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Dr. Saturday

Sat Oct 11, 2008 3:50 pm EDT

Michigan 2008 is officially Notre Dame 2007

By Matt Hinton

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Toledo 13, Michigan 10. In retrospect Michigan probably would have rather not beaten Wisconsin two weeks ago. It was thrilling at the time, I'm sure, but if the Wolverines hadn't erased a 19-0 halftime hole, today's collapse against one of the weaker outfits in the MAC -- the first loss in Michigan history to any outfit from the MAC -- would be just the fourth straight loss en route to 1-5, just another insult to a team already at rock bottom. They might have already been dead inside.

Instead, Michigan got the idea from beating the Badgers that maybe it could survive this rebuilding season, after all, and losing to Toledo is the sickening thud, the devastating, unfathomable loss that officially ends whatever threads of hope remained dangling from a rapidly unraveling race to the bottom of the Big Ten.

It's not even the kind of "Well, we outplayed them, and if a couple plays go the other way ... " sort of loss you'd guess it takes for Michigan to lose to Toledo. Even with the Rockets' 101-yard interception return in the first quarter, their only touchdown, the Wolverines were outgained on top of turning the ball over three times. After the killer, highlight interception early, Nick Sheridan came on for Steven Threet and threw two more. The decisive missed field goal, at the end of Michigan's longest drive of the day, would have only extended a day of misery.

So, yeah, it's a rebuilding year. Yeah, the offense is like all freshmen. Rich Rodriguez does not have to worry about his job a year into the thing. Michigan is still much, much worse than anyone expected, and not getting better in any apparent way. It's at an historical low rivaling what Notre Dame endured with similar turnover in the lineup last year. Extending the thousand-year bowl streak is a virtual impossibility; from here on, it's just about avoiding a complete, irredeemable last-place collapse. Today, on the heels of a 25-point loss to an Illinois team that subsequently went down at home to Minnesota, makes even the bare minimum of dignity seem like a pretty distant goal.

- - -
Photo of Tyrell Herbert's INT return for touchdown via the Associated Press.

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140 Comments

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  1. Erik T
    1. Posted by Erik T Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:56 pm EDT

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    Hey, be nice now. Minnesota is legitimately non-terrible this year.
  2. Bryan S
    2. Posted by Bryan S Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:14 pm EDT

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    Actually, Minnesota's success should give Michigan hope. Year 2 will be very different. Rodriguez will adjust and will win.
  3. kevin
    3. Posted by kevin Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:34 pm EDT

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    why are we even talking about the chokingest conference in football, with michigan and ohio state we cant handle any more chokers today, atleast the satrs on michigan play, not like the beanie baby from ohio state.
  4. big ben08
    4. Posted by big ben08 Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:12 pm EDT

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    west virginia was one play away from losing to god-awful syracuse at home
    i wonder who booed louder today the wvu or michigan fans
  5. CHUCK DaBOSS
    5. Posted by CHUCK DaBOSS Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:25 pm EDT

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    its really getting bad now!!
  6. Josh D
    6. Posted by Josh D Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:41 pm EDT

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    HAHAHAHAA Michigan just sucks they are NOT good OSU has owned them the 4 years. Michigan lost to app. State last year and TOLEDO this year whats next
    GO ROCKETS
  7. ALICE B
    7. Posted by ALICE B Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:49 pm EDT

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    To brad u ,at least learn to type and remember who has the most pro's ,player of the year trophys,played in National Champion game 3 of last 7 years,won one,etc.etc.and you like which loser team????????????????
  8. iamgrant07
    8. Posted by iamgrant07 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:09 pm EDT

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    What are you talking about Brad.
    A.) Michigan has no stars.
    B.) Beanie Wells was legitimately hurt
    Toledo is...amazing. This coming from a Rocket student of course. Haha.
  9. Patty
    9. Posted by Patty Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:04 pm EDT

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    I think that Brad U should learn how to spell before he starts ripping on other teams. His insults would have a much bigger impact that way.
  10. Nicki
    10. Posted by Nicki Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:49 pm EDT

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    Once WVU won and Michigan lost, Mountaineers had a great homecoming
  11. sportsfanatic
    11. Posted by sportsfanatic Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:15 pm EDT

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    :( At least my freshmen year, we were good. I still have hope for next season!
  12. UofM fan
    12. Posted by UofM fan Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:35 pm EDT

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    I was at the game. Pretty sure Toledo beat Michiagan in all categories, including the cheerleaders performance. It was disappointing watching a annual powerhouse be pummeled by a team that doesnt belong on the same field as them.
  13. Paul J
    13. Posted by Paul J Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:19 pm EDT

