This will be a weekend of gut checks for lots of sports teams in Michigan.
The Tigers, Lions, Spartans, and Wolverines all have tough challenges on their schedules.
Michigan Public sports commentator John U. Bacon joined Morning Edition host Doug Tribou for a preview.
Football this weekend:
USC at Michigan - Sat., 3:30 p.m.
Michigan State at Boston College - Sat., 8:00 p.m.
Detroit Lions at Arizona Cardinals - Sun., 4:25 p.m.
Doug Tribou: John, so much about sports comes down to teams getting hot at the right time and that is just what the Detroit Tigers are doing. They've won 9 of their last 11 games.
They'll still need some losses from the Minnesota Twins and maybe other teams, but they've got nine games left and they are right in the thick of the race for a wildcard playoff spot. How do you like the matchups on their schedule in the home stretch?
John U. Bacon: They've got a great chance and the schedule really could not be much better than it is. Yes, they're playing the Orioles for three games, but the Tigers [already] beat them two out of three [in September], including an almost no-hitter — one out away — that I watched with my son at Comerica Park. Then they play the anemic Tampa Bay Rays and then the super-duper-anemic Chicago White Sox.
Doug, the White Sox are so pathetically bad they might set the record for the most losses in a season. And their videos are like the Bad News Bears. They're going viral due to sheer incompetence.
Since Aug. 10, the Tigers have gone 25-10 and propelled themselves into playoff contention.
DT: Let's turn to college sports. One of the great things about college football is rivalries. Fans taking road trips to get to the big game against a conference opponent. If fans of the University of Southern California are planning to do that this week, I hope they're already on the road because it's a 2,247-mile trip from the L.A. Coliseum, where the Trojans normally play, to the Big house in Ann Arbor... [laughs]
JUB: [Laughs] Well, the Big Ten has never been bigger. So, yes, that certainly applies. Look, no one in the NFL follows their team to an away game to see the other team's stadium. No one cares, no matter how new or nice they are.
But the old [college] stadiums still attract [fans of other teams like] the Texas Longhorns. Two weeks ago, a lot of burnt orange [gear] in Ann Arbor and of course, a lot of [USC] cardinal red this Saturday in Ann Arbor, as well. But good news, Doug, about the road trip. They've invented a thing out in California called the airplane. It's kind of like a flying bus. So go check that out.
DT: [Laughs] This will be the first time Michigan and USC have played since USC joined the Big Ten Conference. Michigan's junior quarterback Alex Orji will get the start Saturday after Davis Warren threw three interceptions in the Wolverines' lackluster win over Arkansas State last weekend. What can Michigan do to help Orji succeed in a big test against USC, which is ranked No. 11 in the country?
JUB: As you recall, Doug, I predicted a month ago that Alex Orji would be the starter. A little premature on that one.
DT: Got there eventually. [Laughs]
JUB: I'm playing the long game over here. Look, Davis Warren did a decent job, but they can't beat USC with him at quarterback. Chances are they might not be able to beat him with Alex Orji, but the upside is higher.
The biggest thing they can do is have much better offensive line play. They got some of that against Arkansas State, but it's going to be the running game that does it. And the defense has simply got to play better than they have.
DT: Michigan State is 3-0. Saturday, the Spartans will play a non-conference game on the road against Boston College. The Eagles are 2-1 and nearly upset No. 7 Missouri last weekend. What are the keys for Michigan State?
JUB: Well, this is their biggest challenge so far, but they've got a very good chance. Aidan Chiles, their quarterback, has got to play his best game of the season so far. And the Michigan State defense is going to be tested. But if they win this game, they will be a ranked team and watch out, the rest of the Big Ten. That's a serious bunch. Spartans are on a roll.
DT: Let's turn to the Lions. Detroit lost 22-16 to Tampa Bay on Sunday. The Lions are now 1-1 on the season. They were sloppy in both the win and the loss. What will you be watching for when they go on the road against an Arizona team that's averaging nearly 35 points a game so far?
JUB: Yeah, a big challenge, obviously. But the problem against Tampa Bay — a rematch of last season's playoff game, which Detroit won — was Detroit outgained the Buccaneers about 2 to 1 on the ground in yardage. But thanks to very poor quarterback play by Jared Goff, and a really screwed up coaching situation where they missed a chance at an easy field goal by having too many men on the field — that's peewee football right there, Doug — they killed themselves.
So here's a tip. Don't shoot yourself in the foot and you've got a good chance. The Lions last week reverted to form.
Editor's note: Quotes in this article have been edited for length and clarity. You can hear the full interview near the top of this page.
