With Michigan's ground game limited by injuries, junior quarterback Shea Patterson was the star of the show and accounted for 257 yards of total offense and three passing touchdowns in the 45-20 win over SMU.
Here's a look at what various experts around the web are saying about the quarterback and his team:
Bill Bender, Sporting News: Shea Patterson can lead Michigan to Big Ten success if Jim Harbaugh puts more trust in QB
"Michigan's goals of competing for a Big Ten championship and a College Football Playoff berth under fourth-year coach Jim Harbaugh this season are still within reach.
"Snicker all you want. Harbaugh might struggle in big games, but he doesn't lose games the Wolverines (2-1) are supposed to win. That trend continued with a 45-20 victory over SMU at Michigan Stadium on Saturday. Wisconsin and Michigan State have suffered such losses in nonconference play in 2018.
"Michigan enters conference play as one of Ohio State's main challengers for the conference title with Penn State. How each team utilizes its quarterback will play a deciding role.
"The Buckeyes trust Dwayne Haskins. The Nittany Lions trust Trace McSorley. If Harbaugh can trust Shea Patterson the same way, then the Wolverines will have a chance. Patterson finished 14 of 18 for 237 yards with three TDs and an interception against the Mustangs.
"Michigan tried to establish the run vs. SMU without injured running back Karan Higdon, who dressed but did not play. The Wolverines ran 13 times in their first 20 plays but gained just 46 yards on those rushes. They did not score in their first three drives and Patterson capped that ugly 20-play stretch with an interception in the red zone.
"Michigan scored on the next drive — and took the lead for good — when Patterson hit Donovan Peoples-Jones for a 35-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
"At halftime, Michigan had 26 carries for 73 yards — an average of 2.8 yards per attempt. Patterson, meanwhile, was 8 of 10 for 132 yards — an average of 13.2 yards per attempt. Instead of using the run to set up the pass; the Wolverines might be better off reversing that tendency down the line, especially in big games."
Cam Mellor, Pro Football Focus: Michigan rides their defense to win over SMU, 45-20
"On offense, quarterback Shea Patterson completed 14-of-18 passes for 237 yards and three touchdowns but struggled to complete passes outside the numbers against SMU, finishing 5-of-9 on passes for just 57 yards and an interception on throws outside. However, over the middle, Patterson completed 9-of-9 passes for 180 yards and two of his scores for a perfect passer rating of 158.3.
"… As sharp as the receivers were for Michigan, their defensive unit was definitely most impressive on the afternoon. Linebacker Devin Bush led the way with an 83.1 overall grade including a team-high 79.4 grade in coverage. Bush was targeted three times and while he allowed all three passes to be caught, he limited receivers to just six total yards.
"As a unit, they recorded a total of 23 QB pressures including Rashan Gary’s team-high five pressures that included one QB hit and an additional four hurries. Edge rusher Chase Winovich brought down four pressures as well as a batted pass as all six of his tackles in went for a defensive stop."
"SMU is from the American Athletic Conference. Not a Power Five team. And, apparently, more than capable of standing up to Michigan's offensive line.
"The Wolverines tried to establish the ground game early against stacked fronts throughout the first half and had little success. Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh kept trying, with similar results.
"At one point in the second quarter, Michigan needed six plays from inside the 10-yard line to punch the football across the plane for its first score of the game. The Wolverines averaged 2.8 yards per attempt on the ground in the first half against an SMU squad that gave up 233 rushing yards a week ago at home against TCU.
"In its first 30 carries Saturday, Michigan mustered 88 yards (2.93 yards per play).
"The better news for Harbaugh continues to be the right arm of quarterback Shea Patterson, who didn't get off to a great start but eventually settled in for a very efficient afternoon through the air, despite throwing against considerable pressure from the Mustangs.
"Patterson was intercepted near the goal line in the first half, but on a play where tight end Sean McKeon stopped running toward the ball. Not a great decision, but basically his only mistake of the day. He lofted a perfect ball into the hands of a wide-open Donovan Peoples-Jones for a 41-yard touchdown, hit Peoples-Jones on a well-timed back shoulder route in the end zone and found him for a 35-yard TD strike after play action.
