Next U-M Event: Saturday, Oct. 26 — vs. Michigan State (Michigan Stadium), 7:30 p.m. (TV: BTN)
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The No. 24-ranked University of Michigan football team struggled with turnovers in a 21-7 loss against No. 22 Illinois on Saturday (Oct. 19) at Memorial Stadium.
Despite totaling 55 more yards and having the ball seven minutes more than Illinois, Michigan only found the scoreboard once in the loss. U-M struggled to finish drives, committing three turnovers, including an interception deep in Illini territory.
After leading the Michigan offense in rushing and receiving yards in all but one game each this season, Kalel Mullings and Colston Loveland were productive again in the loss. Mullings rushed the ball 19 times for 87 yards and recorded the lone U-M score (a one-yard rushing touchdown late in the second quarter). Loveland caught seven passes for 83 yards and added first-down receptions on three crucial third downs in the effort.
Defensively, the Maize and Blue managed to hold Illinois to 21 points despite being forced into short-field situations on multiple occasions. U-M allowed just 80 passing yards, a season low for Illinois, and conversions on three of 11 third downs. Jaishawn Barham led the team in tackles (seven) and recorded two pass breakups, while Josaiah Stewart recorded six tackles, a half-sack and 1.5 tackles for loss.
The Illinois offense marched down the field to open the game, putting together a seven-play, 46-yard drive which concluded with a 47-yard field goal. The Wolverines’ offensive attack did not to see the same success, punting on its first two drives of the game and turning the ball over on its next two.
The first turnover, a fumble by Jack Tuttle on the second play of the second quarter, was recovered by Illinois at the U-M 38-yard line. After working the ball into the Michigan red zone, Stewart and Derrick Moore combined for a sack on third down to force a 32-yard field goal, which extended the Illinois lead to 6-0.
Donovan Edwards turned the ball over on U-M’s next offensive possession to set up the Illini with opportune field position again at their 49-yard line. A pass interference call on the Michigan defense helped lead to an Illinois two-yard passing touchdown. The Wolverines committed five penalties in the first half, and four resulted in Illini first downs.
Michigan found its offensive stride on its fifth trip down the field. A 12-play touchdown drive — the fourth-longest of the year — ended with U-M’s first points and Mullings’ seventh touchdown this season. He rushed eight times for 37 yards in the attack, including a one-yard touchdown to cut the Illinois lead to 13-7 with 1:40 remaining in the first half.
Illinois mustered a late-half drive and set itself up for a 44-yard field goal as time expired. The try was blocked by Makari Paige and held the game’s deficit to six points heading into the break.
On Illinois’ first offensive drive of the second half, the Wolverines forced a quick fourth down before a 36-yard rush on a fake punt set the Illini up for a scoring opportunity in Michigan territory. This led to a one-yard rushing touchdown and a successful two-point conversion, bringing the game’s score to 21-7.
Michigan’s next two drives combined for 14:13 of game time but failed to result in points due to a blocked 28-yard field goal try by Dominic Zvada and an interception thrown by Tuttle at the Illinois two-yard line.
The U-M offense was held scoreless by the Fighting Illini for the final 31:40 of the contest.
Michigan will play for the Paul Bunyan Trophy next Saturday (Oct. 26) as they return to Ann Arbor to face Michigan State. The game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on Big Ten Network.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. –No. 22 Illinois celebrated its Memorial Stadium Rededication Game with a 21-7 win against No. 24 Michigan on Saturday afternoon.
The game, which took place 100 years and one day after Red Grange’s iconic six-touchdown performance against Michigan during the stadium’s Dedication Game, marked the Fighting Illini’s third ranked victory of the season.
The Illini defense forced three turnovers against the Wolverines. Gabe Jacas registered a game-high 13 tackles and 2.5 sacks, while Dylan Rosiek tallied a career-best 12 tackles. Matthew Bailey also finished with double-digit tackles (11) to go along with one forced fumble and an interception. TeRah Edwards made two sacks and forced a fumble.
Aidan Laughery led the Illini’s ground attack with nine carries for 54 yards, while Josh McCray also reached the 50-yard rushing mark. Luke Altmyer, who amassed 80 passing yards and 48 rushing yards, was credited with a rushing score in the third quarter.
David Olano hit two field goals, including a 47-yarder to open the scoring on the Orange and Blue’s first drive of the game.
The Illini, who began the day on offense, jumped out to an early lead on their first possession of the afternoon. Aidan Laughery’s 29-yard rush marked the longest play of the drive, which ultimately finished with a 47-yard field goal off the foot of Olano. The successful make signified Illinois’ sixth consecutive game with an opening-drive score.
After the Orange and Blue defense forced the Wolverines to punt on each of their first two possessions, the Illini recorded their first takeaway early in the second quarter. Jacas forced his third fumble of the season, while Malachi Hood jumped on the loose ball for the first recovery of his career.
Illinois took advantage of the turnover, doubling its lead via Olano’s second field goal of the day, this time from 32 yards out.
The Illini defense came up with their second turnover on Michigan’s next possession, with Bailey punching the ball loose for his first-career forced fumble and Miles Scott registering the recovery.
The Orange and Blue needed just over three minutes to go 51 yards down the field and find the end zone for the first time. Tanner Arkin notched his third receiving score of the season on a 2-yard reception to extend the hosts’ edge, 13-0, with under eight minutes remaining in the first half.
