Real Kato Blog: CFB 2024: Week 4

Michigan beats USC despite passing for only 32 yards. Minnesota is next.

Michigan 27, USC 24
What an astonishing game this was.

I had feared this would be a repeat of the Texas game, where a finely-tuned passing attack shredded the Michigan secondary, and the Michigan offense failed to gain any traction. As it turns out, though, having a monstrous defensive line papers over a lot of problems on the defense, and Michigan's running offense did enough to carry them to victory.

I'll give DC Wink Martindale a little credit for showing some restraint in his defensive calls. He was less aggressive blitzing, and when he did blitz, it often got a free hitter through to USC QB Miller Moss. There was a good deal more zone coverage behind the blitz too. It would have helped, of course, if everyone in the secondary knew where to go in zone coverage... that seemed to be a problem at times. There were a few three-man rushes in the game that seemed ill-advised, too... quarterback pressure with four rushers seemed to be working a lot and I don't think the secondary doesn't have the experience and organization to maintain coverage over an extended period of time.

Fortunately, the defensive front is elite. The four starting linemen all look like NFL players. In the secondary, we saw a few busts, but Zeke Berry is starting to show potential at the nickel spot, with a particular knack for breaking up passes in man coverage. Will Johnson got beat a couple of times, uncharacteristically, but also came up with a pick-six that really turned the game for Michigan.

On offense... oof. The passing attack was non-existent. Thirty-two yards was the final air tally. THIRTY-TWO. The good news, though, is that the threat of Orji's running ability was enough to get some linebackers and safeties running the wrong way, and that allowed for three huge running plays (two by Kalel Mullings and one by Donovan Edwards). I don't think this is a sustainable game plan, though... despite overpowering a pretty good USC team, I just don't see how a modern team can keep winning a game with almost zero threat of a passing game.

Michigan vs. Minnesota, 12:00 PM Fox
Minnesota improved its quarterback situation over last year by reaching out to the transfer portal, but that quarterback will likely be running for his life behind a porous offensive line. On the other side of the ball, Michigan's ground and pound game is probably a good fit for this opponent. Minnesota will likely fling bodies at the line of scrimmage in an attempt to stop the run; the game will hinge on whatever trickery the offense can manage to break containment, probably in the form of screen passes and end-arounds. It should be enough. Expect a fairly low-scoring affair and an ugly game.

Prediction: Michigan 27, Minnesota 13.

Notable Results
#6 Tennessee beat #15 Oklahoma 25-15.
#7 Missouri struggled with Vanderbilt but escaped 30-27.
#10 Penn State waxed Kent State 56-0.
#12 Utah beat #14 Oklahoma State 22-19.
BYU upset #13 Kansas State 38-9 to go to 4-0.
#19 Louisville beat Georgia Tech 31-19.
#21 Clemon demolished N.C. State 59-35. State's score was padded by three garbage-time touchdowns.
#24 Illinois beat #22 Nebraska 31-24.
#25 Texas A&M struggled to beat Bowling Green 26-20.
Rutgers beat Virginia Tech 26-23. Rutgers is undefeated!
Washington stomped Northwestern 24-5.
Iowa beat Minnesota 31-14.
Boston College beat Michigan State 23-19.
Oregon State beat Purdue 38-21.

Games to Watch on TV
Friday, Sep 27
Washington at Rutgers, 8:00 PM FOX

Saturday, Sep 28
Minnesota at #12 Michigan, 12:00 PM Fox
#20 Oklahoma State at #23 Kansas State, 12:00 PM ESPN
Maryland at Indiana, 12:00 PM BTN
Nebraska at Purdue, 12:00 PM Peacock
Northern Illinois at N.C. State, 12:00 PM CW
Wisconsin at #13 USC, 3:30 PM CBS
#15 Louisville at #16 Notre Dame, 3:30 PM Peacock
#21 Oklahoma at Auburn, 3:30 PM ABC
North Carolina at Duke, 4:00 PM ESPN2
#3 Ohio State at Michigan State, 7:00 PM Peacock
#19 Illinois at #9 Penn State, 7:30 PM NBC
Arizona at #10 Utah, 10:15 PM ESPN
#8 Oregon at UCLA, 11:00 PM Fox

Off-topic but of interest to me:
Saturday Night Live season premiere, 11:30 PM NBC

Permalink Comment

Posted by Ken in: sports

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