Is it just me or is Michigan State not THAT good...

[Hunter94]

MSU is the number one combined defense in the country, no?

[sd'sker]

MSU is the number one combined defense in the country, no?

no?

[SpartanMacks]

MSU is the number one combined defense in the country, no?

 

Not sure what you mean by combined. #1 in run D and total D (yardage) and #3 in scoring D (points). #1 in pass efficiency D. I'm not familiar with the metric you refer to though.

[Hunter94]

MSU is the number one combined defense in the country, no?

 

Not sure what you mean by combined. #1 in run D and total D (yardage) and #3 in scoring D (points). #1 in pass efficiency D. I'm not familiar with the metric you refer to though.

 

 

i think you hit the high spots....

[Count 'Bility]

 

 

I'm refuting the statement that you're the best rushing O we've faced to date. And our anemic offense is averaging just as many PPG as yours in conference play. For how much you guys talk up your offense (and I don't doubt that you have some explosive playmakers, i've seen them do damage) how come you only put up 17 points and under 300 yards on Michigan?

How come you only put up 7 points and under 300 yards on Purdue?

Give em credit. They scored 42 on Indiana.

 

Err, nm. That aint exactly great either. LOL.

[SpartanMacks]

 

 

I'm refuting the statement that you're the best rushing O we've faced to date. And our anemic offense is averaging just as many PPG as yours in conference play. For how much you guys talk up your offense (and I don't doubt that you have some explosive playmakers, i've seen them do damage) how come you only put up 17 points and under 300 yards on Michigan?

How come you only put up 7 points and under 300 yards on Purdue?

Give em credit. They scored 42 on Indiana.

 

Err, nm. That aint exactly great either. LOL.

 

And yet you guys needed a last second hail mary to beat an injury ravaged Northwestern team (winless in conference play) in Lincoln giving up 245 rushing yards and 3 TDs. Their 3rd string RB ran for 3 TDs and 195 yards (7.8 YPC) against you guys. So is your defense actually any good or not? For every mediocre offensive performance that you're pointing out by MSU, there's an equally bad one defensively by Nebraska. So Saturday should theoretically be a battle of who sucks less?

[Hunter94]

 

 

I'm refuting the statement that you're the best rushing O we've faced to date. And our anemic offense is averaging just as many PPG as yours in conference play. For how much you guys talk up your offense (and I don't doubt that you have some explosive playmakers, i've seen them do damage) how come you only put up 17 points and under 300 yards on Michigan?

How come you only put up 7 points and under 300 yards on Purdue?

Give em credit. They scored 42 on Indiana.

 

Err, nm. That aint exactly great either. LOL.

 

And yet you guys needed a last second hail mary to beat an injury ravaged Northwestern team (winless in conference play) in Lincoln giving up 245 rushing yards and 3 TDs. Their 3rd string RB ran for 3 TDs and 195 yards (7.8 YPC) against you guys. So is your defense actually any good or not? For every mediocre offensive performance that you're pointing out by MSU, there's an equally bad one defensively by Nebraska. So Saturday should theoretically be a battle of who sucks less?

 

yup, we got issues too.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

 

 

I'm refuting the statement that you're the best rushing O we've faced to date. And our anemic offense is averaging just as many PPG as yours in conference play. For how much you guys talk up your offense (and I don't doubt that you have some explosive playmakers, i've seen them do damage) how come you only put up 17 points and under 300 yards on Michigan?

How come you only put up 7 points and under 300 yards on Purdue?

Give em credit. They scored 42 on Indiana.

 

Err, nm. That aint exactly great either. LOL.

 

And yet you guys needed a last second hail mary to beat an injury ravaged Northwestern team (winless in conference play) in Lincoln giving up 245 rushing yards and 3 TDs. Their 3rd string RB ran for 3 TDs and 195 yards (7.8 YPC) against you guys. So is your defense actually any good or not? For every mediocre offensive performance that you're pointing out by MSU, there's an equally bad one defensively by Nebraska. So Saturday should theoretically be a battle of who sucks less?

Again, I told you to look at stats from 2nd half of NW game through Michigan game. Most, outside of a few, think that the team had something click since the 2nd half of that game.

