The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Friday, October 31, 2008 - 9
FOOTBALL
Tough season?
Have some fun
with the games...
Sophomore forward Carl Hagelin is second on the Michigan hockey team with 14 points this season. The Wolverines host Ohio State this weekend at Yost Ice Arena.
Michigan v.Oi tt
M e rivalry
C1 1 R OV 1ieSR
Has the Michigan football
season started to take
toll
on you?
Tired of
watching the
Wolverines
implode every
week?
Sick of wish-
ing there were ANDY
some way REID
Terrelle Pryor
could still
decommit from Ohio State and
come to AnntArbor?
This article is for you, and
everyone else inclined to drown
their gridiron sorrows.
Here's how the remaining
schedule unfolds: three road
games and a home contest against
Northwestern that will undoubt-
edly have a sparse student section.
So here's your chance to kick back,
relax and maybe enjoy a Michigan
game this season.
That's right, it's the Michigan
football drinking game.
Drink every time the offense
loses yards on a play: This rule
might get a little out of hand. The
offense has been bad enough that,
if you follow this rule strictly, you
mightnotremembermuchpastthe
first half. If you're particularly dis-
traught about this season, maybe
you want it that way.
Chug your drink whenever
Nick Sheridan is playing quar-
terback:Ifthe offense isstruggling
under Steven Threet, remember
one thing: when Sheridan enters
the game, the Wolverines might as
well cut their losses and punt on
first down. Which brings me to:
Drink to the 'Z': You might
feel a little ridiculous throwing up
the 'Z' in your living room when
punter Zoltan Mesko trots onto
the field to boot one into the lower
stratosphere. I have a better idea.
Why not just drink instead?
Drink every time the sec-
ondary blows a third and long:
Michigan State killed the Wolver-
ines last weekend in this situation.
Nothing is more disheartening
for a defense than holding a team
to third and 16 only to watch the
secondary . allow a receiver to
sneak free and move the chains.
So before you yell at the television,
The Buckeyes and have split the last four series
they've played.
Wolverines have split Two years ago, a game in
Columbus ended
four straight series
By NICOLE AUERBACH
Daily Sports Writer
There's one word that automat-
ically raises the stakes at any Ohio
State sporting event: Michigan.
"There's no question they love
to beat Michigan," Wolverine
hockey assistant coach Mel Pear-
son said. "And I don't think we
can beat them enough."
Everyone knows about Bo
and Woody and the 10-year war.
But on the ice recently, another
intense rivalry has emerged.
Historically, the Wolverines
have had the overwhelming edge,
leading the all-time series 61-28--
11. Michigan has always focused
most of its attention on its in-state
rival, Michigan State.
In the past couple of years,
however, Ohio State has made its
presence known.
The Wolverines and Buckeyes.
in a brawl at Ohio State
the buzzer,
and nobody at Michigan
exchanged Matchup:
customary Ohio State 2-3-1
post-game Michigan 4-2
handshakes. When: Tonight
Michigan lost 7:35 P.M.
the contest, 6-5, Where: Yost
after Ohio State Ice Arena
scored the game-
winner with 1:30
left in regulation.
Lastyear, the 3-10-1 CCHA-bot-
tom-dwelling Buckeyes halted the
top-ranked Wolverines' 12-game
winning streak.
Records don't seem to matter
when these teams clash.
"They always play us hard,
right to the buzzer," senior for-
ward Travis Turnbull said.
Knowing that this weekend's
series would be particularly
tough helped Michigan focus this
week in practice. Sophomore for-
.ward Matt Rust said the team has
stepped up its intensity level.
Coming off a crushing 7-2 loss
to Boston University last week-
end, the Wolverines (1-1-0 CCHA,
4-2-0 overall) didn't need much
motivation to step it up this week-
end. But playing a big-name rival
helps, too.
"(The Buckeyes) look aggres-
sive," Pearson said. "They look
strong. They play on the edge.
We're goingto have our handsfull.
I think we have enough things to
work on. We have a lot to prove to
ourselves."
Special teams is one area under
construction. Michigan gave up
five power-play goals in the loss
to BU, and went just 2-for-12 on
its own man advantage. The Wol-
verines spent most of the week
in practice working on special
teams, often breaking into 5-on-3
advantages to test the penalty
kill.
Starting tonight at Yost Ice
Arena, Michigan will need to
sharpen every aspect of its game
against a team that has surprised
top opponents. The Buckeyes
(1-2-1, 2-3-1) have a young roster,
boasting just five upperclassmen,
and were pegged to finish in the
bottom half of the CCHA before
the season.
But Ohio State came from
behind last Saturday to knock off
then-No. 2 Denver, 4-3, in one of
the biggest upsets in college hock-
ey so far this year.
"They probably have the
momentum," sophomore forward
Carl Hagelin said. "And every
team wants to beat us, but it's still
up to our team to playour best and
prove to everyone that we have a
great team."
INJURY UPDATE: Freshman
defenseman Brandon Burlon, who
suffered an ankle injury during
the preseason, skated with the
team for all of practice Wednes-
day and Thursday. Berenson said
Burlon will not play tonight, but
could "maybe" play tomorrow
night.
"He's in that in-between stage
where it's 'Okay, I'm not going to
re-injure it, but can I play hard
enough and well enough to even
get caught up to game speed?"'
Berenson said.
take some steam off by following
this rule.
