2019 Michigan Wolverines – Page 2

5 Players to Watch Against Alabama

Michigan football takes on Alabama in the Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Day. Which five players should you focus on when game day comes?

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Michigan’s final game of the year is coming soon and the final opponent is a tough one in the Alabama Crimson Tide. Michigan finished their regular season 9-3 and is looking to get their 10th win of the season, finishing 10-3 and it would be head coach Jim Harbaugh’s fourth 10-win season at Michigan. Harbaugh has been coaching at Michigan for five years, with his worst season being 8-5 back in 2017.

Going up against Alabama won’t be an easy game for the Wolverines. While the Alabama defense isn’t as tough as it usually is, the offense is still explosive. Despite being without their starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, backup quarterback Mac Jones has played well this season, going 81/116 for 1,176 yards with 11 touchdowns and three interceptions.

Michigan will have to dig deep if they are going to upset the Crimson Tide and there are some impactful players who could help change the momentum of how the game goes. Check out the five players to watch in the Citrus Bowl.

1. WR Donovan Peoples-Jones – MICHIGAN

One of the biggest headlines heading into this game is whether Michigan wide receivers Donovan Peoples-Jones and Nico Collins will return to Michigan next season. The one that seems to have a more positive NFL draft grade so far is Peoples-Jones and depending on how he can do against Alabama could affect his decision on returning or not to Ann Arbor.

Peoples-Jones will be going up against some good competition in the Alabama secondary and lucky for him there is lots of talent around him at the position where he might get some single coverage. Michigan will need to be in a scoring duel with Alabama as Alabama has a top 10 offense and the Wolverines defense will need to do it’s best to slow them down.

So if Michigan wants to stay in the game, they will need to air the ball out. Peoples-Jones will need to make some big plays, and whether that is as a wide receiver or a punt returner, his play will be huge for the Wolverines offense.

For Alabama’s offense, one of their star wide receivers on their team…

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Michigan finally gets Alabama just not how anyone expected it

Michigan football takes on Alabama in the Citrus bowl in a game people have predicted, but just not in this environment.

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Back when Michigan football hired Jim Harbaugh as their next head coach in 2014, fans were excited with the possibility of him bringing Michigan back to what it was as a football program. Winning. While Harbaugh has won games as the head coach, he hasn’t won the big ones that everyone wants.

He hasn’t beaten Ohio State, hasn’t won let alone appear in a Big Ten Championship game, and hasn’t won and again appear in a College Football Playoff game.

Harbaugh’s tenure at Michigan isn’t going exactly how things have planned, but things aren’t horrible, he’s 47-17 in the five years he’s been in Ann Arbor. The sky isn’t falling and Michigan is still relevant in the college football world. Harbaugh brought them out of the darkness and now they are a threat to other teams, just not as big of a threat that they’d like to be.

Harbaugh was supposed to be the Nick Saban of Michigan. He was supposed to be beating Ohio State and turning the tide on the rivalry that Michigan has been on the losing end of since 2001 as they’ve only beaten the Buckeyes twice since 2001. He was supposed to be winning conference championships, yet he hasn’t even taken his team to Indianapolis. He was supposed to be appearing and winning the College Football Playoffs, yet his team hasn’t qualified for them yet.

We were supposed to see Jim Harbaugh vs Nick Saban in the College Football Championship game as Harbaugh brought the school he played for there, while Saban and his Alabama players would defend their title. Instead, we get the battle on New Year’s Day in the Citrus Bowl as Alabama is 10-2 and Michigan is 9-3, not like everyone predicted.

While Alabama has been winning since 2014, Michigan has been quickly rebuilding and becoming a threat, this year though, both failed at reaching their goals.

Alabama had issues with LSU, who is now the number one team in the country and playing in the playoffs today, and Auburn, their big rival and it was without their starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. For the first time since the playoffs were created, Alabama is sitting on the outside.

