Drew Brees. I will try not to let my undying love for Breesus affect my analysis.


Reason 1: Drew Brees has the highest total QBR/Passer Rating in the league


Through 10 games, Drew Brees has posted an 87.8 QBR. This is not only the highest in the league this year (Mahomes is second at 83.9), but it is the best QBR ever recorded. For those who don’t know, QBR is ESPN’s advanced statistic to measure the performance of quarterbacks, incorporating all of their contributions to winning. Brees also has the highest passer rating ever recorded (126.9). If Drew Brees has the highest rating of all time when it comes to winning football games and throwing a football, it follows that he is the most valuable player.


Reason 2: Drew Brees doesn’t lose his team games


Drew Brees has thrown 1 interception this entire season. Said interception came against the Vikings, one of the top defenses in the league. He was hit during the process of throwing the ball and barely over threw Michael Thomas. Mahomes has thrown 10 interceptions, tied for 4th  most in the NFL. Moreover, Brees has completed 76.9% of his passes this season, best of all time. Mahomes has completed 67.5%. Brees has 1 fumble, Mahomes has 4. Brees has 7 less completions on 57 less attempts. Mahomes has taken 20 sacks, Brees has taken 9. In essence, Brees does less bad than Mahomes.


Reason 3: Drew Brees runs a better offense than Mahomes


The Saints have the best offense in the NFL. 1st in points per game, 3rd in yards per game, and 29th in giveaways. Compared to the Chiefs, (2nd, 4th, 30th respectively) the Saints offense is objectively better. The Saints played better defenses than the Chiefs (Saints: 5 top 15 defenses, 0 losses vs. 4 top 15 defenses, 1 loss). Both have an equal number of Pro-Bowl skill players (NO: Ingram, Kamara, Thomas. KC: Kelce, Hunt, Hill) and similarly rated offensive lines (NO: 10 KC:13). This is as close to ceteris paribus as you can get in the NFL, and Brees’ offense is statistically better.


Reason 4: Brees has never won and his window is closing


Of all the stats I can pull, this one hurts the most. Brees is 39 and the end is quickly approaching to his Hall of Fame career. Brees is the career leader in passing yards (total and per game), completions, and completion percentage, 2nd in career passing touchdowns, 3rd in career passer rating, and 9th in career adjusted yards per pass attempt. He is the only quarterback to have multiple 5,000 yard passing season, of which he has 6.  Despite being top 10 in almost every positive quarterback category, Brees has never won an NFL MVP award. He lost all three times he was First team all-pro (lost to LaDainian Tomlinson and Peyton Manning twice), lost when he was named Super Bowl MVP (Peyton Manning), lost when he broke the record for passing yards in a season (Aaron Rodgers), lost when he broke the record for completion percentage in a season (Tom Brady), and lost when he tied the record for most TDs in a game (Cam Newton).


Patrick Mahomes will have many more opportunities to win MVPs and Super Bowls, but Brees has very few shots left. He is having one of the best years of his illustrious career and has been statistically better than Mahomes in almost every measurable category. Drew Brees is the NFL MVP this year, Mahomes can have it next year.

Image courtesy of Scott Clause/Associated Press


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These Teams Can Make a Playoff Run

11/16/2018

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Dean Persichetti
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​Indianapolis Colts:
 
            This Colt’s offense has looked outstanding this season with Frank Reich as Head Coach and Andrew Luck returning from his never-ending shoulder injury. Evidently, Reich was a significant factor in the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl run last season, and the Colts are currently 9th in total offense this season. Last season they were 30th. Granted, this was without the play of their franchise quarterback, but the offense is more cohesive and fluent as a whole this season, and the addition of Eric has bolstered this offense in a huge way. He is having the best season of his somewhat criticized career, and is currently second in the league in receiving touchdowns with nine. They can run the ball effectively with Marlon Mack or Nyheim Hines and throw on you all game, and I haven’t even begun to talk about the defensive side of the ball.
                                                          
            Second round pick out of South Carolina State, Darius Leonard, has shown that he is a star in the making. Leonard leads the league in tackles, and plays with a chip on his shoulder. After being stiffed on a scholarship to Clemson and tweaking his hamstring at the combine, Leonard plays with a chip on his shoulder and it certainly shows. Keep an eye on this guy and Malik Hooker next time you watch this Colts defense.
 