The Wolverines cut into their deficit late in the second quarter, which saw both sides head into the locker room with the Illini holding a 13-7 edge. Illinois scored on both of its two first-half takeaways, both of which came on fumble recoveries in the second quarter.
The Illini defense forced a three-and-out on Michigan’s first drive of the second half, sending the Illinois offense onto the field. Facing a fourth-and-7, the Orange and Blue perfectly executed a fake punt, a 36-yard gain by Arkin, to move into the red zone. Four plays later, Luke Altmyer found the end zone on a 1-yard quarterback sneak to add to the Illinois advantage.
With Altmyer forced to sit out a play after losing his helmet on the score, Donovan Leary stepped up and found Zakhari Franklin for the two-point conversion, which moved the Illini’s lead to 21-7 midway through the third quarter.
Michigan then drove down the field before the Illinois defense forced a stop in the red zone. Ezekiel Holmes got his hand on the field-goal attempt, marking the Illini’s first blocked kick of the season.
The Illini were forced to punt on their ensuing possession, but Bailey secured his first interception of the season with the Wolverines in the red zone. Jacas tallied all 2.5 of his sacks on the fourth quarter, and the Orange and Blue closed out the victory to remain undefeated at Memorial Stadium this season.
No. 22 Illinois (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) travels to take on No. 2 Oregon next week. Kickoff is slated for Saturday, Oct. 26, at 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS from Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon.
HIGHLIGHTS
PRESS CONFERENCE
POSTGAME NOTES
Team Notes
Illinois is off to a 6-1 start for the second time in Bret Bielema‘s four seasons at Illinois (2022, 2024). The 6-1 start is tied for the best start by an Illinois team since starting 6-0-1 in 1953.
Illinois is 6-1 or better for the fourth time since 2000 (2001, 2011, 2022, 2024).
Illinois is 6-1 with three AP Top 25 wins for the first time since 1990.
It is the fifth 6-1 start since 1990 (1990, 2001, 2011, 2022, 2024).
Illinois snapped a 14-game losing streak against defending national champions.
First win since Oct. 25, 1958, vs. Michigan State.
The Illini won their first ranked-vs.-ranked game at Memorial Stadium since a 10-7 triumph over No. 11 Ohio State on Oct. 12, 1991.
Illinois beat Michigan for the first time since Oct. 31, 2009 (38-13).
Bret Bielema improved to 4-3 in his coaching career vs. Michigan.
Only active coach in the Big Ten (min. 2 games) to have an above .500 record against the Wolverines.
Illinois kicked a field goal on its opening drive and has now scored on its first possession in six-straight games (3 TD, 3 FG).
The Illini defense forced three turnovers in today’s game, their most in a Big Ten game this season.
The Illinois defense also forced two Michigan turnovers in a four-play span in the second quarter.
Third game this season the defense has forced at least three turnovers.
The Illinois defense recorded five sacks in today’s game.
Second time this season with at least five sacks in a Big Ten game.
Most sacks allowed by Michigan this season and most since also allowing five on Dec. 29, 2018, vs. No. 10 Florida in the Peach Bowl.
Illinois held Michigan to seven points in today’s game, the fewest points scored by the Wolverines since being shut out by No. 16 Notre Dame on Sept. 6, 2014.
Michigan was held scoreless in the second half for the first time since Sept. 25, 2021, vs. Rutgers.
Michigan had scored 10+ points in 130 straight games.
The Illini rushed for 187 yards against the Wolverines.
Michigan entered the game allowing just 76.3 yards on the ground, which ranked third in the country.
The 187 yards are the most allowed by Michigan since Dec. 31, 2022, vs. TCU (263 yards).
Today’s official attendance was 60,670, the second sellout of the season and the 77th in Memorial Stadium history.
Player Notes
QB Luke Altmyer completed 9 of 18 passes for 80 yards and a touchdown.
Has 15 touchdown passes this season, the most by an Illinois quarterback since Tommy DeVito also had 15 in the 2022 season.
Second straight game with a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown.
Rushed for a touchdown in the third quarter, his second rushing score of the season.
Tallied 48 rushing yards on 10 attempts…has at least 48 yards on the ground in back-to-back games.
RB Aidan Laughery rushed nine times for 54 yards.
RB Josh McCray ran the ball 17 times for 50 yards.
WR Pat Bryant caught four passes for 32 yards.
Has at least one reception in 19-straight games, dating back to 2023.
Has at least four receptions in five games this season.
TE Tanner Arkin caught one pass for two yards and a touchdown.
His touchdown reception in the second quarter was his third of the season.
OLB Gabe Jacas recorded a career-high 13 tackles, six solo, to go along with a career-high 2.5 sacks, 2.5 tackles for a loss, two QB hurries, and one forced fumbled.
LB Dylan Rosiek recorded a career-high 12 tackles, three of which were solos.
DL TeRah Edwards recorded a career-high 2.0 sacks and a forced fumble.
Entered the game with 1.5 career sacks.
DB Matthew Bailey recorded a career-high 11 tackles, six solo, to go along with an interception and a forced fumble.
Was his first interception of the season and the fourth of his career.
QUOTES
Opening statement:
“I’m super excited a lot of great things went into this weekend. Before I got into that unfortunately Friday, we were coming down to hop on our buses where we had a police escort. Unfortunately, state trooper Corey Thompson passed on Friday night; he was in our police escort last week when we played Purdue. I want to pass our thoughts over to his whole family.”
