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With any hopes of getting a post-season championship dashed, the Michigan football team gets to play as a spoiler to the Wisconsin Badgers championship hopes tonight. Heading into the matchup here, Michigan is 1-2 with back-to-back losses to Michigan State and No. 10 Indiana. No. 13 Wisconsin is playing its first game in three weeks as they are 1-0 with the lone win being against Illinois.
Wisconsin hasn’t played the past two weeks due to COVID-19 cases rising on the team and staff, so they missed out on the games against Nebraska and Purdue. This week the Badgers were able to get things in shape and restart its path to the Big Ten Championship game and possibly the College Football Playoff.
After forcing the Badgers to punt on the first drive, Michigan made a costly mistake on its first offensive play of the game as quarterback Joe Milton threw a pass to tight end Nick Eubanks, right in the hands as Eubanks dropped it and the ball was tipped and intercepted. Wisconsin suddenly had great field position off the turnover. After a 30-yard run by wide receiver Chimere Dike, Wisconsin would plow into the end zone as running back Nakia Watson ran it in two yards for the touchdown as Wisconsin struck first up 7-0.
After a huge kick return by wide receiver Giles Jackson, Michigan was close to midfield and ready to tie the game until another turnover happened. Milton threw another interception. This time it was all on him as he threw it straight to linebacker Leo Chenal and Wisconsin was once again in great field position to score, and they did just that. Mertz would find fullback Mason Stokke wide open for a one-yard touchdown pass to make it 14-0 Badgers.
For the first time all night, Michigan didn’t turn the ball over on offense, but it couldn’t get a first down either so that they would punt it away. Wisconsin would move the ball with ease and finish it off with a one-yard touchdown run by Stokke to make it 21-0 six seconds into the second quarter.
Michigan’s offense continues to struggle as they punt the ball away after another three and out, and Wisconsin would make them pay once again. Waston easily runs the ball up the middle for a 10-yard touchdown, and Wisconsin is manhandling the Wolverines 28-0.
Positive:
- Cornerback Vincent Gray has had a big rebound game so far tonight. He has two pass deflections so far, one tackle, and hasn’t been called for any penalties. Gray’s performance is welcoming and should give the other’s confidence that the secondary can do its job tonight. Mertz hasn’t been the big factor many expected him to be as he is only 8/15 for 84 yards and a touchdown as the rushing attack has been the touchdown machine with three of them so far tonight.
Negatives
- Turnovers are a huge factor as they have helped Wisconsin score on two of its three first drives of the game. Milton’s first interception wasn’t on him as Eubanks suffered another drop, and it was costly. The second interception is easily on Milton. The linebacker was all alone, not even near anyone, and Milton threw it right at him. Mistakes happen, but these mistakes are careless, and it cost Michigan two touchdowns.
- Michigan’s offense is struggling to move the football however it wants to. After the first quarter, the team had one yard of offense. 15 minutes of football, three minutes, and 27 seconds Michigan had the football and could only move it one yard forward. Poor playcalling has hurt the Wolverines as they have run it on second and third and long. Players have looked lifeless on offense as it has seemed that nothing has worked well for the group. At halftime, Michigan has only 94 yards with 11:44 seconds of possession.
- The defense is struggling to stop the Wisconsin offense, and while they have allowed four touchdowns, two of them can’t be all their fault. Milton’s interceptions put Wisconsin in a short field position and didn’t give the defense much time to rest. The defense forced Wisconsin to punt on its first drive and then were asked to go right back out there after one play of rest. Then on the second drive, Michigan only had two plays before the interception happened. So with just four total plays happening, the defense had to be on the field for seven minutes and three seconds in the first eight minutes and 52 seconds. Too much to ask for early on in the game, and it put Michigan down 14-0 early.
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