Welcome on into the wolverine.com podcast. Clayton Safie here with Chris Ballas and Anthony

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this week here. Obviously a big week against Ohio State coming up next week. So you're going to

want to cash in on that here well you can. But fellas, how's it going?

Doing great, man. Looking ready. Looking forward to these last couple of games. And man, it's exciting to be in the championship hunt in November. So, and let's be honest, guys, it's not the first time under Jim Harbaugh. And everybody's like, oh, you've never done anything and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. He's been here before. But you feel like, I think with the defense having been overhauled, that they're better prepared for Ohio State this time around, guys. Am I wrong? Am I alone in that assessment? No, I don't think so. You know, despite the, we're in that time of the year where, you know, it looks like it's 10 o'clock outside at 5 p.m. It's gloomy. Seasonal depression is kicking in. But I feel like the basketball's back. Michigan football's in the championship hunt. That's enough of a lift for me right now. So everything's good, a lot to, you know, it's so, it's going to be so hard for us this, I mean, over this next couple just get through maryland because we know what's on the line for michigan still but still want to play don't want to get caught overlooking all that you know all that type of stuff right but it's exciting to be in this spot um we need a little bit of help this weekend but i'm sure we'll talk about all that but yeah it's it's good to be back. Good to be back with the two of you. That's the crazy part is that the assumption, Clay, is that Michigan State's going to get beat by Ohio State and that Michigan's going to handle Maryland. There are still two games to play here. Granted, the lines on these games indicate that, yeah, that should happen. But we've been fooled before. So I don't see Michigan getting upset this game, though. And I certainly don't see Michigan State beating Ohio State. But I'll tell you what, that Ohio State pass game defense is not impressive. Michigan State's, by the way, is dead last. I was looking at CFB stats today, dead last. So I would imagine that Ohio State's going to put up 45 to 50. You know, it's just a matter of can Michigan State hold hang with them. I agree. Yeah, it is kind of funny how many assumptions we're making. When we're talking also about a top seven matchup that's going to be happening in Columbus, like, I mean, it's a little weird. Like it's a 19.5 point spread. Now I know, Chris, you've pointed out multiple times that, you know, Michigan State could have a few losses this year more than they already do, you know, with the one to Purdue. But, you know, when it comes to Michigan, yeah, Michigan's been in this spot before under Jim Harbaugh. It does feel like this year. Now, they were favored against Ohio State in 2018, but it does feel like this year a little bit that, you know, Ohio State's still going to have a big edge next week, but Michigan has a couple of things going for it. And one of those is just the resolve of this team. I mean, learning a lot in some of these games, specifically against Penn State, the way they were able to battle back. And that mental fortitude that they showed, I think, is going to carry into this week against Maryland where I don't see them letting down. No, somebody asks, are you concerned about a letdown?

I'm, I'm always, you know, if you're a team, you're probably always concerned about that. I mean, every coach and player that was asked this week, you know, they didn't say they were concerned, but like the way they answered talking about how big of a focus it needs to be to not look past Maryland, like there's concern there. It's a good thing at times to be concerned about something.

So I think that's how this team's going to play.

And I think they will... look past Maryland. There's concern there. It's a good thing at times to be concerned about something.

So I think that's how this team's going to play. And I think they will, you know, probably win by a couple touchdowns. I think they'll win by more than that. And I'm looking at this matchup and I'm thinking, how is how is Maryland going to score? I'm looking at who they've played and who they haven't put points up on. They didn't put up many points on Michigan State. They moved the ball a little bit,

but 21 points is not very much against the worst. they haven't put points up on. They didn't put up many points on Michigan State.

They moved the ball a little bit, but 21 points is not very much against the worst passing defense in college football.

If you look at their running backs, the running game doesn't scare you.

I think 112th in the country, if I'm not mistaken.

Yeah, like three and a half yards of carry.

I mean, it's like Penn State where they run just to kind of like throw you off, you know. Right, exactly. But who's he throwing to, guys? Aren't his top three receivers out now? I think they just lost their freshman. So I don't know. Are they going to surprise them with a tight end? Are they going to run tackle eligible every play? You know, are they going to throw wheel? We're Kim Jarrett still healthy. That's a former five-star guy.

But outside of him, I mean, if he's getting all the attention, like Michigan did a great job with Johan Dotson last week, keeping him in front of him and keeping him out of the end zone. So you would think that, you know, Jared or not, that's Michigan to be able to handle that. I like how those corners have played over the last several weeks.

DJ Turner coming on has been huge for them. And, you know, getting Rodmore out there and RJ Moten out there. And that's, that's allowed them to kind of, and Mike Barrett out there as well. It's kind of allowed Dax to play, I think, in a role that is a little more natural for him. And he was a big part of taking Dotson out of that game last week.

So, you know, it feels like the one area where Maryland might be able to make things a little bit interesting. You have to feel pretty good about really just everything Michigan has defensively to kind of wipe that out. So I don't, so here's the thing with Maryland is that,

you know, we talk about where's the threat, you know, are they, I mean, concern to me always creates, like you're always on high alert, especially this time of year. You're in the championship hunt. You have to win all of these games. But lest we forget that 2018 Maryland team that, you know, took Ohio State to whatever was overtime and a pass off their fingertips.

They were nearly able to pull off an upset there.

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