Michigan vs. Minnesota Open Thread

UPDATE: Michigan - 58, Team Formerly Known as Minnesota - 0.

Michigan starts Big Ten play today against Minnesota in the showdown for The Little Brown Jug.  Leave us your thoughts, comments and musings about that game and all the other CFB action today.

Special thanks to Mikoyan for today's Open Thread pic-slash-wallpaper!

Know Your Foe - Minnesota 2011

Your undefeated Michigan Wolverines host the (very much not undefeated) Minnesota Golden Gophers on Saturday to open Big Ten play as well as battle for The Little Brown Jug. These two teams have not played since 2008 when Rich Rod got a rare Big 10 (and away) victory, 29-6.  Since first playing in 1892 during Fred Jackson's 3rd season as Michigan's RB coach, these two U-Ms have faced each other 97 times, with Michigan holding a commanding 70-24-3 advantage in the series.

But you knew all that.  What you didn't know is below in the fifth weekly installment of Know Your Foe 2011.

This looks like some coin
recovered from a shipwreck

History – Founded in 1851, the original campus overlooked the Saint Anthony Falls on the Mississippi River (yes, the Mississippi divides the Twin Cities), but it was later moved about a mile to its current location. During the Civil War, the school shut down following a financial crisis (probably The Jessup's Trading Post, Saloon and Bank mortgage meltdown caused by those shitty Louisiana Purchase derivatives). It reopened in 1867 - with the help of Minneapolis entrepreneur John Sargent Pillsbury, (yes, that Pillsbury)- and was upgraded from a preparatory school to a college in 1869. There was no graduating class until 1873 when two students received their diplomas (and thus setting the stage going forward for the all-time shittiest class reunions in recorded human history).

Location – The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Yes, there is a campus in each city, kind of like North Campus and Central Campus in Ann Arbor (they even have their version of the Bursley Bus connecting the two). Though the winters in Minnesota last about 11 ½ months, the Twin Cities are actually a fun place. There’s a legacy of great music – Prince, The Replacements, Husker Du and Lazy Bill Lucas (props to Bill for overcoming his laziness and making something out of himself). Mary Tyler Moore lived there, too.

Nickname – Golden Gophers. Goldy the Gopher to be exact.  After being chosen as the state's official animal in 1857, Minnesota was declared the Gopher State. Taking advantage of this natural connection, Minnesota football coach Clarence Spears named his team the Gophers in 1926. Several years later, Bernie Bierman’s champion football team was coined the “golden swarm,” a reference to their gold-colored jerseys, and the team soon became the “Golden Gophers.”

Have to say, a mascot named after the vermin/varmit/varmint from Caddyshack doesn't quite strike fear into an opponent's heart.  Plus, even with such a fine dental school on campus, you'd think the actual Minny mascot would get his teeth fixed by now.  But maybe it's just me.

We're told Goldy "energizes thousands of student fans as they chant 'Ski-U-Mah,' a rally cry that means 'Victory UM.'" We at the MZone think it actually just means "another reason not to have a mascot roaming the sidelines.  Ever."

Colors/Logo –Maroon and Gold.  While they use Goldy the Gopher a lot as a logo, on their helmets, they have that funky "M" with those weird serifs on them. They’ve used some version of it on their headgear since at least 1968. They haven’t given in to the temptation to modernize it and have it move forward like Wisconsin and Purdue. Of course those teams have been to a few Rose Bowls since 1962.

This season they added a decal to their helmets in memory of former head coach Murray Warmath, who died earlier this year. They've also added dread locks to the QB in the hopes he'll play like Denard.  But with losses so far this year to New Mexico State, North Dakota State and some crap-ass team called USC, it doesn't seem to be helping much.

Fight Song - The Minnesota Rouser is a very underrated fight song, though the title sounds like a porno movie from 1955 or a drink somebody talks you into trying at 1 a.m.  The song was originally known as Minnesota, Hats Off To Thee, and was written by a church choir director. Know Your Foe practically guarantees you've heard it and you might have even hummed it to yourself without even knowing whose fight song it was.

Academics – According the latest U.S. News and World Report Ranking, Minnesota is the #68 National University. That ties it with Clemson and Rutgers, and places them ahead of #71 -- Michigan State (and also Big Ten schools Indiana and Nebraska, the league slacker at #101).  It has a total undergad population of 33,607 and accepts just under 48% of its applicants

In his 2007 Minnesota KYF, Benny claimed that the pride of the University is the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute which ranks among the top 15 professional schools of public affairs at public universities in the country. I beg to differ.  I saw that the school is over 52% female and apparently has coeds going there like the girl pictured here:

Stadium/Fans - The Gophers got a shiny new home for football in  2009 called TCF Stadium which is sometimes referred to as "The Bank" or "The Gopher Hole."  Unfortunately for the football team, as is often the case with gopher holes in real life, usually others simply come and destroy what is inside leaving nothing but greasy, grimey gopher guts behind.

Athletics – If it weren't for hockey, wrestling and football glory from over 50 years ago, the sports tradition at Minnesota would be pretty lame.  Academic fraud wiped out their lone Men's basketball Final Four appearance (as opposed to the cheating that wiped out our most recent FFs in the early 90s). But Williams Arena is one of the more unique places to play with those sunken benches. How no one gets hurt diving for a ball, I don’t know. Plus it forced former head coach Clem Haskins to sit on a bar stool, which was kind of cool.

Famous alums – Kinda like their sports history: good, not great.  From B-list TV actors (Loni Anderson, John Astin, Peter Graves, TR Knight and Kate Mulgrew); to Robert Gore, the inventor of Gore-Tex (the cold weather material, not the robotic inventor of the Internet); to two vice presidents (and presidential election losers) Hubert Humphrey and Walter Mondale.  And in the Space, Bitches, Space category, they have two astronauts, but no presidents.  However, they do have Erica, Nicole, and Jaclyn Dahm of Playboy fame.

The Game – Minnesota is just plain awful, with some added bad luck thrown in: first year head coach Jerry Kill, a man with a name so cool, we did an MZone video about it when he was first hired...



...has had some well documented and very serious medical issues this season which may or may not keep him from coaching this weekend.  We wish him the best for a full and speedy recovery. 

As for the game, this really should be over early and make us all feel great about virtually every aspect of our team. I'll take it.  Put it this way, if we don't see #7 at QB for a lot of the second half, something is seriously wrong.

Real U-M - 48
Other U-M - 7

Nobody Puts Denard in a Corner

Now playing at the MZone Theater.

ED. NOTE: I know, I know. But after seeing Andy's Wallpaper and this pic numerous times, I couldn't resist the funny.  Just be thankful I couldn't find the actual clip of the above or instead of this 'Shop, you'd be watching an MZone video to this song.