“It’s a reminder for all of us to cherish the special opportunities that we have. Brett Moore shared with me that this was the 77th sellout, so I’ve got 77 reasons with Red Grange and all that goes into this. It’s a truly amazing opportunity to come here. I want to thank Josh Whitman and his entire staff, Tom Moreland, Cassie Arner and everyone who had a hand in making this happen. To have this moment and this crowd come to life in front of us was special.”
“I stressed to our guys on Sunday you’re going to get a million questions about how you beat and prepare for Michigan. I told them I learned this one from a very wise man, my mentor Barry Alvarez. ‘You learn to beat Michigan 365 days a year, you do the things you do every day to take advantage of a moment like this.’ It was really rewarding, but our defense played outstanding. I think last week to have that moment and learn from that was important for Aaron Henry and his staff. It was the lowest number of points Michigan has scored since 2014″
“Luke continues to be impressive. Up front we ran the ball when we had too, I would’ve loved to close out a couple of drives there at the end of the game. I thought our special teams, Robby Discher and Chris Hurd, to capitalize on running that fake was awesome. It was a total team effort; I can’t say enough about our coaches, I’m incredibly excited. What this does is puts us in an environment to make next week even bigger. What we’ve done is set the stage for a good, ranked match up against Oregon. They’re a very good football team. We’ll celebrate tonight and start preparing for them tomorrow.”
“Last time we played these guys I lost my mom. I told our team on Sunday I battled some demons, more than you can imagine. When I was a player, I lost my sister the day that we played Michigan. This game has always had a lot of things around it that has been tugging at my heart all week. I thank my wife and my family to have this moment. That is what I came here for. I thought we could build Illinois into something that is sustainable, and this is a big step in that direction. To have our fan base get rewarded is massive. They’ve been through 24 years of no ranked match ups in Memorial Stadium. They’ve been buying tickets for a long time and to have this moment come to life in front of us was awesome.”
On the defense improvements from last week:
“The biggest thing was coming out of Purdue, I said let’s take a step back and see why these things happened. We did some uncharacteristic things that were easy to see and needed to be corrected. We had some conversations on Sunday and Monday about doing that. Aaron Henry is a guy I’ve thought the world of since he was 16 years old, I knew he could get it right. I thought our defensive staff up and down did what they did well and put themselves in great positions. Some of our players stepped up, Matthew Bailey to make that pick there. We have a bunch of really good tight ends in this conference, but Colston Loveland is an outstanding player and to make that moment happen was massive. Gabe Jacas had a special game rushing that tackle. He tasted it, smelled blood in the water and he definitely went for it. I thought we did some things to shut down the run game and make them throw a bit more than they wanted to and ultimately put that game away the way we did was a special moment.”
On how the team has improved at the line of scrimmage:
“I think the guys manifested what I said on Sunday, and we preached it all week even last night. My last comments were ‘you’ve been preparing for this moment since January, we didn’t wait until this week to make it happen.’ I believe part of that is fundamentally we start up front on both sides of the ball, and I thought our guys bought into that all week. The first key to victory was to play fast and physical tonight for four quarters and I thought we did that. I knew this was a good football team that was going to do somethings to pressure us. I have a lot of respect for Michigan and the players over there. I love the way our guys compete, and we find ways to win.”
On the fake punt call:
“I almost called it a few weeks ago, there was a point where I was going to call it against Penn State, I just felt good about it. I grabbed Robby Discher and Chris Hurd at the end of the second quarter today and said, ‘I think this is a moment where if we get the right spot and right position, I feel good about it.’ TJ McMillen is a great example, he’s our backup center wearing number 96 because we won’t involve him in heavy formations. He’s my DP, the quarterback of punt so we go through all these looks and put in helmet communication on him. He thinks it’s pretty cool, he’s like the quarterbacks and safeties so it’s his moment and he’s owned that responsibility. I coach that group, I call them ‘the shield’ and that’s my baby in a way. It’s probably one of my most enjoyable. I get about a 30-minute meeting with those guys on Wednesday morning where it’s just me and the shield in the staff room. I get to bust chops for a little bit and have some fun. Those guys might not enjoy it but that’s probably truly one of my favorite 30 minutes of the whole week.”
On the satisfaction of putting practice habits into action:
“It felt good. I love my guys. I love the D line. A lot of guys stepped up today. TeRah stepped up, and so did Matt Bailey. I love all my guys, and I just want to let you know that they’re really good players. I appreciate everything they do because I see them work, day in and day out. I see how they progress in each and every game.”
On his performance:
“I feel pretty good. First and foremost, I just want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to play another game. I just want to give Him thanks.”
On the defensive reset from last week:
“That was a rough second half last week, and there was a big emphasis on starting fast into the second half, and learning from that mistake that we had last week. We had confidence going into the game and coming out of the half, we played a good first half. I think it was important that three and out to stop them from gaining momentum. That is something we did not do last week against Purdue, but I think it was a process of starting fast. We had to get that first drive stopped.”
On his three-play sequence of a PBU, tackle and a pick:
“I just want to attest it to God, and the way that He has moved in my life. Obviously, this was a big challenge this week, knowing that number 18 is a great player. Coming in, I was just praying all week that God helped me with my confidence after having a couple rough games the past couple weeks. Leading up to that big catch, it is easy to get your head down, but God allowed me to have my head up and continue to have my confidence in that moment.”
