Michigan 45, Colorado 28
Jabrill Peppers left the Buffaloes (and his coach) in awe. [Patrick Barron/MGoBlog]
After one quarter, Colorado had a 21-7 lead, outgained Michigan 195 yards to 66, and flat-out looked like the better team.
"We knew it wouldn't be a fairy tale all year," said Jake Butt. "We knew we'd get punched in the face."
Michigan punched back, hard. The Buffaloes gained 130 yards for the rest of the game. Michigan had 331. If Kenny Allen hadn't missed a pair of field goals, the Wolverines even would've covered the 20-point spread.
Early on, Colorado's up-tempo offense and athletic defense caught the Wolverines by surprise. Jabrill Peppers was caught out of position on a deep post for Colorado's first touchdown, then the Buffs went up by 14 less than a minute later when Chidobe Awuzie forced a Wilton Speight fumble that Derek McCartney took back 18 yards for a score. Speight, either shaken or hurt on the hit, had a tough time dialing in after that. If not for a blocked punt by Michael Jocz that Grant Perry took in for a touchdown, Colorado would've exited the first quarter up by 21 after another Sefo Liufao touchdown pass.
Then Michigan adjusted. The defensive front got to Liufau time and again, eventually forcing him out of the game with an apparent ankle injury, though not before Liufau somehow bombed a 70-yard touchdown off one leg to Shay Fields to open the second-half scoring. They shut down the Colorado running game entirely, and the Fields touchdown was the only big play after a first quarter full of them. Don Brown is paid good money for a reason.
[Bryan Fuller/MGoBlog]
The offense slowly but surely picked it up, too. With Khalid Hill leading the way in authoritative fashion, Jehu Chesson got the corner for a 17-yard jet sweep touchdown. Amara Darboh gave Michigan the proverbial momentum swing they needed on a 45-yard screen, stiff-arming a defender to the ground on his way to the end zone with only 33 seconds left in the half. Despite a disastrous start, Michigan led 24-21 at the break.
Colorado landed another big shot with the Fields touchdown. Michigan responded in kind with a pitch to De'Veon Smith on the second play of the ensuing drive; Smith hardly had to do anything on a 42-yard jaunt down the sideline on perhaps the best-blocked run play of this young season. The Wolverines finally grabbed control of the game when a long catch-and-run by Grant Perry set up a one-yard touchdown for Ty Isaac to give M a 38-28 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Then Jabrill Peppers, having a remarkable all-around game, launched his Heisman campaign. Peppers already had three punt returns and a kickoff return that were a block or two away from reaching the end zone when Colorado lined up to punt from deep in their own territory; a line-drive kick went right to Peppers's chest, and he exploded up the middle, overcoming a cramp at the five-yard line to at long last tally his first return touchdown in a Michigan uniform.
"It was definitely a sense of relief," said Peppers. "If I don't score there, then they needed to put someone else back there."
Peppers's overall stat line boggles the mind: two rushes for 24 yards, four punt returns for 99 yards and a TD, two kickoff returns for 81 yards, nine tackles (six solo), 3.5 TFLs, and a thunderous sack.
"Above all, Jabrill Peppers proved that he was the best player in today's game," said Jim Harbaugh, who praised the talent level on both teams. "We don't win that game without Jabrill Peppers."
"That's a team effort, but... wow," Harbaugh added.
Peppers wasn't the only Paramus Catholic graduate to provide some honest-to-god wow experiences. Rashan Gary recorded 1.5 TFLs and a pair of QB hurries; even better, he eliminated the mental errors that allowed UCF to pick up big gains on the ground last week.
Michigan leaves this game with plenty to work on. Dymonte Thomas, Delano Hill, and Peppers all had coverage busts that led to big plays. Speight's performance didn't equal those he had in the season's first two weeks. Allen, who looked either injured or overwhelmed by his workload, struggled in all phases of the kicking game.
"To be honest I think we did [need a game like this]," said Butt. "We can look back and learn from this."
With Penn State and Wisconsin up next on the schedule, it won't take long to find out how well they've learned those lessons.
September 18th, 2016 at 9:58 AM ^
If somethings not working, they don't worry about "execution" and the magnificence of their original plan, they move on to something else and they do it quickly.
Yes we are Michigan and we should be able to impose our will right down the middle . . . but we could not. OK, move on. Exploit the edge. We have other weapons.
For the first time in almost a decade, I don't feel like we are fighting with one hand tied behind our back.
September 17th, 2016 at 8:27 PM ^
September 17th, 2016 at 8:32 PM ^
? Their guy beat our guy straight-up, and the QB put it on the money. How is that a fluke?
September 17th, 2016 at 8:41 PM ^
September 17th, 2016 at 9:52 PM ^
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September 17th, 2016 at 10:25 PM ^
Pass coverage has been flat out abysmal on many occasions. Pass after pass this game the receiver was wide open.
September 18th, 2016 at 10:01 AM ^
Paging Mr Lewis. Paging Mr. Lewis.
September 17th, 2016 at 10:25 PM ^
Pass coverage has been flat out abysmal on many occasions. Pass after pass this game the receiver was wide open.
