Wolverine Digest

Can Michigan bully its way to another Big Ten championship?

Chris Breiler

Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore talks to players at a timeout against USC during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024.
Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore talks to players at a timeout against USC during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The Michigan Wolverines welcomed USC to the Big Ten with a full four quarter fistfight on Saturday, winning by a score of 27-24. It became clear from the very beginning that the Wolverines' game plan centered around playing fast and physical defensively, while leaning heavily on the rushing attack offensively. In other words, it was classic Michigan football.

The biggest question mark heading into Saturday's game was what the offense would look like with junior QB Alex Orji behind center. Entering the game, Orji had just seven career passing attempts as a Wolverine. Although it was expected that he would continue to be utilized as a runner in his starting role, the general belief was that Michigan would have to open the offense and throw the ball more in order for it all to work. As it turns out, that wasn't the case.

Michigan Football
Michigan running back Kalel Mullings (20) runs for a touchdown against USC during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Drive after drive, the Wolverines pummeled the USC defense into submission. Michigan ran the ball 46 times and finished with 290 yards on the ground, averaging 6.3 yards per carry. Veteran Kalel Mullings led the way with another impressive performance, finishing with 159 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. Senior running back Donovan Edwards finished with 74 yards and one touchdown on 14 carries, while Orji added 43 yards on 13 carries.

As for the passing attack, Michigan finished with just 32 yards through the air on Saturday - the lowest output for the Wolverines in a game since the late 80's.

Following the game, head coach Sherrone Moore was asked about Michigan's style of play against USC.

"Well that’s my dream to see it," Moore said after the game. "And, yeah, I want to throw the ball, but when you can run the ball effectively, it kind of breaks you down a little bit. And for us, our guys, the look in their eyes this week, how they prepared, how they practiced. We adjusted some things in practice to make it a little more competitive, more physical. And the guys responded, and they loved it. They loved it. They really took it to heart. And I think the O-line...I’m so proud of that, because I’m so hard on them, but so proud of what they did and how they played today."

There's no question that it worked in Michigan's favor against the Trojans, but will it continue to work moving forward? Looking at some key statistics from the game, you would have thought that the Wolverines lost by three touchdowns or more. They didn't win the time of possession, they turned it over twice, they punted or fumbled on nine offensive possessions, and they finished with just 32 yards through the air. It's hard to imagine a scenario where that formula leads to success moving forward.

The good news is that some of the critical elements to Michigan's success looked really good on Saturday. The defense was disruptive all afternoon, while the rushing attack was dominant from start to finish. If the Wolverines can develop even an average passing attack moving forward, this is a team that could easily find itself in Indy playing for a fourth consecutive Big Ten championship.

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Chris Breiler

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