25 Things We Love About Michigan Football Saturdays: #16 The Turnstile & Tunnel

After a longer-than-expected delay, we continue counting down the 25 Things We Love About Michigan Football Saturdays.  Today, we jump back in with...

#16: The Turnstile and Tunnel

Must have been Bachelor Party Day at The Big House
Where the hell are the female fans?

Number 16 on our list could have just as easily been called "Anticipation."  Because that's what going through the turnstile and heading down the tunnel toward your seat are really all about.

It started when I was a kid going to my first games at The Big House.  The moment I went through the turnstile and saw the perforated portion of my ticket get torn off was the moment that everything changed: I was no longer going to the game, I was at the game. My excitement, which had been building all day, immediately went from 10 to 11.  It was one louder.

Moving past the turnstile, I was instantly confronted with the criss-cross of people whizzing past, left to right and right to left.  And just beyond them was the promised land.  No, not the stadium (not yet, at least).  I'm talking about the guy selling game programs.

The frog had it easy compared to
fans at The Big House

That's when things turned into a human game of Frogger as I attempted to slice through the cross-current of maize and blue bodies to get to Senor Program Guy.  I'm convinced that such a risky and tricky endeavor would be an excellent test of a young running back's skill set.  If one can make it through the crush of (maize and) blue hairs and sometimes-drunk students without getting knocked over, he just might have a future in football. 

Once my program was secured, we'd head for the stadium and our seats.  Depending on the section and our arrival time, we'd either be able to walk right up to the stadium or we'd have to wait in line to get to our seats (Memo to the folks who'd always try to race across the grassy knoll to sneak in at the front of the line after I'd been waiting for 20 minutes with my family: Go fuck yourselves).

Then we'd begin the trek down the tunnel in our section.

This all brings me to one of my favorite things about The Big House, probably even more so before the recent upgrades: how deceiving it looked from outside.  Because so much of "the hole that Yost dug" was concealed below ground before one entered.  So much so that many people often don't think it looks "that big" -- until they reached the end of the tunnel.

For me, making that walk and seeing...something...up ahead truly was "the light at the end of the tunnel."  I couldn't see the stadium...yet.  I couldn't really hear anything...yet.  But it was there, just steps away. 

And then I would reach the stadium staff in their yellow jackets.  "Ticket, please."  But I was barely paying attention at that point as my dad showed them our tickets and the Man in the Yellow Coat pointed up or down.  I was in awe.  There were the Michigan Wolverines warming up down below.  There was Schembechler - Bo Schembechler! - arms crossed at midfield, eying his troops.  The block M.  The press box.

And me.  Heading to my seat.  About to watch a Meeechigan football game.

Hell, I get chills just typing these words in a blog post.  All these years after those first games.  Sitting here late at night, I'm honest-to-God smiling as I write and remember some of the specifics that began my journey as a lifelong Michigan fan (yes, Dave Brandon, even without a mascot).  And you know what?  It hasn't changed.  The little boy still living inside the man who writes these words continues to feel the same excitement on game day.  When my ticket is taken, each time I walk down that tunnel.

So because of those memories and more, the turnstile and tunnel are #16 on the MZone's list of the 25 Things We Love About Michigan Football Saturdays.

"Then I saw a bright light at the end of the tunnel,
and I knew everything was going to be okay."

(U-M pictures via Ann Arbor.com and Wuebbling @Flickr)

Ferrum vs. Bridgewater highlights, 9/24/11.VOB

Foundations of a first impression: D3football.com

A feature article by D3football.com's Ryan Tipps. Click link below:



Foundations of a first impression: D3football.com

Ferrum @ Maryville Game Preview

Coming off of a historic win for the Panther program, Ferrum this week will board the bus to Maryville, TN. to take on the Scots. It should take very little to get any and all returning Panthers fired up for this game. Maryville was the last game of the season last year, and for a team that started 0-4 in 2010, winning this game would have allowed the Panthers to finish 5-5, and would, more importantly secured a career ending victory for Coach Dave Davis in his final game.
This game turned out to be far tougher than I had anticipated. Ferrum was held to 21 rushing yards on 31 attempts. Mayo was sacked 6 times, and the offense only entered the red zone once all day. Lastly, Ferrum lost two fumbles, and lost the time of possession battle by over 11 minuets.. And this was at home.

For Saturday, Ferrum has to travel to one of the most hostile environments in the conference, to play a team that while winless, will be plenty ready to pick up where they left off last year. Thus far, Maryville has lost to Huntingdon College (3-1...whose only loss came in Double OT) The score was 35-7. They also fell to FCS team Tennessee Tech 56-7.  Their most recent loss was to LaGrange College (2-2) as they fell to the Panthers 13-10. LaGrange most recently defeated North Carolina Wesleyan 24-17.
The point in all of this is that Maryville has played some very tough competition, and will bring that experience back home to take on Ferrum.

In looking over some of their statistics, Maryville is averaging over 37 passes a game, and is averaging 179 passing yards per game. There is no doubt they will come out throwing the ball.  as adept as they are at throwing, statistics suggest that they are also pretty good at stopping the pass. Ranked second in pass defense in the conference, they are giving up an average of 192 yards per game, but this average has dropped each week. They are also losing about 258 yards on the ground to their opponents. Lastly, they have averaged just over one sack per game.

Maryville has thrown 4 interceptions, and fumbled four times. They have maintained possession on all four fumbles.

So what can Ferrum fans expect for Saturday?  If Ferrum comes out with a confident and focused attitude, they should be riding the bus back home celebrating. They cannot however go into this game overconfident. They are facing a team that is hungry for its first win, and remembers what happened at Ferrum last year. They will be looking to take advantage of what some consider a vulnerable pass defense, and will make it tough for Ferrum through the air. Ferrum can win this game, but this team will be different than Bridgewater. I look for Ferrum to be 2-2 after Saturday, but not without a fight.

Keys to a Ferrum win:

Ferrum must be able to establish a running game against the Scots.
They must find weaknesses in the Scotts pass defense, and put up good numbers through the air.
This game will not be won if there are many mistakes. Turnovers and penalties must be kept minimal.
Ferrum must be strong in the red zone.
Since Maryville will look to pass often, Ferrum must get to their quarterback.
Lastly, Ferrum must win the time of possession battle.

This may be a game that could go down to the wire, or it may be a game that Ferrum will dominate. It is hard to say. All I know is that Ferrum needs to look at Maryville as a team that is far better than their 0-3 record.

My Prediction:

Ferrum  30
Maryville 24

My predictions for the rest of the USA South... Winners in BOLD


Christopher Newport at METHODIST (I just have a feeling about this game)


NCW at Averett

Greensboro at SHENANDOAH


Finally, last week, I was very busy, and did not get a lot of information posted during the week leading up to the Bridgewater game. I failed to post my predictions, and the Spolight article. Sorry about that. Things should be back on track this week.

