Michigan 42, Illinois 25
That's not going to satisfy anybody.
In many ways, Michigan won comfortably over a bad Illinois team today, outgaining them 489 to 256 with a 17-point final margin. The Wolverines boasted a pair of 100-yard rushers, finally utilized Shea Patterson in the running game, took several shots downfield in the passing game, and tallied 12 TFLs on defense.
And yet.
For most of the first half it looked like a Michigan-Rutgers game. The Wolverines moved the ball at a ten-yard-per-play clip, almost cruelly pounding the Illini defense on the ground, while the defense forced six punts and a turnover on downs on the first seven Illinois possessions as they rotated through ineffective quarterbacks. A Zach Charbonnet fumble to kill a drive and a Matt Robinson touchdown pass to Josh Imatorbhebhe shortly before halftime seemed like minor blips. Michigan led 28-7 at the break. All (okay, most) went according to plan.
Zach Charbonnet had 116 yards but also lost a fumble. [Barron]
Then the Michigan-Army game emerged from the tunnel. The offense punted on their first two drives of the half, then lost the third on a Tru Wilson fumble. That set up the Illini with a short field and they'd capitalize on a Dre Brown scoring plunge; he'd add a two-point conversion to stretch the scoring run to 25 unanswered points.
Patterson and friends averted disaster, as the embattled quarterback used his arm and his legs to account for most of the ensuing ten-play, 79-yard drive himself, capped with a diving touchdown catch by Donovan Peoples-Jones. The Illini fumbled on each of their next two drives, with the second—a comical pop-up caught out of midair by Carlo Kemp at the doorstep of the end zone—leading to a final Patterson touchdown run.
While this game wasn't going to solve the team's many season-long problems, it was reasonable to expect a relatively clean game against a struggling Illinois squad playing without their starting quarterback. Instead, it got passers-by-are-gawking bad for much of the second half as those familiar problems reappeared. Next week, Michigan plays in a much less forgiving environment: a night game at Penn State. Maybe this time they'll figure out how to hold onto the dang ball.
[Hit THE JUMP for the box score.]
But first, beard.
[Barron]
What a beard.
October 12th, 2019 at 4:33 PM ^
Unacceptabuuuuuuuuuuuuuullllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!
Outraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Beeeeeennnnncccchhhh Sheaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!
FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRE HAAAAAAAAAAAAARBAUUUUUUUUGHHHHHHH!
/ thread
October 12th, 2019 at 5:39 PM ^
That about sums it up for me, too.
October 12th, 2019 at 8:05 PM ^
That's actually a great idea. A thread for anger, outrage, and hawt takes. People can hate on Harbaugh, suffer from recency bias, enjoy moving the goal posts, and listen to Mike Valenti. Maybe a special sub thread for people who spent last year complaining about us not having a modern offense.
October 13th, 2019 at 9:01 AM ^
We.....Won......The......Game.
October 13th, 2019 at 1:09 PM ^
...and we played like a steaming pile of shit against one of the worst P5 teams on earth, down to their (at least) 2nd QB with no talent and a washed up retread coach.
yeah!@&”$
October 14th, 2019 at 3:02 PM ^
Anyone know why Ben Mason wasn't ejected for targeting?
October 14th, 2019 at 3:02 PM ^
Anyone know why Ben Mason wasn't ejected for targeting?
October 12th, 2019 at 4:35 PM ^
All Hail the Beard!!!
October 12th, 2019 at 4:35 PM ^
Ugh.
Don’t really have the energy to be upset. But this was disappointing.
Hey, we just got through the easy part of the schedule.
October 12th, 2019 at 4:59 PM ^
On the bright side, for those of us still in SE Michigan at least, if we only win one or two more games we could play in whatever the bowl game in Detroit is called.
October 12th, 2019 at 8:03 PM ^
I am so sorry.
October 12th, 2019 at 4:35 PM ^
Whatever. Just whatever.
The Bataan Death March toward mediocrity begins next week.