            The Colts get a tough match-up in Week 11 against a hot Titans team at home, but my prediction is they will win this game 27-24. Their schedule down the stretch is not difficult, facing the Dolphins, Jags, Texans, Cowboys, and Giants. Although their schedule is not as easy as the Texans, they are in a great position to win some games, and compete for the second wild card spot in the AFC.
 
            I think rookie guard out of Notre Dame Quenton Nelson is fitting well in his NFL role:
 
https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/1063480983767445505
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Seattle Seahawks:


           After a huge win at home against the Packers in Week 11, the Seahawks are still well-behind the electric LA rams and sit at 5-5. It will be difficult for them to secure the second NFC Wild Card spot given the competitiveness of the NFC North, and the Panthers looking to firmly secure that first Wild Card sport. However, they face the Panthers in week 12 and they get the privilege of facing the Niners twice after that. I see this team finishing 9-7 or 10-6, and that will probably be good enough to secure a wild card spot given the Vikings and Packers screwing everything up with their 29-29 tie in Week 2.


           Russell Wilson showed last night that him and Rodgers are the only guys in the NFL that can single handedly win their team’s games week in and week out. They make tight ends Nick Vannett and Robert Tonyan look like world class players. Rodgers perfectly threw a 54-yard bomb to Tonyan in the first quarter in the Packers loss. If Wilson continues to play at such a high level, this team has a chance against anyone. Wilson launched a perfectly thrown ball to Doug Baldwin in the second quarter and is constantly evading pressure. He’s amazing to watch amongst these high-powered offenses that get most of the attention.


           Wilson can control the tempo on the offensive side of the ball, and despite this defense seemingly breaking apart in the offseason, they still have baller’s in KJ Wright and Bobby Wagner. Both Griffin brothers and Rookies Rasheem Green and Jacob Martin looked good as well.


           Look for the Seahawks to win some tough games down the stretch, and ultimately make the playoffs. It’s what studs like Rodgers and Wilson do, and this year is not looking good for the Packers.
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Tennessee Titans:


           I know what you’re thinking, “Dean, you have two AFC South teams in this write-up one of them is going to get bounced cause the Chargers are taking that first wild card spot.” You’d be right, but I think there’s a scenario where both the Colts and Titans make the playoffs. I still believe the Titans or the Colts could make a run at the division title, and knock the Texans out. The Texans have the easiest schedule in football, but face both the Titans and Colts in the remainder of their schedule. Both of those games will be must wins for them to secure the division title, and their offensive line is the worst in football according to Pro Football Focus. Jurrell Casey of the Titans is licking his chops thinking about that matchup in Week 12, and it has been a big reason why we have not seen the same DeShaun Watson during the last two months of last season.


           The Titans are coming off big wins against the Cowboys and Patriots over the past couple of weeks, and it looks like Marcus Mariota is finally getting comfortable taking risks with this offense. He FINALLY has a go-to receiver in Corey Davis (Rishard Matthews and Tajae Sharpe could only go so far). This addition has made the offense more dynamic and opened things up down field. Davis had a few big plays last week against the Patriots and logged seven receptions for 126 yards and a touchdown. Offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur has done a great job with Mariota and making him comfortable throwing downfield, and this Week 11 matchup with the Colts will be fun to watch.


           Prediction: The Titans lose to the Colts this week 24-27, but barring a potential losing streak from the flukey Texans still have a shot at the playoffs. Plus, a huge win for first-year coach Mike Vrable last week against his former coach. A win like that is reaffirming to both the coach and the players that everyone is all-in on a playoff push. ​
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Back and Forth Week 12: Indiana

11/16/2018

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Image via College Football News
Alex: Now that Michigan is back from their bye week, we have real football to talk about.

Oh wait, they did play last week. 42-7 over Rutgers. There’s not much we can take from this that we didn’t already know but any thoughts you want to get out?

Evan: They played an FCS level team so it’s hard to draw any real conclusions, but Shea Patterson looked really, really good. Also, I can’t help but think that if Oklahoma had Michigan’s defense they would be one of the best teams in college football history. That’s about it though.