Seriously, dude?

You're at the Michigan game, cheering the Wolverines on, when you notice the BTN camera suddenly pointing your way.  Quick, what do you do?

If you're this asshat you...fly a double bird?

Dude, you are an absolute embarrassment.  And no, I don't care if you call yourself a Michigan fan (I certainly don't).  If you're a regular reader, you know we have a zero tolerance for this crap, even if it's done by someone "cheering" for the Maize and Blue.  'Cause this is the slippery slope stuff that leads to a gameday atmosphere where things get out of hand, like when this sort of nonsense is directed at opposing fans instead of directly into a camera. 

Even worse, while this sort of thing is (thankfully) not something that happens often at The Big House, it will be used to equate Michigan fans with more, shall we say, "passionate" fan bases.  Fans of schools such as, oh, I don't know, Ohio State - where "Fuck Michigan!" is tossed around like a holiday greeting, the school president once had to apologize to an entire fan base and wearing your Michigan gear is done at your own risk - who will point to your classless gesture as way to say, "See!  It's the same at Michigan!"

So nice going, jackhole.

(I don't know if "Hat Tip" is the right word for leading me to this pic, but I found it on Gerd's Michigan Monday.  Also, if you'd like to see the actual BTN clip of the above still, check out MGoDisney's YouTube vid of the 3rd quarter and go to the 7:30 mark.)

Wallpaper Wednesday: HAIL!

Got the following email from our long lost pal Andy this week:

Just in case you are looking for a wallpaper to post on Wednesday.  Here is one I made this morning while sitting thru a con call.

Memo to self: Make sure Andy gets stuck on more conference calls.

What your mom would be like as an Ohio State fan

Ever wonder what your mom would be like if she were an Ohio State fan?  The MZone has uncovered the answer and it ain't pretty.

Yesterday, I stumbled across the clip below entitled Mom + Ohio State Buckeyes Game.  The YouTube description below the video reads, "This is sooooo funny!!!! She only acts like this when she watches a ohio state buckeyes game."  But after watching, I think you'll agree with my hunch that that's probably not true. 

Now, you'll have to pardon the picture quality of the clip since the SOB (son of a buckeye) shooting it was apparently using a full-sized VHS camcorder circa 1988 lit through the haze of mom's cigarette smoke.  But you can can hear the audio loud and clear.

Oh, can you hear the audio (which starts around the :25 second mark)...



Folks, not to get all film critic-y, but rarely does a YouTube clip work on so many wonderful levels.  From the utter lack of football knowledge, to the constant f-bombs in front of her kid(s) recording the event, to my favorite bit of "dialogue" uttered over the last year:

"Yes!  We are the shit!  C'mon now, get that field goal, motherfuckers!  Give mommy $40 dollars."

Wow.

There are no words except bravo.  Bravo and congratulations, ma'am, on your nomination for the MZone's coveted Mother of the Year award.

USA South is anyone's race to win

For the first time in several years, the USA South could have a horse race to the championship. Traditionally, one sees Christopher Newport and North Carolina Wesleyan as the front runners. This year started out the same. The coaches poll from the USA South Media Day had CNU finishing first, and NCW second. The rest of the poll shaped up like this:

3rd    Ferrum
4th    Shenandoah
5th    Averett
6th    Maryville
7th    Methodist
8th    Greensboro

Well after four weeks of play, and as all teams have finished their non conference schedule, 5 of the 8 teams are 1-2, and the other three are 0-3

Averett, Christopher Newport, Ferrum, Methodist, and Shenandoah each have one win, while Greensboro, Maryville, and North Carolina Wesleyan are winless. To this point, much of this has to do with the strength of the schedule, but regardless, it seems like this conference race has more than two horses in it.

First place pick Christopher Newport has, to me, struggled to get their wheels under them. After an opening 12-7 win against Waynesburg, the Captains lost to first year program Stevenson, and then lost to #24 Salisbury, in a game that they led by 10 in the fourth quarter. The Captains open conference play on the road against Methodist.

North Carolina Wesleyan, who is 0-3, has played a fairly difficult schedule, Opening against Ohio Northern, playing a tough Hampden Sydney team, and closing out their non conference schedule against LaGrange College (who will be a member of the USA South next season). Those first two games were against top 30 opponents.The Bishops will open conference play in Danville Va., against Averett.

Ferrum (1-2) started out with a loss against a stronger than expected Emory and Henry team, and followed that with a decent showing but a loss against # 23 Hampden-Sydney. This past week the Panthers secured Coach David Harper's first win by beating the Eagles of Bridgewater 37-6. Ferrum will open conference play on the road against Maryville.

  Shenandoah is, to me, one of the teams to watch out for in the USA South. With this as their last year in the conference, they are looking to make a statement, and I think things are setting up to where they will have a big influence on the conference championship. The Hornets opened play against Stevenson and won 49-21.   ( Stevenson is the same team that beat CNU the next week) After this win, Shenandoah fell to Bridgewater 28-23, and then they lost to Randolph Macon, 36-29.
After three weeks Shenandoah led 8 of 17 categories in conference team statistical rankings. Among those are Total Offense, and Total Defense. Shenandoah opens conference play at home against Greensboro.

Averett ended their non conference schedule with a win over Guilford. That followed losses to Hampden-Sydney, and Randolph Macon. The Cougars are a difficult team to read. They may be better than they have shown thus far, but their statistical rankings have them in the middle of the pack.

Maryville has yet to find the "W" column to this point in the season, but have played some really good competition. The Scots opened against Huntingdon, losing 35-7. Then on a 5 day turnaround, they played FCS opponent Tennessee Tech, losing 56-7. They followed that up with 13-10 loss to LaGrange, to close their non conference schedule. LaGrange beat NCW 24-17, and Huntingdon defeated Hampden-Sydney.) Something tells me that this team may be flying under the radar just a bit, and is probably capable of several conference wins.

Methodist is another team that, to this point has had some impressive games. At 1-2, they opened with a 43-7 loss to Randolph Macon, and then defeated Guilford 40-22. They closed their non conference schedule against Emory and Henry, losing 34-24. (The same E&H team that beat Ferrum 41-12.) They have made some adjustments since week one as evidenced by the points they are now scoring. Look for this team to surprise some people. Possibly starting this weekend..

Greensboro has struggled in most all phases of their game. After an 0-3 start, Greensboro needs a confidence booster to get them ready for conference play. That may have come in the form of an open week, as they did not play last week. The road does not get any easier as they open conference play on the road at Shenandoah. I look for this to be a tough season for the Pride.

