Real Kato Blog: Well, Crap. College Football Recap.

Michigan 3, Ohio State 14. N.C. State 18, Wake Forest 38.

Michigan 3, Ohio State 14. Well, what can you say... a disappointing ending to a disappointing season. It was a cold, rainy day in Ann Arbor on Saturday, and neither team was able to pass the ball. The difference, though, is that Ohio State managed to rack up 229 yards rushing, while Michigan managed only 15.

Goats? There's plenty of blame to go around. Right tackle Steve Schilling and tight end Carson Butler missed blocks all over the place. The offensive line absolutely collapsed in both the running game and the passing game. Mario Manningham, who jawed at Ryan Mallett for his poor performance last week, dropped three passes that hit him in the hands. Safeties Jamar Adams and Brandent Engelmon, who have been steady most of the season, both took poor angles on a rushing play that ended up in a Chris Wells touchdown for Ohio State.

I don't know that you can fault Chad Henne or Mike Hart, who both played injured... though in retrospect, I might have taken my chances with Ryan Mallett and Brandon Minor. Henne did not have a lot of velocity on his passes, and Hart wasn't making the cuts we're used to seeing. Weather certainly played a part in their performances, but when Mallett was in for a series, we certainly saw a lot more zip on the passes.

But I don't think you can fault coach Lloyd Carr, offensive coordinator Mike DeBord, or defensive coordinator Ron English... all of whom may have coached their last game at Michigan. (More on that in a moment.) The offensive play calling was balanced and imaginative; the defensive adjustments throughout the game were spot-on.

No, the fault lies with the players. In big games, good players make big plays... and that didn't happen on Saturday. I'm particularly angry with Manningham, who easily had his worst outing of the year. (Mario: redeem yourself. Come back for your senior season next year.)

So what now? Michigan will likely end up in the Outback bowl, and will get thoroughly pwned by whatever SEC opponent they face.

And Monday, it is widely expected that Coach Carr will announce his retirement.

I know I've talked a bit about replacement coaches before. Les Miles continues to be the most frequently mentioned successor, but with LSU looking at a potential national championship, would Miles really leave there? Dozens of other names are being floated; there are many possibilities out there, but it's really hard to say who will be interested in the job, and who will meet Michigan's requirements. If I were Michigan athletic director Bill Martin, here's what I'd want in the next coach:

- someone who understands the importance of Michigan tradition
- someone who is committed to upholding the class and integrity of the program
- someone who understands college athletes, and who can build relationships with them
- someone who understands the depth of the Michigan/Ohio State rivalry
- someone who knows how to use players with superior talent
- someone who understands how to coach speed

Here's what I don't want: I don't want a coach who doesn't have a history of success in the college game. (I don't want Charlie Weis or another NFL washout.) I don't want someone who only knows how to coax success out of undersized players. (I don't want to see the spread offense at Michigan.) I don't want someone who's going to embarrass the program with sleazy politicking or wild outbursts. (I don't want Urban Meyer or Mike Gundy.)

I'm not sure who the ideal coach is. Whoever he is, he'll be under a microscope... and unlike Charlie Weis, he won't be given any 10-year contracts unless he proves himself.

N.C. State 18, Wake Forest 38. N.C. State missed an opportunity to become bowl eligible, and now must win next week against Maryland. Quarterback Daniel Evans was up-and-down; he passed for 286 yards, but had three interceptions. Meanwhile, the Wolfpack only managed 57 yards rushing, and was just 6-of-18 on third down conversion. Also? N.C. State had an Amato-esque 11 penalties for 90 yards.

Other News

#2 Oregon lost to Arizona 34-24. Not only did this all but dash Oregon's national championship hopes, it also put the rest of the season in jeopardy, as Dennis Dixon went down with a torn ACL. Without Dixon, even Michigan might have a chance of beating them.

#4 Oklahoma lost to Texas Tech 34-27. With Oklahoma eliminated from national championship contention, they (or Texas) could now play spoiler for the winner of the Kansas-Missouri game next week, by winning the Big 12 championship game.

#6 West Virginia is suddenly looking at revived hopes of playing in the title game; they beat #22 Cincinnati 28-23.

#9 Georgia rallied from an early deficit to beat Kentucky 24-13.

#16 Hawaii stayed unbeaten, beating Nevada 28-26 despite losing Colt Brennan to injury early in the game. Hawaii faces its toughest test next week, playing 10-1 Boise State.

#17 Boston College halted its slide, beating Clemson 20-17. BC clinches a spot in the ACC championship game; they will play the winner of the Virginia-Virginia Tech game next week.

#19 Illinois cruised over Northwestern, 41-22. With Michigan and Illinois tied for second place in the Big Ten, it's entirely possible that Illinois will get the nod for the Capital One bowl over Michigan. An interesting potential matchup: Ron Zook against his former school, Florida.

#20 Tennessee, who still controls its own fate in the SEC, barely squeaked by Vanderbilt, 25-24. Tennessee had to rally from a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit to win.

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