October 12th, 2019 at 4:40 PM ^
The question is can we get wins over Maryland and Indiana to get that sweet 7-5, maybe 8-4 with a win against MSU? Based on what we’ve seen on the field, I have no confidence we will compete with PSU, ND, and OSU.
October 12th, 2019 at 4:43 PM ^
Michigan beat Iowa last week
October 12th, 2019 at 5:01 PM ^
Thank you, kind sir.
October 12th, 2019 at 7:05 PM ^
Certainly not with spotting opponents an entire quarter of football - it’s like they came out from the half and said “let’s make this sporting old chum ...”
October 12th, 2019 at 4:50 PM ^
We are at the point where 8-4 is something we can't count on. That is the state of the program
October 12th, 2019 at 6:10 PM ^
Sure is nice to see five years of Harbaugh coaching, development, and program building finally hitting its stride, ain’t it?
October 12th, 2019 at 9:00 PM ^
Obvious comments for the day:
- Never would have imagined that year 5 of Harbaugh would be this feeble
- Have not won on the road against a "GOOD" opponent - 1 victory and ped state and 2 at staee when they were 7-6, 3-9, and 7-6, respectively does NOT qualify as marquee wins!!! Discount the 2015 bowl game as their players were checked out
- We need to hope that Michigan has been hiding its playbook for ped state and THEEEE ohio, otherwise based on what we have shown, next week could be ugly
- Harbaugh, the "QB Whisperer" has no excuses - he is highly compensated, his assistants are highly compensated, immense resources both physical and financial, most every player of note he recruited....
- Josh Gattis has done a poor job of implementing #speedinspace, more looks like #lostinspace
- Don Brown does not make good (or any) in game adjustments, how the hell does nois score 25 points with their 8th string walk-on freshmen QB
- 10 win seasons are not impressive when you keep losing to your main rival, who we used to beat more than 50% of the time AND no conference title since '04
- Me very sad.
Hoping for a win next week - Go Blue!
October 14th, 2019 at 9:12 AM ^
Number 6 can't be understated. We see Don Brown's defenses just dominate bad to mediocre teams week in and week out, leading to fans and the media talking up how amazing his defense is. But we get shredded against every good team we play. DB has a very specific defense that he coaches up, but any team with a halfway decent scheme exposes just how narrow his focus, and complete his inability to adjust, really is. He's completely inflexible.
October 14th, 2019 at 4:44 PM ^
the negativity here is amazing.
let's wait to see how this weekend goes can we?
we had a letdown for a QTR, yeah it wasn't pretty but did anyone really feel like we were going to lose?
dissapointed in this fan base, it isn't pretty right now I get it but stop jumping out the damn window people!
October 15th, 2019 at 1:50 PM ^
I am with you, Marcus. No doubt this next game is crucial, but the first quarter of that game hasn't begun yet.
You see from my login name I am old. Let me tell people about 1975, when two of our first three home games were ties against patsies Stanford and Baylor. Let me remind people about 1980 when we squeaked by perennial doormat Northwestern by a touchdown in our home opener and followed that up with two losses. In 1977 we were ranked #1 in the nation, then went to Minnesota and got shutout 16-0.
My point is momentum in a season can change just like it can within a game. Wins and losses can seem to come out of nowhere and change things. Right now it doesn't look like we can compete with Penn State or Notre Dame; let alone taking on OSU. But trust me, things can change. And people who dismiss Harbaugh as a coach in spite of a win percentage over .750 are off base.
I agree it is time for this team to step up and play to their potential. But to suggest they are incapable of that happening is misguided.
God, I hope I am right.
October 12th, 2019 at 5:52 PM ^
The Bataan Death March toward mediocrity began around 2007.
October 12th, 2019 at 8:05 PM ^
Since Bo died the day before the OSU game in 2006
October 12th, 2019 at 10:11 PM ^
2005 7 win season would like a word.
