Michigan’s first half against Western Michigan gave fans plenty to sweat over, even if the scoreboard still showed the Wolverines in front.
It started well enough. Sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood opened the game by completing all five of his passes on a drive that finished with his one-yard touchdown run. After that, though, Michigan’s offense lost its rhythm and never really found it again.
The run game never got much going. Michigan had just 44 rushing yards on 15 carries at halftime, and even the touchdown sequence took four tries to squeeze out a few yards near the goal line.
The offensive line wasn’t generating much movement, and the pass protection issues piled up too. Some of that came down to play-calling, including a sack late in the second quarter on a snap where a backup interior offensive lineman was left tight end pass-blocking against an EDGE.
The rotation up front also became a talking point. Michigan used a different offensive line on every drive, and the guard shuffling was already drawing attention.
Underwood looked sharp early, but once the pressure started coming, his comfort level dropped fast. He nearly threw an interception on Michigan’s second drive and later missed Savion Hiter in the flat on a third down play that should have produced a first down. By halftime, he was 8 of 13 for 70 yards with an interception in the final seconds of the half.
That turnover wasn’t even the only reason for concern. Underwood started reverting to old habits once the pocket got messy, and the offense overall looked far less settled than it did on the opening series.
There was one bright spot: the defense. Michigan’s front has looked every bit as disruptive as advertised, with Dominic Nichols standing out as one of the team’s most improved players and Nate Marshall already recording a sack. Western Michigan has managed only 95 total yards, including 36 on the ground.
The Broncos also got a gift when Andrew Marsh fumbled a punt return, setting Western up in the red zone. Michigan looked like it might be in trouble there, but the defense held firm and forced a turnover on downs.
Even with the defense carrying its weight, the offense left the Wolverines in a tight spot. Michigan led 7-6 at halftime, but after a first half that produced only 41 yards beyond the opening touchdown drive, there was no way to sugarcoat how rough it looked.
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Big Ten Felt Forced To Address Michigan Ending Everyone Noticed
The late-game clock change in Michigans win over Western Michigan drew plenty of attention, and now the Big Ten has stepped in to explain it. According to the conference, replay officials restored one second after determining that a Western Michigan player who had stepped out of bounds still touched the ball with one second left, giving the crew a reason to adjust the clock.
The conference backed up the ruling by releasing video footage of the replay officials discussion, a move that usually tells you the noise around a call has gotten loud enough to demand a formal response. For Michigan, the play itself was only one small moment in a game that had already been decided, but the explanation became part of the postgame conversation anyway. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans Offense Has A Real Problem Fans Cant Ignore
Michigan opened with exactly the kind of first series fans wanted to see, marching down the field for a touchdown from Bryce Underwood and briefly making the offense look settled. After that, though, the rhythm faded quickly. The ground game never got rolling in the first half, and Michigan managed only 46 rushing yards while averaging 2.5 yards per carry, a sluggish start that left the attack leaning heavily on a young quarterback.
Underwood showed flashes of what he can bring, but the first half also came with the growing pains that can stall an offense in a hurry, including errant throws and interceptions. The result was a 7-6 halftime lead that felt a lot less comfortable than the opening drive suggested, and it leaves Michigan with a familiar question to answer if it wants the rest of the day to look different. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Underwoods First Michigan Test Will Reveal A Lot Fast
Bryce Underwood has spent fall camp making the kind of steady impression Michigan hoped to see from a freshman quarterback, with offensive coordinator Jason Beck saying the young passer has been more consistent as camp has gone on. Beck pointed to Underwoods decision-making and growing grasp of the offense as areas that have moved in the right direction, a notable sign for a team trying to build confidence around its new quarterback plan before the games start to count.
Beck also suggested Michigans offense may lean on more than one answer at several spots, with multiple players expected to factor into the receiver, running back and offensive line rotations. Freshman Tommy Carr has settled in as the No. 2 quarterback, and Beck sounded eager for the chance to see how all of it looks when the Wolverines finally line up for his first game in charge of the offense. [Read more 🡒]