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The Final Word: 3 final thoughts from Michigan's win over Illinois

Michigan flirted with disaster on Saturday but prevailed with a last-second field goal in a 19-17 victory over Illinois.

Below are three final thoughts from the Wolverines' win over the Illini.

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Good teams find a way

Newsflash, folks. Michigan is a good program.

At 11-0, that fact is obvious.

It's how they got to 11 wins that make this team good. The Wolverines weathered the adversity storm, you could make the argument that the team was on the brink with the way the offense was sputtering. The team found a way and that's how good teams do it.

Win by any means necessary and don't apologize for victories.

We saw this week how fragile a football season is. A slip-up can ruin a good thing pretty quickly. U-M stumbled, no doubt, but it quickly picked itself up and walked away with a win. Even if it wasn't pretty.

This is the type of game the Wolverines would've lost two years ago. The mental roadblocks the program had after facing adversity would often result in losses.

These past two seasons have proven that this program has taken the next step. Saturday is another reminder of that.

Jake Moody is special

Enjoy Jake Moody while he's here. While it makes the kicking game look so easy, it's not. The efficiency he plays with is special. As Jim Harbaugh said it, legendary. A lot of programs would love to have a kicker of Moody's stature. Which is why he's so important to the special team's group.

There's a reason why he won the Lou Groza Award last year and there's a reason why he could very well win it again this year.

NFL-type kickers don't grow on trees, so appreciate what he's been able to do with the time he has left in Ann Arbor.

Blake Corum is the lifeblood of this offense

It seemed obvious before Saturday but Blake Corum's absence in the second half made it brutally apparent that he is the one that makes this team hum. If Michigan can figure out the passing game, you might be able to operate without some nerves.

However, with the passing game struggling, the Wolverines have never needed someone in the lineup as badly as it needs Corum.

Of course, not having Donovan Edwards hurts the depth and the back-ups performed admirably in their absence but it's clearly not the same.

Let's hope, for U-M's case, that Corum is able to play against Ohio State.

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