October 12th, 2019 at 7:03 PM ^
They just seemed unfocused the second half.
Carelessness isn't going to jive going forward.
Mason can't touch the ball again..let him block but that is twice now the team folded after he majorly messed up in redzone. That crushed us in Wisconsin. Today that penalty took 7 pts off board.
Haskins looks like the best back to me right now. Seems like he is still learning the nuances, whereas Charbonnet doesnt doesn't seem to be going at same speed as in the opener.
So three rbs fumbled today...Bo used to tell the coaches if the RB is a fumbler, have him switch positions, nothing you can do with him.
This fumbling thing seems systemic. As there is no team collective, rather a bunch of individual players doing own thing. Or is it because they're thinking too much in this new offense?
October 14th, 2019 at 4:50 PM ^
looking at the fumbles, Charbonnet was a guy falling after being tripped up and a guy got a helmet on the ball, happens to the best of them but yeah not good. Believe that was his first of the year.
Wilson, helmet on the elbow...he needs to secure the ball no question
#3 I am OK if he sits the bench, he hasn't shown much at all.
Haskins was really impressive, was wondering when at 1 point he had 3 carries for 69 yards they had only given him 3 carries.
I don't think it is systemic, they are all different kind of fumbles (except Shea, he just needs to get ti together in all phases)
I am completely OK with Starting Haskins next weekend and see how he does with Charbonnet #2.
the rest of the guys can block for a week or 2.
October 12th, 2019 at 7:06 PM ^
Not funny, even if you don’t understand history.
October 12th, 2019 at 4:36 PM ^
This fanbase will never be happy. At this point you know what the team basically is; a good but not great team. Accept that and watch the games with that in mind, because I swear I'm done with the near-constant drumbeat that a team that alternately looks really good and then mistake prone surprised people anymore.
October 12th, 2019 at 4:42 PM ^
last week my boss was confused when i reacted to their congrats on the iowa win like our entire Oline died on the field of malnutrition. when i tried to explain that michigan fans are just like this, we can never be happy with anything and will always be miserable, they were just like 'wtf is wrong with you?'
pretty much sums it up. maybe i'll wake up and be an iowa alum instead.
October 12th, 2019 at 5:04 PM ^
wtf is wrong with me? Simple, we claim to be "leaders and best" and don't come close to either while clinging to past glories like they mean something in the modern era....we pay our coaches TOP $$ and get win by the skin on your teeth games against anyone with a pulse and losses to anyone with more that that....sucks.
October 12th, 2019 at 5:34 PM ^
Lower your expectations, bro. Take a sedative before the game and just hope that the sun shines and both teams have a lot of fun out there.
October 12th, 2019 at 5:40 PM ^
not here to judge anyone's post-victory coping strategies, just to mock the ones posted on this e-site.
October 12th, 2019 at 6:25 PM ^
Pay our coaches? We need to pay our players!
#just kidding
October 14th, 2019 at 4:51 PM ^
skin on your teeth?
October 12th, 2019 at 5:11 PM ^
Is it too much to ask for that a team in JH’s 5th season put away a bad Illinois team when we have a 28 point lead? To maybe beat a good team and I don’t really consider Iowa good. Maybe put out a competent offense with good qb play? A defense that shows up against good teams? I don’t think UM fans expectations are too high or are never happy but with the talent on this team we expected better then what we see every week
October 12th, 2019 at 5:22 PM ^
To maybe beat a good team and I don’t really consider Iowa good.
retroactively determining that a win against a more highly-ranked opponent was meaningless because we are the ones who beat them is worth at least 1,000 doubloons of Michigan fandom (mgopoints?).
October 12th, 2019 at 11:33 PM ^
This. 1000x this. Retroactively dismissing the Iowa win, which was deemed a “must win” leading up to it, is sadly predictable.
October 13th, 2019 at 10:14 AM ^
Every win is a must win at this point
October 14th, 2019 at 4:58 PM ^
every game is a must win ALWAYS, out program is expected to NEVER LOSE a game!