Michigan’s issues were a new offense that took half a season to develop, getting demolished by Wisconsin and a dropped touchdown away from going to overtime and having a chance at upsetting Penn State. Along with another embarrassing loss to Ohio State, losing 56-27 in Ann Arbor. Michigan was predicted to win the conference for the first time since Harbaugh arrived and they fell short of that goal.

Now while this matchup between Michigan and Alabama isn’t in the playoffs, it still means something. Alabama will want to win to prove to the voters that they made a mistake in leaving them out, while Michigan will want to win to prove they can hang with the big elite teams and win. A win over Alabama would be the biggest win Harbaugh has had at Michigan.

It would impress recruits, NFL draft scouts, and everyone else that Harbaugh defeated Saban. If he can beat Saban, why not Ohio State? That will probably be the biggest talking point if Michigan can beat the Crimson Tide. So while this game isn’t for a National Championship or the chance to play in that game, it still has a lot of meaning behind it.

Win or lose Alabama will still be a powerhouse in the college football world. A loss would put Alabama at 10-3 and Saban’s worst record at the school since 2010 when they went 10-3 and won the Capital One Bowl against Michigan State 49-7. It wouldn’t hurt them much, and it would only make Saban work harder at getting back into one of the top four spots in 2020. A win would be a message to the playoff committee that Alabama deserved to be in it as they finish 11-2.

If Michigan wins this game, it would be a huge vote of confidence for the players heading towards the NFL, and the ones returning to the program in 2020. Harbaugh would be praised and shown that he is the right fit for the job as he has his fourth 10 win season at Michigan, finishing 10-3.

If Michigan loses it would put them at 9-4 and depending on how much they lose by, would question when can Michigan win a big game? When will they be able to defeat the likes of Alabama and Ohio State? When will they take that next step in being an elite college football program instead of a good college football program?

This game has a lot of meaning to it, and while it isn’t under the bright lights and taking center stage like everyone wanted it to, that still doesn’t change the matchup it is in itself. Michigan vs. Alabama. Harbaugh vs. Saban. The all-time record between the two programs is 2-2, who wins and gets the lead in the all-time series and finishes their 2019 season with a great win over a historic program?

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Michigan football 2020 mini preview

Michigan football takes on Alabama in the Citrus bowl next week, but it isn’t too early to take a small look into the 2020 season.

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While there still is another game on the schedule for the 2019 Michigan football team, that doesn’t mean it’s too early to talk about the 2020 season. It’s December and that season doesn’t start until next September, so while this preview won’t be an in-depth edition, it’ll still get your mind onto what the future could bring next season.

Michigan will have some players leaving due to the NFL or graduation, but the losses aren’t as huge as they were heading into 2019. The biggest group that will need some work is the offensive line as at least three players are graduating, while a fourth could declare for the NFL.

While the 2019 season schedule was tough, 2020 seems to be even more daunting with Michigan’s toughest games on the road. Overall, things will change in nine months, but for now, this is going off of what we know right now and what we can predict in December before things look differently in July and August.

2020 Football schedule

Week 1 @ Washington
Week 2 VS. Ball State
Week 3 VS. Arkansas State
Week 4 VS. Wisconsin
Week 5 VS. Penn State
Week 6 @ Michigan State
Week 7 @ Minnesota
Week 8 VS. Purdue
BYE
Week 10 VS. Maryland
Week 11 @ Rutgers
Week 12 VS. Indiana
Week 13 @ Ohio State

When looking at this schedule, the first big challenge is playing Wisconsin, Penn State, Michigan State, and Minnesota four straight weeks. While two of those are at home, those games won’t be pushovers. Wisconsin won’t have running back Jonathan Taylor anymore so that could be an easier game, but nobody knows yet.

Penn State could have another solid year and be a contender in the Big Ten East. Michigan State will either have a rebound year after going 7-6 this season or another poor season that will force head coach Mark Dantonio to retire. All that depends on what he does in the off-season this year. Minnesota could be a daunting challenge after their impressive 2019 season as well.

