After starting the season going 48-of-55 with five touchdowns and no picks, Michigan’s JJ McCarthy found himself in unfamiliar territory for 2023 – he was floundering.
In Saturday night’s home matchup against Bowling Green, two of McCarthy’s first five attempts were intercepted.
Following the Wolverines offense starting the game up 7-0 with the aid of a field shifting 56-yard inside run from Blake Corum, Michigan was once again driving down the field and looking to go up by two touchdowns in the first quarter – a script that the Maize and Blue have started getting accustomed to this year. But on 2nd-and-goal from the Bowling Green 5-yard line, McCarthy looked to connect with his tried-and-true go to, Roman Wilson. One problem, though – Bowling Green’s Jalen Huskey knew the script, too. The throw, which seemed predetermined before Michigan even snapped, was picked – giving life to the visiting Falcons.
Unlike previous out-of-conference opponents thus far, Bowling Green wasn’t struggling to drive the ball down the field on this secondary, either.
Quarterback Camden Orth started the game with a 30-yard dart to Odieu Hiliare that was originally ruled a drop, but reversed to a catch after an official review. Then on the drive after McCarthy’s early pick, Orth would find Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim on the left side for a 33-yard connection that was contested, but caught, to set up a 36-yard FG.
Returning the ensuing punt for Michigan was tight end Max Bredeson, but on the return, safety Trent Simms made a “that’s how you teach it” tackle that forced a fumble at the Wolverines’ 33. Despite going 3-and-out, the Falcons kicked another field goal to draw the score to 7-6.
The new man on the return for Michigan, defensive end Braiden McGregor, almost lost his own fumble. Then, after a four-play drive that stayed primarily on the ground, McCarthy – under duress, aired a deep ball for Cornelius Johnson, but a crafty Jordan Oladokun was able to undercut the route and come away with his own pick on the Wolverines QB. After a rosy start to the year, Michigan’s wheels looked shaky at best.
After the Falcons went 3-and out on the following drive, it was time for the second- ranked squad in the nation to do something they hadn’t been tasked with through the first two frames of the season – rebound from an ugly skid.
It may not have been pretty, but after a few tepid gains on the ground, McCarthy found Colston Loveland on a dig for 18 yards. It’s a throw where you could see that JJ’s nerves were still rustled – the throw wasn’t in rhythm, but it stopped the bleeding in a moment of crisis. On the next play, the QB found his No. 1, Wilson, on a 33-yard deep post to the endzone.
Then the Wolverines, well, caught a break.
After posing as strong a threat as any opposing QB has through the early part of the season, Bowling Green’s Camdem Orth was pulled for an undisclosed injury. In his stead entered 6-foot-7 freshman Hayden Timosciek. Playing pretty much the entire game sans-first quarter for the Falcons, Timosciek never completed a pass for 10+ yards until the fourth, and was picked off twice in his first six attempts. The second interception, made by Kris Jenkins at the Falcons 15-yard line, resulted in Michigan starting their drive from the 2 yard mark. An easy run for Corum put them up 21-6. Not long after, McCarthy found Cornelius Johnson on a play from midfield – and the big-bodied receiver made a circus juggler catch after the ball was initially batted by the safety underneath him.
For all the undeniable tumult on display from the home side, it was now 31-6, Michigan.
Usually, wins of the 20+ point variety don’t get put in the ‘ugly’ category – but that’s exactly what this was. Not to mention the numerous injuries that Bowling Green suffered throughout the meeting. McCarthy, who racked up 3 interceptions before retiring in the fourth quarter, struggled both early and late.
But both he and his receivers rallied in moments where it was needed. The secondary gave up some of the biggest plays they have all year – and if not for Orth slightly overthrowing a wide-open Hiliare streaking to the endzone, their first touchdown surrendered in the opening half, too. But when opportunities availed themselves, the pass rush racked up crucial sacks and losses that would give way to turnovers.
The Wolverines are 3-0, and they were supposed to be. But tonight’s game will leave a lot to be desired for a team that’s on the trajectory that many assigned this squad to. And now, with Jim Harbaugh’s impending return looming, the spotlight is only going to get brighter from here out.
