The Michigan Wolverines have added to their storied history and legacy this weekend. First, let’s not forget that Michigan started the season unranked. In fact, pundits picked Michigan to finish fourth in the Big 10 East. No one gave them a chance. Look at them now! Big 10 Champions! Michigan is now the highest ranked it has ever been during the College Football Playoff era. Last week I discussed how they got here. There is a few more points to add to their storied legacy. The Wolverines have now just earned their first berth in the College Football Playoff. The Wolverines also just earned their first win against top 15 teams in back-to-back weeks since 2003. Lastly, Michigan just earned their third 12-win season in school history. The other two years were 1905 and 1997. Their legacy continues.
Michigan is the winningest football program in College Football History. When Jim Harbaugh took the head coaching reigns, Michigan’s football program was struggling. Jim has won everywhere he has been. Some of us were more patient with Coach Harbaugh than others. Sometimes, I feel I have been the most long-suffering supporter of Jim Harbaugh and what he could do. Just asking my writing partner Julien! We have debated over him often the last two years. This year Coach Harbaugh took a pay cut, extended his contract five years, and switched out his offensive and defensive coordinators. Sometimes all you need is a bit of motivation. Sometimes you just need some new blood. Sometimes you just have to change your approach. Coach Harbaugh did all those things. He got back to the basics. He made it about the players. He let is new young blood coach’s coach. He motivated his talented players to play. How do you know? The proof is in the wins. However, listen to his words. When he was talking with Jenny Taft, he couldn’t wait to get away so the players could get the glory…as it should be. That tells you where his heart is. That tells you why he is the right coach for the Michigan Wolverines.
So! Let’s talk about the game! It really is a tale of two halves. The first half was a defensive slug fest marked by two explosive Michigan touchdowns. The first explosive was a beautifully blocked 67-yard slashing run by Blake Corum. During Michigan’s next possession, Offensive Coordinator Josh Gattis called a trick play where Cade McNamara tossed a backwards pass to Donovan Edwards who launched it to a wide-open Roman Wilson for a 75-yard touchdown pass. It was the first and only play of that possession. Iowa then drove their next possession for a field goal, their only points in the whole game. Michigan received the ball and 3 plays later McNamara threw an off-target ball that Erik All couldn’t get his hands on and an Iowa defender captured the deflected pass. This play defined the rest of the half because Iowa played the field position game. Michigan would stop the Iowa offense, and Iowa would punt the ball inside Michigan’s 5-yard line, wherein Michigan suffered three and out’s three possessions in a row. The Hawkeye defense came to play. They forced four punts and secured two interceptions in the first half. However, the Wolverine defense also came to play. They only allowed three points the whole game, turned the ball over on downs once, secured an interception and forced eight punts.
The beginning of the third quarter matters. How your team comes out of half time matters because it sets the tone. Just like last week, the Wolverine defense came out and forced a punt only allowing 16 yards. Then the Michigan offense went on a 10 play 82-yard touchdown drive draining five minutes off the clock. During Iowa’s next possession they drove the ball 60 yards to the Michigan eight-yard line. Instead of kicking a field goal, Coach Kirk Ferentz decided to go for it, but the Michigan defense blew up the play for a 15-yard loss. Yet, déjà vu set in as the Michigan offense was inside their own red-zone and they were forced to punt three plays later. Once again, the Wolverine defense stood tall, allowing 13 yards and forcing a punt wherein the Wolverines proceeded to execute a 4 play 36-yard touchdown drive. Finally, the field position game moved to Michigan’s favor. The Wolverine defense forced another punt and then an interception. Both Wolverine defensive efforts were answered by Wolverine touchdowns. Michigan flat out dominated the second half. The coaching adjustments made by the Wolverines staff during half time were punctuated by their 28 points scored in the second half.
The Wolverines rushed over two hundred yards on Saturday night. Blake Corum led in yards with 74 and a touchdown. Senior running back Hassan Haskins led in carries with 17 for 56 yards and two touchdowns. Cade McNamara started the game slow. He was off target on several occasions causing an interception. Early in the game he seemed unsettled. The coaching staff recognized that and managed their play calls extremely well in the first half. In the second half Cade came alive and executed well. Aiden Hutchinson added to his sack total, snagging his 14th sack of the season which is a Michigan Wolverines record. Overall, it was an outstanding team effort. The Wolverine coaching staff prepared their players well. Now we await who Michigan’s next opponent is in the College Football Playoff!