On his first sack today:
“At times we drop a lot, so understanding the situation and understanding who we are going against, who I have in front of me, and understanding how our defense is doing. As a defense we are just making opportunities, we talked about everything. I might have some guys crash down on me, but when you get your chance, you must take your shot because there are not too many times you get to take those opportunities.”
On the defenses mentality today:
“Taking them series by series, play by play, doing your job is ultimately what we are counting on each other for. Every single one of us are counting on each other to do our jobs and go out there and play a full game. One play at a time.”
On what the win means today:
“It was an awesome experience; there was a lot of build-up around this game and its historical meaning. But at the end of the day, it’s just a normal football game. We’ve been preparing for this moment the whole year. We came in and did our job.”
On the fake punt:
“I trusted my guys that they were going to get it done. It was like the Red Sea and just opened. All we had to do was get the first down and keep running.”
On the staff preparing them for this week:
“They did a great job implementing a game plan that allowed us to play fast. There weren’t many nooks and crannies, and we could go out there and do our job on every play.”
On Matt Bailey’s interception on the two-yard line:
“That was awesome. After the 3rd and 18 Matt was irritated and I just told him to play the next play. Then he picked it off, and I went up to him and said, ‘I told you!’ It was awesome; they put together drives throughout the game and we ended up with three turnovers. We stole another drive on that fake punt and played a good four-quarter game.”
On Donovan Leary in the two-point conversation:
“I don’t think anyone in the state or in our program was as excited as I was. I had no doubt that he was going to execute the shot. He’s a stone-cold killer of a guy and has a lot of tremendous success in his future. I bet he will remember that moment for the rest of his life and so will I.”
On what was effective in the game today:
“One thing I can think of is having good execution and following the plays we were given. Coach put us in a few good positions to make it happen. Michigan is very front and center, and they have a good defense.”
LOS ANGELES — The joyful roars from the adjacent Penn State locker room boomed through the LA Coliseum’s thin walls on Saturday evening as a throng of reporters waited for USC head coach Lincoln Riley to address another painful loss.
“We own L.A.!” shouted one of the victorious Nittany Lions.
“L.A. is our city!” a Penn State teammate howled in response.
When Riley came to the podium a few minutes later, he made little effort to hide his frustration over what he described as a “really difficult loss.” USC fell to the nation’s fourth-ranked team 33-30 in overtime despite building a two-touchdown halftime lead, opening a seven-point fourth-quarter lead and driving into Penn State territory with a chance to win the game in the final minutes of regulation.
The most recent second-half collapse stung all the more for USC because it marked the Trojans’ third one-score loss of the season. They previously suffered two excruciating Big Ten road setbacks, surrendering a go-ahead last-minute touchdown at Michigan on Sept. 21 and squandering a late seven-point lead at Minnesota two weeks later.
“The reality is we’ve played the toughest schedule in the country the first six games and we’ve had a chance to win every single game,” Riley said. “That’s hard to do. To put yourself in the position to win these games is friggin’ hard to do.
“I understand that good is not going to be seen by the outside world right now because they’re going to focus on our record and the fact that we’ve lost three games on the last play. I understand it. That’s part of it. We all knew this when we signed up for big-boy football. We’ve got to do a better job at the end of games. I have to do a better job, our coaches, our players. Because we’re doing too many good things to put ourselves in situations where we have the lead and we can win.”
Lincoln Riley is now 22-11 as USC’s head coach. (David Berding/Getty Images)
There’s no denying that USC is a few clutch plays or timely stops from where it wants to be, but that doesn’t alter the harsh reality facing the Trojans. At 3-3 overall, they’re no longer a realistic contender to make the College Football Playoff. They could win out and very likely not even sniff the 12-team field.
Worse yet, there’s little reason to believe that USC can get on that kind of second-half roll. This is a program that has lost all the momentum it had when Riley came aboard. USC has lost eight of its past 13 games in the past calendar year. That equals the worst 13-game stretch that Clay Helton ever produced.
Those struggles have sapped much of the enthusiasm that accompanied Riley’s arrival three years ago. Saturday’s crowd of 75,250 offered a tepid response each time the Coliseum’s in-house DJ demanded, “Come on, you’ve got to get loud!” There were so many pockets of Penn State blue and white in the crowd that several times the Nittany Lions’ bench gestured for more noise.
When asked how much responsibility he takes for the state of the program, Riley bristled at the question.
“It always falls to me,” Riley said. “When have I ever shied from the responsibility? I always take it. I’m the head coach. It’s all my job. Believe me, there’s nobody taking more responsibility than I am, so I don’t know where that line of questioning comes from.”
Ever since 2010, when Pete Carrol bolted to the NFL amid an NCAA investigation, USC has searched in vain for a capable replacement. Lane Kiffin was famously fired on the LAX tarmac after a poor start to his fourth season. Steve Sarkisian didn’t even last two years as a result of personal problems. Interim coach Ed Orgeron charmed USC players and alumni but didn’t get a vote of confidence from the administration. Then, with USC short on cash and desperate for stability, Clay Helton kept the job for seven largely forgettable years.
When he fired Helton two games into a humiliating eight-loss 2021 season, then-USC athletic director Mike Bohn vowed to find a successor capable of “winning national championships and restoring USC football to glory.” Enter Riley, seemingly the antidote to USC’s long, incestuous history of hiring head coaches with only Trojan ties.
