A much easier loss to swallow

ON FOOTBALL

The differences are very, very stark.

A year ago, the Michigan football team suffered perhaps the biggest upset in college football history. You know the story. Ranked No. 5 in the nation. National-title expectations. Three explosive offensive playmakers. And playing against a Division I-AA team.

The Wolverines' loss to Appalachian State was a shocker, a stunner, a dumbfounding defeat to any Michigan football fan. It — one loss — almost ruined the season single-handedly. And afterward, all this was evident on the faces of the devastated Wolverines.

Fast forward to Saturday afternoon at the Big House. There were some similarities: It was the first game of the season; it was at home; and it was against a non-BCS school. And Michigan lost, marking the first time since the 1951 and '52 seasons that it dropped opening games in back-to-back seasons.

But the circumstances weren't even close to comparable to those of a year ago. For one, the Wolverines were playing a very difficult opponent in Utah. (Appalachian State was good last year, but I wouldn't put it on Utah's level.) The Utes are being talked about as a BCS bowl-crasher. There's no question they're legitimate.

Then, of course, there was unranked Michigan. Chock full of young, inexperienced players who were competing in new coach Rich Rodriguez's spread offense system for the first time. There was an offense with two plebe quarterbacks devoid of its top running back and two wide receivers from a year ago, not to mention its All-America left tackle.

It all added up to Utah's 25-23 victory. And the result wasn't shocking at all. Except, maybe, that it was so close. If not for Michigan's spirited fourth-quarter comeback, the final score could have looked much uglier.

The Michigan defense is what will need to carry this team in September, and it'd be wise to copy what it did in the second half Saturday — not the first half. Sticking with the no comparison theme, the Wolverines' D changed identities at halftime. All of a sudden, its strength — the front four — started getting into the Utah backfield. And middle linebacker Obi Ezeh — coolest name ever, by the way — was a beast, racing all over the field to record 15 tackles.

Utah scored three points in the second half. It managed all of 28 yards.

That is something to build on. I bet that defense wished it could play another half of football after the game, because it didn't really show up the first 30 minutes. It was just warming up when the game clock hit 0:00.

The offense, meanwhile, resembled exactly what I expected — in one word, ugly. Anyone who expected a smooth attack from the young Wolverines was — and probably still is — delusional. Actually, the fact that Nick Sheridan and Steven Threet only threw one interception in 38 attempts and were sacked three times isn't half bad, because many of their throws were off the mark.

Of course, the wayward tosses were the result of nerves, inexperience and playing in a new system. Utah put some serious pressure on the QBs, too. Saturday won't discourage either of the signal-callers, and they'll only get better as the season progresses. The same should be true for the rest of the offense.

And, I'm pretty sure, the rest of the team.

That doesn't translate into wins, though. Next week, the Wolverines should get their first win against a weak Miami (Ohio) team. That would be a nice boost for the youngsters. But then tough games against Notre Dame and Wisconsin await. And after a Toledo reprieve, Illinois visits Ann Arbor.

So temper your expectations, folks. Yes, I'm sticking with my 8-4 prediction, but I won't be surprised if the Wolverines stand 1-3 at the end of September.

Still, that sounds much better than the 0-2 start of a season ago.

With a new coach, new players and tough competition, these Wolverines are ground beef next to last season's Fillet Mignon.

Yes, a loss is a loss. And the close ones, especially, always hurt.

But, I'm sure, the atmosphere in Ann Arbor Saturday evening was much lighter than that of a year ago. No national reporters, I'm positive, we're flying in to interview the morbid Wolverines about what went terribly wrong.

This is, after all, the beginning of a new era. The wins — and higher expectations — will come.

Michigan football preview: It should be interesting

ON FOOTBALL

I can't put my finger on why, but there's something very sexy about low expectations.

Which is why, I surmise, this could be a very sexy season for the Michigan football squad.

What a difference a year makes.

Late last August, the Wolverines were ranked No. 5 in the country and considered national-title contenders. Pundits raved about the offensive trio of Chad Henne, Mike Hart and Mario Manningham. Who cared about the defense? Michigan could simply outscore people!

People, I guess, got caught up in the "sexiness" of Michigan's skill players and forgot about where the real work gets done -- in them trenches. And, of course, they misremembered what won Michigan its last national title -- great defense.

