Gameday

It is 5:50 am.

Davey has been up for 3.5 hours, despite the fact that the commute today will be about 16 minutes rather than an hour.

Sam, yes Sam, is up and already out the door. Muscle memory has obviously been taken to a new level as we all know she is still sleeping, mentally.

My dog is awake. "See I'm here, I'm up! Where are we going? What are we doing? Do you need some help? Unless you aren't staying up, then I'm not up either. In that case I'm going back to sleep. Are we going back to sleep? I'm fine with going back sleep. No? Staying up, good, that's what I wanted."

Somewhere my hat is lonely and cold.

*********************************

I don't know what to think about the game today. This Spartan team can score enough points to win. If the kicking game (coverage and returns) can make a big play or two, the turnovers are kept under control, and the defense can make ONE BIG PLAY -- just one fumble recovery for a score or a timely interception -- and the safeties hit hard and the defensive ends bring pressure and pain this game could honestly be an MSU walkaway. But it won't be.

I am still not sold that MSU can run the ball when it wants to. Winston had a nice week but isn't the shifty kind of back that keeps plays alive. He gets what he is supposed to, maybe 10% more on the end of a run.

Ringer got extra at the beginning, middle, and end of runs. He was strong and agile. Winston is more Duckett like. Good after he gets a head of steam and a punishing finisher. That doesn't work when the offensive line is banged up and the ball carrier gets hit in the backfield. I like the Caper/Winston duo. I also like whatever running back holds on to the ball in this rainy weather.

Ummm has a knack for sucking the linebackers and safeties up to the line, making a crease, and then the running back is gone. They basically make you spy TaintForcy-eh?, make you focus on the edges, and run short enough routes 90% of the time that your corners and safeties end up pressing at the line. When your defense is a total of 10' deep it doesn't take much to break one.

No matter what the "facts" and "statistics" and "reality" might tell us about this Spartan team I cannot pick against them. Can't do it.

MSU - 28
umm - 25