EVER!
EVER!
it's really ridiculous to expect that while also trying to win the "right way"
not paying for top talent, not letting kids get away with not going to class, actually caring about the players as people.
yeah our coach makes a lot of money, he has earned that right by his past successes. At this point he hasn't gotten it done against osu and I know that is the standard, but osu hasn't been a clean program since 2000, they have bought the top players, roided up their team and done ANYTHING and everything to win including have drug sniffing dogs search our players and coaches in 2004 as well as getting with the conference to get crooked officials in 2016 as well as turning 2 of our coaches last year (possibly before THE GAME)
I want our team to win, but not at all costs, not the way osu does it year in and year out.
it is true what people say about michigan fans, they aren't happy unless they are bitching.
October 15th, 2019 at 11:00 AM ^
Yet so...so...Michigan fandom.
October 13th, 2019 at 10:07 AM ^
Higher ranked then us after 4 games is because some pollsters put them there not necessarily meaning they are a good team. They are now 4-2 we will see how good they really are at the end of the season. We squeaked by them at home in not a good showing
October 13th, 2019 at 10:49 AM ^
Iowa might not be good, and there’s nothing wrong with pointing it out.
October 12th, 2019 at 5:30 PM ^
Michigan did put them away. Yes, Illinois came back and made it a bit of a game, but that happens to teams when they are up. Elite teams don't do it very often, but then again Michigan isn't elite. But Ilinois had something like half their yardage in the third quarter.
It's faint praise but credit to the offense for scoring to put them back up 10 and then the defense snuffed Illinois out.
The expectations for this team have been out of kilter for some time. People (myself included) assumed an overhauled offense and a young defense with few established playmakers would just roll through the Big 10 despite ample evidence that wasn't a given or even that likely. If people had said "10-3/9-4 team", we'd have a lot less consternation. And frankly on paper, that's what the team sort of looked like.
October 12th, 2019 at 6:10 PM ^
Yes, Illinois came back and made it a bit of a game, but that happens to teams when they are up. Elite teams don't do it very often, but then again Michigan isn't elite.
Illinois lost to Eastern Michigan. You don’t have to be elite to put away that crappy of a team when you already have a 28-point lead.
And this team is 8-4 at best.
October 12th, 2019 at 9:06 PM ^
Agree. Indiana just blanked Rutgers. I’m not saying we are elite but if you’re saying I shouldn’t be disappointed with letting Illinois get back in this game with our talent and their backup qb, you’re dead wrong.
October 13th, 2019 at 3:33 PM ^
The Patriots were up 14-0 on the lowly Giants. The Giants tied it up at 14. Patriots won 34-14. FIRE BELICHICK! This is unacceptable in year 21.....
October 16th, 2019 at 9:56 AM ^
Our performance against Illinois would be acceptable if our coach had 7 NCs under his belt....your analogy is not good.
October 12th, 2019 at 6:12 PM ^
"If people had said "10-3/9-4 team", we'd have a lot less consternation. And frankly on paper, that's what the team sort of looked like."
I'm not in the outrage camp, but this is so wrong. Maybe you could argue should be that type of team because the defense stepped back. This offense should be good. Full stop. They returned a lot. They weren't that bad on offense last year frankly. They just needed to improve on opening up the game and speeding up. But they're still very sloppy and poorly organized. If they had treaded water because of transition costs, that may make sense.
October 16th, 2019 at 10:00 AM ^
I'm with you, the offense should be good - full stop, no excuses. If people had said 10-3/9-4 team at the beginning of the year I wouldn't have waited until now to show my disappointment. If that's what we are, and we are supposed to be ok with it, why are we spending so much time, money and effort on this? We spend money and resources like we are aiming to be #1.....if we don't get there, we either have to lower our expectations (and time and money) or replace the obstacles that are causing us not to be #1.
There are teams with less talent doing more with it than we are....we need new leadership at this point.
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