Drink every time you hear the
name Mike Barwis: Chances are,
the television announcers are going
to be looking for anything good
to say about the Wolverines. The
media seems to have an unhealthy
relationship with Michigan's new
strength and conditioning coach,
painting him as a god among
strength-training boys. If you hear
his name, tip your beer, yell "To
Barwis!" and take a longsip.
Drink every time the camera
shows Rich Rod scowling: Has
anyone else noticed that, on the
sideline, Rodriguez often resembles
a pissed-off grizzly bear? There's
no two ways about it - he looks
mean. Lloyd Carr was infamous for
never smiling during a game, but at
least he didn't look like he wanted
to punch someone in the throat.
Drinkto tradition: The winged
helmet. More wins than any other
Division I program. The best all-
time winning percentage in col-
lege football. More conference
championships than any other
team. The Big House. The great-
est rivalry in college football. The
Victors. Be proud, Michigan fans.
Despite this season, The Wolver-
ines are still one of the greatest
college football programs ever. So
whenever the announcers bring
up anything about the rich tradi-
tion of Michigan football, sing a
rousing rendition of The Victors
with your friends, and finish your
drink.
Drink whenever you feel like
it: This has been a rough season.
A really rough season. Whenever
you find yourself sighing, shak-
ing your head or shrugging your
shoulders in complete disbelief,
go ahead and drink - you prob-
ably need it to make it through the
fourth quarter.
And finally, drink any time
Michigan does something good
- touchdown, interception, first
down, whatever.
You're all still fans, and you
should all still back the Wolver-
ines wholeheartedly.
- Reid is actually going to the
game this weekend, so he won't be
able to participate. Let him know how
it goes at andyreid@umich.edu.
El
A dozen bold predictions
for this weekend's game
By THE FOOTBALL
WRITERS
DAN FELDMAN:
Freshman running back
Michael Shawwillhave his best
game of the season. He leads the
Wolverines' running backs in
yards per carry, but he only has 11
attempts this season. With oppo-
nents planning for junior Bran-
don Minor's hard-nosed style and
freshman Sam McGuffie out with
a concussion, Shaw will get his
chance in West Lafayette.
The two teams will com-
bine for 10 sacks. Michigan has
played in two games in which
both sides totaled nine sacks
(Michigan State and Utah), but
the Wolverines and Boilermakers
have two of the most futile offen-
sive lines around. And both teams
have good pass rushes. It will be a
long day for the quarterbacks on
both sides.
Michigan will win 20-10.
Michigan's defense will shut
down the Boilermaker attack,
but not without some blunders
from the feeble Purdue offense.
And with the help of the Purdue
defense, the Michigan offense
will do enough to squeak by. Both
teams are bad, but the Boilermak-
ers are a little worse.
COURTNEY RATKOWIAK:
Steven Threet will throw an
interception in the first half.
The Purdue defense has picked
up some rhythm in the past few
weeks, and the Wolverines will
take a while to adjust to playing
on the road. Whether it's nerves
or just the inconsistency he's
shown this season, Threet will
falter in the first half and give a
ball to the Purdue secondary.
The teams will combine for
at least seven turnovers. With
the Purdue quarterback situation
shaky, expect the Boilermakers to
lose the turnover battle - but it'll
be an ugly game. Purdue's defense
is better than it looks on paper, and
Saturday will be when both teams
exploit how bad the other really is.
Michigan willwin 14-10. This
game won't be high-scoring, but
it should be exciting near the end
- about as exciting as watching
two bad teams can be. As long as
Threet doesn't choke late, as he
did last week against the Spar-
tans, the Wolverines will be fine.
But so has Purdue. The Boiler-
makers are just 2-6 in Joe Tiller's
swan song. In this battle of Big
Ten underachievers, the Wolver-
ines will respond with their backs
against the wall.
NATE SANDALS:
WINTER COATS, FLEECE, HATS, GLOVES,
WOOL SWEATERS, BOOTS, SCARVES,
LONG UNDERWEAR.
JEANS, TOPS, DRESSES, JEWELRY,
HANDBAGS, BODY PRODUCTS
...AND OF COURSE
QUALITY OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT
Fift
Morga
Trent s
State,t
the sea
but has
he is a
his col
As one
The Michigan secondary
IAN ROBINSON: will have more interceptions
than Purdue's. This result has
h-year senior cornerback been rare for the Wolverines, but
tnTrentwillbounceback. when the Boilermakers are send-
truggled against Michigan ing a converted running back
o put it lightly. He started out to play quarterback, things
son with high expectations should go Michigan's way. Couple
failed to live up them. But that with the fact that Purdue's
senior and wants to finish secondary is weak at best and the
lege career on a high note. interception advantage clearly
of the leaders on this team, goes to Michigan.
Trent will be integral to any late
season turnaround.
Freshman Martavious
Odoms will score a touchdown.
He is the team's leading receiver
and one of the top returners, but
he has yet to score a touchdown.
His time will come this week
against a Purdue secondary that
has allowed the second-most
passing touchdowns of any team
in the conference.
Michigan will win 17-14.
Michigan has had a rough season.
The game's first touchdown
will come on an interception or
fumble return. These offenses
are bad, really bad. Even though
the defenses aren't exactly up to
Big Ten snuff, they'll have the
advantage tomorrow. Also, Pur-
due and Michigan are tied for the
worst turnover margin in the Big
Ten (-1.12 per game).
Michigan will win 13-9. This
one will be boring. Play the drink-
ing game in Andy Reid's column if
you want to enjoy it.
Sale ends Saturday Oct. 20th