Michigan’s first game under Kyle Whittingham was rough enough to make plenty of people write off Saturday’s matchup with Oklahoma before it even kicks off. But the opener didn’t erase every reason to think the Wolverines can hang around - or even pull off the upset as a 5.5-point underdog.
The clearest path starts with the same thing that haunted Michigan against Western Michigan: physicality. The Broncos were the tougher team, and they ran the ball better.
That has to change if Michigan is going to beat Oklahoma. The Wolverines need to run it better, out-rush the Sooners and set the tone at the line of scrimmage.
If they don’t, it’s tough to see a route to a win.
That’s why Whittingham’s week of practice matters so much. The pictures of Michigan in full pads suggested the message was delivered after Saturday’s showing, and it had to be. What happened in the opener wasn’t acceptable, and the response now has to show up on the field.
There’s also reason to think Michigan won’t look quite that flat again. Week 1 came with a new head coach, a new offense and a new defense, and maybe the bar was set too high for everything to click immediately.
Bryce Underwood struggled at times last season, and he’s still learning both the quarterback position and this offense. He’s not starting Tommy Carr for a reason.
Even in an ugly outing, Underwood flashed his talent on the game-winning touchdown pass, and that could end up being a real turning point for him.
That opener may also have been the kind of performance that pulls a team back toward the middle. Michigan was at the bottom of its range last week. It’s better than that, and Underwood is better than he showed.
Oklahoma, meanwhile, may be the team that has to fight off complacency. Michigan clearly overlooked Western Michigan, which isn’t an excuse but did look like part of the problem.
The Broncos were playing for more than just a win; they were making a push to impress the College Football Playoff selection committee, and in that sense they helped themselves. Brent Venables has said the right things, but human nature is human nature.
After all the chatter around Michigan, the Sooners could easily be tempted to see a team that isn’t as dangerous as it once looked. If that happens, the Big House could help Michigan take advantage.
And then there’s the defense, which was far more convincing than the final score suggested. Western Michigan piled up 132 rushing yards, but it averaged only 2.9 per carry.
That matters, especially against a Broncos team that brought back its 1,000-yard rusher from last season, multiple offensive linemen and the MAC Offensive Player of the Year. Michigan held that group without a touchdown even after being handed the ball inside its own 40 three times.
Strip away the turnovers, and Michigan likely wins comfortably despite playing poorly. The Wolverines were on the field for 40 minutes, yet gave up just 229 total yards.
Western completed 71.9 percent of its passes, but those 21 completions produced only 89 yards. The pass rush still has room to grow, and the linebackers need to be better this week.
Michigan also didn’t force a turnover of its own, and finishing -3 in turnover margin made the game far tighter than it should have been.
If the Wolverines can clean that up and win the turnover battle, they’ll give themselves a real shot at winning Saturday at home.
In Other News...
Urban Meyer Sees A Bigger Michigan QB Problem Than Fans Realize
Urban Meyer spent part of The Triple Option Podcast looking beyond the usual chatter around Michigans quarterback room and zeroing in on what he sees as the real issue. He pointed to the relationship between head coach Kyle Whittingham and Bryce Underwood, but also noted that the young quarterback is still physically underdeveloped, which adds another layer to a situation fans have mostly framed as a simple depth-chart discussion.
Meyer also brought Tommy Carr into the picture as a possible source of competition, and his larger point was clear enough: Whittingham will lean on whoever gives the team the best chance to win. The early schedule only sharpens the pressure, because Meyer suggested a loss to Oklahoma could force significant changes around the team, leaving Michigans quarterback situation even more unsettled than it already looks. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Has A New Pass Rusher Facing His First Real Test
Dom Nichols wasted little time making his presence felt in his first start, setting the tone for Michigans edge rush in the opener against Western Michigan. The production was there, but so was the broader message from coaches and teammates, who have pointed to Nichols as a player whose physical and mental growth has quickly made him a factor in the defense.
Now the challenge gets bigger. Nichols is already looking ahead to Oklahoma and quarterback John Mateer, and he knows the next test will be a better measure of where his game stands against a skilled, experienced opponent. For Michigan, that makes Nichols one of the more interesting pieces to watch as the matchup gets tighter and the pass rush is asked to hold up under real pressure. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Hockey Faces Disturbing Lawsuit Over What The Program Allowed
A federal lawsuit filed in Detroit has put a long shadow over Michigan hockey, with 16 former players accusing the program of tolerating ritualized sexual hazing from 1984 through 2001. The complaint says coaches and staff knew about humiliating and abusive initiation practices and allowed them to continue, naming longtime figures such as Red Berenson and Mel Pearson as part of the environment the plaintiffs say enabled the conduct.
The university has not yet formally responded, and the case now pushes beyond the sport itself into the question of how much a high-profile program can be held accountable for what happened inside it. The former players are seeking financial damages, along with prevention training meant to keep similar behavior from being repeated, leaving Michigan to confront a deeply serious allegation that reaches back across nearly two decades of its hockey history. [Read more 🡒]