Michigan Football’s Surprising Standouts and Shocking Setbacks Revealed After Central Michigan Clash
Well, that was quite the turnaround, wasn’t it? The Michigan Wolverines didn’t just show up against Central Michigan — they showed out. No sluggish beginnings, no defensive hiccups, just a tight, well-oiled machine buzzing through the game. Even with head coach Sherrone Moore absent from the sideline, you could tell the coaching staff had dialed in during their strategy sessions. It felt like a team that scanned the highlights from their Oklahoma loss and decided, “Nope, that’s not the story we’re telling this season.” They came out swinging, proving past mistakes won’t cast a shadow over what’s ahead. Let’s dive into the standout performers and those who have a little work left to do as Michigan flexed some serious dominance on the gridiron.
How was that for a bounce back? The Michigan Wolverines came out ready to take care of business on Saturday against Central Michigan. No slow starts or defensive setbacks — just a solid performance all around. Head coach Sherrone Moore wasn’t on the sideline, but it’s clear he and his coordinators had some beneficial conversations leading up to this game. Michigan looked like it watched the tape against Oklahoma and came out ready to prove that game wasn’t going to define the entire season.
Here are four winners and two winners from Michigan’s dominant performance.
QB Bryce Underwood — Winner
How happy are we the Wolverines managed to get Bryce Underwood? His composure matches his talent, and that was on full display in the game on Saturday. Chip Lindsey finally called a few plays that allowed him to use his legs and opened up the passing game for the young quarterback. He ended the day with 235 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception. He picked up two touchdowns and 114 yards on the ground, too.
LB/edge rusher Jaishawn Barham — Winner
Jaishawn Barham gets a ton of credit for how well the defense performed in this one. He was flying all over the field and ended the day with two sacks and six total tackles. He played along the edge a ton in this game and showed just how valuable he can be rushing the passer. The Wolverines will continue to rely on Barham as the season goes on, and it was good to see him have a complete game in this one.
Dominic Zvada missed a field goal, and there were multiple collisions on the punt return. It’s nothing to completely lose our cool about, but it’s certainly an area for improvement. The special teams unit didn’t show that kind of step forward we saw on offense and defense. While it didn’t matter much against Central Michigan, the Wolverines head to Lincoln next week, and those small things are going to matter on the road against a quality opponent.
3rd down defense — Winner
The Chippewas were just 6-of-15 on third down, even when Michigan pulled several starters near the end of the game and put in some younger guys. CMU doesn’t have the kind of weapons the Wolverines saw last week in Norman, but Michigan’s defenders were much better at finishing tackles in this game.
OC Chip Lindsey — Winner
Everyone was critical of Lindsey in Michigan’s loss to Oklahoma. But this week, he reminded us he knows what he’s doing. It’s comforting to see the plays that he called against the Chippewas, especially during a well-called two-minute drive at the end of the first half — he let Underwood both throw the ball and pick up yards on the ground, all while giving the running backs a chance to make plays with their legs. Lindsey called a great game on Saturday, so hopefully he is able to be more consistent as we begin Big Ten play.
Holding penalties — Loser
In a game like this, there’s not a ton to criticize, honestly. But a holding on left guard Nathan Efobi took a 70-yard touchdown off the board for Justice Haynes. The running backs still managed to put points on the board, but it could have been a little better had Haynes’ touchdown play stood.
We know the team wins and loses together, but who would you say won the day, and who could use some improvement heading into next week? Let us know in the comments!
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