So after this is all said and done, I think you will see some upsets this year. Although I will stick with my predictions, it is still anyone's race to win.

RB High Knees Drill

The High Knees Drill is a great way to teach backs to drive their knees up while running to help them break tackles.  The best cut-up is at the end of the video of former 49er great, Roger Craig, as he demonstrates his high knee running style in ripping off one of the more memorable runs in NFL history.  As with any RB drill, proper Ball Security must always be emphasized. If I may critique, the RBs in the drill cut-ups have below average technique, because they should always have their wrists above their elbows while running the ball.

Greatest. MZone. Email. Ever.

Following Michigan's thrilling come-from-behind victory over Notre Dame, I put up this post about how the only thing that could have possibly made the victory any sweeter was if legendary Meeechigan announcer Bob Ufer had called it, especially U-M's final, miracle TD with :02 seconds left.  To illustrate what that might have been like, I made the following video:



The response to the video from the Maize and Blue faithful was very gratifying.  It's amazing what kind of impact "old man Ufer" still has on Michigan fans some 30 years after his passing.

Then I got the email below via the MZone YouTube account last week.  I think it's the best email ever received here at the MZone:

Good Evening,

Tom Ufer (son) and I are here tonight watching the YouTube video you uploaded of the greatest voice of MEEEECHIGAN football along with his sidekick, the "Bo 'George Patton'!!

We are in tears! GREAT edit!

As you may or may not know, Tom and his family run The Bob Ufer Foundation (www.ufer.org) and annually give scholarships to Ann Arbor area high school seniors for college tuition.

Tom would like to learn if you are interested in linking the clip and your site/blog to the foundation site and/or any other way to promote and support the cause honoring his dads legacy.

Thanks!

DM

Folks, that email made my day.  I was truly touched and thrilled that the late and great Robert Frost Ufer's son had seen the video and liked it.  And we here at the MZone would like to help promote and support the cause honoring Bob Ufer's legacy. 

According the Ufer website linked in the email above, "The Bob Ufer Foundation was established by the Ufer family in 1997 with a mission to raise funds to support youth activities and scholarships in the Ann Arbor community. As a major sponsor of the annual Superball 3 on 3 basketball tournament, our Foundation has helped raise money to fund teacher grants in grades K-12 in the Ann Arbor Public Schools.

Other programs supported include the Ann Arbor YMCA building fund, C.O.P.E. Center for Occupational and Personalized Education, Common Bond, and student independent projects at the local high schools. Purchase of the Ufer CDs as well as tax deductible contributions to the Foundation, will perpetuate this commitment to the community. "

That's in addition to The Bob Ufer Memorial Scholarship Fund, which originated in 1983 and "is to be utilized to provide four scholarships to students in Ann Arbor who exemplify the pursuit of athletic and academic excellence, as well as the enthusiasm and love of life, which characterized Bob Ufer’s life.

Scholarships totaling $20,000 are awarded annually to seniors from Ann Arbor Huron and Ann Arbor Pioneer High Schools who will be attending the U of M. The Scholarship Fund now totals over $445,000. Over 110 scholarships totaling $515,000 have been awarded over the past 26 years."

So if you can donate, please do.  And if you call yourself a Meeechigan fan but don't already own the Ufer CDs, for cryin' out loud, do yourself a favor and get them.  You'll quickly understand why Bob Ufer was - and still is - so beloved.

Pam Ufer Wood and Tom Ufer present Lloyd Carr with a
$250,000 endowment check for athletic scholarshops
to the University of Michigan

More Comments about the win over Bridgewater

Kudos to # 10 Tyler Brubaker who threw one pass for a touchdown, and caught a pass for a touchdown. In his career, Brubaker is 2 for 3 passing, with both of his completions going for touchdowns.

Marcco McNeal came up huge for the Panthers as he had 10 tackles and one interception

Melvin Trotter had 10 tackles for Ferrum, including one for a loss.

Statistical leaders after three games:

Rushing:  Marcus Mayo 50 carries for 263 yards and 2 touchdowns

Passing:  Marcus Mayo 35 of 64 537 yards and two touchdowns. Mayo has 4 int's.

Receiving:  Derrick West has 8 catches for 209 yards. Makaya Jackson also has 8 catches for 124 yards and 1 touchdown.

Punt Returns: Marcus Mayo 4 for 36 yards

Kickoff Returns: Dominique Lesine 5 returns for 124 yards

Interceptions: Marcco McNeal has 2 picks for 27 yards

Things are progressing nicely for Ferrum. Yesterday's win was a strong indicator of the potential that this team has. I see them as peaking at the right time, going into conference play. Congratulations on a big win....Now on to Maryville.

Just what the Doctor Ordered! Ferrum 37 Bridgewater 6

On a day where Ferrum would celebrate homecoming, and Hall of Fame inductions, the crowd was also treated to some old school Ferrum football... tough defense, and opportunistic offense, in a game where the Panthers dominated the Bridgewater Eagles.
The defense gave what I would call a bend but don't break performance as it held the Eagles to but 6 points. Ferrum employed a balanced offensive attack with 147 yards passing, and 223 yards rushing. Quarterback Marcus Mayo ran for 128 yards and one touchdown, and passed for 122 yards and one touchdown.
This was the kind of performance that the Panthers needed as they faced a team in Bridgewater (2-1) that was undefeated and looking to establish its presence in the ODAC.

While the offense put up impressive numbers, it was the defense that seemed to be hitting on all cylinders. Only yielding two field goals, the Panthers defense held the Bridgewater offense to a total of 341 yards on 72 plays for an average of 4.2 yards per play. Conversly, the Eagles allowed Ferrum to accumulate 370 yards on 54 plays for a 6.9 yards per play average.

Ten Eagles drives resulted in the following against a stingy Panthers defense.

2 FG's made
1 FG missed
1 punt
3 turnovers on downs
2 interceptions
1 fumble.

This was one of the best all around performances I can remember in quite a while, and although the stats seem to favor the Eagles in many respects, Ferrum had the pieces fall into place, and this game is an absolute example of the stats not always reflecting the true outcome. This was an excellent effort by Ferrum, and is a good indicator of things to come.

Go Panthers!

Slideshow of Progress on the Hank Norton Center

Follow this link to see the slideshow of the progress on the Hank Norton Center

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ferrumcollege/sets/72157627560897053/

Michigan vs. San Diego State Open Thread

Leave us your thoughts on all things college football and Michigan/SDSU throughout the day.

GO BLUE!

