Wolverine Watch: Michigan Ready To Boil Over

All I can say is, those last couple of seconds are still boiling. We still taste it in our mouth. We’re going to give Michigan State our all this week.

— Senior running back De’Veon Smith

So much for savoring another pummeling of an undercard palooka. The Wolverines didn’t even pretend they weren’t thinking about Michigan State moments after they eviscerated the Illini, 41-8.

Oh, they showed up and did everything required to beat an Illinois crew headed for a 12-game season and a New Year’s date watching bowl games on TV.

The Wolverines smacked down the Illini, coming within one ill-fated punt fake of yet another shutout. Meanwhile, redshirt sophomore quarterback Wilton Speight posted what head coach Jim Harbaugh described as perhaps his best game in a winged helmet.

Speight carved up the Illini when his backs weren’t running over, around and through them for 270 yards on the ground. Speight worked on accuracy during Michigan’s bye week and shot the Illini full of arrows — 16-of-23 passing for 253 yards and two touchdowns.

In short, Homecoming marked another breeze on a breezy day for Harbaugh’s crew. The most nerve-jangling moments for the assembled 111,103 involved the intrusion of an uninvited backside into their undefined spot on blue bleachers.

When it was over, the Wolverines readily admitted this wasn’t one to savor for 24 hours, prior to any mention of what’s up next. They’ve been waiting for 370 days for the task ahead.

“We’re definitely moving on from this,” Speight assured. “Coach said we’ll go back to Schem [Schembechler Hall], and eat our ice cream and enjoy this win. Come nine or 10 at night, we’ll probably watch some of the games going on tonight, then start getting our mind ready for this week.

“This isn’t a game that you have to motivate yourself for or get up for. This is Michigan-Michigan State. I personally haven’t experienced a win against those guys … we’re hungry for that. This is a big game.”

It’s always big in the state of Michigan. It grew bigger for those in winged helmets the last eight years, when they spiraled down to seven losses.

It grew enormous in those last couple of seconds to which Smith referred, with an edge as hard as the steel in his eyes.

In those seconds, a win turned to a loss. In those seconds, smiles turned to shock. In those seconds, a snap tumbled perilously to the turf, returned there after a scoop and whiff on a punt that never sailed away. In those seconds, the ball bounced into Spartan hands, a green convoy of misery delivering a 27-23 shocker.

Oh yeah … they remember.

“I was on the field when that play happened,” senior safety Dymonte Thomas said. “I just couldn’t believe what took place. We had that bye week the next week, and that was the only thing I thought about. I couldn’t think about anything else. I just wanted to get revenge. Next week we’ve got our chance.”

There might not be much talk about the last couple of seconds as Saturday’s aftermath gives way to Sunday’s prep. Inquiring minds probed Harbaugh himself about that ending, and he stiff-armed the inquiry like Smith at his ornery, on-field best.

The Wolverines might take his cue there in the days to come. They might be instructed to do so. But in this iron-willed look ahead, they didn’t shy from it.

“Those last few seconds, we all thought the game was wrapped up,” Speight said. “It was shock. I remember that night I went home and was with some teammates. We really didn’t know what to say or what to do. We were all just kind of in shock.”

They have a chance to deliver some electricity of their own seven days hence. They’re strong, confident, steamrolling everything in sight at 7-0, No. 3 in the nation. The Spartans are reeling, talking of summoning pride and reaching a bowl game.

None of that matters, Speight assured. It all comes down to one game, 60 minutes, delivering in a contest that’s as much exorcism as extra effort.

Michigan hasn’t focused on anyone special over the past eight weeks. That approach turned out pretty well.

“It’s not like we had this game circled,” Speight insisted. “Coach does a good job of the next game is the championship game. The next game is Michigan State. It means a little more since it’s the rivalry, but it’s the next game up — it’s a championship game.”

But make no mistake, Smith assured. They’re boiling, every second.