Obviously, nobody in Ann Arbor was feeling sexy after Appalachian State rudely broke up the "we're so great" party. I, for one, took a long shower after witnessing that game in person. And after the second loss -- this one lopsided -- to Oregon, people realized that the high expectations placed on the Wolverines were bogus.

So I'm guessing that being ranked No. 32 by the Associated Press is just fine and dandy in Rich Rodriguez's cubicle. Nobody expects his guys to compete for the Big Ten title. Nobody is talking 10 wins. Heck, Sports Illustrated predicted a 5-7 record for the Maize n' Blue.

There's no pressure on the winged helmets.

And that's one of many reasons this season is so intriguing.

The element of surprise is another. I have no idea what I'll see come Saturday afternoon. Absolutely none. Sure, I watched some West Virginia games while Rodriguez coached there, so I (kind of) know the spread offense he runs. But will he run the same version with the personnel he's inherited this season?

And speaking of personnel, I can't recall a season during the past 10 years when I was unfamiliar with so many of the offensive players -- particularly guys at the skill positions. Usually, without reading a single article, I can name the running backs and receivers. Not this year. Outside of Greg Matthews, I had no clue which WRs would be lining up in the spread offense until I checked out the depth chart.

Then I forgot their names a minute later. Players are going to have to establish themselves to make me remember them, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

We still don't even know who will start at quarterback -- or if it'll be a one- or two-man show at the position for the beginning of the season, the first half of the season, the whole season, etc.

Questions, questions, questions.

But sexy questions, at that.

What I do know -- I think -- is that the defense will be solid. Not 1997 great, but solid. The defensive line is the strongest part of the unit, led by upperclassmen Terrance Taylor, Brandon Graham and company. They could cause a little chaos in opponents' backfields.

If they do, they'll make life easier for Obi Ezeh, the sophomore who is the lone returning starting linebacker. Michigan's secondary -- as usual -- should be an adventure. At least there's some leadership back there, though, with senior cornerback Morgan Trent.

Perhaps all we can rely on from these Wolverines are two strong legs. Senior place-kicker K.C. Lopata and junior punter Zoltan Mesko will likely boot the ball just as well as they did a year ago.

So they're no fun!

Seriously, I can't remember the last time I was this intrigued by Michigan's season-opener. Usually, it's a warmup game for a highly regarded Wolverines squad. In other words, the boys better win by 30 or there will be serious questions afterward. Of course, there will be no taking opponents lightly after the debacle a year ago.

But still, the fact that Michigan isn't a convincing favorite aginst Utah inside the Big House is a good headline. Nobody is picking Michigan simply because it's "Michigan." Which, how convenient, fits perfectly this season, because Rodriguez doesn't give a damn about Michigan's tradition or what the block "M" means.

The new sheriff in town is doing things his way, a new way. And this is happening with many new players.

If nothing sexy can be said about the 2008 Wolverines, at least this much is true.

There will be nothing stale and old about this bunch. Unpredictably will reign supreme over a team that might just surprise a few folks (in both good and bad ways).

My prediction: 8-4, 5-3 in Big Ten.

College football Week 3 preview: Stop the booing

ON COLLEGE FOOTBALL

I didn't see it live, but I sure heard about it later. And, sadly, it's not that surprising.

Not only did Michigan fans boo the Wolverines on a handful of occasions during last Saturday's 39-7 thumping at the hands of Oregon. Certain "fans" shouted obscenities at players as the student-athletes hurried into the tunnel after the game.

I don't care how badly Michigan got beat. Cursing the 18- and 19-year-olds who played their hearts out in front of 110,000 spectators is ludicrous, ridiculous... sad.

As a lifelong Ann Arbor resident and Michigan supporter, I was just as disappointed as everyone else by the duck-thrashing. Michigan's 0-2 start has been stunning, shocking, bitterly disappointing. But as I've come to grasp over the years — and, believe me, it hasn't been easy — especially at the college level, it's just a game.

I find it downright hypocritical how people can lambaste these athletes for struggling with their schoolwork (and occasionally getting into trouble off the field) and then place tremendous pressure on them before games only to rip them to shreds after a bad football game. As someone who recently graduated from college, I can't imagine trying to focus on a test or paper while being ridiculed daily by my own fans — not to mention avoiding ESPN cameras invading campus.

