Are the Wolverines for Real?

Alright, we will get to the shenanigans that took place in the pre-game of yesterday's Michigan and Michigan State game in a minute.  But before we do, we have to ask the question - are these Wolverines for real?

If you watched the FOX broadcast yesterday, you heard analyst Joel Klatt say it over and over again at the end of the game - the Wolverines are for real.  Michigan fans have been unsure of what to expect from this team after an opening weekend loss to a still undefeated Notre Dame team on the road.  Since that Week 1 loss, Michigan has gone on to win 7 in a row including a gritty win against their in-state rival Michigan State Spartans.

The stars of the game were the Michigan defensive studs whose speed and power was on full display in East Lansing.  The Spartans were held to just 94 total yards of offense - NINETY FOUR.  The MSU QB Brian Lewerke was 5/25 for 66 yards.  The Spartans strong running back LJ Scott was held to just 25 yards.

Meanwhile, the offense, struggled to convert in the first-half on golden opportunities (seriously, what is going on with Quinn Nordin inside his noggin now?  Dude is way too talented for this).  But in the second-half, despite rain, hail, and who knows what else was falling from the clouds over East Lansing, the offense played solid football and added 14 points to hold off the Spartans 21-7.  Shea Pattrson went 14-25 for 212 yards with 2 touchdowns.  The play calling seemed to be very conservative at times particularly in the first half.  Michigan's run game was able to get some traction in the second half behind 33 carries for Karan Higdon and 144 yards.

Michigan did not play their A game - that was the game we saw a week ago against Wisconsin.  This was arguably their B game and it was still good enough to beat a ranked team on the road.  That's a good sign for the Wolverines.  If you can go on the road in the Big Ten and beat a ranked team without your A game, then you have the makings of a special team.  And like Joel Klatt proclaimed after the game - the Wolverines are for real.

They get a bye this week which hopefully gives Rashan Gary enough time to heal up before the stretch run.  Then it's a home game against the next opponent on the Michigan Revenge Tour - Penn State.  Then it's 2 games which Michigan should win easily against Rutgers and Indiana before The Game against Ohio State in Columbus.  Michigan currently sits atop the Big Ten rankings as the only unbeaten team in conference play this year.  Ohio State still has 2 road games against Michigan State and Maryland which could prove troublesome if the same Ohio State team that showed up against Purdue last night returns.

Finally, let's get to the pregame altercation between the Michigan State team (who I guess dress in street clothes and helmets and walk across the field arm in arm) and a few members of the Wolverines who were already on the field warming up.  Now there are different versions of this story floating around in message boards and on social media.  If you hear it the Wolverines way (which I do since, well duh), Michigan State was 10 minutes late arriving to the field.  Michigan was told they could go ahead and start warming up.  Michigan State then arrived, linked arm and arm, and clotheslined the few Michigan players already out there.  Headphones were ripped from Lavert Hill's head and Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio snickered.

Dantonio denies this and further denies that he laughed at what was happening to the Michigan players.  However, video has surfaced which shows that this might not be entirely genuine on Dantonio's part.

Tape speaks for itself (see right side of screen). pic.twitter.com/WXLVhEL15m

— Sean Yuille (@SeanYuille) October 20, 2018

 That of course resulted in Devin Bush scraping his cleats on the Spartan logo at the 50.  It was this

video that made national headlines and was the focus of the hatred between the Wolverines and Spartans.  At the time, little was known about what may have caused Bush to act like this - but that didn't stop members of the press from laying blame squarely at the feet of Devin Bush.

At the end of the day, these teams do not like each other.  The rivalry has become more heated since Dantonio's arrival in East Lansing and the comments uttered by Mike Hart which Michigan State has used as a rallying cry for the last decade.  And as much as we at B&B love Chase Winovich - please stop with the Little Brother talk.  It took Michigan 10 years to get out of those shadows - let's not dig it up again.  But to act like Michigan is the sole instigator of these types of antics is ridiculous.  I have seen Mark Dantonio walk into the Michigan end zone at Michigan Stadium and flash four fingers across his face to signify the four straight wins Michigan State had against Michigan.  Rivalries are going to get heated and arguably there is blame to go around on both sides.

But at the end of the day, Michigan isn't going to write an apology letter to Michigan State.  Michigan was the better team on Saturday afternoon and they are now the No. 5 team in the country.  They are good enough to win the Big Ten this year.  Their journey is what sports fans are going to follow - not a pregame dustup against an in-state rival.

*Michigan team photo credit to the University of Michigan Athletic Department.