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Youth is served at QB for Michigan, Michigan St.

By TIM MARTIN, Associated Press Writer Oct 4, 4:18 pm EDT

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EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP)—Michigan freshman quarterback Tate Forcier showed his talent, toughness and youth in Saturday’s loss at Michigan State.

Forcier was calm under pressure and fired two touchdown passes late in the fourth quarter to erase a 14-point deficit and get the Wolverines into overtime against their instate Big Ten rivals.

His youth showed on the first possession of the extra session. Tired and sore, Forcier forced a throw into tight coverage in the end zone. The pass intended for Martavious Odoms was deflected by Michigan State’s Danny Fortener and intercepted by the Spartans’ Chris L. Rucker.

Freshman Larry Caper ran for a 23-yard touchdown in the next series to give the Spartans a 26-20 overtime victory against the Wolverines, who were ranked No. 22 entering the game but fell out of the latest Associated Press poll released Sunday. Michigan State (2-3, 1-1) has beaten Michigan (4-1, 1-1) two years in a row for the first time since winning three straight from 1965-67.

“It was just a miscommunication thing,” Forcier said of the overtime interception. “I thought (Odoms) was going to keep coming. The safety ended up coming. He was the one that kept coming. I just threw it and like I said, it was a freshman mistake.”

Forcier helped Michigan to a 4-0 start at home this season, including game-winning drives against Notre Dame and Indiana. But the Wolverines stumbled in their first road game despite a furious late rally in regulation that culminated with Forcier’s 9-yard TD pass to Roy Roundtree with 2 seconds remaining.

Forcier completed 17 of 32 passes for 223 yards and also scrambled effectively despite playing with a sore right shoulder injured in last week’s win over Indiana.

“Tate’s a very conscientious guy—he’ll learn from this,” coach Rich Rodriguez said. “I mean, he’s a true freshman and to have a true freshman out there competing the way he did is pretty remarkable. He’ll keep growing and getting better from this day.”

Michigan State, meanwhile, was fortunate to have two talented sophomore quarterbacks Saturday. Keith Nichol stepped in and played much of the fourth quarter and the overtime after starter Kirk Cousins was slowed with an ankle injury.

Michigan State lost 9 yards on a botched running play to start its overtime possession. Nichol then completed an 11-yard pass to B.J. Cunningham to move the Spartans to the 23-yard line, setting up Caper’s game-winning run.

Cousins was 15 of 21 for 152 yards, with two interceptions—one off a deflection and one when he was hit while throwing. Cousins also rushed for 75 yards on seven carries.

Cousins, a more accurate passer, has started all five games for Michigan State. Nichol—an Oklahoma transfer and a better runner—has played an important role in each game.

Nichol may have quashed whatever quarterback controversy remained in East Lansing after the victory, appearing to have settled into his role.

“We’re a tandem, we’re a team,” Nichol said of his relationship with Cousins. “We play for each other, we play for each other’s families. This competition is over.”

Nichol finished 5 of 8 for 68 yards Saturday.

“I thought our quarterback situation played out very well,” Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said.

Michigan State’s defense helped with 10 tackles for a loss, including three sacks. The Spartans dominated time of possession, holding the ball for 40 minutes compared to 20 minutes for Michigan.

Updated Oct 4, 4:18 pm EDT
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Head to Head - Week 5

Team Total Yds Pass Yds Rush Yds First Downs 3rdD% Pen./Yds Turnovers Time of Poss.
Michigan 251 223 28 14 43.8% 2/15 2 20:14
Michigan State 417 220 197 20 44.4% 8/94 3 39:46
NCAAF

502 Comments

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  1. da fat man
    502. Posted by da fat man Fri Oct 9 8:17am EDT

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    @MICHELANGELO......How shocking, an UMMMM fan posting under the name of an acclaimed homo. Anyway, you're right; it IS tough being in those dreaded BCS games EVERY SINGLE YEAR! Perhaps we should just go the route of the Wolverqueens and become bottom feeders? How was YOUR bowl game last year????????? The best the Wolverqueens can hope for is the Motor City Bowl this year, but I doubt it.
  2. <i>vedder918792002</i>
    501. Posted by vedder918792002 Thu Oct 8 7:03am EDT

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    Re Post 500:

    But this article isn't really about the recap of the game. It's about the youth of all 3 QB's: McNichols, Cousins and Forcier. It is about Forcier making the mistake in OT and about Cousins and McNichols accepting their 'tandem' roles as QB. The article is about them moreso then about the game.
  3. Marie
    500. Posted by Marie Thu Oct 8 2:58am EDT

