Michigan dominated Western Michigan in every phase of the game this afternoon, winning 49-3.
First Half
The contest actually started with both teams punting on their opening possession, but the onslaught was on after that.
U-M got the scoring started when junior quarterback Shea Patterson found junior tight end Sean McKeon on a 17-yard touchdown, capping off a seven-play, 81-yard drive.
Senior running back Karan Higdon broke off a 67-yard TD run on the team's next drive, putting U-M up 14-0 with 4:11 to go in the first quarter.
Michigan's defense then stepped up when fifth-year senior linebacker Noah Furbush picked off WMU quarterback Jon Wassink at midfield with just over a minute left in the first.
The interception led to yet another score, this time from junior running back Chris Evans on a 27-yard scamper, putting the Wolverines up 21-0.
The blowout was on from there, and it only continued in the second quarter.
Junior viper Khaleke Hudson blocked WMU's punt early in the second, which led to Evans' second touchdown run of the game, making the score 28-0 with 9:35 left in the half.
Following a Bronco punt, Patterson found sophomore wideout Nico Collins for a 44-yard scoring strike, marking Michigan's first TD catch by a wideout since Grant Perry did so last year on Sept. 9 against Cincinnati.
The teams went into the break with U-M leading 35-0.
Second Half
Things expectedly slowed down in the second half, but U-M still controlled the game.
Redshirt sophomore kicker Quinn Nordin missed a 40-yard field goal with 9:44 to go in the third, marking one of the few mishaps on the afternoon for the Maize and Blue.
Patterson's third touchdown pass of the day came with 6:21 left in the quarter, when he found sophomore wideout Donovan Peoples-Jones in the back of the end zone to put U-M up 42-0.
The backups then came into the game early in the fourth quarter for Michigan, and actually looked quite impressive.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Dylan McCaffrey tossed an 18-yard scoring strike to sophomore wideout Jacob McCurry with 8:51 to go in the fourth, extending Michigan's lead to 49-0.
It was the first career TD pass for McCaffrey, and also McCurry's first career scoring catch.
WMU finally got on the board, though, when it nailed a 35-yard field goal with just 2:34 left in the game, cutting Michigan's advantage to 49-3.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Brandon Peters came in on U-M's final drive of the game, but did not attempt a pass, and U-M closed out a 49-3 victory.
The Wolverines outgained the Broncos in yardage, 451-208, including a 308-123 advantage on the ground.
Higdon finished with 156 yards on the ground, while Evans added an extra 86.
The Wolverines next face SMU next Saturday at 3:30, before opening conference play on Sept. 22 against Nebraska.
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