Riley grew up in Muleshoe, Texas, a tiny speck of a town just 22 miles from the New Mexico border. He succeeded Bob Stoops at Oklahoma in 2017 and over the next five seasons produced a 55-10 record, four Big 12 championships, three College Football Playoff berths and two Heisman Trophy winners.
On a raucous late-November night in 2022, Riley seemed to have USC on its way to recapturing its glittering past. The Trojans outclassed Notre Dame to improve to 11-1 in Riley’s debut season. Caleb Williams dazzled a sold-out, star-studded Coliseum crowd with every downfield dart he delivered and every certain sack he escaped. USC needed only one more victory to clinch its first berth in the College Football Playoff.
Then came Utah 47, USC 24.
And Tulane 46, USC 45.
And months of scrutiny surrounding Riley’s unwillingness to move on from embattled defensive coordinator Alex Grinch.
It’s never easy to fire a close friend, but Riley’s stubborn loyalty to Grinch caused him to lose the trust of many USC fans. He didn’t part ways with Grinch until last November after USC had fallen to 119th out of the 130 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision in yards allowed and 121st in points allowed.
This year’s defense has been respectable under new defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn, but Riley’s offense has slipped in the absence of Williams, the former Heisman Trophy winner. Heir apparent Miller Moss has thrown five interceptions in his past four games, his performance hampered by USC’s inability to block edge rushers.
Riley demonstrated why he’s known as an offensive mastermind in the first half against Penn State on Saturday when he drew up play after play exploiting USC’s superior skill-position speed without exposing its pass protection issues. The most memorable was a clever first-quarter fake reverse that fooled half Penn State’s defense, enabling freshman Quinten Joyner to go 75 yards all but untouched.
Penn State rallied in the second half behind tight end Tyler Warren’s school record-breaking 17-catch, 224-yard night. Time after time, Penn State moved Warren around, lining him up in the backfield, at tight end or split out wide. Time after time, USC’s secondary lost track of him. Early in the third quarter, Warren even snapped the ball, ran downfield almost undetected and caught a 32-yard touchdown pass.
“We knew he was going to be a challenge coming in,” Riley said. “We had a couple coverage busts and I think that’s the thing we’ll look back on. When you play a really good player like that, you just want to make him earn it.”
What Riley will also look back on were a pair of fourth-quarter fourth-and-longs that Penn State was able to convert. Those “crazy plays,” as Riley called them, set up a 14-yard game-tying touchdown pass from Drew Allar to running back Nicholas Singleton.
USC advanced into Penn State territory on its final drive of regulation, Riley bleeding the clock to set up a third-and-6 from the 45-yard line with 14 seconds remaining. Riley said he felt good about his kicker’s leg if USC had converted. Moss instead overthrew for an untimely interception.
Overtime roulette ensued, and luck yet again wasn’t on USC’s side. Penn State fans behind the end zone celebrated when Michael Lantz pushed a 45-yard field goal wide left. Then it was the Nittany Lions’ bench that spilled onto the field with joy after PSU kicker, Ryan Barker, hit the game-winner from 36 yards.
Moss called the loss “excruciating,” but also struck a hopeful tone when noting how close it was.
“That’s the No. 4 team in the country,” Moss said. “What does that make us?”
When Riley was asked after the game if there was a single moment that he’ll dwell on from the Penn State comeback, he offered a window into how hard he has taken USC’s recent struggles. He said he didn’t see his kids for four nights this week because he was working such long hours to prepare for the Penn State game.
“I think about this every second,” Riley said. “When I go to sleep, I dream about it. And I wake up thinking about it. So I’ll think about all of it.
“It’s just a really difficult loss. There’s really no way to sugarcoat that.”
The Michigan Wolverines stumbled for the second time in 2024 when the Wolverines went to Washington on Saturday night. The Wolverines got behind early taking a 14-0 deficit before Sherrone Moore brought seventh-year quarterback Jack Tuttle into the game. Tuttle led the Wolverines to three straight scoring drives and Michigan took the lead 17-14. But the Wolverines would only score a field goal after that and Washington would capitalize on two Tuttle turnovers and walk out with a 27-17 win over Michigan.
The Wolverines, who are now 4-2 on the year, will enter Week 7 heading into a bye. Michigan has some self-assessing to do and to try and figure out some of these constant questions. The Wolverines’ defense is nowhere close to where many thought it would be and the secondary itself has been abysmal for most of the year. Offensively, it appears Michigan might have some sort of a forward passing game with Tuttle but the turnovers aren’t good. The Wolverines have turned the ball over in every game this season and that trend must end in Week 8 at Illinois.
Here’s what the national media is saying about Michigan falling the loss.
“It’s actually reassuring to see the Wolverine coaching staff come to the same conclusion that we all have — that you can’t win big college football games without a serviceable passing attack. There was absolutely no way that Michigan would ever be able to come back in a game without a quarterback who could throw the ball, and that’s why the Wolverines had to bench Alex Orj iin the second quarter of Saturday’s game, down 14-0. And while Jack Tuttle provided an immediate spark, he also turned the ball over twice late. It seems like Michigan can’t play a quarterback capable of throwing the football without said quarterback turning the ball over. This is not a great situation to be in, and it’s hard to feel confident in Michigan moving forward against quality opponents”
The Wolverines were labeled as a ‘loser’ from Saturday
“The Wolverines have played with fire in nearly every win this season, but a double-digit loss to Washington wasn’t in anyone’s plans. The Michigan passing offense was bad enough that the Wolverines inserted seventh-year quarterback Jack Tuttle. Washington outgained them by nearly 150 yards and quietly diced up the UM secondary to the tune of 315 yards and two touchdowns.
