Stock Up, Stock Down: No. 12 Michigan survives poor 2nd half, beats Minnesota

For the second straight week, the Wolverines watched a halftime lead disappear, but held on to beat the Golden Gophers on a rainy afternoon in Ann Arbor...

Matt Lounsberry | Sep 28, 2024

Sep 28, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers running back Darius Taylor (1) rushes chased by Michigan Wolverines defensive end Derrick Moore (8) in the first half at Michigan Stadium. / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

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Michigan Wolverines

For the second consecutive week, No. 12 Michigan watched a two-score halftime lead disappear in the final 30 minutes. However, the Maize and Blue made enough plays down the stretch to survive Minnesota's second half comeback in a 27-24 win over the Golden Gophers.

Following an opening drive touchdown, the Wolverines forced two turnovers and blocked a punt to set up two more short scoring drives to take a 21-0 lead in the closing minutes of the first half. Minnesota mounted a 10-play, 77-yard drive of their own to get three points on the board before halftime, and then outscored the Wolverines 21-6 in the second frame to quiet the Big House crowd.

The Golden Gophers then recovered an onside kick, but Michigan was saved by an offsides penalty on the attempt. The Wolverines recovered the subsequent kick to escape with a three-point victory. Here are the positive and negative takeaways that stood out from today's game:

Stock Up

Michigan's run defense, pass rush: The stock here was pretty high already, but the Wolverines' defensive front continues to flex against the run. Michigan held Minnesota to just 38 yards on the ground, and even removing the sacks of Gopher quarterback Max Brosmer, the Wolverines allowed just 3.3 yards per carry. It was another strong day for junior defensive tackle Mason Graham, who had four tackles, two sacks and a QB hurry. Michigan finished with five sacks total, with Kenneth Grant (1), T.J. Guy (1) , Derrick Moore (0.5) and Rayshaun Benny (0.5) getting in on the action, and had nine tackles for loss overall. Another strong effort from the front seven.

Jyaire Hill, Michigan's pass coverage: In addition to being stout against the run, this was Michigan's cleanest performance in defending the pass this season. Plagued by miscommunication and blown assignments in the first four weeks, the Wolverines had no obvious breakdowns in their pass coverage today. Minnesota's aerial attack is far from explosive, but the Wolverines were markedly better today than even games against Fresno State and Arkansas State earlier in the year. It was a particularly impressive performance given the fact All-American cornerback Will Johnson was held out for precautionary reasons. Redshirt freshman corner Jyaire Hill continues to improve, and he had an incredible interception in today's game. Hill's development is highly encouraging for this defense.

Kalel Mullings' production: Taking over as the starting running back, Mullings had another explosive run that resulted in a 27-yard touchdown. Minnesota made the redshirt senior work for every yard he got after that big play, but Mullings still accumulated 111 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the day. The senior just embodies everything Michigan is trying to do offensively and what they are as a team. His growth from converting as a linebacker in 2022 to what he has become now is remarkable. The Wolverines have their bell cow tailback, but the ceiling of this offense will be predicated on adding other aspects and playmakers to what Mullings brings every time out.

Stock Down

Second-half execution: For the second consecutive week, Michigan dominated the opening 30 minutes only to come out of the locker room flat. Against USC, the Wolverines led 14-3 at the break, but did nothing offensively until their final, game-winning possession against the Trojans. Today was very similar, as Michigan watched a 21-3 halftime lead shrink to 24-17 early in the fourth quarter. In the first 17 minutes of the second half, the Wolverines were held to three points and 81 total yards, before mounting a late drive to add a decisive field goal. On the one hand, it's encouraging to see Michigan execute its game plan at a high level in the first 30 minutes, but these poor second halves will catch up with this team before long.

Alex Orji's deep ball: Michigan gave its quarterback more opportunities to throw the ball today, but the limitations remain glaring. Most of the Wolverines' pass plays consist of Orji dialing in on one receiver. If he's open, Orji throws it. If not, it's a scramble or a coverage sack. Very rarely is Orji going through any sort of progressions to different targets. Unfortunately, even when a receiver is open, Orji's accuracy remains wildly inconsistent. The redshirt sophomore underthrew Loveland on a wide open deep route in the third quarter, which resulted in an interception. We saw some good things from Orji today too, but how long can Michigan get away with not having a downfield passing threat? Orji finished his day 10-of-18 passing for 86 yards, a touchdown and an interception. It's been enough for two Michigan wins so far, but how long can U-M survive the lack of a downfield pass game?

Donovan Edwards' usage: It was another quiet day for Edwards, who lost his starting job to Mullings and was held 35 all-purpose yards (34 rushing, one receiving). Michigan mixed in some packages that featured both Edwards and Mullings on the field together, and that's a look that could prove fruitful. Edwards had one of his best runs out of this package, and he was open up the sideline on the play in which Orji threw the interception. After the game, Orji and head coach Sherrone Moore said the ball should have gone to Edwards. There's some things to build off of from those two plays, but it still doesn't feel as if Edwards' abilities are being taken advantage of to their fullest extent.

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