', The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Te h n l m g d c '_. n. 7 November 10, 2008 - 5B MAIZE GAUGE The Michigan Daily football writers break down the weekend's stats that don't show up in the box score. The Defense-O-Meter measures the intensity of the defense, the Rod-O-Meter judges how emotional (positive or negative) Rich Rodriguez was following the game and the Hype-O-Meter measures the fans' performance. DEFENSE-C-METER /4 The talk of firing defensive coordinator Scott Shafer should subside now. The coaching staff smartly switched 4 to a 4-2-5 base, which maximizes Michigan's talent. Obis So what if it took the players begging for the scheme to change? The Wolverines allowed the fewest points, yards and first downs all season. In Scott we trust. ROD-C-METER 1/4 Rodriguez was very relaxed in his postgame press con- ference Saturday after coaching the Wolverines to their 4 first win since September. He was almost boring. Where Rich Rods were the dirty looks, snappy comebacks and frustrated one-liners? He didn't even mention how long he's been here. It's almost like winning took something out of him. HYPE-0-METER 2/ The-Metrodome lived up to its reputation as one of the 2 loudest football stadiums as even a part-full crowd forced Michigan quarterback Nick Sheridan to take two tim- Big Houses eouts as the play clock wound down. And it was impres- sive when the small section of Wolverine fans' "Let's go Blue" chants were clearly audible later in the game. NOTABLE QUOTABLE .. sns "We're fighting for Michigan. We're fight- ing for ourselves. Our backs (are) against the wall. No one expected us to come out here and win. No one expected us to do Sanything.They expectedus to give up, just take it laying down. We're not doing that. We're Michigan." - Michigan senior nose tackle Terrance Taylor ASSOCIATED PR ESS TEAM LAST WEEK 1. Alabama (10-0) beat Louisiana State 27-210T 2. Texas Tech beat Oklahoma (10-0) State 56-20 3. Foia'8,1) beat V aderbilt 42-14 4. Texas (9-1) beat Baylor 45-21 5. Oklahoma (9-1) beatTexas A&M66-28 6. Southern Cal beat California17-3 (8-1) 7. Penn State (9-1) lost to lowa24-23 8. Utah (10-0) beat Tesas Christian 13-10 9. Boise State (9-0) beat Utah State 49-14 10. Ohio State (8-2) beat Northwestern 45-10 11. Oklahoma State lost to Texas (8-2) Tech 56-20 12. Missouri (8-2) beat Kansas State 41-24 13. Georgia (8-2) beat Kentucky 42-38 14. Ball State (9-0) beat Northern Illinois 45-14 15. Texas Christian lost to Utah 13-10 (9-2) 16. Brigham Young beat San Diego (9-1) State 41-12 17. North Carolina beat Georgia (7-2) Tech 28-7 18. Michigan State beat Purdue 21-7 THIS WEEK Mississippi' State bye South Carolin at Kansas bye at Stanford indiana at San Diego State atidah at Illinois at Colorado at Iowa State at Auburn at Miami (OH) bye 9 at Air Force at Maryland bye THE MICHIGAN DAILY TOP 10 POLL 6. SOUTHERN CAL (1): The Trojans playat Stanford next week. Don't expect a repeatof last year's upset because the Cardinals defensive coordinator isn't Scott Shafer anymore. And they're not even coached by a Michigan Man. 8. PENN STATE: Penn State quarterback Daryll Clarkswas intears after hisdismal game cost the Nittany Lions at Iowa. He apologized to "Penn State nation." He also owes Michiganonation an apology because he cost the Wolverines a win, too. 3.FLORIDA (1): Gator quarterback Tim Tebow was pulled for the fourth quarter of Florida'swin at Vanderbilt.But it was because his five touchdowns helped the Gators buildahuge lead. Benching because of good performance - notan option in Ann Arbor. iu. uv b w t: t 4 Ie bCuUCxyCs snia