After a loss in the national title game rematch, Michigan’s path forward looks much scarier. A road trip to Illinois next week won’t be fun, and games against Oregon and Ohio State were always potential losses. Getting into the top 10 and CFP conversation always felt a little tenuous, but losing to the rebuilding Huskies sets the floor far lower. “
“Michigan made its second QB change of the season, benching Alex Orji in favor of Jack Tuttle midway through its game against Washington. But the end result was the same: The passing game struggled, and a late pick proved the difference in a 27-17 Huskies win.
Tuttle threw for 98 yards, which believe it or not is the fourth most by a Michigan QB this season, but his interception with 3:24 to play allowed Washington to ice the game with a late field goal.
Michigan threw for just 113 yards in the game — 20 of which came on the final drive — its fourth straight with 134 or less through the air. The last time a top-20 team did that in four straight was Georgia Tech in 2014 and 2015 when it ran the triple option. That, by the way, might not be such a bad idea for the Wolverines moving forward.”
“In other cross-country action, Washington (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) survived No. 10 Michigan, 27-17, gaining at least a little revenge for last year’s national title game. I’m sure Huskies fans took particular glee that Jedd Fisch’s first big win came the same day as DeBoer’s first Alabama debacle.
“After falling behind 14-0, Wolverines coach Sherrone Moore turned to his third different quarterback this season, seventh-year senior Jack Tuttle, and at first it worked. Michigan rallied to take a 17-14 lead on Tuttle’s 8-yard touchdown pass to Colston Loveland. But a fumble by Tuttle in Michigan territory allowed Washington to go back up 24-17. He then got picked off by Huskies sixth-year senior safety Kamren Fabiculanan to seal it. Don’t be surprised if the well-traveled Tuttle remains QB1 going forward.”
“The No. 10 Michigan Wolverines continued their quarterback shuffle in a 27–17 road defeat at the Washington Huskies. Alex Orji started for the Wolverines, but was replaced by seventh-year senior Jack Tuttle, who was available for the first time this season after recovering from an elbow injury.
“Tuttle had the offense moving a bit more crisply in the passing game at points, but a fourth-quarter fumble followed by a costly interception helped Washington pull away. Perhaps Tuttle is the starter moving forward, but the Wolverines don’t appear to be playoff caliber with their inability to consistently complete a forward pass.”
– Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI –
Takeaways: Michigan takes second loss of the season amidst another QB change
Sherrone Moore shares the status of Michigan’s starting quarterback moving forward
PFF grades: Michigan high/low player grades, snap counts to know after loss to Washington
There were changes in the newest college football rankings after three top-10 teams lost. Here are some of the notable moves in Week 6’s AP Poll, released Sunday, Sept. 29.
Week 6 AP Poll
RANK
SCHOOL
POINTS
RECORD
PREV
1
Alabama (40)
1549
4-0
4
2
Texas (19)
1525
5-0
1
3
Ohio State (4)
1445
4-0
3
4
Tennessee
1356
4-0
5
5
Georgia
1329
3-1
1
6
Oregon
1216
4-0
8
7
Penn State
1208
4-0
9
8
Miami (FL)
1170
5-0
7
9
Missouri
1085
4-0
11
10
Michigan
913
4-1
12
11
Southern California
854
3-1
13
12
Ole Miss
799
4-1
7
13
LSU
757
4-1
15
14
Notre Dame
748
4-1
16
15
Clemson
694
3-1
17
16
Iowa State
656
4-0
18
17
BYU
549
5-0
22
18
Utah
467
4-1
10
19
Oklahoma
428
4-1
21
20
Kansas State
398
4-1
23
21
Boise State
253
3-1
25
22
Louisville
223
3-1
15
23
Indiana
172
5-0
NR
24
Illinois
169
4-1
19
T-25
Texas A&M
122
4-1
24
T-25
UNLV
122
4-0
NR
Alabama takes the top spot
Alabama is the No. 1 team in the AP Poll for the first time since Oct. 2, 2022 — almost two full years ago. The Crimson Tide moved up from its previous No. 4 rankings after holding off then-No. 2 Georgia in a thrilling SEC battle.
That win was enough for Alabama to surpass both Texas and Ohio State — which received 44 and five first-place votes last week, respectively — even though the Longhorns and Buckeyes both dominated their conference opponents.
No. 12 Ole Miss and No. 18 Utah fell six and eight spots, respectively, after each program lost at home to an unranked conference opponent. Replacing the two schools in the top 10 are Missouri and Michigan. The undefeated Tigers return to the top 10 one week after falling out because of a three-point win over Vanderbilt. The Wolverines are back in the top 10 for the first time since getting blown out at home by Texas three weeks ago.
WEEK 5 RECAP: Kentucky’s top-10 win and more from Week 5 of college football
Indiana and UNLV enter this week’s rankings
New to the AP Poll this week are No. 23 Indiana and No. 25 UNLV.
Indiana scored 14 points in each of its final three quarters to blast Maryland 42-28 and move to 5-0 on the season. It’s the best record for the Hoosiers since 1967 and first-year head coach Curt Cignetti has IU rolling entering a favorable stretch of schedule. Indiana won’t play a ranked opponent until November 9.
