Thanks to Appalachian State for making Saturday’s game against Michigan a national spectacle.
What was supposed to be Oregon’s test of the team’s resolve in a hostile environment against a top-10 team has become a chance for everyone to see what a Division I-A team with a spread offense can do against the mess that is the Wolverines’ defense.
At least that’s what was running through my mind upon first glance as the Mountaineers continued to pile on the points against Michigan last Saturday. If they can do this, I wonder what Oregon is capable of.
Then reality sunk in.
If Oregon manages to beat Michigan, for some, all that means is that Ducks victory is hollow because the Mountaineers already proved that the Wolverines are deeply flawed and didn’t deserve the respect they got in the polls.
If Oregon loses, which remains a distinct possibility, then the question becomes: ‘Well, could Oregon beat Appalachian State?’
Win or lose, either becomes tainted by the fact that the No. 5 team in the nation lost to a Division I-AA team. For the first time a ranked team was defeated by a team that is a part of the newly coined Football Championship Subdivision.
Now rather than mope about having their title hopes diminish, there should be no doubt that the Wolverines are going to try to blow Oregon out of the water, embarrassing the Ducks to prove to the nation that Michigan is not in a state of peril. Losing to Appalachian State was merely an aberration that won’t be repeated.
Chad Henne, Mike Hart and Jake Long are all seniors on the roster that could have left school early for the NFL Draft but instead chose to come back in hopes of a BCS title. If that hope has any chance to be resuscitated, Michigan will have to get lucky by having a few other one-loss teams at the end of the season. But in the meantime, they’ll be trying to blow out every single opponent to prove they still remain one of the best teams in the nation, polls notwithstanding. Not to mention those three players, as well as the other upperclassmen, will be hoping to improve their draft stock.
Those facts, along with the players trying to regain the school’s national respect, playing so coach Lloyd Carr can keep his job until the end of the season and being overly irritated about having to answer questions about losing last week – the Wolverines have plenty left to play for.
And that’s what’s worrying the Ducks.
“Appalachian State put Michigan on high alert,” Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said. “We’re going to get an embattled, backs-against-the-wall team effort from Michigan.”
Last year I made the mistake of believing USC was more vulnerable to Oregon two weeks after the Trojans were upset by Oregon State 33-31. When asking the Ducks about USC being demystified by the loss, they were hesitant to say they were more confident about their chances. Upon losing 35-10, their hesitation was justified.
Now with the Wolverines, Oregon players didn’t believe they were going to have an easier time trying to beat them in The Big House. While the loss might help their mindset, the Ducks aren’t going to face a team that’ll repeat the same mistakes it made last week.
They can still hope, however, because that’s likely the only way Oregon will be able to walk away with a win.
Win or lose, Mountaineers overshadow Oregon’s trip
Daily Emerald
September 7, 2007
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