September 18th, 2016 at 1:35 AM ^
safeties had three blown coverages. Thomas had two that resulted in TD's and Hill had one. At least I think that the first two CU TD's (on offense) were on Thomas.
September 17th, 2016 at 9:37 PM ^
I don't know if it was a fluke, but our free safety shouldn't get beaten over the top like that.
September 18th, 2016 at 12:11 AM ^
But he did...
September 17th, 2016 at 10:01 PM ^
My sense was that everyone was expecting a running play because their QB was hobbled. Not an excuse, but an explanation for what I'd consider/hope was a somewhat fluky play.
September 17th, 2016 at 8:46 PM ^
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September 17th, 2016 at 8:28 PM ^
Jabrill Peppers
September 17th, 2016 at 8:29 PM ^
Both UCF's and Colorado's success on those slant passes when the receivers cut inside our corners showed how valuable Jourdan Lewis' lockdown abilities are. Hope we get him back next week.
September 18th, 2016 at 9:38 AM ^
I thought that was more a function of our LB's blitzing and leaving open space behind them? It seemed like we were overly aggressive got burned repeatedly for it.
September 17th, 2016 at 8:31 PM ^
September 17th, 2016 at 9:15 PM ^
But it's minor so no big deal.
September 17th, 2016 at 10:04 PM ^
September 19th, 2016 at 8:27 AM ^
September 17th, 2016 at 8:55 PM ^
September 17th, 2016 at 8:40 PM ^
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September 18th, 2016 at 9:10 AM ^
September 17th, 2016 at 8:45 PM ^
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September 17th, 2016 at 8:45 PM ^
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September 17th, 2016 at 8:47 PM ^
after getting punched in the mouth in the first quarter. That would have killed lesser men.
We did some good things and can continue to build on them. There are also a lot of things to learn and improve from. Teachable moments.
September 17th, 2016 at 9:08 PM ^
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September 17th, 2016 at 9:20 PM ^
Would have killed a Rich Rod team, buried it, dug it up, and killed it again.
September 17th, 2016 at 8:52 PM ^
Its good to see how your team responds when faced with adversity. The team responded well. They were dominant after the first quarter minus one 70 yard TD bust. Millen making it sound like the outcome wasnt inevitable if their QB doesnt get hurt is just foolish. Michigan pounded him into submission and were in the Colorado backfield the entire second half.
This is the kind of game that you look back on after a championship run and say thats where our mettle was made.
September 17th, 2016 at 9:14 PM ^
"This is the kind of game that you look back on after a championship run and say that's where our mettle was made."
Very nice.
A good portending.
Onward Blue!
September 17th, 2016 at 9:31 PM ^
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September 18th, 2016 at 1:38 AM ^
was thinking the same thing. Iowa led that game 21-7 at the half after they returned a punt for a TD.
September 18th, 2016 at 10:17 AM ^
September 18th, 2016 at 11:46 AM ^
Has a starting QB finished a game vs. our defense yet? I don't wish ill will on anyone, and really hope their guy is okay, but that is something other teams need to prepare for. You're going to lose a quarterback against us trying to keep a game you're going to lose anyways close. Or you can go max protect and get shut out.
The QB was never going to last a full game against us playing at the level they did. It's hard to find a QB in the country that would.
September 17th, 2016 at 8:58 PM ^
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September 17th, 2016 at 8:59 PM ^
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September 17th, 2016 at 9:10 PM ^
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September 18th, 2016 at 12:16 PM ^
He also threw some pretty good snark into the "I've seen worse" comment regarding Godin's "hands to the face" penalty.
September 17th, 2016 at 8:59 PM ^
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September 17th, 2016 at 9:04 PM ^
Not bad but could have been better. If Colorado's QB can tear up our secondary that bad than what can other teams good QBs do. I think he is actually a pretty good QB but Barrett and O'Connor are far better. I'm glad we turned it on after he left the game, albeit we were without Lewis but still, I'd like to see a better showing from our pass defense. Second, Peppers is ridiculous, if he doesn't go first in the draft then that team are complete fools, he is clearly the best player out there game after game.
Last, why did Harbaugh stop playing Deveon like halfway through the third quarter. He needs more reps and today would have been a great day for it becaue he was showing some poise and thinking, he has not gotten that many snaps and needs more, we need him to show seniority when playing MUCH better teams. A win is a win but lets not let it be that close against a crappy team again.
September 17th, 2016 at 9:12 PM ^
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September 18th, 2016 at 6:40 AM ^
September 18th, 2016 at 7:53 AM ^
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September 17th, 2016 at 9:06 PM ^
I thought Butt had a great game.
September 17th, 2016 at 9:26 PM ^
Butt was huge.
September 18th, 2016 at 10:54 AM ^
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September 17th, 2016 at 9:09 PM ^
BAD, Liufau was the 2nd best player on the field to #5. If Colorado doesn't lose their QB, this one goes to the wire. BUT, a win is a win!! Go Blue!
September 17th, 2016 at 9:29 PM ^
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September 17th, 2016 at 9:56 PM ^
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