The opening game against Washington will be without their head coach Chris Petersen, who resigned after the regular season ended as he is transitioning to an advisory role for the university, along with starting quarterback Jacob Eason, who declared for the NFL draft after their bowl win over Boise State this month.

Then finally you end up against Ohio State on the road and if it’s anything like it has been the last two years, Michigan will most likely get knocked around unless something major happens to the Buckeyes and head coach Ryan Day. Michigan has a chance to go between 9-3 and 11-1 next season, it just depends on how they can do on the road against good competition.

Next, which players you might have to keep your eye on next season…

1. QB Dylan McCaffrey

After stepping onto the field for a banged-up Shea Patterson at quarterback, Dylan McCaffrey wowed fans and coaches against Notre Dame in 2018. He didn’t put on a show, but he went 4/6 for 22 yards and had three carries for 10 yards. Since then, some fans have been clamoring for McCaffrey to be the starting quarterback over Patterson.

That dream will most likely come true next season as McCaffrey will probably be the starting quarterback. How will he do? He’s done well so far in his limited time on the field for the Wolverines. In his career so far, McCaffrey is 18/35 for 242 yards with three touchdowns, along with 23 carries for 166 yards and two touchdowns.

McCaffrey seems to use his legs more than Patterson, but his arm talent is impressive itself. He’s had a full year as the backup under the offense run by offensive coordinator Josh Gattis, and another year learning more of the playbook could see McCaffrey shine.

2. LB Cam Mcgrone

After taking a redshirt last season, linebacker Cam McGrone saw some playing time this season. The playing time was due to starting linebacker Josh Ross getting injured and McGrone saw the opportunity to impress the coaches and to not be looked at as a backup but as a starter.

His movements and skills reminded people of former starting linebacker and first-round pick Devin Bush. His quickness to get behind the offensive line and make an impact on the play was impressive. His tackling ability was there and he could read plays well.

McGrone so far has 59 total tackles, eight and a half tackles for loss, two and a half sacks, and a forced fumble this season. A full season as a starter could be huge for him and if McGrone gets more time as a starter in practice and he’s learning more, he could be a big star on the defensive side of the ball in 2020.

3. OT Andrew Stueber

Like I said earlier, the biggest group getting affected in 2020 is the offensive line. Starting left tackle Jon Runyan Jr., left guard Ben Bredeson, and right guard Michael Onwenu are all graduating. Center Cesar Ruiz is also receiving high marks as a junior for the NFL, so if he decides to declare, Michigan could only have Jalen Mayfield as the returning starter from the 2019 season.

Before the 2019 season, one of the starting job battles as at right tackle between Mayfield and Andrew Stueber. Stueber played in 2018 when right tackle Juwann Bushell-Beatty went down with an injury and Stueber did well. Stueber seemed to be just above Mayfield in the battle before the season started, but then Stueber went down with an ACL tear and his season was over and the job went to Mayfield

2020 will see Stueber return and he and Mayfield will now work together as the starting tackles, with Stueber most likely starting at left tackle. If Ruiz returns, then Michigan will have three experienced offensive lineman starting next year with inexperienced guards. If Ruiz leaves, the entire interior will be inexperienced. Stueber’s return will be huge and a boost for an offensive line that will need all the help they can get next year.

Finally, three freshmen who could make a splash their first year on campus…

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Nick Eubanks to return to Michigan for fifth-year

Michigan football tight end Nick Eubanks has announced he will return to Michigan for the 2020 season.

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The good news keeps rolling for the Michigan football team in 2020.

Late last night, it was announced that defensive end Kwity Paye would return for Michigan for his senior year by Paye himself. Today, another player announced their return to Michigan football in 2020.

Tight end Nick Eubanks announced on Instagram that he will hold off his NFL dreams another year and come wear the winged helmet for another season.

