UM Hoops.com

Mainstream Media Links

• Hart stands by year-old comment
  “They’ll always be second to us whether they beat us or not. They have to go on a winning streak for a while. But it’s more than that. As far as Ann Arbor goes, compared to East Lansing, Michigan compared to Michigan State, Michigan is the better school, and that’s not just me talking.”
• Oh, brother: Our state’s sibling rivalry might be turned on its head
  Wojo picks State
• Labor Pains: Birth of Rodriguez era grueling for U-M
  Wojo
• U-M to host biggest recruiting weekend of season
  Plenty of football recruits. In terms of hoops Blake McLimans, Darius Morris, and Jordan Morgan will also be in on officials. I would also expect numerous in-state kids on unofficials as well.
• Rush vs. Crush: ‘Different game’ if Wolverines restrict Ringer
• Javon Ringer gets one last shot at U-M
  Hopefully it turns out kind of like this did….

Blogosphere Links

• Special in-state-rivalry edition football game preview
  A very good analysis from the other side at the SpartansWeblog.
• Preview: Michigan State Spartans
  Varsity Blue predicts a Michigan win
• The Michigan Michigan State Rivalry: An Outsider’s Perspective
  MaizenBrew
• MSU is Popular in Kazakhstan. Nice!
  MaizeNBrew. Really though, does anyone apply to Michigan State and not Michigan? Maybe if they know they can’t get into U-M.

Quotables

“We could lose every game the rest of this year as long as we get this one.” - Javon Ringer

“We are not going to lose to State,” - Brandon Graham

“It means more to us than a championship.” - Otis Wiley

Nothing like some juicy quotes to get a rivalry week going. The weather calls for rain and showers from Friday afternoon through Saturday. I guess this helps Michigan State because they have a consistent running game and when it rains Michigan turns the ball over even more than usual. The analysis all points to MSU in this game, the only thing on our side is the dominance of this rivalry. We need some of those patented Michigan State moments to have a chance in this one. The sad part is that we have had a lot more of those “moments” this year than our brothers in East Lansing.

I’m going Michigan State 28 - Michigan 17. Little Brother has to win a few games here and there. Let’s hear your predictions in the comments.

• Nate Lubick Video (soph. year — I know he doesn’t play football)
• Carlos Brown, JR Hemmingway out Saturday, Stonum practicing with scout team
  
• Week 6 Preview
  Michigan Sports Center takes you around the Big Ten matchups this week.
• MGoBlog UFR reviews the madness that was Wisconsin/Michigan.
• Illinois quarterback Williams a proven playmaker
• Huron High School receiver Jackson stays home, will play for Michigan
  Fred Jackson’s son joins Ricardo Miller in the 2010 class for Rich Rodriguez.
• Inside the attitude: Mike Barwis
  The legend.
• Minor could see role increase against Illinois
  He better hold onto the ball…
• Breakdown: Michigan vs. Illinois
  The Daily breaks down the game, picks Michigan 27-24.
• Preview: Illinois Fighting Illini
  Varsity Blue also breaks down the game, picks UM 31-28.
• All verdicts are still out for U-M, MSU
• Michigan’s going through ‘process’ of learning the spread-option
  Dual Threet demonstrated the potential in his 58 yard scamper.

I really don’t know what to think about this game against Illinois. The optimist in me tells me we turned the corner and the realest in me tells me not so fast. At half time last week we looked like one of the worst football teams in the country before storming back against a top 10 (sorta) team. In a game like that there comes a time when you realize you hit rock bottom. You look to the left and right and say ‘this can’t get any worse, let’s just go play’. I believe whatever was said in that Michigan locker room at half time (however ridiculous it may have been) brought the kids together. They realized they played as awful as they were capable of in the first half and were only down 3 scores. Now we just have to see if they can carry that attitude and momentum into Saturday’s game.

I have written about 3 football games, and I have picked all of them wrong (which is why I blog about basketball). But hopefully that trend keeps up because I am going to pick Illinois 24 - Michigan 17.  I was pretty impressed with Illinois against PSU. They have proven that their offense can score the ball and if it wasn’t for Derrick Williams they might have won that game in Happy Valley. With Michigan I’m taking the wait and see approach, hopefully each game turns me into a little more of a believer.

On a side note, am I the only one who thought Illini fans crying during Chief Illiniwek’s last dance during the Ill/UM hoops game 2 years ago was pathetic?

More football links this week from around the blogosphere and mainstream media in what is I guess a semi-weekly feature here.

• Ace of Sports takes a look at Clausen’s play against SDSU (Part One - Part Two)
• Michigan vs. Notre Dame
  ESPN insider scouting report
• Commentary: Will U-M pulverize poor Notre Dame again?
  Hopefully…
• Loose and confident, Steven Threet ready to lead Wolverines
• Michigan D-line the reel deal
  via mgoblog
• Irish a year older, wiser
• War of words prefaces rivalry game
  Jabba upset Barwis. Bad choice.
• UFR: Offense & Defense

Let’s hear the score predictions, I’ll go with Michigan 17 - Notre Dame 6 with a late defensive touchdown to put the game out of reach. It’s gonna be a wet one and I think it comes down to Michigan’s domination on the defensive line that wins them the game.