(Pic via DeviantArt)

Bridgewater @ Ferrum An Important Game for the Panthers

After two games, I am happy with a lot of what I have seen, and somewhat perplexed at other elements of the Panthers season. First, I really thought the Panthers would fare better against Emory and Henry, but the Wasps were, to say the least, better prepared, and out played Ferrum, winning 41-12.
In their second game, Ferrum made what I consider to be huge strides in their development. Playing the #23 ranked Hampden-Sydney Tigers, Ferrum showed the ability to move the ball, and their defense against the rush was overall impressive. I was also impressed at Marcus Mayo's ability to scramble, stop, and throw deep when it looked like he would run. While this too was a loss, there were a lot of positives.

This week will bring the Panthers home after two road games. The Bridgewater Eagles come to Ferrum with a 2-0 record, and the leading rusher in the ODAC in Darrin McKenzie. McKenzie is averaging 124.5 yards per game.  This will be a winnable game, but not without another huge effort. Bridgewater is 2-0, and is playing really good football. They are averaging 24 points per game, and are only giving up 20.0 points per game. As for the Panthers, they are averaging 13 ppg, and are giving up just under 40 ppg.

Ferrum will face an Eagles passing game led by quarterback Carlos Gonzales. Over two games, Gonzales has thrown 40 passes, completing 16 for 210 yards and one touchdown. Some quarterbacking duties have been shared with Jacob Hutchinson. Hutchinson is 3 of 10 for 30 yards and one interception. Look for the Eagles to air it out more often in this game, but to primarily rely on McKenzie for their offense.

For Ferrum, I think this will be a game that will play more to the Panthers strong suit...stopping the run. I do not think the secondary will be aggressively attacked, but they will be tested. This is a winnable game, but Ferrum has to focus. Penalties have to again be kept to a minimum, as do turnovers.

Keys to a Panther Win:

Shut down the running game of McKinzie
Control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.
Run the Option more. This will set up the pass.

This game has the potential to be a huge confidence builder going into the conference schedule.  A win will make those first two games hurt a lot less.  Play smart Panthers. You can win this game.

My prediction:

Ferrum 28
Bridgewater 17

Know Your Foe - San Diego State

Special thanks to all who helped keep the MZone chugging alone this week whilst The Man was holding me down.  The help continues today with Ron submitting the San Diego State edition of Know Your Foe.

The Michigan Wolverines (3-0) host the San Diego State Aztecs (3-0) at the Big House this weekend, in a battle of unbeaten teams.  This matchup has special significance since U-M's Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator left SDSU to come to Michigan last January (causing former SDSU football player Kyle Turley's head to nearly explode).  The schools have only met one other time, in 2004, with the Wolverines winning 24-21. So it's time to learn more amazing facts in this week's exciting edition of Know Your Foe.

History: Founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School (uh, what's with all the "normal" school founding names?), SDSU is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area as well as one of the oldest universities in California. It started out primarily educating future elementary school teachers and even became San Diego State Teachers College in 1923, run by the State Board of Education.  The school then dropped "Teachers" from its title in 1935, and in 1970, became San Diego State University.

Location: Located just off I-8 in San Diego, CA, the campus overlooks Mission Valley. The campus has a plethora of old historic buildings, including the Aztec Bowl, the school's former football stadium that only held 12,592 people (or as that's known at the Big House: the # of people waiting to go to the bathroom at any given time in Section 7) and the Hardy Memorial Tower, which holds a 5000 gallon water tank that provided pressure for the campus plumbing system.

According to College Prowler, the weather and the local atmosphere are among the highlights.

Nickname Fortunately, after going through several god-awful nicknames like  "Normalites," "Professors," and "Wampus Cats," (okay, we like that one) SDSU came to their senses in 1924 and a committee selected Aztecs. 

Mascot: Monty Montezuma, intended to represent the Aztec emperor, was the first mascot, though unofficial. According the University President, "The original Monty came out of a teepee and chased co-eds around, if you can imagine that." (Uh, we not only can, but still wish it was happening.  MEMO TO DAVE BRANDON: You come up with a mascot that chases co-eds, the MZone might be able to support that). In 2003, the students and alumni elected a more generic and historically accurate Aztec warrior as the official mascot. This did not end the controversy, with many student groups calling it racist. As someone mentioned on MGOBLOG, I guess the NCAA is okay with Native Mexican Mascots, but not Native American Mascots.

Colors/Logo/Helmets: After having colors that were too close to a local high school, in 1928, SDSU students voted and, by a vote of 346-201, Scarlet and Black beat out Purple and Gold to become the official school colors.  No word if Turley is still pissed about this, too.

According to the official SDSU athletic website, "One of San Diego State's most honored traditions is the all-black uniform the Aztecs wear when playing at home. The "look" has become as much a part of Aztec football as the forward pass. In fact, the concept was the brainchild of the man who brought the modern passing game not only to San Diego State, but to college football - Don Coryell."

Couldn't find much history on the logo. They have a couple for the athletic teams. The one on the left is pretty good.  The one on the right is...the one on the right.

  

Fight Song: In 1936, the school President asked music department junior Frank J. Losey to become the school's band director and also come up with a new school fight song (what did you do your junior year?).  Losey wrote the original lyrics at his parents' dinner table (thus explaining the mustard stains on the sheet music).

Losey's lyrics have evolved over time into the present lyrics sung by the football team in the locker room after each victory.

SDSU Fight Song 

Fight on and on ye Aztec men
Sons of Montezuma
We will win again
Keep your spirits high
Never bow a knee
We will fight till victory

Fight on and on ye Aztec men
Proudly raise your banners high
For it's the Red and Black
Hail to our team
San Diego Aztecs fight! 

ED. NOTE:  For the record, the MZone thinks it's really a bad idea to have someone with the word "Lose" in their name write your school's fight song.

Traditions: Two unique traditions came up during my research. First, "S" Mountain. Started in 1931, rocks were painted to form a gigantic "S" on Cowles Mountain and lit at night by the freshman for the opening game of the season.  Pretty cool.  But not as cool as number two...

An undie run. It's just like it sounds: students strip down at midnight and run across campus. The pics and video fit right in at the Mzone (and you thought you were gonna get stuck with "S" Mountain pix).

Football program: SDSU had great success before moving to D1 status.  They have won thirteen conference championships and three national championships (pre-D1).

A member of the Mountain West Conference, the Aztecs play their home games at Qualcomm Stadium, which has a tad more than 12,000 seats. They've played in 9 bowls since 1948, including last year at the Poinsetta Bowl, which was a victory over Navy.

Other Athletics:They carry most of the common varsity sports, have quite few conference and National championships as well. Not a bad history at all.

Famous Alumni: SDSU's list of notable alums include founder of Jack and the Box, Marion "Mrs. C" Ross, Carl "Apollo Creed" Weathers, Raquel "Look at those!" Welch, terrorist Anwar al-Awlaki, and Ted Giannoulas -- the San Diego Chicken.  Most importantly: no astronauts, no Presidents.