"We've known Patterson was capable for some time now. If anything, the question of why Harbaugh won't let him carry more water for this offense still remains. It's a safe bet the past two weeks served as experiments to get this offensive line going, though the Wolverines are no doubt going to ask more of their best offensive playmaker as they open Big Ten play next week against Nebraska."
Orion Sang, Detroit Free Press: Donovan Peoples-Jones' breakout game shows growth
"In describing Peoples-Jones after the game, both junior quarterback Shea Patterson and redshirt junior tight end Zach Gentry used the same phrase: “athletic freak.”
"That’s the label Peoples-Jones had coming out of Detroit Cass Tech. He was a 5-star recruit and the nation’s No. 1-ranked receiver for a reason. Peoples-Jones, it was said, had a unique blend of size, speed and jumping ability.
"Those traits were on display at times last fall, when Peoples-Jones appeared in all 13 games as a true freshman. There were times when he made catches, or even near-catches, that hinted at his potential. He had a couple electrifying punt returns.
"But, as is for most young receivers, there was also an adjustment period. Peoples-Jones didn’t always look like the most confident receiver. As a couple of his teammates hinted at, he had to refine his technique and route-running — the same technical details that separate receivers from playmakers.
“'Donovan’s always obviously been kind of an athletic freak,' Gentry said. 'But he’s really learned the system inside and out, and when you learn the system to that level, you just get so comfortable that you can go out and make plays. Credit to him for doing that.'
“'He’s improved a lot,' said junior safety Josh Metellus. 'He was a great wide receiver coming in as a freshman. You could tell he worked hard. But you could tell this offseason he had a little chip on his shoulder, he wanted to do more for the team. He was just putting in a lot of work, and throughout these three games you can tell it’s paid off. I just really like the way he’s progressing.'"
Angelique Chengelis, The Detroit News: Penalties take luster off dominating Michigan victory
"Michigan had 434 total yards against SMU. The Wolverines had 237 yards passing and 197 rushing. They also had 137 yards on 13 penalties.
"They entered Saturday’s game with 14 penalties and now have 244 penalty yards through three games. Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh was particularly mystified by a targeting call on Khaleke Hudson in the third quarter.
“'My thought on that, are we going down that road of we’re going to review every play in that box area?' Harbaugh said after Michigan’s 45-20 victory over SMU at Michigan Stadium. 'Running backs are going to be going through there, they’re going to be lowering their head and defenders are going to battle to see who can get lower when you have a runner versus a tackler.
“'Interesting it wasn’t called on the field, it came from the booth. That seems like a high level of scrutiny to be placing on a play between the tackles.'
"Defensive end Chase Winovich said the penalties will be 'fixed and corrected.'”
Pat Caputo, The Oakland Press: Shea Patterson the real deal? Starting to look like it
"How good is Shea Patterson?
"Has the junior quarterback lived up to the considerable hype surrounding his transfer to Michigan from Mississippi? Or is he obviously overrated?
"I don’t know the answer to the first question. Nobody does at this point, but it’s clear, at minimum, the Wolverines have made a considerable upgrade at quarterback.
"He is way more mobile and has better accuracy than Wilton Speight, and certainly better feel for the game than John O’Korn.
"Jake Rudock was solid for the Wolverines his only season wearing the winged helmet in 2015. Patterson seems far more gifted, though.
"Patterson made some really nice throws Saturday vs. SMU. They were not only complete, but perfectly placed. One, in the first half for 32 yards to tight end Zach Gentry, was particularly accurate. He scrambled brilliantly on one play to avoid a sack. He made three utterly pretty touchdown tosses to Donovan Peoples-Jones.
“'The offensive line is giving me plenty of time,' Patterson said. 'There is no reason I shouldn’t complete every pass.'
"Patterson had played out of a version of the spread in high school and college before coming to Ann Arbor. The big question was how he’d handle taking snaps under center, and working with tradition three- and five-step drops. The answer so far has been just fine."
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