Well, that was a beatdown. Michigan scored 63 points and gained 606 yards of offense, while allowing just 208 yards on defense. Northern Illinois was never really in the game and by halftime, many of us following the game on Twitter started using this GIF: 

Michigan has maintained that their identity is running the football. After last week's paving of Washington, that seemed to be an apt assessment. That continued today, in spectacular fashion. Michigan's first drive saw long runs by both Blake Corum and Hassan Haskins before Cade McNamara punched it in on the ground. Their second drive saw an AJ Henning end around carry and a saucy Haskins jump cut bring Michigan down to the goal line, and this time it was Corum who punched it in from one yard out. On the next drive it was Haskins who scored it on the goal line. And then it was him again on the next drive. Michigan scored TD's on their first nine drives of the game. 

The Wolverines were able to do whatever they wanted on the ground, as was predicted in this week's FFFF. The offensive line brutalized NIU's defensive front and opened holes you could drive Mack trucks through. And then when you add in the lightning bolt speed of Michigan's backs, big plays were another consistent story. Corum took one 51 yards to the house to begin the second half, and Donovan Edwards took one 58 yards to the end zone a little while after that. 

Just enough for the TD [Campredon]

Another big play came through the air. Michigan didn't ask Cade McNamara to do much, attempting only 11 passes before being lifted at halftime, but he made the most of his chances. After narrowly missing a deep bomb TD to an open Cornelius Johnson early in the game, he didn't miss his second chance, hitting it right on the dime for 87 yards and a score. He attempted four deep shots in total, two to a wide open Cornelius Johnson (one missed, one successful) and two to a covered Daylen Baldwin, both of which should have been DPI (only one of which was called). McNamara looked much sharper than last week, and pressure was non-existent. 

Defensively, Michigan forced a 3 & out to begin the game but then allowed a 10 play, 72 yard drive that ended with Thomas Hammock opting to kick a cowardly FG on the three yard line to make it 7-3. Those first two drives looked shaky for Michigan's defensive front in run defense. The screws were quickly tightened up. NIU's next seven drives ended without points, six on punts and one on an INT, which deflected into the waiting arms of Gemon Green. Brad Hawkins had a shot at an INT of his own early in the game. Of those next seven drives, five ended without gaining a first down. 

Not much room for the Huskies today [Campredon]

Rocky Lombardi did not look particularly good, but NIU rarely threw the ball down the field. Lombardi's lone highlight came on a 45-yard QB keeper that totally fooled Michigan's defense. But it's worth noting that Lombardi was fooling Michigan's second and third string defenders with that one. NIU finished with 208 total yards, but 140 of those came on two drives. The remaining 10 drives gained 68 yards combined. And 100 of those total yards came on the final three drives, when Michigan was rolling defenses with players that I, a person who is paid to write about Michigan football, have never heard of. This was a total domination. 

On special teams, Michigan did not attempt a FG, opting to go for a fourth down attempt rather than a 50+ yard field goal later in the game. Brad Robbins did not attempt a punt, either. Michigan used AJ Henning as their new punt returner and that's a decision that appears likely to last another week. Henning let a punt bounce and roll when he shouldn't have, but when he caught it, Henning showed off his electrifying speed and made things happen in a way that Kolesar did not last week. 

The only other notable storyline in this game was Michigan's use of a laundry list of reserves. JJ McCarthy took over at halftime with the rest of the first string offense. He went 4/6 for 42 yards. The rest of the second string offense came on shortly after, including a backup offensive line of Karsen Barnhart, Chuck Filiaga, Greg Crippen, Reece Atteberry, and Trente Jones (left to right). Donovan Edwards had 8 carries for 86 yards and two scores. Christian Dixon had one catch for seven yards. On defense, such names as Makari Paige, Michael Barrett, Rod Moore, Taylor Upshaw, George Johnson III, and Caden Kolesar got extensive time, before even more obscure walk-ons took the field in the fourth quarter. 

It's tough to say what can definitively be taken away from a game like this, but what is clear is that Michigan is manhandling its tune-up opponents this season, which is never a bad sign. The Wolverines get a slightly more difficult test in Rutgers next week, but it's still a couple weeks until Wisconsin and the meat of the schedule kicks in. 

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