[DrunkOffPunch]

 

 

I'm refuting the statement that you're the best rushing O we've faced to date. And our anemic offense is averaging just as many PPG as yours in conference play. For how much you guys talk up your offense (and I don't doubt that you have some explosive playmakers, i've seen them do damage) how come you only put up 17 points and under 300 yards on Michigan?

How come you only put up 7 points and under 300 yards on Purdue?

Give em credit. They scored 42 on Indiana.

 

Err, nm. That aint exactly great either. LOL.

 

And yet you guys needed a last second hail mary to beat an injury ravaged Northwestern team (winless in conference play) in Lincoln giving up 245 rushing yards and 3 TDs. Their 3rd string RB ran for 3 TDs and 195 yards (7.8 YPC) against you guys. So is your defense actually any good or not? For every mediocre offensive performance that you're pointing out by MSU, there's an equally bad one defensively by Nebraska. So Saturday should theoretically be a battle of who sucks less?

I don't mean to argue with you, because your'e completely right. Our D has been a huge question mark. In NW's first two drives they piled up 150 yards, but after that, they only gained 161. What most of us are eluding to about your offense is the same thing you're saying about our defense; they're wildly inconsistent. Although, the NW and Michigan games would've been blowouts if not for two particular reasons- turnovers and penalties. In both games turnovers and penalties spurred our offense on promising drives while giving our opponents their only real chance at staying in the game. This has been true for NU as well as MSU. In conference play, we have been -9 in t/o margin (-5 in last two) while you have been +5. Our offense needs to stop the costly turnovers to score, while your defense needs them to give your offense a chance. Your defense is amazing, and they have to be. Your offense scores by attrition, sooner or later they will score. That's why I believe the turnover battle will be a, if not THE, deciding stat when it comes to who wins, or losses. If we are positive or at least neutral, we win. If we are negative, we lose.

[SpartanMacks]

 

 

I'm refuting the statement that you're the best rushing O we've faced to date. And our anemic offense is averaging just as many PPG as yours in conference play. For how much you guys talk up your offense (and I don't doubt that you have some explosive playmakers, i've seen them do damage) how come you only put up 17 points and under 300 yards on Michigan?

How come you only put up 7 points and under 300 yards on Purdue?

Give em credit. They scored 42 on Indiana.

 

Err, nm. That aint exactly great either. LOL.

 

And yet you guys needed a last second hail mary to beat an injury ravaged Northwestern team (winless in conference play) in Lincoln giving up 245 rushing yards and 3 TDs. Their 3rd string RB ran for 3 TDs and 195 yards (7.8 YPC) against you guys. So is your defense actually any good or not? For every mediocre offensive performance that you're pointing out by MSU, there's an equally bad one defensively by Nebraska. So Saturday should theoretically be a battle of who sucks less?

Again, I told you to look at stats from 2nd half of NW game through Michigan game. Most, outside of a few, think that the team had something click since the 2nd half of that game.

 

Then again, why do I keep hearing why the Purdue and ND game are an accurate indicator of what our offense is like?

[SpartanMacks]

 

 

I'm refuting the statement that you're the best rushing O we've faced to date. And our anemic offense is averaging just as many PPG as yours in conference play. For how much you guys talk up your offense (and I don't doubt that you have some explosive playmakers, i've seen them do damage) how come you only put up 17 points and under 300 yards on Michigan?

How come you only put up 7 points and under 300 yards on Purdue?

Give em credit. They scored 42 on Indiana.

 

Err, nm. That aint exactly great either. LOL.

 

And yet you guys needed a last second hail mary to beat an injury ravaged Northwestern team (winless in conference play) in Lincoln giving up 245 rushing yards and 3 TDs. Their 3rd string RB ran for 3 TDs and 195 yards (7.8 YPC) against you guys. So is your defense actually any good or not? For every mediocre offensive performance that you're pointing out by MSU, there's an equally bad one defensively by Nebraska. So Saturday should theoretically be a battle of who sucks less?

I don't mean to argue with you, because your'e completely right. Our D has been a huge question mark. In NW's first two drives they piled up 150 yards, but after that, they only gained 161. What most of us are eluding to about your offense is the same thing you're saying about our defense; they're wildly inconsistent. Although, the NW and Michigan games would've been blowouts if not for two particular reasons- turnovers and penalties. In both games turnovers and penalties spurred our offense on promising drives while giving our opponents their only real chance at staying in the game. This has been true for NU as well as MSU. In conference play, we have been -9 in t/o margin (-5 in last two) while you have been +5. Our offense needs to stop the costly turnovers to score, while your defense needs them to give your offense a chance. Your defense is amazing, and they have to be. Your offense scores by attrition, sooner or later they will score. That's why I believe the turnover battle will be a, if not THE, deciding stat when it comes to who wins, or losses. If we are positive or at least neutral, we win. If we are negative, we lose.

