Jim Harbaugh’s crew entered its 2019 opener with plenty of points to prove. The Wolverines won’t rest their case with a 40-21 win over Middle Tennessee State, but they’re not apologizing, either.
The Wolverines’ offense rolled, piling up 453 yards in their no-huddle look. The U-M defense — albeit vulnerable after turnovers — demonstrated plenty of pursuit, surrendering only a single score after the half.
In the big picture, the Wolverines started 1-0, scraped off game-day rust, and broke in a bevy of newcomers and increased-role performers.
“The first time out, I thought it was good, very productive,” head coach Jim Harbaugh said. “After the fumble on the first drive, five straight scoring drives were really good. We did some things to shoot ourselves in the foot at times … but I’m happy for the win.”
Senior quarterback Shea Patterson led the offensive onslaught, connecting on 17 of 29 throws for 203 yards and three touchdowns. Favorite targets, redshirt sophomore wideout Tarik Black (four catches, 80 yards, one TD) and junior wideout Nico Collins (three grabs, 49 yards, one TD) cashed in.
Freshman running back Zach Charbonnet made a strong debut, busting out for 90 yards on only eight carries. He paced a rushing attack that wound up accounting for 233 yards and a pair of TDs.
They all fueled U-M’s pull-away effort, hindered at times by ball insecurity. This was Middle Tennessee, not Notre Dame, and that proved helpful.
Not that the start of the game is what the Wolverines were seeking. As first impressions go, Michigan’s initial possession featured all the beauty of a warthog in high heels.
On the opening play of the 2019 season, Patterson bolted out for 15 yards and promptly fumbled the football away at the Michigan 41. Four plays later, Middle Tennessee State fans were snapping pictures of the scoreboard.
U-M’s defense completely hemmed in MTSU quarterback Asher O’Hara (22-of-32 passing, 217 yards, two touchdowns) on third down, but he put Houdini to shame, slipping out on an 18-yard touchdown run. At 12:52 of the first quarter, the Blue Raiders led, 7-0.
“We obviously didn’t get off to a good start,” Patterson said. “I’ve got to take care of the football. A win’s a win, but I think everybody in that locker room knows we didn’t live up to our standards. I put that on me. I’ve got to take care of the football.”
Michigan answered with a 57-yard drive, kick-started by Charbonnet’s 14-yard run. But a Patterson toss over the middle tumbled off sophomore wideout Ronnie Bell’s hands, and U-M settled for Moody’s 34-yard field goal at 7:37.
Redshirt junior punter Will Hart’s 37-yard boot to MTSU’s 5 set up U-M’s go-ahead score. The Blue Raiders went nowhere, punting back to Michigan’s 39. Two plays later, Patterson unloaded a 36-yard touchdown strike to Black, lonelier than a polar bear in Panama behind the non-coverage.
With 21 seconds remaining in the first quarter, the Wolverines enjoyed their first lead of the 2019 season. They weren’t giving it back.
A four-play, 67-yard scoring drive began to put the clamps on the Raiders of the Lost Lead. Patterson gunned back-to-back throws to Black, then unloaded a 28-yard TD strike to Collins, making it 17-7 with 12:54 left in the half.
“Those plays are going to happen when you’ve got guys out there that can make plays,” Patterson offered. “Tarik made a helluva catch, and Nico, and [senior tight end] Sean [McKeon]. That’s all great, and we got the ‘W,’ but we’ve just got to play better. I’ve got to play better.”
Moments later, sophomore defensive end Aidan Hutchinson forced a fumble by MTSU running back Terelle West, junior cornerback Ambry Thomas pouncing on the ball at the Michigan 28.
Two plays later, Patterson zinged a toss to McKeon, firing up the right hash. McKeon bounced off a pair of would-be tacklers and rumbled into the end zone on a 28-yard scoring play.
At 24-7 with 7:08 left, it appeared the rout was on. But a muffed punt by senior cornerback Lavert Hill put those plans on delay.
The Blue Raiders dove on the ball at Michigan’s 33. It took O’Hara eight plays to get MTSU into the end zone, but he did so on a two-yard toss to Jarrin Pierce to make it 24-14 with 2:12 left in the half.
The Wolverines, in offensive coordinator Josh Gattis' new look, kept the gas pedal down, moving from their own 39 to Middle Tennessee’s 9 in the final two minutes. Sophomore Jake Moody connected on a 27-yard field goal with five seconds left in the half, sending the Wolverines to the locker room up 27-14.
Both teams turned off the scoring spigot in the third quarter, although Michigan enjoyed its chances. The Wolverines finally cashed in on a six-yard keeper by redshirt sophomore quarterback Dylan McCaffrey, capping a five-play, 57-yard drive.
Gattis rotated quarterbacks several times, including switching Patterson and McCaffrey out to receiver. The latter wound up cashing it in, with 53 seconds left in the third quarter.
“I thought [McCaffrey] did a heck of a job going in there and running, controlling the drives,” Patterson said. “He did a really good job.”
Bell raced back 27 yards with a Middle Tennessee State punt out of its own end zone midway through the final quarter, setting Michigan up on the MTSU 15. Redshirt freshman running back Ben VanSumeren cashed in his first career touchdown from a yard out with 6:37 remaining.
The Blue Raiders scored a final, throw-away TD on a 59-yard pass from O’Hara to Jimmy Marshall, who bounced off Michigan backup defenders and raced away.
The 40-21 rout still leaves plenty of room for improvement. Of course, that’s where the Wolverines insist they’re headed.
“There were a lot of good things, but still we know in practice that we can operate cleaner,” Harbaugh said. “That’s what we all will strive for in the next week. This is a new offense, and for a first time out, I thought it was good.
“Can it be better? Sure. That’s what we’re striving for.”
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