Alex: Patterson played his best game as a Wolverine, making a lot of very tough throws and doing just about everything Harbaugh asked of him. The team played it pretty conservatively, not wanting Shea to do much running and obviously, they didn’t need to. They were also very precautionary in terms of trying to avoid injuries. Which is also, obviously, the smart thing to do given the certain game that is coming up very soon.

I think this game did showcase the value of Josh Metellus, which should be noted by some of his detractors, like say, you.

Evan: I’ve been pretty bullish on Metellus since the Wisconsin game. I think he’s improved a lot. He still plays a little too high-risk, high-reward for me considering the way the rest of Don Brown’s defense is set up, but it is clear Hawkins is a major downgrade. But like you said, he didn’t play because of how precautionary the staff was with injuries, which I expect to see again this week.

Alex: Brad Hawkins still has a ways to go in his development, which in understandable. And yes, I wouldn’t expect Metellus to play this week, but if he does that’s good news for Michigan since we have to think that the coaching staff is going to be taking 0 risks against a team like if Indiana. Any player that’s playing significant minutes this week would mean that they are basically 100%.

Which is why it was so big that Rashan Gary played nearly the entire game last week against Rutgers.

Evan: It was nice to see Gary back. You have to think the happiest person is Chase Winovich, who will certainly get held and double teamed less with Gary back and getting doubled/tripled on the other side. If this pass rush is at full strength the next two weeks, Peyton Ramsey and Dwayne Haskins are going to get to know Winovich, Gary, Uche, and the rest of the crew really well, as neither of their offensive lines have looked particularly strong in pass protection recently.

Alex: It was interesting how Rutgers really schemed around Michigan’s pass rush last week, calling a lot of screens and short passes. It didn’t get them anywhere offensively, but it did keep their QB, Artur Sitkowski, upright. It also hurt Michigan’s obscene passing down sack rate. It was a game plan that I can imagine we’ll see a fair bit of in Columbus, given how Ohio State has called their offense this year.

Evan: Yep, OSU loves their bubble screens and slants. The problem for them in theory is that they haven’t played a secondary with close to the speed of Michigan’s. Anyways, that’s for next week. Any other thoughts on Rutgers before we move on to Indiana?

Alex: Just that a Michigan win over Indiana would mean that it is the longest winning streak (10 games) for the Wolverines since 2006, when they started that year 11-0.

Onto Indiana.

Evan: It’d be the longest win streak by Michigan within one season since 2006, but they won 10 games in a row from the bowl win against Florida in January 2016 up until that treacherous night in Iowa in November 2016.

Anyways, Indiana is very meh. Average or below average across the board. Peyton Ramsey isn’t the worst QB in the world, but this Michigan defense will probably make him look like it for a few hours on Saturday. The Hoosiers sit at 5-5 and will likely need a week 13 win against Purdue to save bowl eligibility. They nearly upset Penn State three weeks ago before Trace McSorley scored a late touchdown to win 33-28. They have an early season win against Virginia who was briefly ranked later in the year. But they also only beat Rutgers by 7 and have lost a lot of blowout games. I don’t see much cause for concern or any real strengths from this group.

Alex: The only real concern with Indiana is the ghosts of Indiana games past. Of course, all of the previous JH-Indiana games have had uncomfortable moments, with the two in Bloomington (2015, 2017) going to overtime and the one previous affair in the Big House being close throughout most of the game before De’Veon Smith put the team on his back and Michigan finally pulled away. The Wolverines were a significantly better team than the Hoosiers in all of those games but it didn’t seem that way on the field.

But if we’re simply looking at the on-paper matchup, this should be an easy win for the Wolverines. Indiana is 81st in S&P+ to Michigan’s 4th. On offense, IU is 82nd to Michigan’s 21st and on defense, IU is 75th to Michigan’s #2 ranking. Vegas currently has the line at Michigan -28.5. Again, this shouldn’t be close. But it’s also hard to forget those other games.

Evan: Some of those recent games were definitely uncomfortably close for sure. I do think this Michigan team is Harbaugh’s best, and this Indiana team feels a little worse than they were in recent years. The most important thing for Michigan is to convert in the red zone early and build a lead so that the game isn’t in question and they can rest the starters.

The only way I see this game being even remotely close is if Michigan turns the ball over and doesn’t convert their scoring opportunities. There is no way that Indiana can keep pace in the yardage or field position battles.