The Game: This figures to be a real test for both the D and the offense. We better not start slow or we could be in trouble. But still, in Denard we trust:

Michigan 35
Sand Diego State 10

From the Editor

Busy week at work but will do my best to keep feeding the blogging beast (with new posts below this one).  Hopefully some of the outstanding guest bloggers who've been helping of late will come up with some gems to fill in the gaps (hint, hint, hint).

Sincerely,

The Management

What Would Ron Burgundy Do?

The increasingly prolific Michigan Sports Girl strikes again with another post here on the MZone.  Be sure to check her out on Twitter @SupportBradyHoke.

Never mind new Aztec head coach Rocky Long’s insistence that he and Coach Hoke’s former team are genuinely happy that he now has the chance to live his dream. Never mind that Coach is still in contact with the SDSU staff -- not to talk football, but family. Never mind that Hoke made his intentions very clear to SDSU officials regarding any future opportunities at Michigan before he signed his contract in San Diego. Never mind that SDSU is 3-0 and touting the nation’s second-leading RB while dominating their competition thus far. Never mind the respect that both universities and each coaching staff have for one another. Never mind that the current group of Aztec players and staff have moved forward post-Hoke.

None of that matters...to one SDSU alum.

Yes, Kyle Turley is still mad.

The helmet-throwing, obscene-gesture making, slur-wielding and self-proclaimed ambassador of San Diego State, Kyle Turley, still has his nightie in a knot over Coach Hoke’s move to Ann Arbor back in January.

The picture that Turley is trying to paint going into the game this weekend is quite colorful -- in a nanny-nanny-poo-poo sort of way. His use of his quasi-creative references are nothing short of borderline outrageous, referring to Coach Hoke as both “a parent who ran out on his family” and as an “ex-wife who one day leaves the house and doesn’t say why until you hear from her lawyer the next day.”

His not-so-eloquent use of expletives has also been enjoyable to witness in his many public forums, including Twitter. My favorite tweet? “Brady Hoke’s dream job is about to turn into his worst *ucking nightmare. GO AZTECS!” Nice.

Oh, and don’t forget his steadfast prediction that our loss to SDSU on Saturday will lead Coach Hoke to be “fired from his dream job.” Really, Kyle? Laughable.

But Coach is just Coach, taking all of Turley’s affirmations in stride.

In his simple, matter-of-fact, good ol’ boy manner, Coach Hoke addressed Turley’s displeasure diplomatically, saying: "Y'know what, Kyle and I really started to build a pretty good relationship and I understand his reactions and his sentiments. We were on winter break, and I had to be on a plane to Michigan that day. No time for official goodbyes. But I'll reach out to him. I have bigger fish to fry with what we're trying to get set up here.” A classy response to the ramblings of a lunatic if I do say so myself.

And with Turley firmly insistent that “karma will be a factor” in Saturday’s game, perhaps HE should be the one to consider the eternal question: What would Ron Burgundy do?

You call it nuts, I call it doing my part for the team

MZone reader Steve, proprietor of the blog Michigan meets S.C., submits this guest post about his "rituals" when the maize and blue play.  I think we might be related.

Way back in the off season somewhere between the 2005 and the 2006 campaigns I broke down and a purchased a new maize shirt. Nothing special, mind you, just a plain shirt with the word ‘Michigan” emblazoned across the front.

Don't f**k with the windsock!

Now, as you recall, the 2006 season was especially good to us.  Going into the OSU game, we were 10-0 -- something we all know was owed to “the shirt”.  So I’m not saying I’m superstitious or anything, but well, don’t screw with my lucky stuff on game day.

Which leads us to this season.

My wife removed a Michigan windsock from our deck the day after the Notre Dame game and I thought I would wet myself. Here we were riding high at 2-0 -- a day after one of the most thrilling victories in Michigan history -- and she removed one of the main reasons why! (although a non-believer might call it a faded rag hanging from three strings.  But what do they know about messing with football karma?)

In the recliner during a game, I don’t mess with much: my drink, the remote, nothing.

If we’re doing well.

 If not, I start changing things around. I remember one year sucking it up against OSU. I changed to the couch in the 3rd quarter and the comeback was on. MLB manages will not step on the baseline when going out the mound to give the pitcher his walking papers for the evening. They must be nuts -- I'm just helping my team.

During the timeout at the end of the ND game, :08 seconds remaining, and I’m sitting on the deck watching the game (I watched the first half inside and, as you know, that didn't work so well).  Meanwhile, my wife was inside watching the game. But during that timeout, she comes out pacing and rubbing my neck! For God’s sake!  Not only was she jinxing it by coming outside all of a sudden, but she also moved the sliding glass door that was in the game winning position.

WTF?!

It was everything I could do to not bust! Panicked, I moved the door back to where I thought it was. How we won the game after that disturbance in the force is beyond me. Yes, I’m certified. But I bet I'm not alone among college football and MZone readers.

And as for the shirt, well, that was retired somewhere in during the first RichRod season. There are some things even a lucky shirt can't do.

Wallpaper Wednesday: Denard in the clear

Special thanks to Mikoyan for making today's Wallpaper!

Going Rice

We interrupt our regularly scheduled college football blog for some basketball-related news:

Last week we Tweeted about the allegation in a new book that former Michigan basketball star Glen Rice hooked up with former Alaska governor Sarah Palin in 1987 when Rice was in college and Palin was a fresh-out-of-college TV reporter.  The one-nighter allegedly happened when the Wolverines were in town for the Great Alaska Shootout and Palin was working for KTUU.

As you can tell by the picture above, Palin was no mamma grizzly when she went rogue with Rice.  It was during her frizzy-haired young cub days.  However, less than a year after the rumored fling, Palin married her husband, Todd, thus disproving the old adage that once you go black you never go back.

But why bring up this story a week after it broke?  Well, we had too much post-ND news to get to it last week and, more importantly, we just stumbled across these pictures of Rice's ex-wife, Christy.

RB Quickness and Agility Drills

There are many different types of running styles, but all great backs have one trait in common: quick feet.  These quickness and agility drills should be a priority for the RB Coach.  A key coaching point for any agility drill is for the athlete to have a low center of gravity.  This allows the RB to be able to change direction quickly.  Good core strength and explosive calf strength also allows a RB to stick his foot in the ground and make a cut and accelerate quickly (see the cut on the run beginning at the 4:19 mark). 

Ball Security is priority number one for the RB Coach, and it is crucial to emphasize these fundamentals as the RBs do these drills.  It is a common mistake for younger RBs to forget Ball Security when they are doing footwork drills, so coaches must stay on top of them to help them to improve their awareness of securing the football properly at all times.