 

I agree that turnover battle is #1, but the run game is #2. If Abdullah gets going and busts some big ones then MSU will have to play a lot less aggressive in defending the option and that opens things up a lot for TA. If MSU's run game gets going then Nebraska's D is going to be battling uphill on TOP which is how we typically like to dictate games.

[RedDenver]

 

I agree that turnover battle is #1, but the run game is #2. If Abdullah gets going and busts some big ones then MSU will have to play a lot less aggressive in defending the option and that opens things up a lot for TA. If MSU's run game gets going then Nebraska's D is going to be battling uphill on TOP which is how we typically like to dictate games.

Agreed. I think the other big thing about this game will be timing of penalties and then which team connects when a receiver gets open deep. I think NU really needs to hit the TE on a couple long throws to get MSU's safeties thinking instead of always coming downhill against the run. MSU needs to hit Fowler the same way.

[SpartanMacks]

 

I agree that turnover battle is #1, but the run game is #2. If Abdullah gets going and busts some big ones then MSU will have to play a lot less aggressive in defending the option and that opens things up a lot for TA. If MSU's run game gets going then Nebraska's D is going to be battling uphill on TOP which is how we typically like to dictate games.

Agreed. I think the other big thing about this game will be timing of penalties and then which team connects when a receiver gets open deep. I think NU really needs to hit the TE on a couple long throws to get MSU's safeties thinking instead of always coming downhill against the run. MSU needs to hit Fowler the same way.

 

There's a pro/con to MSU's passing attack. Nobody particularly stands out, but by that same reason it makes it hard for defenses to key in on one person. We've had multiple games where we target 9+ receivers. Fowler is the #1 guy though, if he has a big game then it will really open up the run.

[walksalone]

 

I agree that turnover battle is #1, but the run game is #2. If Abdullah gets going and busts some big ones then MSU will have to play a lot less aggressive in defending the option and that opens things up a lot for TA. If MSU's run game gets going then Nebraska's D is going to be battling uphill on TOP which is how we typically like to dictate games.

Agreed. I think the other big thing about this game will be timing of penalties and then which team connects when a receiver gets open deep. I think NU really needs to hit the TE on a couple long throws to get MSU's safeties thinking instead of always coming downhill against the run. MSU needs to hit Fowler the same way.

 

There's a pro/con to MSU's passing attack. Nobody particularly stands out, but by that same reason it makes it hard for defenses to key in on one person. We've had multiple games where we target 9+ receivers. Fowler is the #1 guy though, if he has a big game then it will really open up the run.

 

And this is what you should truly be worrying about. Your Defense yes is scary good, but is your offense going to be able to put up points against a defense that has made huge strides in the past couple of weeks?

[SpartanMacks]

 

I agree that turnover battle is #1, but the run game is #2. If Abdullah gets going and busts some big ones then MSU will have to play a lot less aggressive in defending the option and that opens things up a lot for TA. If MSU's run game gets going then Nebraska's D is going to be battling uphill on TOP which is how we typically like to dictate games.

Agreed. I think the other big thing about this game will be timing of penalties and then which team connects when a receiver gets open deep. I think NU really needs to hit the TE on a couple long throws to get MSU's safeties thinking instead of always coming downhill against the run. MSU needs to hit Fowler the same way.

 

There's a pro/con to MSU's passing attack. Nobody particularly stands out, but by that same reason it makes it hard for defenses to key in on one person. We've had multiple games where we target 9+ receivers. Fowler is the #1 guy though, if he has a big game then it will really open up the run.

 

And this is what you should truly be worrying about. Your Defense yes is scary good, but is your offense going to be able to put up points against a defense that has made huge strides in the past couple of weeks?

 

I think we're capable of putting up 20-27 depending on how it goes. With TA's TD/INT ratio I could also see a defensive score or short fields leading to scores. I think it depends on how much the NU O has its way. MSU's offense is not built to come back from large deficits, it's built to chew clock.