Alex: Also worth noting that this is Senior Day at the Big House and while this is not the world’s biggest senior class (certainly not 2016), it is always a motivational day and the team will want to come out with a lot of fire. It’s gonna be chilly as well, with the high for the day being in the mid-30s and with a kick of 4:00 pm, the sun will set in a hurry and it could get real cold. Bundle up!  

Evan: It definitely will be chilly. And you’re right, at this time of year, a 4:00 pm kick is basically a night game. One interesting dynamic to note: while this isn’t a large senior class and the only true senior starters are DE Winovich, OT JBB, S Kinnell, and RB Higdon (WR Perry, DT Marshall, and DT Mone also play quite a bit but don’t typically start), this could be the last home game for a handful of juniors who are draft eligible. Devin Bush and Rashan Gary both have top 10 grades right now and are essentially locks to enter the draft. Shea Patterson’s name will certainly be in the mix with a weak quarterback class. Every starting defender besides Devin Gil and Kwity Paye will at least think twice about testing draft waters. Michigan could be replacing 10-15 starters next year. It’ll be hard to say goodbye to these guys.

Alex: The defensive side could certainly take a hit. Offense probably won’t lose many starters due to youth on the offensive line and WR, but with the talent on the defense, there will be a number of players who will have tough decisions to make in the offseason about their futures. One other fun tidbit: the farewell to this senior class also means a farewell to the last players who ever experienced the Brady Hoke regime. There’s only a few left as you’d have to be a RS Sr. to be in that group, but JBB, Winovich, Mone, Watson, Marshall, and Furbush, as well as a few walk-ons like Wangler are in that exclusive club.

Anyway, onto predictions?

Evan: Sure, let’s do it. You lead 6-4 now, so I need to convert on the next 2 for us to be tied at the end of the regular season. Sticking with the rule I established two weeks ago that hasn’t really helped me, I’ll let you go first.

Alex: Let’s go with Michigan 35, Indiana 10. MVP is Higdon on Senior Day. Thing to watch is injuries vs. KEEPING SHEA PATTERSON HEALTHY ONE MORE WEEK.

Evan: I’ll take Michigan 34 - Indiana 7. MVP is Devin Bush on his de facto senior day. Thing to watch is if Quinn Nordin gets a chance to build his confidence before OSU.
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Five-Hole Feature: Alternate Jerseys

11/15/2018

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By Owen Swanson & Charlie Goodwin

Welcome to Five-Hole Features, our new series of blogs dedicated to interesting aspects of the NHL that don't necessarily have to do with on-ice performance. This week we're taking a look at the alternate jerseys Adidas has announced for their second season as the NHL's official jersey provider. Not every team will wear a 3rd sweater this season, but here we do a quick breakdown of our thoughts on what has been announced, released, or leaked so far.

Anaheim Ducks

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Charlie: I think Anaheim messed this one up a bit. Everyone loves the original jerseys. Bring those back, there’s no reason to change them. It’s still a cool jersey but it could’ve been a lot better.

Owen: While they definitely could have done a better job matching the originals, this isn’t a bad homage. These jerseys are definitely interesting and will be fun to watch on the ice, regardless of their accuracy.

Arizona Coyotes

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Owen: If you don’t like these jerseys, you’re either blind or just generally boring. An excellent allusion to the original Coyotes “Peyote Coyote” jerseys, the addition of more black and red make these fit better with the current uniform set and will give people a reason to turn on the dreadful Coyotes this season.

Charlie: Well I guess I’m boring because I’m not a huge fan of these jerseys. While I think the color scheme is really great and a nice shift from Arizona’s normal colors, the logo and tribal pattern are a bit out there for me, and would be best kept in the past.

Boston Bruins (Winter Classic Jerseys)

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Owen: Boston kept it really simple with these sweaters. They even got rid of their normal “wheel and spoke” design. The design is too simple for me, especially in the torso area. Not a fan. The only recognizable aspects of Boston’s normal sweaters here are the colors and the letter “B”.

Charlie: I like the change of color for a more classic look, appropriate for the Winter Classic. I agree that they should have kept their iconic logo, and I’m never a fan of stripes. It’s an average jersey.
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Calgary Flames

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Charlie: I think Calgary did a great job on these jerseys. A classic and clean look that will complement a fun team on the ice with a fun jersey to look at. One of the best alternate jerseys this year.

