Michigan 65, Bowling Green 21: What's 700 Yards Between Friends?

Okay, so that sucked. Then got better. And ultimately became abhorrent.

The primary goal for any MAC school against a large program is to show up, play well, and DON'T GIVE UP 60 POINTS. Also, try to keep them below 700 yards. Neither of these things happened: there was 65 points and 721 yards, or just over four-tenths of a mile.

This is what's so astounding. Denard Robinson got hurt, Tate Forcier eventually left the game limping, and Devin Gardner played some time ... and they all played so well. When the fragility of your quarterback is a concern, depth suddenly matters. Not only was it QB Wolverines who picked apart the team, but the offensive line probably let four players into the backfield all game. And the defense didn't allow many big plays. And the special teams coverage was sound. And ... and ... and ...

[wastes too much time in the pocket trying to come up with the next thought, is sacked for a loss of 10 yards]

This talented Big Ten team exposed just about every major problem BG has: poor tackling skills, inability to get to the quarterback, dumb penalties, and the lack of a running game — especially between the tackles.

My friend was still muttering how this team gave up 21 against lowly BG, and if they gave up that much, imagine what Ohio State could do. (Meanwhile, OSU gives up 20 to Eastern while scoring 73.) Always something to gripe about, I guess.

Okay, then, the positives: wide receiver Tyrone Pronty, the Air Heisman candidate, had some insanely impressive speed and some moves on that 71-yard touchdown scamper. He also had some nice consistent kickoff runbacks. Jordan Hopgood looked nice in the direct snap formation, and perhaps they FINALLY have an answer to the question: who the flip will run the ball in goal line situations? It was also heartening to see BG respond to a 21-0 deficit by cranking out back-to-back touchdowns in the second quarter, which reinforces my theory that football games like these should only be 30 minutes long.

And finally, my initial thoughts about Michigan Stadium: more stadiums should be bowl-shaped. With tiered arenas, fan camraderie loses a little panache, but this could also explain why it was probably the quietest crowd of 109,933 I've ever been among. But they do a mad fun series of waves. And this is coming from a staunch wave-hater. So there. I've been to Michigan Stadium. Can't wait to go again in 10 years for BG's 56-14 loss.