There are some other moves being executed by the RBs in this video (jukes and spins), but having quick feet allows a RB to effectively execute all of these moves.

Also, this Barry Sanders guy is worth taking a look at too:

Michigan football Saturdays beyond The Big House

Our friend Mikoyan was on the field shooting the Michigan-EMU game last Saturday.  But he also took some great shots before and after the game.

First, there was this student house party below.  Ah, to be a college student again.  See the sign?  "You honk, we drink." Wouldn't that be awesome if you could have a sign like that outside your house post-college?  You're out mowing your lawn, your neighbor Ted drives past in his Hyundai - HONK!  HONK! - you put the mower on idle and just chug.  Right there in your front yard.

Instead, Ted drives past, honks, you wave and then simply keep mowing your damn lawn.  Boo real life, Yeah college life.

Would you EVER wait in a line like this anywhere except A2 on a football Saturday in order to get a triple at Blimpie Burgers?  Answer: hell no.

I wonder if that woman still works there who used to yell at you if you didn't know your order as soon as she asked.  I always panicked when it came to my choice from the fryer.

Best of all?  It's still "cheaper than food."

And this picture sums up why I - and probably many of you - are Michigan fans: a boy and his father going to see Michigan play football on a Saturday afternoon in the fall.  It doesn't get any better (although those times we snuck some "beverage" into the student section during my college days come close).

Memo to Dave Brandon: This is a better sales tool than any mascot.

Be sure to check out Mikoyan's Big House panorama.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney was REALLY excited to beat Auburn

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney - whose name sounds like To Kill A Mockingbird author Harper Lee's alternate choice to Boo Radley - went Howard Dean after his team ended Auburn's 17-game winning streak.

More comments about the game at Hampden-Sydney

First, a shout out to #75 Josh Oliver. Josh, a Freshman, had 7 tackles in the game, and 2.5 of those resulted in a loss of yardage. Josh also had an interception, and a pass break up. Great game!!!

Ferrum made significant progress yesterday in their development as a team. They had many positives from this game, but I am most encouraged by the D line and linebackers.

Far better on penalties over the E&H game.

Another solid performance by Marcus Mayo. Wether passing or executing the option, Mayo seems very strong.

Marcco McNeil had a strong performance yesterday. 4 tackles, 1 pass interception, and a breakup. Excellent!!

Ferrum had a good day. They were not expected to win, but I think they came away a better team, a stronger team, and a closer team. Its gonna get better.

Blackhats Fall 38-14 Not A Total Loss At All

As the final seconds ticked off of the scoreboard clock at Hampden-Sydney, I am sure some people left with disappointment, and confusion. For me, I left realizing that Ferrum had played well, and had probably done better against the #23 team in the country than either of it's first two opponents. First Ferrum did far better than I had predicted, and second, held one of the best offenses in the country 15.5 points under it's scoring average.  Ferrum cut it's penalties from 13 for 134 yards, to 5 for 37 yards
Ferrum was less successful against the run than against Emory and Henry, but they only gave up 157 yards on 36 rushes. (4.4 yards per carry)
Against who is undoubtedly one of the best quarterbacks in Division III, the Panthers gave up 375 yards passing, but did collect two interceptions. Lastly, Ferrum won the time of possession battle by just over 5 mins.

This was not a game that I or many others for that matter gave Ferrum a reasonable chance of winning, but for me the reward in this game would be in showing improvement and taking the lessons of today forward.

The Panther offense seemed to have success at times moving the ball, but at other times found it difficult. From my vantage point, the option attack seemed to be working well, and the passing attack gelled in the second half especially. This game will provide more lessons in the film room, when the players can sit and watch what they did, and hopefully gain a better understanding of their role.

I am glad I was there, and while I wish they had won, I can gain satisfaction knowing that this game means important things for the Panthers football future. Great effort today! Keep your heads up!

Go Panthers!

GAMEDAY

So I have made my prediction, and although I may have ruffled some feathers, the prediction does not make me any less of a fan. Ferrum football is moving forward, and the foundation is continously being laid for the program to be a top contender. Today is another building block in the foundation. Could Ferrum win today? ABSOLUTELY! Overall, I do not think they played all that bad against Emory and Henry. It, to me, was too many mistakes, not so much an imbalance of talent. I look for Ferrum to get better every week.

Today's game will be about taking advantage of every opportunity that they get. It will be about everyone stepping up and doing their part. Total focus and execution. They need to go out there, unintimidated, determined, and knowing that they can play with a top 25 team.

Go Panthers!

Gameday Spotlight Dominique Lesine

#33 Dominique Lesine


Position: Running Back

Height: 5-9

Weight: 171

Class: Sophomore

Hometown: Rocky Point, N.C.

High School: Heide Trask



Dominique burst onto the scene last season. On a team that had a large stable of running backs, Dominique came out of nowhere, as a Freshman to contribute. His first year stats were solid. He averaged 5.5 yards per carry last season, and 23 yards per reception. Lesine returned 12 kickoffs, averaging over 25 yards per return. Look for this young man to only get better.

Michigan vs. Eastern Michigan Open Thread

FINAL:

Michigan - 31
EMU - 3

Leave us your thoughts throughout the day on the Michigan/Eastern Michigan game and all the college football happenings around the country.

As you do, enjoy a final look at Roy Roundtree putting a dagger through Notre Dame's heart.

(Picture credit: USA Today)

The Team, The Team, The Team

Another outstanding guest post today from Michigan Sports Girl, proprietor of Support Brady Hoke.

Know Your Foe - Eastern Michigan

Your undefeated (by :02 seconds and 114,000+ heart attacks) Michigan Wolverines host our next door neighbor, Eastern Michigan, in The Big House this Saturday. Michigan has won all nine of the previous games between the two schools, including 45-17 the last time they played in 2009.  But you know all that.  What you don't know you'll find below in the MZone's 3rd Know Your Foe of the 2011 season.

History - Eastern Michigan University was founded by the Michigan legislature in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School, and the first classes took place in 1853 (with most of those initial students still about 2 1/2 years away from completing their degrees).

The school has undergone three name changes since then: first to Michigan State Normal College in 1899, then to Eastern Michigan College in 1956, and finally to Eastern Michigan University in 1959 -- which must have been a bitch of an unexpected stationary cost for the school seeing as they had only switched over to EMC three years prior.  ("What do you mean we're changing the f**king name again?!  What the hell am I going to do with all these envelopes?!")

Location – Ypsilanti, Michigan. Our vote for the most interestingly-named hometown of any team Michigan plays this year.  Ypsi, as it's known, was first settled in 1823 as a fur-trading post and is named for Demetrius Ypsilantis, a hero in the Greek war for independence.