View this post on Instagram

🙏🏾 One Last Ride …

A post shared by || Nick Eubanks || (@banks_era_) on Dec 27, 2019 at 2:53pm PST

Eubanks has 34 catches for 458 yards and four touchdowns so far in his career at Michigan. With starting tight end Sean McKeon graduating, Eubanks will most likely be the starting tight end next season. With his role getting bigger, it increases his chances of getting more catches and boost his NFL draft stock for the 2021 NFL Draft.

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In final regular season Big Ten Power Rankings, Michigan falls after loss to Ohio State

Michigan football lost to Ohio State 56-27, how does that affect the final Big Ten Power Rankings before post-season play.

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Michigan finishes their regular season 9-3 after losing to Ohio State once again, 56-27 as their playoff chances are officially gone along with a New Year’s Six Bowl.

The rankings got a shake-up after some games in the conference this week as Wisconsin upset Minnesota to get a rematch with Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game. Check out the final rankings of the regular season.

1. OHIO STATE 12-0 (9-0)

Ohio State finished their regular season undefeated after beating Michigan 56-27 in Ann Arbor. Running back J.K. Dobbins had his way with the Wolverines, rushing for 211 yards and four touchdowns on 31 carries.

The defense was questionable in the first half as they struggled to stop the passing game, but they held Michigan to just 91 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries. Ohio State plays Wisconsin for the Big Ten Championship this week as they try and keep their undefeated season alive.

2. WISCONSIN 10-2 (7-2)

Wisconsin jumps up to number two after upsetting the Golden Gophers 38-17 and clinching their ticket to Indianapolis to try and take down the mighty Buckeyes. Quarterback Jack Coan was the main source of offense, going 15/22 for 280 yards and two touchdowns.

The defense shut down Minnesota’s rushing attack, holding them to 76 yards on 30 carries. Wisconsin will try and get its revenge with the Buckeyes on Saturday and shake up the College Football Playoff talk.

3. PENN STATE 10-2 (7-2)

Penn State doesn’t change after beating Rutgers 27-6. Backup quarterback Will Levis started as starting quarterback Sean Clifford missed the game due to the injury he suffered against Ohio State last week. Levis finished the game with just 81 yards, a touchdown, and an interception after going 8/14, but had 108 yards on the ground with 17 carries.

The defense kept Rutgers at bay as they held them to just two field goals, despite allowing 383 yards, 199 in the air and 184 on the ground. Penn State will be in contention for a New Year’s Six Bowl as well, but their destination is unknown as well.

4. MINNESOTA 10-2 (7-2)

Minnesota falls to fourth after losing their Big Ten West title hopes after losing 38-17 to Wisconsin. Quarterback Tanner Morgan did everything he could, going 20/37 for 296 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

The defense kept Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor in check as they held him to just 76 yards on 18 carries, but he scored twice. Minnesota might play in a New Year’s Six Bowl, but either way had a fantastic regular season and are awaiting their postseason game information.

5. MICHIGAN 9-3 (6-3)

Michigan falls back to fifth after getting demolished at home 56-27. Quarterback Shea Patterson did everything he could as well, going 18/43 for 305 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

The defense just didn’t know what to do as they let quarterback Justin Fields go 14/25 for 302 yards and four touchdowns. It was an embarrassing loss once again to the Buckeyes as the Wolverines now wait to see what bowl game they are playing in.

6. IOWA 9-3 (6-3)

Iowa held onto the win this week against Nebraska, winning 27-24. Iowa could pound the rock down Nebraska’s throats, finishing with 225 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries.

The Hawkeye defense shut down the Cornhuskers passing attack, holding them to a combined 12/23 for 100 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. Iowa will be awaiting their bowl game announcement on Sunday as well.

7. INDIANA 8-4 (5-4)

Indiana held onto the lead as they beat Purdue in double overtime 44-41. Quarterback Peyton Ramsey went 23/39 for 337 yards and three touchdowns, along with 19 carries for 42 yards and two touchdowns.