Of course there's the other side. Any realist knows many of these kids, who major in "General Studies," aren't exactly normal students. Any realist must admit that college football is a business, what with the shoe deals and TV contracts. All this does is put more pressure on young men at universities such as Michigan to succeed on the football field at all costs.

It's hard enough for them to try to focus on schoolwork (or, heck, enjoy their college experience) when they're thinking about their nationally televised game upcoming. And, yes, I know, that's why many of the players choose Michigan — for the bright lights, for the exposure.

But the fans — of all people — should know. The 110,000 people who pack the Big House on autumn Saturdays, many of whom (like myself) have never stepped foot on a football field, should be able to keep things in perspective.

Boo Lloyd Carr and his fellow coaches, the guys making hundreds of thousands of dollars to coach football. But don't criticize the players, and especially lay off them after a difficult afternoon on the field.

As long as they're trying their hardest — as hokey as it sounds — that's all that should matter in a fan's eye.

MY BIG TEN PICKS
Michigan 24, Notre Dame 14: Not time to start thinking bowel game, but it's a start.
No. 7 Wisconsin 38, Citadel 10: Badgers take a breath after scare last week.
Indians 27, Akron 21: Close call, but Hoosiers prevail.
Michigan State 31, Pittsburgh 13: Coming-out party for the Spartans.
Syracuse 21, Illinois 20: Sorry, Ron Zook, you haven't convinced me otherwise.
Purdue 28, Central Michigan 17: Closer than people expect.
No. 12 Penn State 49, Buffalo 3: Still waiting for the Nittany Lions to play somebody.
Minnesota 24, Florida Atlantic 10: Enjoy the winning record while it lasts, Gophers.
Iowa 27, Iowa State 14: Under-the-radar Hawkeyes make it 3-0.
No. 10 Ohio State 14, Washington 13: This will be a test for Buckeyes.
Northwest 31, Duke 13: A Duke win would be worse than Appalachian State beating Michigan.

MY TOP 25 PICKS
No. 1 USC 31, No. 14 Nebraska 21: Trojans too much for upstart Huskers.
No. 2 LSU 51, Middle Tennessee 3: Ouch!
No. 3 Oklahoma 49, Utah State 6: Sooners now get to coast until Texas.
No. 5 Florida 21, No. 22 Tennessee 17: One-loss Vols will be desperate, but Gators are a solid bunch.
No. 6 Texas 55, Central Florida 7: Horns no longer messing around with teams.
No. 8 Cal 31, Louisiana Tech 10: Not as lopsided as it should be.
No. 9 Louisville 38, Kentucky 29: This should be very entertaining (and high-scoring).
No. 11 UCLA 24, Utah 17: Bruins survive in Provo.
No. 13 Rutgers 42, Norfolk State 7: Ray Rice runs wild
No. 21 Boston College 30, No. 15 Georgia Tech 17: No one's talking about the Eagles, but they're for real.
No. 16 Arkansas 13, Alabama 10: Um, this will be a hard-hitting SEC battle.
No. 17 South Carolina 34, South Carolina State 3: The Gamecocks, riding high, keep their momentum.
No. 18 Virginia Tech 24, Ohio 3: Back on the winning track, but offense continues to struggle.
No. 19 Oregon 37, Fresno State 20: Believe it — that Ducks' offense is scary.
No. 20 Clemson 45, Furman 7: Who really cares?
No. 23 Georgia 45, Western Carolina 7: See above.
No. 24 Hawaii 45, UNLV 21: Watching Colt Brennan is always fun.
No. 25 Texas A&M 32, Louisiana-Monroe 10: Blah, blah, blah.

Enjoy the games, but cut the damn booing. Reserve that for Sunday.

I'm out. Feedback on my picks is always welcome.

No quick fixes for Wolverines

ON FOOTBALL

This loss was much more disturbing. Much more revealing. Again... much more disturbing.

A week ago, when Michigan lost 34-32 to Appalachian State, the Wolverines could chalk it up as, yes, an upset. They could regress that they weren't prepared, that they were caught by surprise, that they made too many of those all-too-familiar first-game mistakes.