Of course, no discussion of Ypsilanti would be complete without mentioned the water tower pictured here (yes, a water tower!  What did you think it looked like?). According to long-time Mzone reader Mikoyan, there are two legends surrounding it.  One is that Paul Bunyan is buried there and they couldn't quite get all of him underground (no, not his thumb!). The other is that if a virgin ever graduates from EMU it will come crumbling down.  INSERT JOKE HERE.

Nickname – Eagles. The nickname was changed from Hurons in 1991 and the change still angers many EMU alums.  In fact, a number of them refuse to donate money to the university, with some forming an organization to bring the name back. Hurons was an excellent, unique, nickname. The Huron River runs through Ypsilanti, and the indigenous people for whom the river was named were native to southeast Michigan. Furthermore, the school had the support of two tribes. Also, by selecting the Eagles as the nickname, they've joined only 5 zillion other sports teams in the U.S. that use the Eagles nickname including Boston College, the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles and every third middle school in the Midwest.

Do you see what can happen, Dave Brandon?

Mascot – Swoop, the Eastern Eagle. Coincidentally, a costumed eagle was used at EMU sporting events since 1985, six years before they adopted the Eagles nickname.  However, when it originally debuted, many thought it was a duck. Now there is just shame.

Colors - Green and White. This is a surprisingly uncommon color combination in college football. According to the College Football Tradition Web site, there are only five schools that use this combination and Michigan will be playing two of them this year. Besides EMU and, of course, Sparty the rest of the Green and White five are Marshall, North Texas, and Eastern’s conference rival, Ohio. Though Know Your Foe’s loyalty to the Wolverines has never been in doubt, the green and white combination has always been a favorite. Along with being unique, it’s crisp and classic. Besides, green’s always been our favorite color, though we had some nightmares about green at Michigan Stadium this year.

Logo – A green block “E” with a confused-looking Eagle head on the left. Along with the poor nickname choice in 1991, EMU did themselves no favors when they changed their logo in the same year. Prior to ’91, the logo was unique to EMU, and though it could have used some updating, it had the makings of a classic. Add to that the fact that they used this logo on their football helmet for almost 15 years and the shame of the name change is compounded.

Since 1991, Eastern has had changed their logo twice.

The helmet changes have come much more frequently and with even more disastrous results. Eastern has changed helmet designs every two or three years since ’91, including emulating two NFL teams. There was even a dalliance with silver on the helmets in the late ‘90s. The current version is totally generic and it even has a black facemask even though black isn’t one of EMU’s colors. Their current headgear looks like a lame high school helmet.

As always, all images of the helmets are from the incredible Helmet Project site, and the logos are from the equally wonderful SportsLogos.net.

Fight Song – Eagles Fight Song, which replaced Hurons Fight Song in 1991. Know Your Foe has to be honest here: we’d never heard the EMU fight song until doing this research. It sounds like a fight song that would be used in a 1950s movie about college. Some of the lyrics were changed after the Hurons became the Eagles (and a nod to Title IX was included), which makes the current version strange in that it doesn’t seem to be able to decide what era to be from. The lyrics invoke such old-time classics as “Fight!” “Rah!” and the truly quaint “Hold that line.” But in the middle it starts to sound like a bad Bette Midler song (okay: any Bette Midler song).

Eastern Eagles hats off to you!
Fight, fight, fight for old EMU
Look to the sky,
The Eagles will fly,
The bravest will defy
Rah! Rah! Rah!
Hold that line for old green and white
Sons and daughters show your might
So FIGHT! FIGHT! for old EMU and victory

Compare those to the original:

Hurons, Hurons, Hats off to you!
Fight, Fight, Fight for old EMU.
Shout to the sky the Hurons' war cry
The bravest will defy!
Hold that line for old Green and White
Loyal sons come show your might
Fight! Fight! for old EMU and victory!

ED. NOTE: While the lyrics may sound like it, neither of these two songs were used in that one Brady Bunch episode. (Bonus MZone points if you get that reference)

Academics – According to the most recent U. S. News' ranking of America's Best Colleges, Eastern Michigan falls in the “Universities–Master's (Midwest), third tier” category with fellow Michigan schools Ferris State, Northern Michigan and U-M Flint. Eastern has long been considered a “Teacher’s College” and was the first teacher’s college outside of the original 13 states. If you went to high school in Michigan, you were likely educated by several EMU grads.

Athletics – Eastern Michigan plays in the Mid-American Conference and is in the West Division in football. Though the overall athletic program is not stellar, there have been highlights in the recent past. EMU won conference titles in eight different sports in 2006-07, a MAC record. They also have won 26 MAC titles in men’s swimming and diving (1978, 1980-1996, 1998, 2000-2005, and 2007), the most titles in one sport in the conference. And, amazingly, the then-Hurons finished second in the 1976 College World Series. The basketball team has produced a number of NBA players, and has appeared in four NCAA tournaments, highlighted by their defeat of Duke in 1996.

The football team, however, has had very limited success. They suffered through a 27-game losing streak in the early ‘80s, but did win the MAC title and the California Bowl in 1987. But that 10-2 season is the only year they’ve been able to win the MAC, and they’ve had only one winning season since. Attendance is a continuing problem, as Eastern is in a constant battle to average over the 15,000 barrier to remain at Division I-A. With over 100,000 fans getting their college football fix seven miles up the road, EMU has had to resort to night and weekday games, as well as playing one game a season at Ford Field in Detroit to boost attendance.

Rynearson Stadium: We're not sure if this is a practice or a game as the attendance is the same

EMU Traditions - Eastern now has a touchdown canon and they used to have a touchdown bell (which was probably rung about as much as the Liberty Bell).  Our pal Mikoyan also says they jangle their keys ala annoying Michigan fans.  Although, at an EMU football game with so few people, that could just be some dude pulling his keys out of his pocket to bail in the third quarter.

Famous Alums - Eastern isn’t a national university with 40,000 students, so their list of famous alums reflects that. Granted, they’ve had some decent athletes come through, most notably NBA Hall of Famer George Gervin, as well as miniature NBAer Earl Boykins, and 1990 American League Cy Young Winner Bob Welch. Looking over this list, Know Your Foe recognizes the captain from the horribly written Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, a winner of Last Comic Standing, and Judge Mathis. It’s amazing they have people to profile in their alumni magazine.

The Game - Most people think this will be an easy game for Michigan. But this year - as WMU's first two drives and the first 3 quarters of the ND game proved - there will be no such thing as an easy game for the Wolverines. Yes, Michigan will win, but it will be ugly and will not be decided until the second half.

MICHIGAN - 28
EASTERN MICHIGAN - 13

This is just...wrong

(special thanks to Mikoyan for his help with today's KYF)