Indiana had some struggles with stopping the run though as they let Purdue run for 181 yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries. Indiana will be looking for their ninth win of the season in their bowl game this month.

8. ILLINOIS 6-6 (4-5)

Illinois got pushed aside by Northwestern 27-10 as Illinois struggled to score. The passing attack was without starting quarterback Brandon Peters, as backup Matt Robinson got the start again and finished going 8/17 for 108 yards.

Illinois did well in stopping the passing game of Northwestern, holding them to 55 yards, a touchdown, and an interception as their quarterback Andrew Marty went 6/10. Illinois will be waiting to see which bowl game they are going to this year.

9. MICHIGAN STATE 6-6 (4-5)

Michigan State clinched their bowl game after beating Maryland 19-16. Quarterback Brian Lewerke had some troubles but finished the game by going 30/41 for 342 yards with two interceptions, along with eight carries for 26 yards and a touchdown.

Their defense was tested by Maryland’s rushing attack, allowing 164 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries. Michigan State will await their bowl game announcement as they look to end the season with a winning record.

10. NEBRASKA 5-7 (3-6)

Nebraska was close to becoming a bowl team before losing to Iowa 27-24. The run game was the best part of the offense, as the team had 184 yards and a touchdown on 56 carries.

The defense did well in stopping Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley, holding him to just 99 yards and an interception after having him go 11/24. Nebraska will be looking to make a bowl game next year in year three under head coach Scott Frost.

11. PURDUE 4-8 (3-6)

Purdue came close to playing spoiler against Indiana, losing 44-41 in double overtime. Quarterback Aidan O’Connell did well, going 28/49 for 408 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception.

The defense did it’s best to stop Indiana, but in the end, they just couldn’t. Indiana was able to run the ball well against Purdue, with 50 carries for 185 yards and three touchdowns. Purdue will look at 2020 as a rebound year after multiple injuries shook the team this season.

12. NORTHWESTERN 3-9 (1-8)

Northwestern moves up a spot after beating Illinois 29-10. Northwestern ran the ball a lot against Illinois as they finished with 65 total carries for 378 yards and three touchdowns.

The defense completely shut down Illinois rushing attack, holding them to just 14 yards, and a touchdown on 26 carries. 2020 will be looked at as a rebound year for the Wildcats and head coach Pat Fitzgerald.

13. MARYLAND 3-9 (1-8)

Maryland falls after losing to Michigan State 19-16 as the offense just couldn’t get it done. Quarterback Josh Jackson went 11/27 for 141 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The defense held MSU’s rushing attack in check, holding them to 88 yards and a touchdown on 37 carries.

14. RUTGERS 2-10 (0-9)

Rutgers fought hard against Penn State but lost 27-6. Quarterback Johnny Langan went 12/24 for 164 yards as he was able to move against the nifty Penn State defense.

Rutgers defense though had issues with stopping the running game, as Penn State ran for 252 yards and three touchdowns on 46 carries. Rutgers will be looking to be relevant again next year under their new (and old) head coach Greg Schiano

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Michigan football quick film hits: Ohio State

Michigan football lost to Ohio State 56-27 on Saturday. What were the main film takeaways from the loss?

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Coming off the 39-14 win over Indiana, Michigan was feeling good before playing Ohio State. That good feeling would end once the Buckeyes came to town as Michigan lost 56-27.

Quarterback Shea Patterson did everything he could against the Buckeyes as he was forced to air it out with the defense allowing points left and right against Ohio State. The defense struggled to create turnovers and make stops as they didn’t have an answer for the Ohio State offense all game long.

Check out what I found when rewatching the loss to Ohio State.