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    Hmmmm I think this "recap" is missing about 62 minutes of gameplay. Why does it start with Michigan tieing it up in the 4th quarter? It was a good game. There is no denying that and there are always people who will gripe on both sides of the ball. But I feel the writer of the blog does both teams a disservice by barely even mentioning the first half. The MSU defense was dominating in the first half while the offense fought back over lots of penalties to go up by those two touchdowns. Knowing this gives the reader more insight into what the UofM offense needed to overcome to tie it up. Plus there were other interesting plays and choices. The fake punt(UofM) and unattempted field goal(MSU) are two of them. Grow up people (and writer) lets talk about the game......all of it. Because after all that is what is actually interesting.
  4. L
    499. Posted by L Wed Oct 7 8:54am EDT

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    Both of MSU's medical schools are ranked higher than UM. MSu has produced more Rhodes Scholars. MSU's law school was number one for passing the Bar while UM was dead last in the state behind Wayne State and Cooley. Who was in the championship game this last march while UM was celebrating just making the tournament? There was a lot of Green and White all over the state that day. Have you been to MSU's campus? I really hope that UM does well this week. It's good for the Big Ten and for the State. Go Wolverines! Competition is healthy but when someone resorts to insulting the other school as a way of attempting to build up theirs... well they are skating on thin ice. Michigan had a great run in football back in the last century. So did State. It's a new time and new circumstances. I hope that UM does better against Iowa, OSU and PSU and will be cheering for them. I hope Ben G that you have the class to root for MSU. We are all Michiganders!
  5. <i>vedder918792002</i>
    498. Posted by vedder918792002 Tue Oct 6 10:42pm EDT

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    LOL it sounds like you UM peeps are a little sore about the game. Wow. The game was on Saturday and you still are trying to put MSU in their place since your team couldn't. LOL. Maybe next year 'big sister'... maybe next year.

    Your UM ramblings sound like cheers for our team.... Keep it coming guys!

    Go State!

    But hey, you guys shouldn't worry about that game anymore. Focus on your next opponent. Hell, we've forgotten about it already... it's no big deal to us anymore.
  6. ben g
    497. Posted by ben g Tue Oct 6 9:14pm EDT

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    What is really funny is that msu fans make up dumb jokes... come on... Your school is a joke... People talk big ten they think of Michigan not msu how many people outside of that dump of a school even talk about your football team? wear your team colors? f-ing nobody... go suck on your green & white sparty he's a @#$% just like all of you
  7. Rex
    496. Posted by Rex Tue Oct 6 6:31pm EDT

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    i saw this loss for michigan comind too.

    go state
  8. CMU04BSBA
    495. Posted by CMU04BSBA Tue Oct 6 3:03pm EDT

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    I'm a season ticket holder for UM football and even I saw this loss coming. Michigan has no defense; particularly, against the run. Everyone is running over them b/c the defensive line is inexperienced and lacks depth. Last Saturday was not a fluke. I admire Forcier for bringing the Wolverines back into a game they had no business being in, but honestly they were just lucky to have a chance in overtime. Michigan State is a good football team. Might only go 6-6 this season, but they are young like the Wolverines. They don't quit and play a full 60 minutes. That's all you can ask for. Now I think MSU will beat Illinois since they've benched Juice Williams. Should go to 3-3 next weekend. Michigan probably won't fare so well in Iowa after an emotional loss. Should head into the Delaware State game 4-2 which is about right. They aren't going to fool anyone the rest of the season.
  9. L
    494. Posted by L Tue Oct 6 1:39pm EDT

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    Michigan is overrated. Michigan state is underrated. The three games that State lost were because of flukes that could have gone easily the other way. MSU lost by an average of 4 points per game. Michigan is rebuilding and was lucky up till they ran into the Spartans, where they had no rushing game and had to rely on a downpour to come back. A wet field favors the offense, ask any expert. State losing in a close game on a penalty to CMU, which is once again picked to win the MAC who have a legimate Heisman candidate LeFevor is a far cry from losing to the Toledo Rockets or beating Eastern Michigan (rated the worst team in the NCAA). Michigan is a straw dog. Yes they have a good quarterback, but both Cousins and Nichol showed on Saturday that they can run an offense. Btw State had possession of the ball twice as long as Michigan. It's about time that the maze and blue colored glasses come off and see the team for what it still is, a work in progress. I hope that Michigan is getting better, it's good for the big ten. Michigan State is getting better and in spite of their losses is the better team in the State. We will see what school has the better program when they play Iowa, Ohio State and Penn State.
  10. ted74
    493. Posted by ted74 Tue Oct 6 1:30pm EDT

