ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan Wolverines football is up on Western Michigan, 27-7, after one half of play in the season opener at The Big House.
Below, we've provided a recap of how the first half unfolded and the box score.
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Michigan, which received the opening kickoff, was able to strike first.
Facing a 4th down and one on the WMU 18-yard line, Michigan redshirt sophomore Hassan Haskins ran it up the gut for four yards. On the next play, second-year freshman back Blake Corum got the Wolverines on the board, catching a pass in the left flat and beating defenders to the corner for a 14-yard score. Redshirt sophomore Jake Moody's point after attempt was good to give the Maize and Blue a 7-0 edge after an 11-play, 75-yard opening drive.
On WMU's first offensive series, redshirt sophomore quarterback Kaleb Eleby converted a 3rd down and two, completing a ball for 18 yards to senior wideout Jaylon Hall to get it deep into Michigan territory (25-yard line). Junior running back La'Darius Jefferson pounded in a two-yard touchdown run with 5:58 to play in the first quarter, tying the game at 7-7.
Corum returned the ensuing kickoff 79 yards to the WMU 21-yard line. The Wolverines got behind the sticks after a false start penalty, then set up Moody for a 37-yard made field goal three plays later to put Michigan up, 10-7.
One play after Michigan fifth-year senior safety Brad Hawkins had a potential incompletion go through his hands, Eleby — who went 8-for-12 passing for 89 yards in the opening stanza — found sophomore wideout Skyy Moore for a 22-yard pickup on 3rd and 10 to move the chains as the first quarter wound down.
Michigan led, 10-7, at the end of the first.
Michigan redshirt freshman defensive end Mike Morris and redshirt junior linebacker laid the wood on WMU sophomore running back Sean Tyler for a loss of three yards on 3rd and 2. The Broncos punted for a second-straight possession. Michigan set up shop at the 17-yard line with 10:54 left in the half.
Michigan redshirt sophomore signal-caller Cade McNamara went deep to junior wide receiver Ronnie Bell — who came down with the ball and darted to the end zone for a 76-yards score — on 3rd and 3. That gave the Maize and Blue a 17-7 advantage with 9:18 to go in the half.
WMU went three-and-out on the ensuing drive, punting for a third straight series. Bell brought the punt back 31 yards to the WMU 31-yard line, then was tended to by the training staff after the play and struggled to leave the field, before being carted into the locker room.
Three plays later, Haskins dashed up the middle, broke a tackle and found his way into the end zone for a 22-yard rushing score to make it a 24-7 game with 6:18 remaining before the break.
After forcing WMU's fourth-straight punt, Michigan took it 64 yards on 12 plays, before Moody knocked in a 20-yard field goal to give the Wolverines a 27-7 edge with six seconds left in the half, before WMU kneeled out the clock following the kickoff.
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