Another game, another terrible defensive effort.

Maybe I’ve just got “big picture” things on the mind after spending the weekend at a cousin’s wedding, but I spent a lot of Sunday thinking about what this loss actually meant to the Michigan football program.

You know what? Not a lot, in my opinion.

Ultimately, the game game down to a missed extra point and field goal by a kicker who won’t even be around next season. The offense played as well as you could hope for with a true freshman at the helm, posting 36 points and 427 yards, converting 8 of 14 third downs, turning the ball over only once, and converting every red zone opportunity. The defense played really poorly, just like they’ve played in every Big Ten contest, giving up 494 yards and 28 second-half points to Purdue.

Did we really learn anything new about this team? No.

Of course, I would have loved to see us pull this game out, guarantee a bowl bid, and take a little bit of heat off of Rich Rodriguez. However, do you truly think that the team would come under any less fire if they had beaten Purdue in a close game, then dropped the Wisconsin and Ohio State games and ended up in Detroit for the Motor City Bowl? I highly doubt it.

Unlike the Illinois game, this loss didn’t bring the team’s effort into question. Anybody who thought they were quitting on Rodriguez hopefully thought otherwise after seeing Carlos Brown’s desperation pitch to David Moosman [EDIT: Sorry, it was Huyge. Thanks to commenter Tapin for the correction] on fourth down. Not only was Brown going to do anything to get that first down, but Huyge hustled just to be in position to field the pitch, and then rumbled towards the goal line like a man possessed before getting hauled down. Yes, it was a forward lateral (barely), but you can’t watch that play and then tell me Michigan didn’t want this one just as bad as Purdue did.

The season will come down to this: two chances at a season-altering upset, including one opportunity to put a streak (and many demons) to rest against the school’s biggest rival. Taking down Purdue wasn’t going to make me think any differently about our outlook for 2010. Beat Wisconsin or (especially) Ohio State, and things change. Lose both, and, in the words of Denny Green, we are who we thought we were: a team with a debilitating weakness on one side of the ball and inexperience on both that simply wasn’t ready for a bowl season. I’ve come to terms with both possibilities. I think it’s time for Michigan fans to do the same.

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