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    Is it time to declare the Big 10 out of the National Title Picture? I mean look at what has been happening with the conference?
  14. Airbusfxr
    14. Posted by Airbusfxr Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:52 pm EDT

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    Who cares about the little guys. LSU and Texas for the last game of the year.
  15. AM
    15. Posted by AM Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:06 pm EDT

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    I bleed Maize and Blue, but i just cannot take it anymore. I love the guys, and they are new, but not a fan of the new coach. Everyone knew it would be a rough year, but losing to Toledo is a stab in the chest. With what is left on the schedule, i doubt the team can pull off any victory or even a close game. All remaining home games, the coach should be booed non-stop!
  16. spartanjosh
    16. Posted by spartanjosh Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:16 pm EDT

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    go state! can't wait to play the wolverines two weeks from now
  17. jim f
    17. Posted by jim f Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:31 pm EDT

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    I live in toledo and think the coach here should grab some more Twinkies, since his first couple years here he hasn't had a winning season...from the players that were left to him....and the previous Coaches for Toledo are Pinkel and Saban...hmmm where are they? Rest assured this coach will NOT end up there!!!!
    Amstutz should just bow out after this win, to kind of leave on a positive NOTE.
    Rodruquez should give his first years salary BACK...this is pathetic to lose to a MAC team...give me a break.
    Go Rockets!!!
    Hard to imagine how Michigan is going to fare in November vs the Bucks....LOL what a JOKE!!!
  18. bigwilly43729
    18. Posted by bigwilly43729 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:07 pm EDT

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    Maybe getting Les Miles would have been a better option....
    Something isn't right about this team and it's been that way for a couple of seasons now. Ever since the 2006 loss to the Buckeyes, this team has been sleepwalking through games. Other than the win against Florida, which they almost gave away, this team has been completely not ready to play week in and week out. Silly mistakes, an inability to execute the offense; I want to point at the coaching staff, but I'm not sure at this point.
    We are down right now and I don't know when we'll be back up, so I'll entertain all the haters and idiots, particularily the ones who can't spell and like to throw the word choke around like it's candy at a parade.
  19. drbrad
    19. Posted by drbrad Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:48 pm EDT

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    Homecoming for Michigan was a disaster and today's loss completely unbelievable. Only one thing can save U of Ms season....a miracle upset of Ohio State.
  20. Gaspacho Guterriez
    20. Posted by Gaspacho Guterriez Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:03 pm EDT

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    Sweet, so when BG beats Toledo this year..we would have beaten the Wolverines by Osmosis!!
    ...
    ....
    .....
  21. knjkime
    21. Posted by knjkime Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:52 pm EDT

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    I'm a lifelong Michigan fan. I knew this year was going to be bad but, come on already. At least the first few weeks you could see improvement. I'm starting to wonder if the offense has packed it in. How can you only score ten points against the worst defense in the MAC. Something has to change. I find myself yelling during every game I watch for the players to get down and hold on to the ball. These guys can't even execute the fundamentals. If I was a defensive player for Michigan I would want to kill the offense.
    And don't judge the Big Ten by what Michigan does. OSU has its own problems. They should have lost to Ohio U. and Wisconsin if not for some favorable calls. Joe Pa is going out with a bang this year and lose in the BCS Championship because nobody else is going to get through their conference unbeaten.
  22. cduda71
    22. Posted by cduda71 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:20 pm EDT

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    The MAC the Big Ten, whats the difference. The entire Big Ten sucks. Penn State @ 6 is a joke, they have played nobody.
  23. Vanessa L
    23. Posted by Vanessa L Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:37 pm EDT

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    As a Cubs fan, I'm used to cheering for the losers. I just never thought I'd be doing it for Michigan too. I'll hang with Rich Rod for about 3 years because change does take time. However, if they are still losing to high school teams, I may reconsider sending my son to quarterback there in 12 years. :)
  24. ippie
    24. Posted by ippie Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:24 pm EDT

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    RR should be ran out of Ann Arbor!!!!! He is a fake..
  25. A Yahoo! User
    25. Posted by A Yahoo! User Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:26 pm EDT

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    If you Michigan fans think it's bad now, after we whipped Wisconsin 48-7 tonight, y'all are really gonna have fun travelling to Happy Valley next Saturday, where PSU will dramatically and emphatically end 11 years of frustration and DESTROY the maize n blue.
    Oh, and Ohio State is a DISTANT 2nd to us this year. We'll prove that in 2 weeks in Columbus

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