The Five Fatal Errors That Ended Michigan's 2022 Season

Although the Michigan Wolverines continued to fight for a full four quarters, the self-inflicted mistakes were just too much to overcome.

After playing a perfect regular season, and then a solid Big Ten title game, Michigan was sitting at 13-0 and favored to beat TCU in the Fiesta Bowl. Then, in said bowl game, the Wolverines did about a dozen things that they hadn't done all year long, which resulted in a 51-45 loss. 

Out of the gate, on the first play of the game, Donovan Edwards went 54 yards, but was strangely caught from behind. Granted, the TCU defensive back did have the angle, but Michigan fans got used to watching Edwards gallop into the end zone after big gains like that. Michigan then proceeded to sputter out and get stopped on 4th down turning the ball over. 

Fatal error No. 1.

Michigan then got the ball back after stopping TCU, but quarterback JJ McCarthy threw an out route late and inside, which was picked off and returned for a touchdown by the Horned Frogs. It was the second pick six of the season for McCarthy. 

Fatal error No. 2.

Later, the Wolverines got the ball back and almost immediately hit a big play down the field to Roman Wilson. The 50-yard reception was initially called a touchdown, but was then overturned after the officials said Wilson was down just short of the goal line. On the ensuing play, McCarthy and newly-converted running back Kalel Mullings botched a simple handoff and TCU recovered the fumble in the end zone for a touchback. 

Fatal error No. 3.

As Michigan and TCU came out in the second half, it was still a game at 21-6, barely. Michigan actually added a field goal and a touchdown in the third quarter to make it a 21-16 contest and it started to feel like another dominant second half performance by U-M in the making. Then, with 2:52 left in the quarter, McCarthy threw another pick six.  

Fatal error No. 4.

For the rest of the quarter, it was a whirlwind. In the final 2:52 of the third quarter, three more touchdowns would be scored, two of which were by Michigan. The Wolverines then scored again just 47 seconds into the fourth quarter, making the game 41-38. Michigan was all the way back into it with a ton of momentum. Then, three plays later on 3rd and 7, defensive coordinator Jesse Minter sent another aggressive blitz that didn't get home. Duggan retreated, found Quentin Johnston on a crossing route and he was off to the races. The blitz left the DBs hanging, cornerback DJ Turner took a bad angle and whiffed on the open field tackle. All Turner ended up seeing was No. 1 flying down the sidelines for a 79-yard score. 

Fatal error No. 5.

Throw in the fact that Michigan had to have it on the final offensive play of the game when it was 4th and 10 and veteran center Olu Oluwatimi snapped the ball to McCarthy when he wasn't looking, and you have the final fatal error of the game. 

At the end of the day, it was just too many mistakes for Michigan to overcome. Sure, there were some nice things mixed in. McCarthy threw for nearly 400 yards and showed his playmaking ability. Donovan Edwards once again went over 100 yards with only one good hand. Multiple wide receivers finally had a chance to show off a bit in the same game. But none of those good things were enough to make up for a number of errors against a fast team with playmaking ability.