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    Adam - You are the only osu fan I know that has a normal way of looking at things.I know osu could stay up with teams ranked between 5-25 but not to sure with teams 1-4. Only because the Big Ten is horrible, I mean they are bad this year, and not really a good test. Good Luck Sat. against Wisconsin that should be a good game.(hopefully)
  11. <i>purple_probe64</i>
    492. Posted by purple_probe64 Tue Oct 6 8:21am EDT

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    I don't understand why the MSU grads continually refer to Michigan and its fans as the Walmart Wolverines!! They seem to think that all the fans that sometimes pack that puny little stadium in East Lansing are all graduates of MSU. I'm not a graduate of Michigan, but have been to many, many games in the Big House, (Now the BIG LOUD HOUSE) and have been to 2 Rose Bowls (even seen Michigan win Rose in 1981) and the Fiesta in 1986 (Michigan beat the Huskers). I have given my financial support to UM in the way of game tickets, parking and have never bought any UM merchandise at Walmart. I actually went to CMU, so you know I was thrilled when the Chips came down and PUNKED the "Sav-A-Lot Spartans" in said puny little stadium for the THIRD TIME since 1990!!! So all you MSU grads who probably couldn't get in to Michigan, shut the hell up about Michigan and this Walmart bull@#$%. Enjoy your second win over UM in 2 years, cause it's gonna be another thirty so years before State does that again!! I swear, "little brother" can be soooo annoying!!!!
  12. Mike G
    491. Posted by Mike G Mon Oct 5 9:34pm EDT

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    Actually, fats, that one I must have missed among the dozens of others, it just adds to how ignorant you sound, is my point.
  13. Hawkeye in Ohio
    490. Posted by Hawkeye in Ohio Mon Oct 5 8:02pm EDT

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    485...ain't that the truth
  14. Adam
    489. Posted by Adam Mon Oct 5 4:34pm EDT

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    I'm a die hard Buckeye fan but, I gotta give Forcier some props. That kid can play! Could you imagine the damage UM could do if they had our defense to go with their offense or vice versa. That offense with our defense would be great too.

    We all know the Big Ten has been down over the last few years. We also know that OSU may not be a top 5 team- they certainly are in the top 10. As far as conferences go statistically the conferences in order THIS YEAR are SEC, PAC 10, Big XII, Big Ten/ Big East tied, and the ACC. This is based on conference/conference match ups.

    The SEC has 3 teams in the Top 10, the Pac 10/Big XII/Big Ten/Big East/ACC each with 1.

    Yes that means OSU is ranked near where it should be. The point is you can't base a teams success on the conference success. Otherwise, Bosie St. and TCU wouldn't be rated like they are.

    I'm willing to concede that Forcier is doing well at UM. You have to acknowledge that OSU can compete with any team in the Top 10. Will they win every match up? No. Do they have a chance, yes.

    Go Bucks! Forcier will be a headache in the years to come especially when UM gets a lot better on defense.
  15. Casie C
    488. Posted by Casie C Mon Oct 5 3:44pm EDT

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    he best get used to learning from loses!!!
  16. MICHAELANGELO_09
    487. Posted by MICHAELANGELO_09 Mon Oct 5 1:22pm EDT

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    da fat man is pathetic especially when he lives in Ohio and cant talk smack about OSUCKS. Thats ok cause when you bring up two blowout losses in a title game and losing to Texass by three, I wouldnt want to be reminded of that either. OSUCKS is overrated every year!! Fat man knows it and so does the whole country. Thanx to the fat man and the suckeyes for dragging the Big Ten thru the mud every year. lol losers!! Your just unfathomably pathetic!