au voia a repeat of the pre-Michigan loss they suffered against Illinois last year. Not because Illinois lost to Western Michigan this week - because Michigan is so bad, there's no reason to look ahead. (9-2) 19, Louisiana State (6-3) 20. Florida State (7-2) 21. Pittsburgh (7-2) 22. Cincinnati (7-2) 23 Oregon State (6-3) 24. South Carolina (7-3) 25. Tulsa (8-1) lost to Alabama Troy 27-21OT beat Clemson 41-27 Boston College beat Louisville 41-7 beat West Virginia 26-23 OT beat UCLA 34-6 bye at Louisville California a.uLH.OmA: arneir masttour games, te Sooners' point totals have climbed from45 to 58 to62 to 66. They may need to keep upping their scoring when they take on Texas Tech after abye,since the winner ofthatgame should have an inside track to the national title game. STAFF PICKS The Daily football writers predict what will happen in the 2008 college football season. beat at Florida Arkansas 34-21 bye at Hduston Games updated through Nov. 9 Cnurtnev Fan Ratowiky Feldman Ratkowiak Ian Nate Robinson Sandals Vince Coughlin Michigan (+7.5) at Minnesota Minnesota Misnesota Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota No.1 Alabama 3) at No.15 Lousiaa Stale Alabama Alabama Alabama Losisiana State Alabama N'o.2 Texas Tech 0) vs. Ns. 8 Oklahoma Sat Texas Tech Texas Tech Texas Tech Teas Tech Texas Tech . No. 3 Penn State (-7.5) at Iowa Penn State Penn State Penn State Penn State Penn State No. 4Florida (-24) at Vanderbilt Vanderbilt Florida Florida Florida Vanderbilt No.5Texas (-28) vsBaylor Texas Texas Texas Texas Texas No.6 Okiahoma (-27.5) at Texas A&M Tenas A&M Texas A&M Oklahoma Texas A&M Oklahoma N. 7 Ssuthern Cal (20.5) vs. No. 2California, Suthers Cal Suthern Cal Suthern Cal Suther Cal California No.5 Bise State (-355) e. Utah State Utah State Utah State Bise State Bise State Boise tate . No.10Utah (+2) s. Nol Texas Christian Utah Utah Utah Texas Christian Utah ........... No. Ohio State (11.5) at Northwestern Ohio State Ohio State Ohio State Ohio State OhioState. No.13 Missouri (-27 5) vs. Kansas State Kansas State Missouri Missouri Missouri Missouri No.14 Georgia (-t) at Kentucky Georgia Georgia Georgia Georgia Georgia NoN B State -.)n Northern Irn Illinos BallState Ball State BallState Ball State No.17 Briham Young(-37)o. SanDiego State BrighamnYoung San Diego State Brigham Youn gBrigham Young San Diego State No.18 Michigan State (-9.5) vs. Purdue Michigan State Michigan State Michigan State Purdue Michigan State No.19North Carolina(-4)vs. No.22 Georgia Tech NorthCarolia Georgia Tech North Carolina North Carolina North Carolina No. 20 West Virginia (-8) vs. Cincinnati Cincinnati Cincinnati Cincinnati Cincinnati West Virginia No.23 Maryland (+3.5) at Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech No. 24 Florida State (-5.5) at Clemson Florida State Florida State Florida State Florida State Clemson No. 25 Pittsburgh (-6) vsLouisville Pittsburgh Louisville Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Louisville Wisconsin (-10) at Indiana Indiana Wisconsin Wisconsin Indiana Wisconsin Illinois (-7.5) vs. Western Michigan Illinois Illinois Illinois Illinois Illinois Best Bet Cincinnati Michigan State.North Carolina Teas Wisconin Record This Week 1310-0 (10) 14-9-0 (1-0) 15-8 -(10) .1013.0).1310 .:.) Overall Record 138-111-3 (6-4-1) 127-122-3 (8-2-1) 142-107-3 (8-2-1) 139-110-3 (6-5) 134-115-3 (3-7-1) J Remember, if you want your chance to be a star, e-mail danfeld@umich.edu. If you're chosen and can beat at least two of us, you'll stay on for another week. The longest-tenured guest picker will get a prize at the end of the season.