Michigan 31, BYU 0
Bryan Fuller/MGoBlog
Over the last eight years, Michigan fans have been trained to expect the worst.
Let it be noted that at 2:04 this afternoon, with a half of football left to play, Brian told me to post muppets when the game ended.
To call this a dominant outing undersells Michigan's performance. The Wolverines outgained BYU 448-105. The Cougars eked past the century mark only on their last drive of the game; that represented their only drive that didn't end in a punt.
While the defense shut down BYU, the offense found their footing, scoring all 31 points in the first half on five consecutive drives. Amara Darboh did a spectacular Odell Beckham Jr. impression, then Jim Harbaugh dialed up a double fake screen to free up Khalid Hill up the seam to set up a three-yard touchdown scramble by Jake Rudock. Michigan went up 14-0 on a methodical 10-play, 90-yard drive capped by a short touchdown pass to Darboh.
The next scoring drive went a little quicker thanks to De'Veon Smith, who burrowed into a pile, popped out the other side, then threw a BYU defensive back to the ground in the open field for a 60-yard touchdown.
"I don't know what he did," said Rudock of Smith's run. "But whatever he did, I was hype and happy for him."
Smith finished with 125 yards on 16 carries before exiting early with an ankle injury. He said after the game he expects to play next week. Rudock had his best game as a Wolverine, going 14-for-25 for 194 yards and a touchdown with no turnovers.
Another Rudock touchdown scramble, this one from 17 yards out, and a 40-yard Kenny Allen field goal capped off the scoring.
Eric Upchurch/MGoBlog
Meanwhile, the defense made BYU quarterback Tanner Mangum's life miserable. Mangum threw for only 55 yards on 28 attempts; his longest completion came on BYU's first drive when a should-be pick took a fortuitous bounce off Channing Stribling's hands. The cornerbacks played lockdown coverage when Mangum had time to throw, which was rare—Michigan recorded three sacks and had Mangum on the run all day. By the end of the game, he was bailing out of perfectly clean pockets.
BYU's top running back, Adam Hine, broke one carry outside for 29 yards and managed only four on his seven other carries. The Cougars finished with 2.1 yards per play. This may stand as Michigan's most impressive defensive performance since the vaunted 2006 unit, even when accounting for the freshman at quarterback.
It's okay to be encouraged. While BYU had more than their fair share of luck through three games, nobody—not even ninth-ranked UCLA—made them look remotely this inept. The same team that put up 405 yards on the Bruins last week only managed a hundred today because Michigan's backups couldn't run out the clock.
"I had a couple occasions to look up and go 'this is good,'" said Harbaugh.
He was far from alone in that regard.
September 26th, 2015 at 7:42 PM ^
We have improved steadily, week after week. With continued steady improvement, we will be ready for to compete and win some big games.
That is one thing that I will recall about the last few Hoke teams, i.e. how the team seemed to get worse as the year went on, instead of better.
September 26th, 2015 at 5:49 PM ^
September 26th, 2015 at 5:49 PM ^
Great game today on both sides of the ball. Best game this year by our QB and not by a small distance.
BYU was clearly showing the effects of playing 4 tough games in a row. I think it's still a double digit win regardless, but today's margin was definitely impacted.
September 26th, 2015 at 5:52 PM ^
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September 26th, 2015 at 5:57 PM ^
September 26th, 2015 at 6:04 PM ^
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September 26th, 2015 at 6:06 PM ^
I will say this. What happens with this game with Hoke at the helm? Maybe BYU is still showing the effects of a rough stretch, but I bet we lose or it's stupidly close.
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September 26th, 2015 at 6:14 PM ^
September 26th, 2015 at 6:54 PM ^
September 26th, 2015 at 10:20 PM ^
MD '83. Fumes in the old chem bld was just part of the fun ! Was especially happy when I was in Analytic chem and had lab on the 4th floor so I would cause the organic labs to smell my stuff rather than the reverse. " I love the smell of acetone in the morning. It smells like victory ! "
September 26th, 2015 at 9:23 PM ^
but I won't consider him a better college coach than Dantonio until he either beats him, or gets his team ranked higher/farther in the playoffs.