And as lame as those excuses were, many Michigan fans bought them. Yes, of course, everyone realized that is was absolutely ludicrous for a team to not be prepared to play after eight months to get ready. But this gave us an opportunity to think Michigan is a good team that played one horrible game.

Can't say that anymore. No way, no how.

The Michigan team we saw on Saturday was flat out bad. The worst team on the field by far. Forget the pregame line or the location of the contest. Oregon's 39-7 spanking of the Wolverines — which could have, should have been a lot worse — was no upset, folks.

Call it a good (likely to be) Top 25 team beating up on a (maybe) top 50 team. Emphasis on "maybe."

The Ducks' dismantling of the Wolverines exposed several flaws with this group of Wolverines. Let's perform a physical:

The defense
Forget learning how to combat the vaunted spread offense. This group of Wolverines needs to go back to first grade.

Yes, the basics.

Tackling. Tackling. Tackling.

I didn't see all of the first two games — just ugly bits and pieces — so I wasn't able to tally all the missed tackles, but let me humor you with a guess.

Um, 139?

Seriously. There have been several plays on which Michigan has missed five or sick tackles. That's not good when you have a good defense (last year). That's asking for trouble when you have a mediocre defense (which is being kind to this season's unit).

I'm sure you've heard about/seen the numbers. But in case you haven't, here's a refresher:

624 — yards piled up by Oregon, the second-most against Michigan (lowly Northwestern gained 654 yards in a 54-51 win in 2000).

390 — yards the Ducks gained during the first half (gasp... game) Saturday, when Oregon put together a comfortable 32-7 cushion.

46, 61, 85 — yards of the three Oregon touchdown passes. 'Nuff said.

Which brings me to my next point: Big Plays. This isn't a new symptom, either. Whenever the Wolverines are beat — which, I must admit, happens as often birds fly these days — they give up large scoring plays. Just look at their last four losses (you don't have to go back very far).

Especially when you have a defense not big on talented playmakers, you've got to make the offense earn its points. Leave the door open for a player to fumble, a QB to toss an interception. Michigan hasn't done that the first two weeks.

But, you see, here's the problem with that. Michigan's defenders — especially up front — are not in great shape. They fatigue quickly (and the offense doesn't help when it goes three-and-out).

It was inevitable that the Ducks would score Saturday after a very, very quick Michigan offensive series late in the second quarter. Sure enough, on the next play Ducks' QB Dennis Dixon threw that 61-yard touchdown score, giving Oregon that 32-7 lead that basically sealed Michigan's 0-2 package.

After the game, there was no talk about the Wolverines not understanding the spread offense. Cornerback Donovan Warren said, in the Ann Arbor News, "I feel they just executed better than our defense."

Yeah, much better. Blame Michigan's defensive struggles on Lloyd Carr and Ron English's inability if you want to. But right now the unit's biggest problem is a lack of execution and conditioning.

All Michigan fans can hope for is that the Wolverines go back to the basics this week in practice. And that starts with, tackling, tackling, tackling.

The offense
As disappointing as the defense was against the Ducks, I honestly thought the game would be decided in the 30s. In other words, I didn't think 39 points by Oregon would necessarily mean a blowout win.

I also didn't think Michigan's offense would be as sloppy as it was. And again, the main problem was a lack of execution.

Dropped balls. Turnovers. Penalties.

It wasn't like Michigan couldn't move the ball in the first half Saturday (we're not counting the sans-Chad Henne second half). The Wolverines suffered just one three-and-out with Henne at the helm. Otherwise they moved the ball. But consider how they finished drives:

Interception. Fumble. Missed field goal. Turnover on downs. Punt from the Oregon 39-yard line.

Five different Michigan treks into Oregon territory ended in the results above. Michigan fell apart when it could smell the end zone, or at least three points and momentum. It stopped executing for a play — or two, or three — which is inexcusable for one of the nation's top programs.

Michigan suffered from obvious lapses in concentration. Mario Manningham caught eight passes for 117 yards, but he should have had another four or five catches. He gave backup quarterback Ryan Mallett the freshman's first career INT when a ball glanced off his hands. That's unacceptable for purportedly one of the country's best WRs.

