Shut out a 10-2 Northwestern team that won at Wisconsin, that handed Stanford 1 of its 2 losses.
Shut out a 9-3 BYU team. Just read on CBSsports.com Tanner Magnum 1st BYU frosh QB to pass over 3,000 yds. M held him to 55yds.
Defense 3 straight shut outs.
Team looked prepared every week (today is debatable)
Harbaugh's enthusiasm on side line, wearing a headset
Making adjustments, another
Won 2 games, IU & Minn. that probably would have been losses last yr few yrs. Minn. drove down field w/ back-up QB to take lead.
2nd what Artist said, passing game fantastic, 9-3 record after last yrs disastrous 5-7, defense awesome early on. Peppers only going to get better.
All teams have injuries, can't make excuses, but losing 3 starters off the D-line really hurt. Maybe D-line covered up average LB play. With 3 DL starters out, LBs exposed.
NEGATIVE: As already stated, running game never improved, RB or OL fault or both equally get blamed? I say equal blame.
Loss to sparty still stings. With both sparty and buckeyes at home, needed to win 1 of them.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Started out very well. Peppers had a field day vs sparty, KO return for TD vs Kitty Kats. THE BAD: IU & Rutgers with TD returns, roughing the punter in the endzone today. WHY go for block? Set up a return, think ball went out of bounds around midfield. Instead OSU gets new life & scores a TD. Who knows if momentum would have been different with good field position M could have gone down and scored.
THE REAL UGLY: M wasn't prepared for an all out 11 man rush by sparty. M was outcoached. Special teams coach has to think, what is the 1 & only way we can lose? Blocked punt by an all out rush. Yet M had 2 gunners.
BOTTOM LINE: Still a fantastic season! So called experts had M at 6-6 or 7-5. With that said think a bowl win is a must!! Beating an SEC team in one of the Florida bowls or Pac-12 team in Holiday Bowl would be good for momentum going forward to 2016. Now if team is still feeling sorry for itself after today & lays an egg in bowl, could hurt recruiting, hurt momentum for 2016.