Wolverines offensive woes through the air almost cost them in rivalry game, loom large with The Game rapidly approaching
The Michigan Wolverines and Bryce Underwood have to pass the ball better if they want to topple Ohio State
Typically, a team beating their in-state rival is cause for celebration. For the Michigan Wolverines, however, it’s hard to feel excited about how they played in a 31-20 win over Michigan State, and they are entirely justified in feeling that way.
Michigan started off slow, the offense flopping as they went into halftime up just 10-7. They adjusted at halftime, completely turning the ball over to the run game, and went up 17-7 on the first drive of the third quarter and ended the quarter 24-7.
You can call it garbage time if you wish, but the defense likely didn’t enjoy giving up multiple touchdowns in the fourth quarter (and what could have been even more points), and it was never a comfortable blowout for Michigan. They don’t play anyone that will challenge them in their next couple of games, but with their rivalry game against the Ohio State Buckeyes rapidly approaching, Michigan should be improving every week, and not regressing.
Michigan, Bryce Underwood have to be better moving forward
This should have been a nice tune-up game for Bryce Underwood and Michigan’s passing offense. Michigan State was dead last in the Big Ten in passing yards allowed per game. However, you couldn’t tell that based on the results of the game. The Spartans blanketed Michigan’s wide receivers all game and shut down Underwood through the air, holding him to just 86 yards. Underwood completed less than half of his passes, and did not score.
It’s an unacceptable result for Michigan, who luckily was able to lean on the ground game with Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall to deliver a win. However, against Ohio State and whoever they play in the postseason, the Wolverines won’t be able to play so one-dimensional if they want to pull off a win.
The far larger concern is that the development for Underwood isn’t happening. As he gains more experience, Underwood should be growing more comfortable, more accurate, and more decisive. He hasn’t improved in any of those areas since he played Oklahoma in Week 2. The talent hasn’t diminished in any way, but it’s not being properly channeled, and that’s a massive problem this staff has to figure out.
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