    HAIL TO THE VICTORS VALIANT!
  17. da fat man
    486. Posted by da fat man Mon Oct 5 12:44pm EDT

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    @d(ickless) clarke.......Let's see, you state the I have no sports knowledge, right? Hmmm, it seems to me that you were one of the UMMMM homers talking sh*t about them handling "lil' brother" with no problem, right? I, on the other hand, accurately predicted your pathetic Wolverqueens would be exposed as the frauds they are and Lil' Gal Tate would choke her first time out of the Bath House. All the while, you were asserting your prepubescent qb was the savior. That makes me 2 for 2 and YOU 0 for life. DEAL WITH IT, LOSER!
  18. t s
    485. Posted by t s Mon Oct 5 12:43pm EDT

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    I'm a Michigan fan but its pretty funny how we all are taking jabs at each other when the league as a whole is a joke(ND is in the club as well). I'm sure it's still ok to win the Big Ten but in the past few years all it got was a embarrassment in the BCS bowl game.
  19. ted74
    484. Posted by ted74 Mon Oct 5 12:41pm EDT

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    UM's Mesko's fake punt was insane!
  20. ted74
    483. Posted by ted74 Mon Oct 5 12:39pm EDT

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    VOODOOPHANTOM - The silver Bullets? That sounds just as queer as O-H O crap USC again? Start winning your bowl games then talk about how good your team is. Good luck against Wisconsin you will need it.
  21. da fat man
    482. Posted by da fat man Mon Oct 5 12:34pm EDT

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    @uofm6574.....Pardon me, mam, but I seem to recall you defending your ridiculous picture as proof of the higher intellect of UMMMM grads like yourself. You claimed that UMMMM grads had a true knowledge and understanding of history, unlike us poor schmos from Ohio. Remember?????
  22. <i>dclarke33</i>
    481. Posted by dclarke33 Mon Oct 5 12:19pm EDT

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    If everyone would please just ignore Da Fat Man, his posts make no sense and he has no sports knowledge whatsoever. He must be very sad and lonely because he constantly posts juvenile comments on any stories having to do with the Wolverines. He must have applied at Michigan at some point and been denied because of his obvious lack of intelligence. Michigan is a much improved team headed in the right direction with an inexperienced and undertalented defense. I hope they will end up with 4 losses and get into a non-BCS bowl game. They have to win at least one out of the Iowa, Penn St, Wisconsin, OSU games then take care of business with the rest. Tate Forcier is a huge bright spot after a couple of years of mediocrity. All in all it's still great to be a Michigan Wolverine!
  23. Bill
    480. Posted by Bill Mon Oct 5 12:09pm EDT

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    Whether you are a UM fan, an MSU fan or an OSU fan, UM's Mesko's fake punt has to rank as one of THE most stupidest plays in the history of college football! What a bonehead. RR passed it off in the post game, saying something about "the punter has that option in our program." Why would Mesko even consider a fake punt when he is standing several yards behind the line of scrimmage, and only inches from a first down? The game is very tight at that moment, and you have the ball deep in you own end of the field? Why take the chance? It was not a bad snap(Was Mooseman the snapper-Ha) Mesko did not bobble the ball. RR don't blame your kids, be man enough and take the blame yourself. If Mesko had punted which he should have done, MSU may not have kicked a field goal, and Forcier throws the winning touchdown.
  24. Bill
    479. Posted by Bill Mon Oct 5 12:04pm EDT

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    Whether you are a UM fan, an MSU fan or an OSU fan, UM's Mesko's fake punt has to rank as one of THE most stupidest plays in the history of college football! What a bonehead. RR passed it off in the post game, saying something about "the punter has that option in our program." Why would Mesko even consider a fake punt when he is standing several yards behind the line of scrimmage, and only inches from a first down? The game is very tight at that moment, and you have the ball deep in you own end of the field? Why take the chance? It was not a bad snap(Was Mooseman the snapper-Ha) Mesko did not bobble the ball. RR don't blame your kids, be man enough and take the blame yourself. If Mesko had punted which he should have done, MSU may not have kicked a field goal, and Forcier throws the winning touchdown.
  25. VOODOOPHANTOM
    478. Posted by VOODOOPHANTOM Mon Oct 5 11:04am EDT

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    469. Posted by ted74 Mon Oct 5 8:18am EDT Report Abuse
    HOW ABOUT THEM SUCKEYE'S!!! Oh wait who cares but a Suckeye fan on a Michigan article. WHAT A LOSER!!!!!! NOBODY CARES ABOUT osu suckeyes except their RETARDED FANS!!!

    WOW ted74.....nobody talking about the " WORLD FAMOUS BUCKEYES " The Silver Bullets Roadshow will be coming to a theater real soon in Ann Arbor........Wolverines lost again.OMG you should be use to it....live with it....GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-BUCKSSSSSSSSSSSS
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of College Pick’em users chose Michigan St. to win the game

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Top Performers

 Top Performers
 Michigan
T. Forcier T. Forcier, QB
17-32, 223 yds
2 TDs, 1 INT
 Michigan St.
L. Caper L. Caper, RB
13 Rush, 39 yds
2 TDs

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