September 26th, 2015 at 9:59 PM ^
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September 26th, 2015 at 10:23 PM ^
Jesus Harbaugh IS Jesus ( OK this is only to irritate those Sparty fans who like to take the Harbuagh's name in vain )
September 26th, 2015 at 6:15 PM ^
NUTSHELL#2: There is only one good method, the best method ... albeit still imperfect for determining the best team on the field (at least until there is an 8 team playoff)
SS - take the most accurate measure for defermining a team's STRENGTH of SCHEDELE
GD - take the most accurate measure for determining a team's GAME DOMINANCE.
Multiply and divide by the number of games played.
Now apply this formula to UM versus all other Big Ten Opponents and who is most deserving of being the highest ranked.
So long as the metrics used for SS and GD are objective, the result will be objective.
September 26th, 2015 at 6:19 PM ^
September 26th, 2015 at 10:25 PM ^
that would be a good double post so I can upvote it twice
September 26th, 2015 at 6:19 PM ^
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September 26th, 2015 at 6:22 PM ^
September 26th, 2015 at 6:25 PM ^
but SBNation has a great gif showing what happened on Smith's BEAST MODE run. In this replay, you can clearly see the use of teleporter.
September 26th, 2015 at 6:48 PM ^
Everyone knows teleporters are science fiction, Smith transited a worm hole.
September 26th, 2015 at 9:25 PM ^
the LEAST impressive part of this run.
September 26th, 2015 at 6:23 PM ^
The Darboh catch and the Smith run stood out as two plays we just HAVEN'T SEEN since Carr...it's great to be back as a solid program with the ability to make simply AMAZING plays.
September 26th, 2015 at 6:33 PM ^
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September 26th, 2015 at 6:48 PM ^
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September 26th, 2015 at 7:07 PM ^
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September 26th, 2015 at 8:47 PM ^
September 26th, 2015 at 9:43 PM ^
Upvoted for the name -- and the comment, but mostly for the name.
September 26th, 2015 at 10:02 PM ^
September 26th, 2015 at 7:09 PM ^
what a dumb comment
"shoelaces flapping in the wind" ring a bell. He also went 50+ at Ohio, just probably just sit this one out.
September 26th, 2015 at 7:28 PM ^
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September 27th, 2015 at 9:57 AM ^
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September 26th, 2015 at 6:33 PM ^
September 26th, 2015 at 6:26 PM ^
"That was the best team we played to this point not only physically, but execution wise," Cougars coach Bronco Mendenhall.
What a far cry from the Hoke company line of "We didn't execute". Total 180. This is what happens with good coaching.
September 26th, 2015 at 10:28 PM ^
Musta had a helluva good practice !
September 26th, 2015 at 6:42 PM ^
September 26th, 2015 at 6:37 PM ^
September 26th, 2015 at 6:37 PM ^
Did anyone pick 31-0 in the predictions? If so - you are smart and cool!
September 26th, 2015 at 7:26 PM ^
September 26th, 2015 at 7:00 PM ^
Michigan's favor. Only due to the phenomenon that a stopped clock is right twice per day and I invariably predict the games at 31-17. Good thing I don't gamble.
September 26th, 2015 at 7:06 PM ^
September 26th, 2015 at 7:09 PM ^
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September 26th, 2015 at 7:42 PM ^
What a load of hoakum. To suggest they should have lost is to concede they were in a position to win. Which in fact is what they did.
September 26th, 2015 at 7:50 PM ^
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September 26th, 2015 at 7:32 PM ^
September 26th, 2015 at 7:44 PM ^
Postgame Presser
September 26th, 2015 at 10:45 PM ^
September 27th, 2015 at 10:18 AM ^
September 26th, 2015 at 8:06 PM ^
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