The Michigan football team defeated Minnesota last weekend, but it wasn’t a very nice victory. The Wolverines played excellent defence in the first three quarters, and their offence did well enough to help up a sizable lead for the club. But in the fourth quarter, Michigan gave up all control and nearly allowed the Golden Gophers to rally from a 21-point deficit.
With a 24-3 lead heading into the fourth quarter on Saturday, the Michigan football team appeared to be in cruise control. But the Golden Gophers forced a three-and-out, marched down the field for a touchdown, and recovered a punt inside the red zone to set up another touchdown in just a few minutes. In an instant, the time was 24-17, with plenty of remaining seconds.
The Wolverines are rated #10 in the nation and are 4-1. They have defeated the #11 team and have only lost to the nation’s #2 squad. I think that sounds really excellent. There’s a good reason why Michigan is the underdog against a 3-2 Washington squad this week, as they have suffered defeats to Rutgers and Washington State. The Wolverines haven’t always seemed to be a top-10 squad. The following are the main worries as we approach week six:
The quarterback position is undoubtedly the Michigan football team’s top worry at the moment. The Wolverines have managed to win four games without producing huge passing plays, but will they be able to complete the throw when the game is close and the ball needs to be delivered? Last season, when Michigan found itself in third and long situations, we witnessed JJ McCarthy make clutch plays time and time again. The defence will undoubtedly halt those situations when they arise.
If the passing game becomes necessary, Michigan hasn’t demonstrated anything to imply that they can win a football game with it. The Wolverines don’t really need a quarterback who can win a shootout and pass for 400 yards. They want a person who can, however, convert third and seven via the air. That hasn’t been taking place.
This Michigan squad has now put on three consecutive awful second half performances. The Wolverines have lost their previous three games due to second-half deficits of 57-26. Amazingly, Michigan has prevailed in each of the three matches. All four quarters, though, the club knows they have to play quality football. There’s not much more time for these second half efforts.
Michigan must be pleased with their 4-1 record and #10 position at the conclusion of the day. But if they don’t address these issues, that won’t endure. This is not how Michigan will defeat Oregon and Ohio State, and matches against Washington, Illinois, Michigan State, and Indiana appear far more challenging than they did at the beginning of the season. The only game left that seems like a definite win is Northwestern at home. The Wolverines need to make some immediate adjustments because this weekend’s game against the Huskies will be difficult.
