Initial thoughts on Michigan - Ohio State, return of the Jackhammer
All attention turned to Ohio State following a 59-18 Michigan win over Maryland, as expected. It’s been years since the Wolverines played their best game against the Buckeyes, and a decade since they last won (2011, when Denard Robinson was at quarterback).
Understandably, redshirt freshman quarterback Cade McNamara, redshirt frosh defensive lineman Mazi Smith and everyone else were on guard immediately after the win in College Park about providing any bulletin board material.
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At the same time, the Michigan players weren’t backing down or avoiding any questions.
“Everybody knew; there wasn’t much to say,” Smith said. “Just, you’ve got to do it. Actions speak louder than words.”
McNamara said his attention turned to the Buckeyes the second he got taken out late in the second half of the victory. That they control their own destiny is everything they’d hoped.
“It feels good. This team is right where we want to be,” he said. “We’re hoping and we got the opportunity now that that game is going to influence the season and show how far this season is going to go … and I don’t think we would have it any other way.”
Is it a case of, ‘be careful what you wish for?’ That’s probably how many people see it. The Wolverines are 8-point underdogs, and that’s with a 10-1 (should be 11-0) record.
If it weren’t ‘Michigan vs. Ohio State,’ it would probably be higher.
The Buckeyes are rolling. They annihilated Michigan State last weekend, up 49-0, and it could have been 100-0 if they’d kept their foot on the gas.
Had it been Michigan (say, last year), it might have been. It was a poorly kept secret that head coach Ryan Day, after being called out by Jim Harbaugh for alleged violations during a coaches’ conference call, told Harbaugh to ‘worry about his own team’ and vowed to ‘hang 100 on [Michigan] the next time they played.
Had they played The Game last year, the Buckeyes might have.
Harbaugh shrugged it off when reporters brought up suggestions Michigan ‘ducked’ last year’s game, hiding behind the COVID-19 ‘excuse.’ He clichéd his way through much of the rest of the press conference, as expected, while praising his leaders for helping turn the program around.
And what a job they’ve done.
But again, will it be enough?
We offer more thoughts about that on The Fort, our premium message board, here: MONDAY MUSINGS: INITIAL THOUGHTS ON ‘THE GAME’