OFFENSE

The opening drive to take the 6-0 lead was a perfect drive by the Wolverines. They mixed the run with the pass and used a perfect jet sweep play by Giles Jackson to score. The extra point though, I don’t get why they got cute with it instead of just treating it like a normal extra point attempt.
On the first play on the second possession, after driving down the field with ease, Michigan runs a wildcat towards Ohio State defensive end Chase Young and to nobody’s surprise, it was a loss of two. The wildcat was unsuccessful for most of the time this season, so calling it against the best defense is just a horrible idea.
Ohio State got away with back-to-back defensive pass interference calls on cornerback Jeffrey Okudah as he interfered with Michigan wide receiver Ronnie Bell and Nico Collins. The officials can’t miss calls in these games. You know hand-fighting will be a thing, but Bell got hit in the back and Collins arm was being held and couldn’t try and catch it.
On the touchdown pass to wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones, there was some confusion by the Ohio State secondary with Bell as the defensive back covering him told the safety to go cover him as he went in motion. The safety waved him off and told him that it was his job. The original defensive back didn’t see that and both went to cover Bell, leaving Peoples-Jones in single coverage for an easy score.
There were five drops in just the third quarter alone, and in games like this, you can’t drop balls that hit you in the hands. That was a big blow to the offense in the second half as Michigan needed to get points.
The call on running a wildcat on a crucial fourth down in the fourth quarter is another poor decision by offensive coordinator Josh Gattis. While the wildcat did get them to score early in the fourth quarter, the times he has called it for most of the season have not been good. The play needs to get thrown out of the playbook.

Now onto the defense and their performance…

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Facing another 10 win season, Jim Harbaugh has to get over hump

Michigan football is on pace to go 10-3 for the fourth time in five years under head coach Jim Harbaugh. When will it get past 10 wins?

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Michigan finished its 2019 regular season 9-3 after losing to Ohio State yesterday 56-27. As the Wolverines wait for word on where they will be playing in their bowl game, they are going to prepare to capture their 10th win this season. A 10th win this season would be head coach Jim Harbaugh’s second bowl win and his fourth 10 win season in Ann Arbor.

Getting 10 wins in a season is nothing to complain about, as Michigan was wishing to get to that just a decade ago. Harbaugh has brought Michigan out of the shadows after suffering from poor seasons with two head coaches who weren’t able to keep Michigan on the map. Harbaugh has put them back on the map, but they aren’t relevant as they’d like to be.

10 win seasons are nice, but soon that won’t be enough to please the Michigan alumni, fans, and administrators. Winning games is important, but so is beating Michigan State, Notre Dame (if scheduled), and Ohio State. Along with beating your rivals is winning a Big Ten Championship, and appearing and possibly winning the College Football Playoffs. Harbaugh is 1-1 against Notre Dame, and 3-2 against Michigan State, but 0-5 in the most important one against Ohio State, along with zero Big Ten Championship and playoff appearances.

This isn’t a “Jim Harbaugh needs to be fired” article, that doesn’t solve the problem. Nobody knows what the problem is for Harbaugh to get past Ohio State, to get more than 10 wins, to play for a Big Ten title or appear in the playoffs. It’s not like Harbaugh hasn’t tried to become better than 10 wins either.

Harbaugh adapted his offense to modern-day football as he thought that was a problem for his guys. He brought in Josh Gattis as the offensive coordinator, and while the offense struggled at first, they would later improve and start showing signs that they will be an attacking style of offense and with another year under the system this group will only get better.

His defense hasn’t seen as many changes as defensive coordinator Don Brown came in 2016 after his 2015 defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin left to become the head coach at Maryland. The secondary coaches have changed on the defense, but not the coordinator since 2016. The defense got better with Brown’s changes, but haven’t been able to compete against Ohio State in two of the last four games with Brown.

Brown even adapted to more zone after getting torched by crossing routes against Ohio State in 2018. He’s had a top-three defense every season except for this year as they are eighth right now with one game left to play. They are still a tough unit but usually have a big blimp on their resume, and in back-to-back years it’s been against Ohio State.