The only consistents in Michigan's supposed explosive offense are the blocking of Jake Long and the running/blocking/whatever else he does of running back Mike Hart. Both players are great. Both are leaders. In fact, Hart stepped up, guaranteeing a win against Notre Dame on Saturday.

But they are only two players. An offense can't be effective if Hart steps out for one play only to stay on the sidelines because of a Carlos Brown fumble.

Yes, the Wolverines need to ride the strong shoulders of Hart more in the weeks to come — I'm talking 30 carries a game — especially with Henne, according to Carr, out against the Fighting Irish. But there will be passing downs and there will be downs on which the indomitable Hart needs a breather.

Michigan has to be productive on those plays as well.

Execution. Execution. Execution.

So what now?
Ain't this something? After Penn State pulled away from Notre Dame for a 31-10 win in Happy Valley, Saturday evening marked the first time both Michigan and the Fighting Irish have been 0-2.

Thankfully for them, they'll meet Saturday in the Big House on ABC. And one team will exit with a victory... I think.

Don't expect a quick turnaround by Michigan in this one (just as, in retrospect, it was foolish to think the Wolverines would pull a 360 against the Ducks). With Henne out, the offense is going to rest on the little big man, the man named Hart. If Carr is smart, he'll give the ball to Hart until the running back's legs stop churning.

He's the one sure thing right now for Michigan. It's too bad he's likely out of the Heisman Trophy race because of Michigan's inability to play football.

A magic trick won't turn these Wolverines around. Neither will a coaching change (at least for now; maybe after the season, Carr will realize that retirement doesn't appear to be a bad option). The one thing the Wolverines can do to appease their fans in the coming weeks is play hard-nosed, fundamentally strong football.

Wrap up when tackling. Hold on when catching. Hold on when running.

Let's be honest. Ranking Michigan No. 5 in the preseason was a mistake. Minus last year's big-name defenders, this squad was at best No. 15 in the country. No better. They're just another example of why the preseason rankings should be scrapped (start them after the first week).

But that won't make any Michigan fan/critic any less peeved. What it comes down to is execution on the field.

And that's a category in which you can positively give Michigan an "F" after two morbid weeks.

Witnissing history at the Big House

ON FOOTBALL

As I stood in row 39 of section 15, I couldn't believe the view below me. The large throng of Maize n' Blue helmets were headed toward the tunnel on the east side of the stadium as if they were being chased by rabid boars. Meanwhile, across the field turf, players in white jerseys celebrated in many different fashions.

Some lay down. Some danced with the cheerleaders (seriously). Some pointed to people in the close-to-empty stands.

And then, in a quick minute, they all gravitated to the big, block "M" at the 50-yard to consider their feat together.

They had just knocked off the No. 5 team in the country. They had just become the first Subdivision college football team (I know, the NCAA is beyond inane with its titles) to beat a Division 1 squad ranked in the Top 25.

Appalachian State 34, Michigan 32.

A tough ticket
Now I understand why. Now I know why it took my boy, Tyler, and I an entire half of football to find two cheap tickets to a game against a supposed inferior opponent.

In past years, I've never had a problem finding a pair of $10 tickets to Michigan games. Among my best buys — two second-row seats to the first ever overtime game at the Big House against Penn State in 2002 (great game).

Additionally, there have been just two games which I've failed to scalp tickets for. The 1997 Ohio State game (Woodson, national championship, etc.). And a Michigan State game about five years ago (and that was only because my friend busted his ankle running to catch a scalper and couldn't walk for weeks afterward).

So I was shocked when Ty and I couldn't find two tickets for $20. And, boy, did we have an adventure going after tickets.

We must have walked about five miles within the two hours we spent trying to locate a pair. We even strolled all the way to Washtenaw Dairy to buy some of Ann Arbor's finest ice cream late in the first quarter (while Ann Arbor's finest football team was starting to travel down a rocky road).

At one point we had three tickets, but it turned out that two of them had already been used (scammers!) and the other one was a student ticket, which wouldn't get either of us inside the stadium no matter how long we begged the stiff U-M ushers.

At one point, Ty had a ticket and was heading inside — to later meet up with me. But when he tried to enter, he was turned away again. It was yet another used ticket.

