Monday Quick Hits: Wrapping Up the Minnesota Game

By Sean · Monday, November 10, 2008 · 4:12 PM |  Share | 3 Comments 

• The Northwestern game on Saturday will be broadcast at noon ET on ESPN2.
• The Ohio State game on November 22 will start at noon as well and will be shown on ABC.
• With Penn State losing to Iowa on Saturday, Michigan State fans will be keeping a very close eye on the Michigan-OSU game if the Buckeyes don’t lose to Illinois this week. Believe it or not, but Michigan State can go to the Rose Bowl if they beat Penn State and if Ohio State loses another game this season.
• On another schedule-related note, Michigan is going to open the 2009 season on against Western Michigan on September 5. This was reported over a month ago, but I hadn’t seen the story until a reader sent me the link over the weekend.
• Minnesota is moving to a brand new stadium next year, meaning they will no longer play their home games at the Metrodome. That’s too bad for Michigan, as the Wolverines never lost a single game to Minnesota at the Metrodome. Michigan finished 12-0 all-time, and although the stadium is one of the worst college venues in the country, it was always good to U-M.
• I expected this with Pam Ward being the play-by-play announcer for Michigan’s game on Saturday, but the commentating was terrible. Ward constantly called players by the wrong name, relayed incorrect statistics (no Pam, Michigan didn’t win 7 games last season), and made ridiculously obvious observations. I wanted to gouge my eardrums out with a screwdriver every time Ward said anything. I really don’t understand how “she” has a job. Pam Ward is the worst play-by-play announcer out there.
• K.C. Lopata was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week for his record-tying performance against Minnesota. Lopata kicked 5 field goals against the Golden Gophers, which was good enough to put him in Michigan’s record book alongside Mike Gillette and J.D. Carlson.
• Justin Feagin is looking to set a record of his own for the most number changes in a single season. He went from #5 to #14 to #3 before the season even started, and against Purdue he wore #30 in order to play special teams. Since he was the backup QB on Saturday, Feagin once again wore #3.
• Feagin ended up running the ball 7 times for 49 yards against Minnesota. Every time Feagin came in as the QB he ran the ball, and 34 of his 49 yards came on one carry.
• Michael Shaw led all Michigan rushers with 72 yards on 8 carries. One of his runs went for 48 yards.
• Varsity Blue has video evidence of Obi Ezeh’s fumble recovery that was never reviewed. A Minnesota player came in after Ezeh was on the ground with the ball and took it out of his hands. The ball stayed with the Golden Gophers, even though it was pretty obvious that Ezeh had made the recovery. The play was never reviewed, though, and Minnesota kept the ball. Granted, they only got a field goal out of the drive, but the defense got screwed out of a turnover.
• Minnesota’s Eric Decker, who was the Big Ten’s top receiver (statistically) going into Saturday, left the game in the third quarter and had only one catch for -3 yards. Decker had various injuries before the game, and a big hit Morgan Trent put on him certainly didn’t make him feel any better.
• WolverineHistorian has highlights of the Minnesota game up on YouTube already.
• Recruit Devonte Holloman is down to three schools and Michigan isn’t one of them.
• MVictors bought a former Michigan football coach’s notes on the 2006 Iowa game off eBay.
• Former Michigan and current NY Giants receiver Amani Toomer is a finalist for the Home Depot’s NFL Neighborhood MVP.
• The Michigan hockey team split its series with Alaska-Fairbanks. Michigan dropped Friday night’s game 4-1 but rebounded with a 3-2 win on Saturday.
• College hockey conferences may be re-aligning in the near future. I vote for whatever scenario gets Alaska-Fairbanks out of the CCHA. After all, it is supposed to be the Central College Hockey Association.
• Charlie Weis is officially on the hot seat after Notre Dame was shutout at Boston College on Saturday.