Okay, let’s get the easy part out of the way: rumors of Michigan’s demise after an alarming last-second win over Western Michigan have been greatly exaggerated.
In their first meeting with a ranked opponent this season, the Wolverines welcomed No. 11 Oklahoma to the Big House for a matchup of two programs gunning for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
It’s hard to choose where to start in terms of what looked different for Kyle Whittingham’s squad in their second outing of the year, but a good place might be on the offensive line, where new OC Jason Beck made an interesting change. Nathan Efobi, who only started in five games last season, got the nod at left guard over seasoned veteran Evan Link. Link has been a staple of the Wolverines’ unit in the trenches going back to the National Championship season, but his substitution in favor of Efobi may have been a tell for how Michigan planned to deploy its weapons in the backfield – chief among them, quarterback Bryce Underwood.
The Bryce Underwood Show
After a week of speculation about the potential of internal pressures and friction between Underwood and the new coaching staff – further spurred by comments from the head coach that his starting quarterback’s job security ‘is not infinite’ – Whittingham and Beck provided an ardent endorsement, both on and off the field, that Michigan’s offense runs through #19. Starting with Beck, the Wolverines routinely implemented movement along the line to change the looks it was giving the Sooners defense backfield, often belying much less exotic intentions of where the offense was going with the football. On the afternoon, Bryce recorded a career-high 18 carries for 87 yards (including a 38-yard touchdown run) – almost half of the offense’s total rushing plays. And according to Whittingham, that landmark number was still shy of the volume they had in mind.
“Absolutely part of the game plan, and it should have been a few more,” Whittingham said about Underwood’s volume of carries after the game. “We still understand that we need to get the throw game into high gear and get more production there. We’ve still got plenty to work on – but we were certainly more efficient than last week.”
It’s hard to fault Whittingham for opting in on a strategy that favors his young quarterback’s strengths in the present, especially when the end result is a critical win that rewrites the script of what his team’s future might look like so early in the season. Still, a script where your starting quarterback has more rushes (18) than passing attempts (17) will certainly draw attention to those who remain curious about Underwood’s development.
For what it’s worth, the sophomore signal caller for the Wolverines doesn’t seem fazed by his coaching staff’s current approach as long as it leads to winning.
“Whatever the defense gives us, we’re going to take opportunity in,” Underwood told the media after the win. “(It’s about) complementing each other, offense and defense, to play the game that we want to play. That’s what we did today.”
The Wolverines’ defense held Oklahoma to just 289 yards of total offense in Saturday’s victory. (Tony Patroske/TPM)
Doing More on Defense
Against an Oklahoma front seven touted as the best in the nation, it turned out to be Michigan’s defensive backs who stole the show on Saturday in Ann Arbor. After a middling opener against Western Michigan, the Wolverines’ secondary looked like a unit capable of reaching the greatness displayed during the heyday of Harbaugh’s tenure.
A standout early on, Smith Snowden displayed his stickiness in coverage throughout the first half, stifling any hopes of John Mateer and the Sooners passing attack finding much success outside the hashes. Later in the half, it was safety Chris Bracy providing a signature punch to force the ball out of the hands of receiver Parker Livingstone inside of Michigan territory, giving the Wolverines their first turnover of the day.
Through the opening two quarters, Michigan’s secondary and smothering pass rush held Mateer to 7-of-16 through the air for 54 yards, giving the home side a 10-0 lead going into halftime. But the senior from Little Elm, TX bounced back in the third quarter, going a perfect 7-for-7 with 125 passing yards and a score to Mackenzie Alleyne on a missed coverage assignment between Bracy and Zeke Berry. With just under 12 minutes remaining in the game, Oklahoma drew even with the Wolverines to tie the game off a 34-yard field goal from Tate Sandell.
With the ensuing possession for Michigan going 3 & out, it seemed like momentum had turned in favor of the visiting Sooners – but all it takes to change the fortunes of a game between two power programs is one bad mistake, and John Mateer coughed up a big one. On 3rd & 9 from their own 16, Mateer locked in on wideout Trell Harris running an out route, didn’t notice Jyaire Hill running the route underneath him, resulting in a massive interception by the senior DB at the Oklahoma 30 yard line and returned all the way to the Sooners’ 6 yard line.
“I didn’t think he was gonna throw it, but you gotta capitalize when the ball’s in the air,” Hill said about his game-altering pick. Asked to assess the defense’s performance, Hill added, “I feel like we did smooth. We just gotta do more.”
Complementary Football in Ann Arbor
Despite Underwood’s legs and the defensive backs stealing the show in a win that will prove essential to any hopes Michigan has of making it back to the College Football Playoff, the tenor of the players has remained consistent: everyone playing to put the team in the best position for success.
“We’re one team, so we’re gonna come and hold down the fort on defense,” defensive end John Henry Daley said after recording a sack and three tackles for a loss on the afternoon. “Offense had a fantastic day, and great for them. We’re keeping up the energy with that, coming out there and playing Michigan football every single snap.”
Final: Michigan 17, Oklahoma 10
