Last week was a rough one for the Michigan football program. After squeaking past Western Michigan by the narrowest of margins in its season opener - and needing a last-second, Hail Mary touchdown to do so - the Wolverines took heat from all corners. Michigan caught strays not only from the national and local media, but from its own fan base, as well. The criticism was so intense that this weekend’s matchup against Oklahoma, one of the more anticipated games of the non-conference season, was hardly discussed in the days leading up to the contest.
Instead, the national press spent the week discussing whether Michigan deserved the final play it got against Western Michigan, a play that ultimately propelled the Wolverines to victory. Closer to home, the noise was even louder, with the local media criticizing virtually every aspect of Michigan’s opening week performance. Michigan fans, as fans are wont to do, did their part by calling for a change at quarterback.
The Wolverines might have escaped defeat, but they didn’t escape criticism. And while there was plenty of criticism to go around, the majority of it was directed at quarterback Bryce Underwood.
After a rough freshman season, much is expected of Underwood in his sophomore campaign. Underwood struggled in the season opener, however, completing 12 of 22 passes for 170 yards and committing a pair of turnovers. It wasn’t the kind of performance many were hoping to see. But Michigan’s lackluster showing wasn’t all on Underwood. Nor was his play the most disappointing - or surprising - aspect of Michigan’s opening act.
More concerning was Michigan’s anemic running game. With five returning starters up front and one of the top running back tandems in the Big Ten, the running game was supposed to be a strength. Michigan was not only unable to get its running game going against Western Michigan, but the Wolverines were bullied by the Broncos in the trenches.
Fortunately for Michigan, its defense played well. Despite being on the field for more than 40 minutes, Michigan’s defense held the Broncos to just 221 yards and four field goals, keeping the Wolverines in the game. If Michigan was to have a chance against Oklahoma, it would need a similarly stout defensive performance.
Which is exactly what it got.
If Michigan’s defense played well against Western Michigan, it played even better against Oklahoma. Led by edge rushers John Henry Daly and Dom Nichols, the Wolverine pass rush put pressure on Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer all game, never allowing the senior signal-caller to get comfortable. And it wasn’t just up front where the Wolverines played well. Troy Bowles continued his strong play at linebacker, and with the exception of a bust or two, Michigan’s secondary bottled up the Sooner receiving corps - and ultimately made the play of the game (but more on that later).
With the Michigan defense holding the Sooners at bay, Underwood and the offense were able to jump to an early lead, scoring a first-quarter touchdown and taking a 10-0 lead into halftime.
Michigan’s offensive numbers were far from eye-catching The Wolverines finished the game with just 263 total yards. But considering they were facing one of the better defenses in the country - one peppered with NFL talent - it was a marked improvement from game one.
The same was true of Underwood’s performance.
Underwood’s passing numbers still aren’t where Michigan’s coaches would like them to be (Underwood completed 9 of 17 passes for 111 yards), but he looked more comfortable in the pocket. And with the passing game still a work in progress, Underwood took to the ground more effectively than he did in week one. Much like Mateer in last season’s meeting between the two teams, Underwood’s legs proved the difference Saturday, rushing for a game-high 87 yards on 18 carries, including a 38-yard touchdown run.
That’s not to say that Michigan had an easy time of it.
After a scoreless first half, Oklahoma got on the board early in the third quarter, capping off an eight-play, 90-yard drive with a 22-yard touchdown pass from Mateer to Mackenzie Alleyne. From there, the game settled into a hard-fought defensive struggle. The game also became a battle of field position - a battle for which both teams were well armed. Or legged, if you prefer. That’s because two of Saturday’s best performers were the punters.
Michigan’s Cam Brown performed well again for the Wolverines, consistently pinning the Sooners deep and forcing them to work with long fields. Six times Brown pinned the Sooners inside their 20-yard line and four times inside their 15. But as good as Brown was, Oklahoma’s Grayson Miller might have been even better, averaging nearly 50 yards on five punts. Miller also pinned the Wolverines inside their 10-yard line three times.
Between them, Brown and Miller combined to drop three punts at the one-yard line.
In a half where neither offense could get much going, Oklahoma eventually connected on a fourth-quarter field goal to knot the score at ten. After forcing Michigan into a quick three-and-out, the Sooners got the ball right back. With Oklahoma facing a third-and-nine from its 16-yard line midway through the fourth quarter, the game seemed at a crossroads. If Michigan could get a stop, it would get the ball with enough time to do something. If Oklahoma converted, it would have a fresh set of downs and all the momentum.
In what would be the game’s biggest play, Michigan didn’t just get the stop, Jyaire Hill intercepted Mateer and returned the ball 24 yards to the Oklahoma six. Two plays later, Jordan Marshall found the end zone and the Wolverines had a 17-10 lead.
After the teams traded possessions, the game fittingly ended on another big defensive play, as Michigan’s Nate Marshall sacked Mateer in the game’s waning moments. When the clock hit zero, Michigan had secured a much-deserved - and much-needed - victory.
With the win, Michigan’s season suddenly looks a lot different. It’s not that the Wolverines have solved all of their problems. In fact, far from it. Their conventional running game is still MIA and their passing game needs to improve. But after gutting their way past Oklahoma and one of the better defenses in the country, the future suddenly looks a lot brighter in Ann Arbor.