The only person who has to figure out this problem in the end though is Harbaugh. He will be happy with 10 wins as any coach would be, but everyone knows he’s better than that. He is a championship type of coach who just can’t get over the 10-win mark and right now doesn’t have the answers to what he has to do to get over that hump.

He will be in year six next year at Michigan and with some important seniors leaving on both sides of the football and possibly some underclassmen declaring for the NFL. Harbaugh might have some secondary coaching changes to adjust with, but both of his coordinators should return.

Michigan is playing good football, but are just a few things away from playing elite football like Clemson, LSU, and Ohio State are this season. Fans hope that Harbaugh can get over the hump sooner rather than later, or else the 10 win cycle will be a repeat performance year-in and year-out. After so many 10 win seasons, that will become the norm and everyone will want something more than that. As we’re approaching another possible 10 win season, that is very close to that being a reality.

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Michigan football grades from Week 14 loss against Ohio State

Michigan football lost to Ohio State 56-27 as they finish the regular season 9-3. How did each position grade out in the rivalry loss?

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Coming off their 39-14 win over Indiana last week, Michigan was turning it’s attention to Ohio State, the number one team in the country. Michigan would be shown why Ohio State was the best team in the country as they lost 56-27 in Ann Arbor.

The offense showed some promise in the first half, while the defense couldn’t have an answer for Ohio State all game long. Check out below how each position was graded on their performance in the loss yesterday.

OFFENSE

Quarterback: B

Shea Patterson did everything he could against Ohio State. He finished the game going 18/43 for 305 yards, with a touchdown and interception. He was forced to do a lot with his defense allowing points left and right. He couldn’t get much help from the running game either due to the score being so big as the game continued and with that group struggling.

Patterson also didn’t have help from his wide receivers in the second half they were dropping many passes that were in their hands. If the receivers caught all those drops, Patterson would’ve put up 350-400 yards and another touchdown. Patterson did have some poor throws, but again it was mostly due to being put in a tough spot on offense.

Running Back: C+

While Patterson was dominating in the air early on, the ground game couldn’t do much against the Ohio State defense. Hassan Haskins finished the game as the leading carrier with 12 for 78 yards and a touchdown. Zach Charbonnet only had seven yards on four carries.

Neither running back could find the holes when they were open, and when they had a good run they had to break off a tackle or two to get the yards, but it slowed them down so others caught up to tackle them.

Wide Receiver: B-

What started out as a good first half, turned sour in the second half as multiple receivers started dropping passes from Patterson, wasting chances for the offense to get back into the game and killing any momentum they had. Ronnie Bell was the top receiver, finishing with six catches for 78 yards, while Donovan Peoples-Jones was the only receiver to catch a touchdown, getting three for 69 yards and the score.

Giles Jackson didn’t catch a pass but ran it three times for 26 yards and a touchdown. Nico Collins was quiet as he was covered well, only getting two catches for 32 yards. Tarik Black couldn’t do much either with one catch for nine yards.

Tight End: B+

Sean McKeon had a good game, getting three catches for 66 yards and helped out with the blocking when asked to do it. Nick Eubanks also was a big help, getting two catches for 42 yards and was blocking well also. This was probably the best game the group has played all season long in both units.

Offensive Line: B+

Michigan’s offensive line had a big job in containing Ohio State’s monster defensive end Chase Young and they did a great job in that, as he never recorded any sacks or tackles, but they still allowed two sacks on Patterson. The offensive line did everything they could to keep Patterson upright and they gave him loads of time against a great defensive line.

They struggled to create running lanes though when asked to do it as that’s been a weakness they’ve had all year long. The lack of a run game hurt the offense to be more creative and change up their plays.

Now onto the defense and special teams…

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Michigan falls in Week 15 AP Top 25 Poll

Michigan football moves down in the latest AP Top 25 poll after losing to Ohio State 56-27. Check out where Michigan is now after the loss.

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After losing 56-27 to Ohio State yesterday, Michigan found itself falling outside the top 10 in the latest AP Top 25 poll. Other teams were upset this week and the rankings will see a shakeup from last week as the regular season is now over.

