LJ Scott was a monster This close. The Spartans were this close to beating the #2 team in the land. And yet, I came away feeling positively neutral about it. I wasn't excited that we were playing Pound Green ball. Nor that we were one play away from our biggest upset since Renaldo Hill picked it off to seal the win over the Buck Nuts in 1998.
The game just seemed kind of surreal. I watched it, was pleased to see that the team was playing tough and when it was over it was "huh, well that was fun"
The game started out great! It took just two plays and 46 seconds to go up 7-0. You could tell then that Dantonio was going to use all the tricks in the bag. The first scoring play was a fake screen to one side and then pass to LJ Scott on the other as he raced into the endzone. Sweet
It was punch, counterpunch after that. Ohio State matches the TD, we kick a FG, they kick a FG. At the half it was 10-10. A very famous score in Spartan lore.
The game just seemed kind of surreal. I watched it, was pleased to see that the team was playing tough and when it was over it was "huh, well that was fun"
The game started out great! It took just two plays and 46 seconds to go up 7-0. You could tell then that Dantonio was going to use all the tricks in the bag. The first scoring play was a fake screen to one side and then pass to LJ Scott on the other as he raced into the endzone. Sweet
It was punch, counterpunch after that. Ohio State matches the TD, we kick a FG, they kick a FG. At the half it was 10-10. A very famous score in Spartan lore.
The defense was dominating too The best part was that we were controlling the trenches and the DL was pressuring the QB. Something that has been for missing for most of the year.The improvement in the way we played over the last month is like going from a Pinto to a, well maybe not a Ferrari, more like a souped up Oldsmobile with a four barrel carb, no headers though.
Ohio State is pretty damn good too and late in the 3rd quarter took a 17-10 lead. Time for one last counterpunch. Two heavyweights going the full 15.
State hands it off to LJ Scott 8 straight times. 8 straight times! Talk about landing body blows.
He goes 56 yards for the tying score. Almost tie that is. Dantonio was going for the killl shot. One last knockout blow. "Cut me Mick". Only to have Mick trip you when you rise from the chair.
Dantonio said he was going to go for 2 if it meant going for the win late in the game. . OK, I would have waited on going for 2 When you are in the opponents crib - sure. But not when you are home and have the momentum. But he knows his team more than I ever will so if he thinks going for 2 is the way to go I'm good with it.
Ohio State is pretty damn good too and late in the 3rd quarter took a 17-10 lead. Time for one last counterpunch. Two heavyweights going the full 15.
State hands it off to LJ Scott 8 straight times. 8 straight times! Talk about landing body blows.
He goes 56 yards for the tying score. Almost tie that is. Dantonio was going for the killl shot. One last knockout blow. "Cut me Mick". Only to have Mick trip you when you rise from the chair.
Dantonio said he was going to go for 2 if it meant going for the win late in the game. . OK, I would have waited on going for 2 When you are in the opponents crib - sure. But not when you are home and have the momentum. But he knows his team more than I ever will so if he thinks going for 2 is the way to go I'm good with it.
But the QB play was a disaster as two late picks sealed the game It was the play call that was a disaster. LJ was unstoppable on the drive. If you think the OSU defense will be all over LJ on the potential game winning play, than at least fake it to him and roll the pocket.
Nope. A straight drop back and pick.
During the game, Pete texted O'Conner is the most inaccurate QB he has ever seen. Only to recant and say Terry is worse. Can't disagree.
Which makes you wonder why put it in the QBs hands on such a critical play? Awful call and it was part one in costing us the game.
Dantonio went on to say that he was gambling that, even if we missed the 2, we could still get the ball back late with a chance at a winning FG.
He was right. We get the ball back at the two minute warning. Two plays later O'Conner throws his third pick and it's game over.
And it was then that I went all nonchalant. Perhaps it was because there was really nothing on the line. Sure, a chance to beat the Bucknuts and screw up the playoffs would have been nice. Getting to listen to all the talking heads on ESPN bemoan Ohio State blowing their chance - cool. And all the improvement in the trenches, in the running game, a defense making plays instead of mistakes - all great to see. But with the miserable QB play you just knew it was going to be one big tease. I wasn't going to be teased.
I'm just going to see if the improvement carries over to this weeks game and one final chance to blow up the playoffs.
Nope. A straight drop back and pick.
During the game, Pete texted O'Conner is the most inaccurate QB he has ever seen. Only to recant and say Terry is worse. Can't disagree.
Which makes you wonder why put it in the QBs hands on such a critical play? Awful call and it was part one in costing us the game.
