[dropcap]O[/dropcap]ver 100,000 pairs of eyes witnessed Michigan doing very Michigan things in the trenches Saturday afternoon, and that might have been expected. But it was the big plays by the Wolverines, BYU’s early-season calling card, that widened those eyes.
Running back De’Veon Smith and wide receiver Amara Darboh each contributed to the highlight reel for Michigan in a dominant 3-1 victory over No. 24 BYU in Ann Arbor to stay perfect at home in 2015.
The best two drives of the day for the Cougars would be their opening pair from the outset — they failed to convert a third down on their following six — as they failed to establish the kind of balance Michigan managed. The spectacle on offense started on the victors’ second drive when quarterback Jake Rudock lofted a pass to Darboh downfield toward the left sideline that the 6-foot-2 senior collected with one hand for a 21-yard gain.
“That was a great catch,” Michigan Head Coach Jim Harbaugh said. “That got us going, too. That was a timely, timely play.”
Rudock capped the series off with a three-yard scramble for the first of his two rushing touchdowns. Coming into the game, there may have been concern that BYU quarterback Tanner Mangum would create problems with his ability to make plays outside the pocket, but it was Michigan’s senior signal-caller who escaped for 48 yards on 10 carries, while his counterpart had minus-18 net yards rushing.
The Wolverines (3-1) stayed disciplined on defense throughout the game and forced Mangum and the Cougars’ offense to fight hard for the significant gains that have propelled them in previous games this year. An early run by BYU running back Adam Hine that went for 29 yards accounted for a good portion of his team’s 105 total offensive yards.
Mangum rarely found a crease in the Michigan secondary, completing just 12 of 28 passes for 55 yards and appeared increasingly rattled by the atmosphere of the game as it progressed.
“It felt like the secondary has been really coming on,” Harbaugh said. “They’re playing with so much more confidence. They’re playing really good as a team, and individually they want to make plays.”
As the Wolverines’ running game was concerned, Smith continued to address where his talent places him among the Wolverines’ tailbacks by making a number of precision cuts throughout the day. Early in the second quarter, he emerged from a bevy of jerseys midfield and eluded any attempts at halting his 60-yard touchdown scamper on Michigan’s (3-1) third touchdown of the day.
“Once I hit the second level, I knew for a face I wasn’t letting number 15 (defensive back Michael Davis) tackle me,” Smith said. “That’s what made me want to score even more.”
BYU (2-2) looked outmatched by the advantage of the offensive line and Smith, who despite less than a full game’s work, ended with 125 yards rushing on 16 carries.
As the Cougars continued to punt the ball throughout the opening half, the Wolverines continued to capitalize, scoring on five consecutive drives. Darboh (four catches, 57 yards) collected Rudock’s lone touchdown pass of the day from four yards out that was was set up by an offsides penalty several plays earlier when BYU had Michigan facing 4th-and-1 at its own 16-yard line.
Rudock, who finished 9-for-15 with 132 yards passing, notched his second mobile TD from 17 yards out on the drive following Smith’s long run, and the Wolverines concluded their scoring with a 40-yard field goal from Kenny Allen over midway through the second quarter.
Harbaugh and the rest of his staff also got an extended look at their other options at running back after Smith’s day was finished following an ankle injury in the third quarter. He was able to walk off on his own accord eventually.
When asked post-game whether he would play next week, he answered with an unequivocal, “yes.”
“I’ve got a boot on for precautionary reasons,” Smith said. “I got a little banged up, but it’s not a big deal.”
In his absence, Derrick Green ran for 30 yards on 10 rushes, while Drake Johnson earned 26 yards on five carries.
The victory in front of 108, 940 in attendance marked just the second time the two schools have met in history. The only other meeting came by way of a 24-17 BYU victory in the 1984 Holiday Bowl that led the Cougars to be undefeated and named national champions by the AP and Coaches Poll.
Michigan will kick off Big Ten play next Saturday at 8 p.m. ET when they visit Maryland (BTN) for the first of two evening games away from home this season.