Meanwhile, it was no Matthew Sluka, no problem for UNLV. The Rebels dominated Fresno State in their Mountain West Conference opener. Hajj-Malik Williams completed 13 of 16 passes (81 percent) for 182 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 119 yards and a touchdown. UNLV now sits 4-0 and is ranked in the AP Poll for the first time in program history, tied with Texas A&M at No. 25.
Ranked games to watch this week
Here is the lone ranked vs. ranked matchup in Week 6:
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No. 3 Ohio State opens its Big Ten conference schedule with a trip to East Lansing, Michigan, where the undefeated Buckeyes will face the Michigan State Spartans. It’s been an impressive start to the season for Ohio State, which breezed through its nonconference schedule and hardly broke a sweat in the process.
Perhaps the Buckeyes’ first road game of the season against a 3-1 Michigan State team will provide a touch more resistance?
Recent history suggests probably not!
Michigan State won three of the five meetings between these programs from 2011 to 2015, but it’s been all Buckeyes since. Not only has Ohio State won the last eight matchups, but it’s done so by an average of 30.4 points.
What could work in Michigan State’s favor is that it has already faced Big Ten competition, picking up a 27-24 road win over Maryland in Week 2. The Spartans are coming off a 23-19 road loss last week to Boston College.
How to watch Ohio State vs Michigan State live
Date: Saturday, Sept. 28 | Time: 7 p.m. ET Location: Spartan Stadium — East Lansing, MI Live stream: Peacock
Ohio State vs Michigan State: Need to know
Ohio State outscored its nonconference opponents 157-20: I mentioned the Buckeyes barely broke a sweat in their nonconference slate, and if they did, it was only from sprinting long distances on their way to scoring touchdowns. Only Marshall managed to score a touchdown against the Buckeyes (and it scored two), but nobody was ever able to keep it close. It’s the first time since 1919 that Ohio State has won its first three games of the season by at least 35 points.
Michigan State has more turnovers than any team in the Big Ten: It’s not the category you want to lead anybody in, but the Spartans enter the game with 10 turnovers on the season. Not only is it the most in the Big Ten, but it ranks tied for 127th of 134 teams in the country. It’s the road often traveled by teams with young quarterbacks. Aidan Chiles is a talented QB with a special arm, but he’s thrown seven interceptions this season to only four touchdowns.
Ohio State has won 42 straight against unranked opponents: It’s a stat that doesn’t bode well for the Spartans here. It is the longest active streak among FBS programs, and the third-longest of the last 30 seasons. The last loss Ohio State suffered to a team without one of those cool numbers next to its name was in 2018 against Purdue. The Buckeyes were shocked 49-20 by the Boilermakers. While they’d go on to win the Big Ten that year, the loss kept them out of the College Football Playoff. Instead they beat Washington 28-23 in the Rose Bowl.
Ohio State vs Michigan State prediction, picks
Michigan State will be the best team Ohio State has played so far, but I don’t think we’ve seen a true glimpse at what Ohio State’s capable of. We’ve only seen a facade of what the new Buckeyes offense will look like under Chip Kelly, and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles hasn’t been forced to go deep into his playbook, either. That latter part worries me when it comes to Aidan Chiles and his propensity to turn the ball over. Pick: Ohio State -24
(14:58) No Huddle-Shotgun Moss,Miller pass incomplete short middle to Hudson,Kyron thrown to USC37 broken up by Grant,Kenneth.
2nd and 10 at USC25
(14:55) No Huddle-Shotgun Marks,Woody rush middle for 12 yards gain to the USC37 (Paige,Makari; Hill,Jyaire), 1ST DOWN.
1st and 10 at USC37
(14:15) No Huddle-Shotgun Moss,Miller pass complete short left to Marks,Woody caught at USC35, for 4 yards to the USC41, out of bounds at USC41.
2nd and 6 at USC41
(13:35) No Huddle-Shotgun Moss,Miller pass incomplete deep middle to McRee,Lake thrown to UoM38.
3rd and 6 at USC41
(13:33) No Huddle-Shotgun Moss,Miller pass complete short middle to Hudson,Kyron caught at UoM46, for 13 yards to the UoM46 (Johnson,Will), 1ST DOWN.
1st and 10 at UoM46
(13:09) No Huddle-Shotgun Moss,Miller pass complete short right to McRee,Lake caught at UoM48, for 2 yards loss to the UoM48 (Hill,Jyaire).
2nd and 12 at UoM48
(12:33) No Huddle-Shotgun Moss,Miller pass complete short left to Joyner,Quinten caught at UoM45, for 7 yards to the UoM41 (Barham,Jaishawn).
3rd and 5 at UoM41
(12:01) No Huddle-Shotgun Moss,Miller pass complete short left to Hudson,Kyron caught at UoM33, for 15 yards to the UoM26 (Hill,Jyaire), out of bounds, 1ST DOWN.
1st and 10 at UoM26
(11:13) No Huddle-Shotgun Moss,Miller pass complete short left to Branch,Zachariah caught at UoM15, for 12 yards to the UoM14 (Johnson,Quinten), 1ST DOWN.
1st and 10 at UoM14
(10:36) No Huddle-Shotgun Marks,Woody rush left for 2 yards gain to the UoM12 (Stewart,Josaiah; Benny,Rayshaun).