Owen: I like the reference to their older style of jersey, although I think they could’ve made it more interesting and given it a more modern look. I know the old jerseys didn’t have any black, but some black in this iteration would’ve made the jersey a lot more interesting.

Carolina Hurricanes (3rd Jersey and Hartford throwbacks)

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Owen: This is an excellent revival of an old Carolina alternate jersey. It’s really appropriate with their name (the flag is a hurricane warning sign). It’s an excellent usage of a hockey stick in a logo, and it doesn’t feel forced. The addition of a second flag on the stick is more accurate to actual hurricane warning signs, too, and a nice touch.

Charlie: I agree with everything you said, they eventually needed to correct the usage of the flag on the jersey (one flag means a rainstorm, not a hurricane). I don’t know why some are so low on these jerseys, in my opinion they are one of the better third jerseys released this season.
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Charlie: Amazing tribute to the original iteration of the franchise, the Hartford Whalers. I’m glad they brought back the original jersey and didn’t make any modern changes to it. In my opinion, this is the best alternate jersey this season, and the only problem is they’re only wearing it three times.

Owen: It feels a little weird to be wearing a jersey of a team that was taken away from a city, especially since Carolina has the possibility of being relocated due to their lack of success in recent years, both on the ice and off. It looks great, but feels a little poorly timed.
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Chicago Blackhawks (Winter Classic)

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Owen: This feels like a really bad attempt at minimalism or subtlety. The straight black and white is extremely uninspired and the striping is just horrific. I get the sense that these were designed with far too big of a focus on being unique and I don't see the point. Just all around boring.

Charlie: I totally agree, for a team that usually has incredible jerseys, Chicago really dropped the ball on this one. There hasn’t been a Blackhawks jersey I really disliked until now. A team with a reputation like Chicago’s needs to do better, especially for a winter classic.
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Colorado Avalanche

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Charlie: While I think the colors of this jersey and its logo are nice, I really dislike the flag on the shoulder. If you want to bring back the old jerseys this alternate is referencing, then bring them back fully instead of including just a small reminder of the colors everyone wants back. Not to mention the asymmetry of the shoulder pads that results from this choice.

Owen: I agree the jersey logo is a nice reference to the old Colorado Rockies jerseys, and I like how they modified the old logo a little bit. I disagree about the colors, though. It's cool that they put the modern franchise’s spin on the old team’s logo. I agree the asymmetry on the shoulders is annoying, but I like the flags, and just prefer that they would’ve put one on each shoulder.
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Columbus Blue Jackets

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Owen: I’m pretty sure this is just a revival of a previous alternate jersey. The color scheme is a little bit bland, as it was before. Some red somewhere in there would be nice, but the logo is unique and striking, and a nice reference to Ohio’s Civil War history as well. Not bad by any stretch.

Charlie: While I agree with you on the color scheme, I think it fits well with the old-time feel of the cannon logo. I’ve never been a fan of circular patches on the chest of jerseys, so I think the Blue Jackets would have been better off just putting the cannon without the circular patch surrounding it. Average jersey.
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Edmonton Oilers

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Owen: These look exactly like the old Oiler home jerseys before they switched to orange as their main color. I don't know why they would bring back an old home jersey as their alternate. It's a very boring move and feels like a cop out. Something plain based on the oil drop logo or generally more bright in color would’ve been better.

Charlie: I think these are really nice and a classic Oiler look. I agree that they shouldn’t be used as an alternate, but I think they should be the normal home jersey. I have no idea why they use orange as the normal home jersey when the blue are preferred by the fans. Same problem as the Whalers jersey -- they aren’t worn enough.
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New Jersey Devils


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Back and Forth Week 11: Rutger

11/9/2018

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Alex: It’s been a busy last few days, but with the election finally over, we can get back to what’s most important: football. Michigan had a systematic dismantling of Penn State on Saturday, a 42-7 thrashing of the Nittany Lions. They now have an easy stretch leading up to the Ohio State game including Rutgers and Indiana.

Evan: 78-0. See you next week.

Alex: Hey, save the Scarlet Knights slander for later in the piece. We need to start by discussing the preceding game. What was your #1 takeaway from the beat down over PSU?

Evan: 42-7. Next?