Conference championship week is next week and not many changes will happen outside of the teams that play next week in those championship games. Check out the final regular-season AP Top 25 poll below.

WEEK 15 AP TOP 25 POLL:

LSU
Ohio State
Clemson
Georgia
Utah
Oklahoma
Florida
Baylor
Alabama
Wisconsin
Auburn
Penn State
Oregon
Notre Dame
Minnesota
Memphis
Michigan
Iowa
Boise State
Appalachian State
Cincinnati
Virginia
Navy
USC
Air Force

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Despite rocky start, Shea Patterson improves from 2018’s success

Michigan football starting quarterback Shea Patterson improved this season despite a tough start, leaving behind a good legacy in Ann Arbor.

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Ann Arbor, MI. — When it was announced that quarterback Shea Patterson would be transferring to Ann Arbor and playing for the Michigan Wolverines, Ann Arbor was excited. Patterson had a rough debut against Notre Dame in 2018 and suddenly the excitement was gone and the talk about playing backup quarterback Dylan McCaffrey began, as the fanbase turned their back on the transfer after just one game.

Patterson would earn their trust and love back and finished last year with a career-best 2,600 yards with 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Headed into the 2019 season, fans were once again cheering for Patterson to get better and be even more dynamic than last season. Head coach Jim Harbaugh hired an offensive coordinator to help Patterson elevate his game and increase his production from last year, his name was Josh Gattis.

The start would be similar to last year but in a different way. Patterson and the Wolverines won their home opener against Middle Tennessee State 40-21, but the fans would turn on Patterson again as he fumbled the ball multiple times and despite playing well besides the fumbles, he was booed when he came on the field after McCaffrey came in for a play.

The talk of playing McCaffrey was louder this year and it lasted longer than a week. Against Wisconsin, McCaffrey saw more playing time, but didn’t start and wouldn’t finish the game as he left with a concussion. Patterson and the offense seemed clunky at the midway point of the season, but the beginning of the second half against Penn State seemed to be like a light bulb go off for the group.

Since that half Patterson and the offense were explosive and finally seeming to be getting their act together. Gattis was finally able to have his guys play like he wanted them too. It was a new offense that took time to gel and form, and despite going on a four-game winning streak, they were held up short in the regular-season finale against Ohio State, losing 56-27.

Despite losing to Ohio State again, Patterson reiterated after the game that he made the right choice in coming to Ann Arbor and playing for Michigan.

“From day one it’s been a dream come true,” Patterson said. “To come play football at the University of Michigan. Wouldn’t really change anything, obviously the outcome of this game. Wouldn’t want to go with anybody else. Something that I’ll cherish and I’ll remember for a very long time putting on the maize and blue. Very thankful.”

At the end of the regular season, Patterson has already gotten past last year’s numbers, throwing for 2,828 yards with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions. With one game left in his career, Patterson could throw for over 3,000 yards and make this year’s touchdown amount the highest he’s ever had, and the interceptions the fewest he’s had in a full season if he doesn’t throw one in the bowl game.

Despite all the hate and the negativity around Patterson while he was in Ann Arbor, he fought threw it all and improved his skillset compared to how he was playing at Ole Miss. He never got to beat Ohio State, and that’s going to sting him and the rest of the team, but Patterson won’t get another shot at them. Either way, his play was something Michigan has had at the position for years.

Often criticized, yet rarely praised by the Michigan fanbase, Patterson will go down as one of the best quarterbacks to ever play for the Wolverines. He isn’t the number one guy in the history of the program, but to say he isn’t a top 10-15 guy would be incorrect. In just two years he helped Michigan grow and change their offensive ways of the past. Despite the records not changing (unless they lose their bowl game), and winning any championships, Patterson helped elevate Michigan’s offense to become better and he leaves behind some talent that can grow and possibly be something special in 2020.

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