Grading every aspect of Michigan's 21-7 win over Michigan State:
Rushing Offense: B+
Michigan State came in with the nation's No. 1 rush defense (statistically), but the Wolverines broke their spirit on the ground, especially in the fourth quarter. Many of senior running back Karan Higdon’s 144 yards came between the tackles, and his fumble was forced by the slippery MSU turf when he lost his footing.
Junior quarterback Shea Patterson’s well-timed keepers on the read-option netted him 24 yards, and sophomore fullback Ben Mason was unstoppable in short yardage (four carries for 15 yards, including a five-yard, game-clinching score). And if you get the chance, go watch fifth-year senior Jared Wangler’s block on that run.
U-M controlled the line of scrimmage and was dominant in the fourth quarter, when the Wolverines ran it 20 times for 79 yards and owned the trenches.
Passing Offense: B
Patterson was fortunate on a couple of his passes that bounced into receivers’ hands, one to sophomore Nico Collins and one to redshirt junior Zach Gentry (both on touchdown drives), but he completed 14 of 25 passes for 212 yards and two scores in miserable conditions and got the Wolverines on the board with a huge, second-quarter touchdown pass to Collins (on third-and-goal).
Patterson’s on-the-money pass to sophomore Donovan Peoples-Jones for 79 yards and a score — and Peoples-Jones’ ability to break a tackle and take it the distance — gave Michigan momentum back in the third quarter, and the Wolverines would never relinquish it.
Rushing Defense: A+
Michigan State running back L.J. Scott returned after missing several weeks, resting up for the Michigan game, and he got next to nothing. He finished with 25 yards rushing and a long of only nine yards.
The Spartans averaged 0.7 yards per rush. MSU had negative-two yards rushing in the fourth quarter. They ran six times for 13 yards on first down in the second half before backup quarterback Rocky Lombardi ran for his team's longest run, 10 yards, on Michigan State’s last drive.
Passing Defense: A+
Michigan State’s Brian Lewerke finished 5-of-25 passing for 66 yards. You almost have to try to be that bad. The Spartans finished with 79 yards passing and were sacked four times. MSU didn’t convert a third down, going 0 for 12, and though they lost star wideout Felton Davis in the first half — he’d been targeted four times and held without a catch to that point.
Lewerke was unofficially hurried four times, but he was on the run more than that. Michigan’s coverage was suffocating on the Spartans’ overmatched receivers on the occasions he had time to throw, and he wasn’t close on many of his attempts. U-M defensive backs were only credited with one pass breakup, but they were excellent in coverage.
Special Teams: B-
The Wolverines recovered a fumbled punt that changed field position with the score tied, a huge play in the game. Punter Will Hart, though, was the special teams hero. He averaged 45.8 yards on eight punts, pinned two inside the 13 (including a beautiful coffin corner late) and has been U-M’s unsung hero this year.
There’s still concern in the kicking game. Redshirt sophomore Quinn Nordin missed a 36-yarder that wasn’t close in the first half, a kick he has to make. The return teams, too, were quiet again.
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