Just kidding. I have a few key takeaways. The first is that Josh Uche might be the best pass-rushing specialist in America. At his best, he is almost literally unblockable. The stutter step move he used on Penn State’s tackle on third down of their first drive was absolutely filthy. I’ll stick with defense for now, and my next big point is that Brandon Watson is maybe the 9th or 10th best player on this defense and he has two pick-6s this year. Michigan’s corners have more touchdowns than they have allowed so far this year. Don. Brown. Is. The. Best. Coordinator. In. The. Country.

Alex: It was quite the showing from Michigan’s defense, which managed to keep three teams all ranked in the top 35 of S&P+ (Wisconsin, MSU, PSU) to a combined 27 points. For me the biggest takeaway is in a similar vein: how hungry this team looks. Remember when you were panicking over the supposed “slow starts” with this team? That feels like a distant memory at this point. On these first three stops on the revenge tour, Michigan has come right out, taken the lead, and never let up. Impressive work.

Evan: Well… Let’s hold on there for a second. This game should have been 7-7 midway through the 2nd quarter if offsetting penalties on a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown didn’t erase the return. It should have been 14-7 at halftime if Trace McSorley didn’t miss a wide open receiver that burned Brandon Watson down the sideline. Michigan once again wore their opponent down and went in for the kill… late in the 3rd quarter. It was still 14-0 with 1:38 left in the 3rd when Michigan capped a 14 play, 6+ minute drive with a touchdown pass to Zach Gentry. The Brandon Watson pick-6 then came two plays into Penn State’s next drive. But let’s not pretend that Michigan didn't dominate this game from start to finish. It was slow, methodical, and well executed, but this could have been a very different game at halftime. The defense played extremely well aside from Watson getting burned on a double move and Penn State’s garbage time touchdown drive. The offense controlled the game and the clock, but they did not finish drives early.

Alex: That’s fair. If there is one critique of this team over this stretch, it might be that the games weren’t buried in the first half, even though it’s been lots of fun to watch them squeeze the life out of an opponent in the fourth quarter. Speaking of which… how about that offensive line? Another opposing squad gashed on the ground by an OLine unit that may now be one of the two best in the Big Ten. Just incredible improvement.

Evan: You have to think that all the reps they get in practice against this elite Michigan pass rush has helped them improve. I would love to see how the O-line fairs against what is at least a top 5 pass rush in the country at full strength. Some of the holes Higdon had were absolutely gaping, and Patterson had plenty of time on most of his throws. The Penn State secondary played a decent game, but it’s hard to lock down a receiver for 8 seconds when a mobile QB like Patterson can sit back for 3-4 seconds and then scramble out of the pocket and extend the play. This team finally appears to have the offense necessary to compete with the national powerhouses. Ed Warriner and Shea Patterson have lived up to the hype and more.

Alex: I would say that Warriner has far exceeded the hype. I don’t think there’s anyone who would have reasonably predicted how much improvement has occurred. The hope in the summer was that he could maybe get the tackles to serviceable and the line to an above average standard. Instead the line is somewhere between good and great and the tackles are almost above average themselves. By the way, it’s worth noting that throw that Patterson made to Peoples-Jones for the TD. On the run, perfect strike. That’s an elite level throw that a Michigan QB hasn’t been able to make in a long, long time.

Evan: I’d like to briefly say that Shea Patterson having the 3rd best Heisman odds is flat out disrespectful to Karan Higdon, but it is nice to see the offense finally be performing well enough to receive national recognition. Also, let’s play a quick game. I’ve got a few fill in the blanks for you:

Donovan Peoples-Jones is the best Michigan receiver since _______.

This is Michigan’s best WR corps since _______.

This year’s defense is _______ than the 1997 defense.

Alex: For the first one, it’s tough. Talent-wise, he’s on par with Braylon Edwards. But production isn’t quite matching because Michigan isn’t throwing it all that much and there are a ton more targets on this team than say in 2016, when it was literally just Butt, Chesson, and Darboh. For the second one, probably some of those mid-2000s teams with Manningham and Breaston. And the third one…. we have to wait and see I guess. It’s definitely in the holy club of 97, 16, and now 18. But I need to watch the whole season play out first.

Evan: Those are all fair answers. Do you.. even want to bother talking about Rutgers… or… talk about… I don’t know, literally anything else?

Alex: Let’s talk about Rutgers. But we’ll do it through a series of three questions.