At 1:30 p.m. EST, an hour and a half after the game began, we found ourselves back at square one (minus $4.50 for the ice cream).

Meanwhile, what was transpiring inside the stadium had grabbed our attention. A disgusted pair of Michigan fans exited the Big House cursing to themselves. "What's the score," I asked? They admitted that it was 28-14... Appalachian State.

Woe, I thought. I knew it was just the second quarter. That within 15 minutes (or another mile of walking for Ty and I), the Wolverines could be back on top. But still. Something crazy was going down. This only further dedicated me to finding us those hard-to-come-by tickets. I had an inkling that we weren't just going to witness another Michigan massacre.

The final minutes
And, sure enough, what we bore witness to will never be forgotten in Boone, N.C. — or anywhere, for that matter.

We finally coerced a man on a bike — wearing a yellow shirt and sporting some dirty teeth — to sell us two $10 tickets, and as hundreds of Michigan fans exited the stadium at halftime (no joke), we entered.

We made it to our seats — located behind the south end zone — about 50 seconds into the third quarter and proceeded to stand for much of the final 29 minutes, 10 seconds of history.

What's funny is that I never actually believed the Mountaineers were going to pull off the monumental upset until they kicked the winning field goal with 26 seconds remaining. For some reason (which didn't include the product Michigan was putting forth on the field), I never felt the upset would be completed.

Especially not after Mike Hart zig-zagged his way across the field for a 54-yard score (he actually ran about 101 yards) followed by a Michigan interception. Folks around us left their seats and headed up the aisles, figuring an ugly, but season-saving win was guaranteed. Or maybe they could sense the impending collapse and didn't want to bear witness to it.

I, for one, was a Michigan fan who welcomed the final-minute drama. I figured Ty and I deserved a dramatic ending for the two hours spent walking around the Big House with two fingers pointed to the sky (indicating the number of tickets we needed). Even in my yellow Michigan No. 2 jersey, part of me wanted the Mountaineers to pull off the impossible. Part of me wanted to witness history.

As the Mountaineers drove the ball down the field in the waning seconds, my heart beat faster and faster. Ty, an Illinois fan, was pulling for the upset, and I found myself tacitly wishing the same outcome (although I continued to cheer for Michigan; I know, it doesn't make much sense).

As I stood on the balls of my feet, anticipating but not knowing the end result, I remembered something my father had told me several years ago after Michigan had been upset by Northwest. He had said, "Think of how happy the Northwestern fans must be." Now, I was considering how great an Appalachian State victory would be for its fans and the small town of Boone (which I actually lived in with my parents for a few months as a young kid).

They would never forget an Appalachian State win over Michigan. No matter the losses and struggles in the years to come, a "W" over the mighty Wolverines would stay with them for eternity. That sounded more appealing to me than another lackluster Michigan victory. Plus, it would give writers a topic to scribe about for days to come.

Yet, when Mario Manningham made a great catch to put the Wolverines within field goal range in the final seconds, I pumped my fist in the air. I am, after all, a lifelong Michigan fan. A loss to a FCS school would be embarrassing.

And that's how I arrived at the moment of fate. Both teams' destinies riding on the leg of a college kid. Except that they didn't. U-M place-kicker Jason Gingell never had a chance at converting the 37-yard field goal attempt because Corey Lynch invaded Michigan's backfield, practically swallowing up the ball before running it almost back to our end zone.

He proceeded to collapse in exhaustion and exultation. The clock read 0:00. The scoreboard read, Appalachian State 34, Michigan 32.

All around me, people sat stunned, heads in hands, many cursing, some on the brink of tears, others looking stoically toward the blue sky as if to ask, "What just happened on a day as picture-perfect beautiful as today?"

Ty and I were fully aware of what had just occurred beneath us. Which is why we stayed inside the stadium for a good 15 minutes afterward, soaking up the stunned atmosphere (and I thought the Big House was quiet after wins).

As we exited, I picked up a game program and handed it to Ty. "This is a game you'll never forget," I told him. "You need a souvenir."

I wasn't saying that because it was Ty's first visit to the Big House. No, a much bigger first had taken place before our bewildered eyes.

Something worth much more than the $10 price of admission.