The Wolverine defense has strung together several impressive outings this season, and Saturday against Maryland was no different.
Michigan held the Terrapins to just 220 yards of offense, including a minuscule 73 through the air.
Prior to Saturday, Maryland had racked up at least 407 yards or more in three of its four games this year during a 3-1 start.
U-M's first-half defensive display was especially impressive.
The Maize and Blue defense kept Maryland out of the end zone prior to the break (its seven points came on a 98-yard kickoff return) and limited it to 42 total yards.
To put in perspective how dominant the defensive unit has been in 2018, the 220 yards it gave up were actually the third most an opponent had posted on it this season.
SMU tallied the most with 319, while Notre Dame checked in second with 302. Western Michigan only mustered 208 and Northwestern just 202, while Nebraska accumulated the fewest with 132.
Maryland also averaged 4.4 yards per play on Saturday, even though it had been tallying a clip of 6.3 (43rd best nationally) coming in.
"It was really an epic defensive performance," head coach Jim Harbaugh noted afterward. "We got a little thin toward the end of the game, but it was great job and a great performance.
"This Maryland team has a very potent running game, and we saw what they did to Texas. They use lots of misdirection and eye distractions, which opens up the seams. Maryland also gets a lot of long runs, but we didn’t give those up today."
Despite the effort, junior linebacker Devin Bush Jr. explained after the contest there is still plenty the unit needs to improve on.
“It was one of our best games, but there is still stuff we can tighten up," he observed. "Finishing is the main thing. We'd like to hold teams under 100 yards.”
Perhaps what was most impressive was that Michigan did all of this without junior defensive end Rashan Gary, who sat out the contest with injury.
“He was bummed this whole week that he couldn't go," Bush admitted. "Rashan was down about it, but kept his spirits high.”
Even without the junior's presence, Michigan still racked up two sacks and five tackles for loss, with junior viper Khaleke Hudson leading the way with one of the former and two of the latter.
Although Maryland managed to post 14 offensive points on the scoreboard, both touchdowns came in the fourth quarter when many of U-M's backups were in the game.
The Terps were forced to punt on their first six offensive possessions of the tilt, spanning the first three quarters.
Special Teams Yields Kick Return, But Nordin And Hart Shine
The one blemish for Michigan's special teams on Saturday was Maryland senior running back Ty Johnson's 98-yard kick return for a score in the first quarter.
Other than that, the unit was phenomenal. Again.
Redshirt sophomore kicker Quinn Nordin converted two crucial field goals — a 34-yarder in the first quarter and a 31-yarder in the third — with the second one giving U-M some breathing room at 20-7.
Despite limited work, redshirt sophomore punter Will Hart was also his usual outstanding self (he had been averaging 52.1 yards per punt entering the contest), booming one punt for 45 yards.
Sophomore cornerback Ambry Thomas, meanwhile, averaged 23 yards on two kick returns, while sophomore wideout Donovan Peoples-Jones averaged 11 yards on a pair of punt runbacks.
Miscellaneous Notes
• Michigan entered the game leading the nation in total defense (232.6 yards allowed per game), and held Maryland to 179.8 yards below the Terps' season average (399.8).
• Redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Michael Dwumfour was carted off the field with an injury in the second half and never returned.
"They're still evaluating what Michael has," Harbaugh revealed after the game. "Same thing for [junior defensive tackle] Carlo Kemp.
"I decided not to play Rashan this week, but it's not a long-term thing. He's had a bit of an AC [injury] he’s been playing through, and I thought it wise to not play him.
"We'll see about [sophomore defensive tackle] Aubrey [Solomon, who also didn't play]. He had a good week last week, and we'll see where he's at this week."
• The victory was the team's fifth straight, marking the first time it has won five in a row since starting the 2016 campaign 9-0.
• Fifth-year senior cornerback Brandon Watson's pick-six in the fourth quarter was the first score of his career, and the second interception he had tallied (his first came at Notre Dame earlier this season). It was also the second touchdown for the Michigan defense in 2018, with the other coming on junior safety Josh Metellus' 73-yard pick return versus SMU on Sept. 15.
Watson's score was the team's fourth non-offensive touchdown in 2018, with Peoples-Jones' punt return against Nebraska and Thomas' 99-yard kick return against Notre Dame being the other two.
• Sophomore defensive end Kwity Paye made his first career start in Gary's absence.
• U-M won the time of possession battle in a big way, holding the ball for 35:39, compared to just 24:21 for Maryland.
• The announced attendance of 109,531 marked the 282nd consecutive game that Michigan Stadium has featured a crowd of at least 100,000 people.
• Nordin has connected on six straight field goals, and is eight of nine on the year.
• Michigan improved to 7-1 all time against Maryland and is 4-1 against it in Big Ten play.
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