Dantonio went on to say that he was gambling that, even if we missed the 2, we could still get the ball back late with a chance at a winning FG.
He was right. We get the ball back at the two minute warning. Two plays later O'Conner throws his third pick and it's game over.
And it was then that I went all nonchalant. Perhaps it was because there was really nothing on the line. Sure, a chance to beat the Bucknuts and screw up the playoffs would have been nice. Getting to listen to all the talking heads on ESPN bemoan Ohio State blowing their chance - cool. And all the improvement in the trenches, in the running game, a defense making plays instead of mistakes - all great to see. But with the miserable QB play you just knew it was going to be one big tease. I wasn't going to be teased.
I'm just going to see if the improvement carries over to this weeks game and one final chance to blow up the playoffs.
It took a quarter to get started but then Navy blew out the Pirates And the Big Book of Guesses continues to tease too. Well maybe more like taunt. Now that the GO JUMBO trip is in the record books, the Doofus has a back 2 back winning weekend. The BBofG was off a bit going 27-31-0 and the advanced betting metrics finally had a losing weekend going 10-12 but the Doofus sorted through the picks and went 2-1 on the Mega Bets with:
Northwestern -2.0 @ Minnesota - Thanks a lot pal. That was the text from Bruce after the game. He knew I had jinxed the Cats. The Goofers defense dominated and, of course, why wouldn't that happen - Mitch Leidner threw his first TD pass in 7 weeks as Minny rolled to a 29-12 win LOSS. I texted back promising Bruce I would never jinx his Cats again.
Navy -7.5 @ East Carolina - It looked like this game was going into the tank too when ECU jumped to a 17-7 lead early in the second quarter. But then Will Worth took it up another couple knots as they blew out the Pirates 66-31 WIN
Northwestern -2.0 @ Minnesota - Thanks a lot pal. That was the text from Bruce after the game. He knew I had jinxed the Cats. The Goofers defense dominated and, of course, why wouldn't that happen - Mitch Leidner threw his first TD pass in 7 weeks as Minny rolled to a 29-12 win LOSS. I texted back promising Bruce I would never jinx his Cats again.
Navy -7.5 @ East Carolina - It looked like this game was going into the tank too when ECU jumped to a 17-7 lead early in the second quarter. But then Will Worth took it up another couple knots as they blew out the Pirates 66-31 WIN
New England rolled in the 2nd half too New England -7.5 @ San Francisco - Brady was coasting thouh the first half and the Pats were only up 13-10. But he dominated in the second half as New England went up 30-10. A late back door cover by Kaepernick was quashed He scored a TD with 2 minutes to go to cut the lead to 30-17 but the onside kick failed and the Pats killed the rest of the clock WIN
The Mini Megas went 2-1 as well with
Kansas State -2.0 @ Baylor - Another slow start as Baylor led 14-7 at the half and then it was all Wildcats as they pounced in a 42-21 dominating WIN
Southern Miss -5.5 @ North Texas - I'm done betting on the Golden Eagles. The Mean Green jumped to an early 20-0 lead. USM tried coming back but it was too little, too late. UNT won 29-23 LOSS
The Mini Megas went 2-1 as well with
Kansas State -2.0 @ Baylor - Another slow start as Baylor led 14-7 at the half and then it was all Wildcats as they pounced in a 42-21 dominating WIN
Southern Miss -5.5 @ North Texas - I'm done betting on the Golden Eagles. The Mean Green jumped to an early 20-0 lead. USM tried coming back but it was too little, too late. UNT won 29-23 LOSS
Back2Back baby! Va Tech +1.0 @ Notre Dame - Once again I was down early (seems like it was every game this week) as the Domers jumped to an early 17-0 lead. But Brian Kelly didn't disappoint. He was outcaoched and the Hokies eventually pulled it out 34-31 WIN
And speaking of Back2Back, the Spartans were way short of that goal but not the Lady Vikings of Bronson. They won the Class C girls volleyball championship again this year.
Joe was wondering if Lorraine's daughter was on the team. I told him he's dating himself. It would be her granddaughter. Man we are getting old.
Remember - the 2017 GO JUMBO trip is Nov 11th, 2017 at the Westgate Resort
And speaking of Back2Back, the Spartans were way short of that goal but not the Lady Vikings of Bronson. They won the Class C girls volleyball championship again this year.
Joe was wondering if Lorraine's daughter was on the team. I told him he's dating himself. It would be her granddaughter. Man we are getting old.
Remember - the 2017 GO JUMBO trip is Nov 11th, 2017 at the Westgate Resort