2nd and 8 at UoM12
Timeout Southern California, clock 09:49.
2nd and 8 at UoM12
(09:49) No Huddle-Shotgun Moss,Miller pass complete short middle to Hudson,Kyron caught at UoM09, for 3 yards to the UoM09 (Johnson,Quinten).
3rd and 5 at UoM9
(09:12) No Huddle-Shotgun Moss,Miller pass complete short right to Robinson,Duce caught at UoM00, for 9 yards to the UoM00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 09:10, 1ST DOWN.
1st and 10 at UoM3
Lantz,Michael kick attempt good (H: Czaplicki,Eddie, LS: Pepper,Hank).
1st and 10 at USC35
(09:10) Lantz,Michael kickoff 65 yards to the UoM00, Touchback.
Tuesday, September 10 2PM Suttons Bay-Bingham District Library, lower-level Community Room Education Free
The Michigan eLibrary (MeL) offers two major resources to Michigan library cardholders: state-wide interlibrary loan & a range of digital databases. Learn how to access & make the most of these free resources with your Suttons Bay Bingham District Library card. Bring your library card & your questions. Also bring your phone, tablet, or laptop in case you want to follow along & try MeL out for yourself.
We’re inside of two hours before kickoff between No. 10 Michigan and No. 3 Texas in the biggest game of college football’s Week 2. The Wolverines have released their mandatory availability report to the Big Ten Conference, and a new name has been listed ‘Out’ this week.
Defensive back Jaden Mangham, a transfer safety from Michigan State, is unavailable for the Wolverines today against the Longhorns. He joins senior safety Rod Moore and veteran special teamer Joe Taylor, both of whom were also listed ‘Out’ last week against Fresno State. Quarterback Jack Tuttle, who was unavailable in the season-opener, has been upgraded to ‘Questionable’ today.
Michigan remains relatively healthy coming out of last week’s opener vs. Fresno State. Mangham appeared for only one snap against the Bulldogs in Week 1, and the Wolverines have solid depth at safety with starters Makari Paige and Quinton Johnson and rotational pieces Wesley Walker and Brandyn Hillman. On the offensive side, it’s highly unlikely we’ll see Tuttle today despite the upgrade in his status. Davis Warren is expected to make his second career start at quarterback for the Wolverines, with Michigan mixing in Alex Orji at times as well.
Kickoff between the Wolverines and the Longhorns is scheduled for Noon ET in Ann Arbor, Mich. with FOX carrying the broadcast.
– Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI –
Game Predictions: No. 10 Michigan vs. No. 3 Texas
3 Things To Watch: No. 10 Michigan vs. No. 3 Texas
Michigan vs Texas: Where to watch, game information, betting line
For additional coverage of University of Michigan athletics:
Programs with College Football Playoff aspirations meet Saturday when the No. 10 Michigan Wolverines (1-0) host the No. 3 Texas Longhorns at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. Michigan is coming off a 30-10 Week 1 win over Fresno State. The Wolverines looked sluggish on the offensive side of the ball in the victory, but were stifling on the defense. Texas is looking to build off its dominant 52-0 win over Colorado State in its season opener. Quinn Ewers threw for three touchdowns, and the Texas defense limited the Rams to only 192 total yards in the win. These tradition-rich programs have played only once, resulting in a thrilling 38-37 win for Michigan in the 2005 Rose Bowl.
Kaylor is an NFL, college football and DFS expert for SportsLine, who has covered the NFL and college football for close to a decade as a member of the Pro Football Writers of America. His background as a former college football All-American and NFL player gives him a unique perspective when building his fantasy lineups and locking in his betting picks. He has his finger on the pulse of the college football landscape and has been cashing in big for the last two years.
Kaylor destroyed the books in college football in 2023, netting a whopping 57.9 units while posting a 107-45-2 record. Anyone who followed his picks finished the season way up.
The Longhorns have an edge in this matchup when it comes to experience. Texas entered the season with 15 returning starters, including Ewers. In 2023, Ewers guided Texas to the program’s first ever trip to the College Football Playoff. The former five-star recruit completed 69% of his passes for 3,497 yards, 22 touchdowns and six interceptions, and rushed for 75 yards and five touchdowns. Texas also added former Alabama wide receiver Isaiah Bond in the transfer portal.
Texas has one of the premier offensive lines in college football. The Longhorns returned four starters up front, including offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., who is widely regarded as a future top-10 pick in the NFL Draft. Texas will face a stiff test from Michigan’s defensive front, but its experience may give Texas an edge. See which team to pick here.
Why Michigan can cover
The Wolverines have a new head coach in Sherrone Moore, but the program was able to maintain a level of continuity that doesn’t typically come with a coaching change. Moore worked under Jim Harbaugh from 2018-2023, and served as the Wolverines’ interim head coach during Harbaugh’s suspension in 2023. Moore was able to keep a lot of Michigan’s staff intact, and added longtime NFL coach Don “Wink” Martindale to his staff as defensive coordinator.
Michigan was one of the top defensive teams in the country in 2023, and that unit shouldn’t be far behind in 2024. Defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, linebackers Ernest Hausmann and Josaiah Stewart, and safety Makari Paige are each all-conference, possibly All-American caliber players. Cornerback Will Johnson is the star of this group, and is likely destined to be an early first-round NFL Draft pick. See which team to pick here.
