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 17th, 2016 at 10:03 PM ^
Yes, those yards were made by the receivers, or YAC. Speight did move well in the pocket, but you have to be able to throw down field.
September 17th, 2016 at 10:16 PM ^
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September 18th, 2016 at 1:42 AM ^
doubt that. I think Liufua played in the 2nd quarter when CU did nothing.
September 17th, 2016 at 9:20 PM ^
"To be honest I think we did [need a game like this]," said Butt. "We can look back and learn from this."
This was my thought as well.
September 17th, 2016 at 9:26 PM ^
September 17th, 2016 at 9:34 PM ^
He was in pads today.
September 18th, 2016 at 9:25 PM ^
But I don't believe it.
So, the rumor is out there but seemed unsubstantiated
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September 17th, 2016 at 9:27 PM ^
if their QB doesn't get hurt, not sure about the outcome. if M wins despite his coming back, then we can pat the coaches for adjustments. but big time reality check. watching OSU, UM is not on the same level as those cats. besides Jabrill (who did have some gaffes), UM doesn't have enough playmakers on defense. let's see when Taco/JD/(Mone) come back to see UM legit. right now, not so sure.
September 17th, 2016 at 9:34 PM ^
Lets be real; outside of one play outside of the first quarter Colorado did aboslutely nothing on offense.
September 17th, 2016 at 9:41 PM ^
September 17th, 2016 at 9:44 PM ^
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September 18th, 2016 at 11:29 AM ^
The first quarter certainly matters. But it can often unfold differently than the rest of the game as the two teams break out their scripted plays and see what happens, before they settle into their adjustments that they'll use the rest of the way.
September 18th, 2016 at 7:51 AM ^
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September 17th, 2016 at 10:25 PM ^
September 18th, 2016 at 1:45 AM ^
may not have noticed, but OU is not good.
September 18th, 2016 at 11:28 AM ^
September 17th, 2016 at 9:33 PM ^
For those watching on TV - did they say anything about Speight getting dinged up? It was clear that we didn't want to throw downfield at all in the second half.
September 17th, 2016 at 9:37 PM ^
September 17th, 2016 at 9:50 PM ^
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September 17th, 2016 at 11:21 PM ^
September 17th, 2016 at 9:41 PM ^
They didn't say anything about Speight being hurt. He was able to move around in the pocket and complete short throws, but that's it. He was definitely dinged at one point, but not sure.
September 17th, 2016 at 10:13 PM ^
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September 17th, 2016 at 10:41 PM ^
Just watching him throw in the game, it looked like something was wrong. His velocity didn't seem to be there. A lot of his passes seemed to flutter. By the second half our passing offense was basically reduced to a series of screens.
September 18th, 2016 at 9:53 AM ^
broadcast. Quite often, in fact.
September 18th, 2016 at 12:22 PM ^
In his on-field interview with BTN, he alluded to having something going on. He said something like, "Our trainers are terrific and I'm sure I'll be ready for next week." They were working on something under his jersey in-game so maybe a shoulder or ribs?? Obviously not enough to have Harbaugh turn to O'Korn anyway.
September 17th, 2016 at 9:46 PM ^
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September 17th, 2016 at 9:46 PM ^
September 17th, 2016 at 9:47 PM ^
to launch his Heisman campaign this month considering on how ridiculous Lamar Jackson has been this year so far.
Lamar Jackson's stats:
913 passing yards with 8 TDs
464 rushing yards with 10 TDs
He only played about a game and half worth of PT this season which is ridiculous.
Jabrill's punt returns and offensive contribution is going to help his case but if Lamar continues his torrid pace which I imagine he will, it's going to be tough for anyone to beat out Lamar.
September 17th, 2016 at 9:48 PM ^
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September 17th, 2016 at 10:27 PM ^
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September 17th, 2016 at 10:31 PM ^
September 18th, 2016 at 2:45 AM ^
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September 18th, 2016 at 9:38 AM ^
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September 18th, 2016 at 10:39 AM ^
If Jordan was playing then Delano isn't covering slot receivers.
September 18th, 2016 at 9:57 AM ^
Craaaaab People
September 17th, 2016 at 10:36 PM ^
Speight himself said after the game that he had never been hit as hard as he had been in the 1st quarter when he lost that ball. The kid was rocked hard, and it took a little while for him to recover. The passing game is still way ahead of where it was last year at this time, and we all know how that turned out.
Alabama has proven that you don't need a major 1st round QB to win national championships if you have all the other components. We're close with everything else. Speight is more than good enough.
September 18th, 2016 at 8:19 AM ^
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September 18th, 2016 at 10:36 AM ^
Made some nice moves in the pocket to complete a couple of passes and a nice run for yards. He's a good quarterback.
September 17th, 2016 at 10:50 PM ^
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September 17th, 2016 at 10:54 PM ^
Speight's stats through 3 games as a redshirt sophmore: 51/80 (63.8%), 8TD, 1 INT.
Clearly we should bench him, no sense in developing this underclassman further. Especially considering how successful benching our past starting QBs has been (Benching Gardner for Morris, benching Threet for Sheridan).
September 18th, 2016 at 10:12 AM ^
September 17th, 2016 at 10:55 PM ^
Speight will learn from this game. Jabrill is the man and Rashan is going to be an unbelievable Wolverine.
Take the win. Big 10 should be intense. Hate the suckeyes and state.
GO BLUE!!
September 17th, 2016 at 11:14 PM ^
September 17th, 2016 at 11:41 PM ^
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September 18th, 2016 at 7:47 AM ^
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September 18th, 2016 at 9:50 AM ^
no touch on punts. kicks everything into the endzone. But we knew that before this game.
September 18th, 2016 at 10:01 AM ^
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September 17th, 2016 at 11:55 PM ^
Too close for comfort
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