1.) How many QB’s play for Michigan in this game?
2.) Who is the most obscure player who will get a catch or a carry for the Wolverines?
3.) How many walk-ons will play in this game for Michigan?

Evan:

  1. At a minimum, 3. Patterson will take a few drives before Peters comes in. Joe Milton will eventually seen some action in the second half. The real question is whether Michael Cessa gets some action in the final minutes. The over/under is 3.5, but I’ll take the under. I think they’ll want to get Milton as much game experience as possible so that he is ready to go in the event that Shea Patterson goes down.
  2. This is tough. Guys like Berkley Edwards and Jared Wangler have already gotten touches, so they’re out of the picture. I really don’t have a good sense of who the remaining players who we haven’t seen play yet might be, but my default will be freshman tight end Mustapha Muhammad (if he’s healthy).
  3. I’ll set the over/under at a dozen. You can only bring so many players with you to road games or it’d be higher.

Thoughts?

Alex: I forgot about Cessa. I might be inclined to take the over in that case. Mustapha Muhammad is a good pick, especially since he was a highly touted recruit. And I concur on the third.

Let’s wrap up with prediction, MVP, and thing to watch.

Evan: I’ll go with 56-0. MVP is Joe Milton. Thing to watch: How Brandon Wimbush performs in his first start in nearly two months and how Georgia performs in their last test before the SEC Championship vs Bama.

Alex: I’m gonna go with 58-3. MVP is…. Chris Evans. Thing to watch: East Lansing and whether MSU beats OSU.
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NHL Early Season Surprise Teams

11/9/2018

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By Owen Swanson & Charlie Goodwin


Picture
Owen

Fast Start:
Vancouver

Fourteen games into the young 2018-19 NHL season, the Vancouver Canucks find themselves in second place in the Pacific Division. Their young studs have carried most of the load so far, with center Elias Pettersson leading the way with 15 points in 9 games played. Forwards Bo Horvat (15 GP) and Brock Boeser Pettersson (13 GP) are tied for second in scoring with 11 points each. These young, dynamic players have flourished early in the season and look to be the foundation of the next contending Canucks team.

​Don’t expect Vancouver to stay hot for long and a playoff berth still seems unlikely. While the stellar performances from the team’s young players so far this season are encouraging looking ahead, a reliance on breakout performances and youth carrying the load is not a recipe for sustained success. As opposing teams accrue more film on players like Pettersson, Horvat, and Boeser, their offensive production will become more difficult to maintain and their defensive flaws will be exposed. A negative goal differential thus far and the less-than-stellar D-core also doesn’t bode well for the team’s future play in their own zone. In fact, the Canucks have been scored on at least three times in all of their losses this season. The situation in net is equally as underwhelming, as starter Jacob Markstrom (9 GS) has posted a .899 Save Percentage and -2.71 Goals Saved Above Average.

The Canucks embark on a six-game road trip starting Tuesday against the Red Wings and play five straight games in the Eastern Conference, three teams of which have started the season exceptionally hot (BOS, BUF, NYI). They then match up against the Minnesota Wild before heading home. Considering the Canucks are .500 on the road to start the season, they likely won’t be looking quite as impressive by the time they return home. Even then, Vancouver’s schedule doesn’t relent as they face five of their next seven games against presumptive playoff teams.

Slow Start: Los Angeles Kings
At the beginning of the season, the Kings looked positioned at worst for a wild-card berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and at best as dark-horse Stanley Cup contenders. The addition of sniper Ilya Kovalchuk to an already talented roster that didn’t lose much this past offseason made the Kings an interesting team to watch, and certainly one that most didn’t expect to get worse. The return of Jeff Carter to full health, the signing of Drew Doughty to an extension, and head coach John Stevens coming off a playoff appearance following his first year behind the bench all added to what appeared to be a promising season for the Kings. Few would have seen a start this bad coming. In reality, the season couldn’t have started any worse. Los Angeles is tied for last in the NHL standings with the Florida Panthers, head coach John Stevens has been fired, and star goaltender Jonathan Quick is out indefinitely after undergoing knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus.

Despite Ilya Kovalchuk playing well since arriving in SoCal, leading the team in points and goals with 11 and 4 respectively, even his contributions to the Kings’ offense haven’t remedied a unit that scored 3 total goals while being swept last postseason. Los Angeles currently ranks last in the NHL in offense with a pitiful 2.15 Goals for per Game.    

