Michigan Wolverines football running back Hassan Haskins totaled 110 yards and two touchdowns in his team's win over Northwestern. (USA TODAY Sports Images)
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Best Video Game Move
Redshirt sophomore running back Hassan Haskins had a hurdle his last time out at Nebraska, then made another highlight-reel play when he mashed the 'B' (Xbox) or 'O' (PlayStation) button with a sick spin move in the first quarter.
The runner-up here goes to backfield mate and second-year freshman Blake Corum, who hit two juke moves on an 11-yard run down to the Northwestern 1-yard line in the second quarter, one play before he punched it into the end zone to break the scoring open.
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Best Effort
Michigan co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Sherrone Moore tells — well, yells at — his offensive line to 'smash!' The unit did just that, when it looked like Haskins was only going to gain a few yards on a run up the gut.
He was almost called down due to lack of forward progress, before the offensive line — and even redshirt freshman quarterback Cade McNamara — pushed the pile for first-down yardage. Haskins actually almost squirted out the other side and scored a touchdown, but he was dragged down for a 19-yard gain.
Haskins has a nickname — 'H2' — which we've heard all season long. Now, there's another element surrounding it, a nickname for third downs when he's on the field: 'Third and H2,' which was created by assistant strength coach Justin Tress.
"[Tress] came up with the slogan of third and H2," head coach Jim Harbaugh revealed in the postgame. "I think there was a third-and-two again today, got three or four out of it, picked up the first down. He’s something. He’s really special. So is Blake and a bunch of these guys on this team."
Haskins is remarkable at picking up the yards needed to move the chains. Here is a list of all of his third-down runs from this game:
Hassan Haskins On 3rd Down vs. Northwestern
Yards To Go
Yards Gained
2
3
1
6
3
6
2
-1
2
3
2
5
Most Concerning Aspect Of The Game
Michigan got inside the 5-yard line twice in the first half, and came away with just three points. The Wolverines got too cute with play calling on the first occasion, throwing two unsuccessful passes to the outside and settling for a 20-yard field goal. On the second trip, sophomore wideout Mike Sainristil fumbled after catching a third-down flat pass — he wasn't going to get in the end zone anyway, however.
The Wolverines had 267 yards in the first half but only 10 points, and 190 yards in the second half with 23 points. The difference was executing and finishing drives.
Nearly Full Michigan Trophy Case
Saturday's game was the first of many to come against Northwestern with the George Jewett Trophy on the line. In the 1890s, Jewett became the first black player to compete at Michigan, Northwestern and in the Big Ten, and his family, which was decked out in U-M apparel, was honored during the game.
The Jewett Trophy is staying in Ann Arbor, along with the Little Brown Jug, which the Wolverines still hold after beating Minnesota last season. Now, all focus shifts to Michigan State, and the Wolverines have a chance to take back the Paul Bunyan Trophy to complete the trilogy.
Including sacks, Northwestern's two quarterbacks combined for minus-13 rushing yards, while Michigan redshirt freshman signal-caller Cade McNamara ran twice for mins-6 yards.
There's a reason why the Wolverines have been using freshman J.J. McCarthy in read-option plays, giving him time while the game is still on the line to give defenses a different look and keep them honest.
McCarthy kept one late in the third quarter, running around the right end, making a couple cuts and gaining 23 yards.
Michigan's defense made plenty of plays in this one, but none were better than redshirt freshman cornerback DJ Turner's interception on the first play of the fourth quarter. He jumped a hook route, made a nifty catch (after some bobbling) and returned it 23 yards down to the Wildcat 15-yard line.
Speaking of Turner, he was on the brunt end of an objectively atrocious call. Running with a receiver along the sideline, the third-year player was shoved from behind and fell down, before the Wildcat wideout wasn't able to come down with the catch.
Penalty flags hit the turf, and the Michigan faithful cheered, thinking Northwestern would be called for the foul.
But no, the official got Turner for a pass interference, with radio sideline man Doug Karsch describing it following the game as Turner's back getting in the way of the receiver's arms.
The crowd booed and Turner was confused, understandably.
Northwestern senior right tackle Ethan Wiederkehr didn't stand a chance.
On third-and-eight early in the second quarter, Michigan junior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson pinned his ears back and went with his bull rush move, overpowering the tackle and sacking sophomore quarterback Ryan Hilinkski, sharing the takedown with redshirt freshman outside linebacker David Ojabo.
A midseason All-American and projected first-round draft pick, Hutchinson has six sacks on the season and has been described as "unblockable" by analysts. This is a great example of why he's received so much acclaim.
Sophomore wide receiver Cornelius Johnson isn't usually on the punt return team, but he was this week, with special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh drawing up a play for the 6-3, 211-pounder to go for the block off the edge.
Johnson took the perfect amount of strides, Jim Harbaugh said, getting a clean block and giving the Maize and Blue the ball back, setting up a touchdown just plays later.
On Michigan State week each season, Harbaugh usually gives the same line when asked about the importance of the game: "It always has been, is and always will be a big game."
Not this year, with MSU owning an undefeated record, setting up the first top-10 showdown between the in-state rivals since 1964.
Harbaugh told Jon Jansen on the postgame radio show that it's the most significant matchup between the Wolverines and Spartans that he can remember, and he told us in his press conference that as soon as he walks out the doors from the media room, all focus will be on the Spartans.
"Nobody celebrates a win like the Harbaugh family," the head coach often says, but there will be undoubtedly less celebration this week with the Spartans on the clock.
