response 116 of 199:

Nov 2 03:28 UTC 2001

So, here's a primer to the "casual," that is, sane, fan of UM or MSU or any
other type of contest in this state.

MICHIGAN vs MICHIGAN STATE.  November 3, 2001, 3:30 pm EST

Breakdown:  Michigan is 6-1, 4-0 in the Big Ten, ranked 4th in the BCS poll
used to determine the teams that play for the national championship.  Michigan
State is 4-2, 2-2 in the Big Ten, unranked in any major poll.  Michigan has
an outside chance at going to the Rose Bowl national title game and can win
the conference even with one more conference loss.  Michigan State has an
extremely slim, outside shot at the conference title, and is more likely
shooting for a solid goal of playing in a New Year's day bowl game.  

Currrent trends:  Michigan has followed its loss to Washington in the second
game of the season with a run of good and occasionally really good play.  With
solid wins over Illinois and Purdue, the only other Big Ten teams with less
than two losses, Michigan has established itself as the class of the field,
even pulling out a win in a hostile environment against Iowa when playing
flat.  Michigan State started strong, slumped with a crushing defeat to
Northwestern and a bewildering collapse against Minnesota, and hit stride last
week against Wisconsin.  Nobody's quite sure which team will appear to play
Michigan this weekend, but you can be assured that most of the best players
from the defensive backfield will be on the sidelines with injuries
regardless.

Players to watch:  Offense overshadows defense here.  Michigan has been riding
Marquise Walker all season long, and Ann Arbor locals have begun talking him
up for the Heisman Trophy, which he won't win.  He is spectacular, and
contributes huge plays in every game, though.  BJ Askew can play at least
three positions for Michigan, but he has settled in at tailback, where he can
run effectively and catch passes on screens and safety valves.  If he gets
going on the ground early, Michigan will have a very easy time on offense.

Michigan State is *loaded* with skill position talent.  TJ Duckett has
struggled early in the season (well, sort of; reports of his struggles are
overrated--MSU has been able to run the offense through different directions),
but he had a big game against Wisconsin last week, and he will be relied upon
to run over and through Michigan defensive linemen that have been stingy
against the run thus far this year.  Herb Haygood and Charlie Rogers provide
a tremendous double-threat at receiver that Michigan won't be able to match
up with properly, and at least one of them should have a big game.  Rogers,
incidently, will draw NFL paychecks in a couple of yers, so he's worth
watching.  

Key:  Nothing original here.  Turnovers and special teams will have a huge
effect on the game.  If MSU wants to win, they will have to get the ball deep
in Michigan territory and convert for at least a couple of scores.  Their
ravaged secondary is going to get burned by Walker's superior physical talent
at least once or twice, but how they play second and third receivers Ronald
Bellamy and Calvin Bell will decide how efficiently Michigan can march down
the field.  Don't forget, this game will end under the lights, and if MSU is
close or leading late, Spartan Stadium is going to become *very* hostile.