Week 1 is still underway for college football with four games still on the docket, including the week’s most high-profile ranked-on-ranked matchup between Florida State and LSU. But with most of the contests in the books, we’re getting a handle on who brought what to the table.
USA TODAY Sports put together a list of Week 1’s winners and losers, and Michigan football made the cut as one of the winners.
The No. 2 Wolverines had no problem with East Carolina despite playing without coach Jim Harbaugh, who is serving a three-game suspension imposed by the university to lessen any possible punishment for violating NCAA rules. The 30-3 win included 73 yards from All-America running back Blake Corum, seemingly fresh after an injury cost him the final two games of last season, and a nearly perfect game from quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Seen entering the stadium wearing a homemade “Free Harbaugh” shirt, McCarthy completed 26 of 30 passes for 280 yards and three scores. The back-to-back Big Ten champions look built to do it again.
Penn State, which was in a fight with West Virginia until the Nittany Lions pulled away in the second half, was also named a winner. Meanwhile, Ohio State’s offense, which struggled mightily at Indiana, was named a loser.
The Wolverines will continue to be without Jim Harbaugh in Week 2 when it hosts UNLV.