There were a couple of turning points this week. #GoBlue
The Wolverines handled Indiana quite well on Saturday. The Hoosiers had a solid start, but ended the game giving up 52 points in a row to the good guys. Not much to blame them for — Michigan was simply the better team from start to finish.
So where did this week turn? Surprisingly, Indiana almost made it to the half before the Wolverines really began to pull away.
This week’s article is sort of a two-parter. With the score at 14-7 and 1:57 on the clock in the second quarter, Indiana was forced to punt with Tyler Morris set up to return. He let the ball bounce over his head all the way to the Michigan 20-yard line but collected himself just in time to squirt through two defenders. Eyes locked upfield, Morris began to weave his way through the waves of blockers and tacklers. He found a lane and jetted upfield, bringing the ball all the way into Indiana territory. His explosive return gave Michigan the opportunity to put some points on the board before heading into the half.
The second turning point came a few snaps later. With just under a minute remaining, Michigan had moved the ball into the red zone and was threatening to put the game out of reach. The Wolverines broke the huddle with four receivers out wide and Donovan Edwards in the backfield. Indiana brought a slot blitz and it got home.
Almost.
McCarthy recognized the blindside pressure at the last moment and stepped up to avoid it. His momentum swung him around and he rolled out to his left with the defense in hot pursuit. In the meantime, Edwards, who had leaked out for a route, began to run with McCarthy towards the sideline. With a defender closing and an awkward angle, McCarthy was left with a difficult play. Instead of trying to set his feet or rip a sidearm pass, he hopped off the ground for a half second. While in mid-air, J.J. awkwardly shoveled the ball about 10 yards downfield to Edwards, who caught it in stride. The back turned up field, lowered his shoulder, and was marked down just short of the goal line. Michigan would score a touchdown before half.
In addition to setting up a two-possession lead, this felt like it kicked the wind out of the Hoosiers’ defense. They had done a good job for enough of the half to feel like they were in the game, but having a special teams lapse followed by a back yard completion is simply demoralizing. Michigan continued to pour it on the rest of the matchup, and never let off the gas.
