The Michigan Wolverines' 42-25 football win over Illinois this weekend was perhaps a bit closer than most expected, though there were plenty of positive takeaways for the Maize and Blue following the game.
The main positives surrounded U-M's running game, which finally found a solid rhythm for the first time all year, en route to 295 rushing yards.
Key Moment of the Game:
With Illinois trailing 35-25 and 6:33 remaining in the game, Illini redshirt freshman quarterback Matt Robinson took a shotgun snap from his own 12-yard line, looking to string together a quick drive to cut into U-M's lead.
He scrambled backward toward his own goal line as Wolverine sophomore defensive end Aidan Hutchinson swiped at his feet, only to back right into the arms of fifth-year senior defensive end Michael Danna on his blindside.
Danna hit Robinson just as he attempted to release a pass, causing the ball to fly straight into the air and right into the hands of senior defensive tackle Carlo Kemp.
Kemp was tackled by redshirt sophomore left guard Kendrick Green at the one-yard line just before he could score a touchdown, setting up U-M's offense with perfect field position.
Senior quarterback Shea Patterson would sneak it in on the ensuing play to extend Michigan's lead to 42-25 with 6:21 to play, all but ending the game.
Three Things That Worked:
1. Michigan's Ground Game
U-M's rushing attack finally showed signs of life, racking up a season-high 295 yards on the ground and averaging 6.1 yards per carry. Redshirt freshman running back Hassan Haskins led the way with 125 yards while freshman running back Zach Charbonnet chipped in 116, giving U-M two 100-yard rushers in the same game since Karan Higdon and Chris Evans accomplished the feat in a 33-10 win over Minnesota on Nov. 4, 2017.
2. Forcing Crucial Turnovers
Michigan's defense fell asleep for much of the third quarter on Saturday, but forced two key turnovers in the game's final frame and all but ended things in the process. The final straw was the aforementioned miscue that Danna forced and Kemp recovered, but the mishap that redshirt freshman linebacker Cam McGrone caused and fifth-year senior linebacker Jordan Glasgow retrieved at 8:50 of the fourth quarter also helped kill Illinois' momentum.
3. The Entire First Half Offense
Michigan posted 355 yards of offense and averaged 9.9 yards per play in the first half en route to 28 points before the break, and looked like the offensive attack that most people thought we'd see when coordinator Josh Gattis was hired. U-M lit up the first half with 205 yards on the ground and 150 through the air and moved the ball with ease, which made things even more baffling when the unit stopped its effectiveness in the third quarter.