There’s reason to believe the Kings won’t be this bad the whole season, however. The return of Dustin Brown should help their cause in the short term, as he has begun his season hot, contributing 4 points in 3 games played so far. And even though interim Head Coach Willie Desjardins is a less than encouraging hire, having finished second-to-last and last in his final two seasons coaching Vancouver, the coaching change may light a fire under the team. Regardless of the actual tactical impact the leadership change has, every player has been put on notice and, as so often happens with mid-season coaching changes, the team could play very well in the coming month. The Kings can also take solace in the fact that they rank in the top third of the NHL in Goals Against per Game, and their veteran core of defenseman could help them weather the storm.

Regardless, the Kings have a tough stretch of games ahead of them, and veteran defensemen and improved effort won’t be enough to keep them afloat if backup goaltender Jack Campbell can’t step up and reliably keep pucks out of the net. The second week of November is almost always too early to call it a lost season, but with the position LA finds itself in already, it will take a miraculous turnaround for the Kings to sniff the playoffs this year.


Charlie

Fast Start: Montreal Canadiens
There were a lot of teams to choose from for the most surprising start to the season -- the Islanders, the Canucks, Buffalo. But, I eventually had to be biased and write about my dear Habs.

From a roster standpoint, the Habs should not be doing well. They’ve dumped almost all of their core players from their playoff runs a few years ago, it looks like Carey Price’s lower body injuries will never allow him to return to Vezina form, and they have a ton of no-name players (I’m still learning the roster). But somehow they’re getting it done. Fifteen games into the 2018-19 NHL season, they sit tied for 3rd in the tough Atlantic Division with a record of 8-5-2 (18 points).

The one thing the Canadiens have this year that they have lacked for the past five or so years is simple -- OFFENSE. In my years as a Habs fan, they have always given Carey Price an enormous load and his performance would solely decide if they won or not. If he gave up 2 goals in a game, there was a very small chance they would come out victorious. But things are different now. Price is playing far from his best, with a goals against average of almost 3, but the Habs are finding ways to win. They have tallied 48 goals this year -- the 11th most in NHL. In the previous five seasons (three of which they made the playoffs, and two of which they won the Atlantic Division), their highest finish in goals scored was fifteenth.

Offseason addition Tomas Tatar has added a strong veteran to the club, with eight assists and a point in almost every game and Max Domi has been firing on all cylinders, scoring a goal in the last five games and tying his season total from last year with nine goals. Third overall draft pick Jesperi Kotkaniemi looks to be the right selection and someone who can lead the team for years to come. If the Canadiens still have a solid record when they regain star defenseman Shea Weber to help their defensive woes, there’s no reason to think Montreal can’t snag a Wild Card spot.


Slow Start: Florida Panthers
In our season preview for the National Hockey League, I said that the Panthers would surely earn a playoff berth, and were my dark horse Stanley Cup contenders. I was...wrong, to say the least. Twelve games into the 2018-19 season, they sit at absolute last in the NHL with a record of 4-5-3 (11 points). But there is hope for Florida Panther fans.

The Panthers have a goal differential of -4 -- they have scored 38 goals, while 42 goals have been scored against them. Six of their eight losses have been by one goal. These stats mean that they have been unable to win close games. This should be no surprise. With an average age of 26.75, they are one of the younger teams of the NHL. People must also remember that their goaltender, Roberto Luongo, brings that average up a bit at 39 years of age. While Luongo’s career has been reborn the past couple of years, the Panthers can’t rely solely on him for their success at this age. The old timer can only do so much to help the young Panthers before he cracks. The responsibility falls more on young centerpieces Aaron Ekblad, Vincent Trocheck, and Aleksander Barkov to improve their play.

The Panthers season is far from over. A late season surge last year left them one point shy of a playoff berth, after being mediocre most of the season. They are currently on a two game win streak, showing signs of improvement. Do I think they can still make the playoffs? Absolutely. It is still very early in this NHL season. Do I still think they can make a run at the Cup? With their inability to win close games and lackluster play from key players, no. But, once you make the playoffs, anything can happen. It’s just a question of if the Florida Panthers are up to the challenge.

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