The Sponsors

We want to thank Underground Printing for starting this and making it possible—stop by and pick up some gear, check them out at ugpmichiganapparel.com, or check out our selection of shirts on the MGoBlogStore.com. And let’s not forget our associate sponsors: Peak Wealth Management, Matt Demorest - Realtor and Lender, Champions Circle, Human Element, Ann Arbor Elder Law, Michigan Law Grad, Venue by 4M, Winewood Organics, Sharon's Heating & Air Conditioning, Royal Oath Insurance Group, Community Pest Solutions, Autograph: Fandom Rewarded, who just launched an app where you earn rewards for things like reading MGoBlog and listening to our podcast, and SignalWire where we are recording this.

Featured Musician: Tree City

THE VIDEO:

[After THE JUMP: Things said.]

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1. Ohio State Preview: Offense

starts at the top

Is Howard any better than Kyle McCord? Because McCord was actually really good in The Game last year. How Chip Kelly is the running game? How Ryan Day are they on 3rd & 3? Injuries to the offensive line have drawn in a couple of guards who weren't expected to play yet, put Carson Hinzman back at C and kicked Donovan Jackson out to left tackle, but these are first-world problems. Jeremiah Smith's freshman eligibility is a global problem. Emeke Egbuka is a dangerous slot weapon that wasn't fully utilized until he got to play there.

2. Ohio State Preview: Defense

starts at 18:02

They brought back almost everybody and added the #1 transfer in the portal, meaning 5-star Sonny Styles is now at WLB for new Bandit uber 5-star Caleb Downs. Not as relevant that you can block JT Tuimolaoau and Jack Sawyer and survive because Evan Link isn't blocking those guys. Lathan Ransom has been a superstar at Adjuster safety for them. Weakness is the cornerbacks get left in man and are not elite—a weakness that Michigan is in a particularly bad position to exploit.

3. Basketball vs Xavier and Virginia Tech

starts at 35:17

They faced a switching team and switched Everything! On-ball defense was brilliant in both games. Coming from guys we expected and from guys we didn't expect. Offensively they can find a guy (Gayle vs VT, Wolf vs Xavier) to keep them going until they get good at their offense, but that's coming too and you can see it in Vlad's usage. Seth wants an NIL program to pay Vlad $1000 per dunk and subtract $100 for every shot missed at the rim that's not a dunk.

4. Recruiting

starts at 54:36

Underwood's arm strength is THERE but he varies his angles and speed, and that's why there's a hitch. His movement is also THERE: breakaway speed to extend plays. Seth runs us through guys to pay attention to down the stretch. See you next time for our live Signing Day show.

About the Featured Artist: Tree City

I call them 7, 3, and 4. [photo: Benjamin Weatherston]

Those of you who've been paying attention know we always have a little surprise for The Game, but this one surprised even me. Nadim got in touch with local legend/Michigan grad Evan Haywood just in time to get us a preview of Tree City's highly anticipated next album "Pure Levels." For those who are tapped into the Ann Arbor music scene, you're going "Holy shit they got a copy of Tree City's new album!???" (it won't be released until December 13).

For the rest (vast majority) of you: Tree City is a hip-hop collective from Ann Arbor that formed in 2005 and quickly became an integral part of the local scene. Three original members remain: Haywood ("Clavius Crates"), Kyle Hunter ("Silas Green"), and Jacoby Simmons ("DJ Cataclysmic") along with Charles Cheek ("Cheeks"), who joined in 2008. It's a big deal because we haven't had a Tree City release since their critically acclaimed "Thus Far" back in 2010, meaning the entirety of the Hoke and Harbaugh eras went by with people wondering when these guys are going to make another. Haywood calls "Pure Levels" the…

magnum opus of homegrown hip-hop, over a decade in the making. It promises to be the definitive statement from several of the finest lyricists ever to emerge from Michigan.

Their sound is intellectual, futuristic, and—IMO—a little bit jazzy in the way they quote and reference. It's fun and danceable stuff, but the lyrics are the thing. If you like grounded philosophy in your hip-hop this is the hip-hop for you.

Songs:

Love Hotels (produced by Dykehouse)
Story 2 Story (Dykehouse)
Raspberry Balm (produced by Vulfpeck)

Also because Across 110th Street will get our Youtubes taken down, the opener and outro:

“The Employee is Not Afraid”—Bear vs. Shark
“Ruska Vodka”—Motorboat