10 Most Important Plays of the Past Two Seasons

As B1G Media Days and Fall Camp quickly approach, I wanted to look back at some of the most important plays of the past 2 seasons that led to our 25-3 record and 2 B1G Championships. These are what I came up with as the Top 10 Most Important Plays. The focus on plays that had they gone another way, our seasons may have looked very different. We have talked a lot about the "best plays" of the past two years (Haskins Hurdle vs OSU, O-JA-BO, Edwards to Wilson Pass, Corum's Houdini vs IU), but I wanted to focus on the defining plays that have given us the best two seasons back-to-back of the past several Decades.

#1. Erick All’s 47 yard TD catch and run from Cade McNamera vs Penn St (2021)

Trailing 17-14 on 2nd and 10, All drags across the middle, catches and turns it up on the sideline. “Will they catch him? NO!.” This preserved our chance to take on OSU for the B1G title. Winning in a tough place like Happy Valley where the previous quarter everything started to unravel really showed that this team really could be the one that could get over the hump. * Maybe I’m partial because this occurred on a very difficult day for me. It was on my birthday just right after my mother’s sudden passing, and throughout the difficultness that I experienced that day, seeing All race down the sidelines was brief break from all that was going on.

#2. Jake Moody’s 35-yard Game Winning Field Goal vs Illinois (2022)

Without this kick, Michigan surrenders their first loss of the season and goes into Columbus coming off a loss. While all the goals were still for the taking whether this field goal goes through our not, it was a very necessary kick to show that we could gut out a tough victory where just about everything went wrong. Moody’s value to this team over the past 2 seasons can’t be understated.

#3. Brad Hawkins strip of Taylor Martinez and fumble recovery vs Nebraska (2021)

In a game where we thoroughly dominated for a half, things suddenly looked very much in doubt vs Nebraska. Martinez just ran for a first down near their own 40 yard line with 153 left and tried to churn out some extra yards. Hawkins comes in and forces an improbable turnover that eventually leads to Moody kicking the game-winner. This put the team at 6-0 and showed their ability to will one out on the road. As McNamera said after the game “This team is different” and he was correct.

#4. Josh Ross’ 3rd & 2 stuff of Trey’Veon Henderson on the first drive of the 2nd half vs OSU (2021)

While we all were excited to be up on OSU at half, I know I was still worried greatly that OSU was getting the ball at half and would re-take the lead. With the score 14-13 and a 3rd & 2 from OSU’s 32, Ryan Day thought that he could pick up a 1st down by going under center and handing it to his stud freshman back. Thanks to a great double picked up by Mazi, Ross shoots the A gap and stuffs Henderson. After OSU punted the ball here, Michigan never went through a drive in the 2nd half that didn’t end with a Hassan Haskins touchdown. This TD gave us that 8 point cushion, and OSU never had the ball again with the chance to take the lead.

#5. Mike Sainristil’s 3rd Down PBU on Cade Stover vs OSU (2022)

Not much needs to be said about this play as it is still freshly cemented in our minds. Mikey makes an incredible recovery to get within reach of Stover. Stroud although under pressure from Kris Jenkins makes an incredible throw off his back foot and places it right where his big TE can haul in a TD to possibly bring OSU within 3 with a 2-pt conversion. The converted slot WR though is able to knock the ball out on a guy who has 7 inches and 50+ pounds on him. Proving once again who is the tougher program.

#6. Isaiah Gash’s 4th down reception from JJ vs Illinois (2022)

Not as flashy of a play as the previous ones, but just as important (I could argue this one as far as single impact plays could be higher). With Corum getting knocked out and Edwards not dressed, the running back position suddenly looked very shaky. JJ was off all game with his throws as well. On 4thdown, the walk-on RB Gash motions in from the hash and catches an out for a 1st down to give us a chance. Loveland runs a (possibly illegal) blocking route that frees Gash up just enough to past the sticks and keep the undefeated season alive.

#7. Cornelius Johnson’s 69-yard catch and run for a TD vs OSU (2022)

While any of the 5 big TD plays in this game could make a case for this spot, I think this one was the most important. Halfway through the 2nd quarter and trailing 10-3 and staring down a 3rd & 9, JJ gets a ton of pressure and off his back foot throws a hitch to Johnson short of the sticks. CJ makes one spin move to break a tackle and we see the first crack in Jim Knowles’ Cover Zero gameplan that would later be continually exploited. In a first half where the offense couldn’t get much going, this made the game a tie. A punt there gives OSU a chance to extend the lead to two scores and perhaps go more cover-2 as they no longer are in as much worry about the run.

#8. AJ Henning’s opening drive TD on the Statue of Liberty vs OSU (2021)

That drive set the tone. Haskins and the OL came out hungry and marched us down the field. Gattis dials up a perfect play call by motioning out Edwards who torched Maryland the week prior through the air, and has Cade fake the throw to him, and leaves the ball for a motioning Henning from the slot and AJ follows a convoy into the end zone. The feel in the stadium was different. The intensity from the team was different. They were not afraid of OSU; this was the year Ohio State would be vanquished.

#9. Hassan Haskins 50 yard run and hurdle vs Nebraska (2021)

Trailing by 3 in Lincoln, Haskins takes an inside hand off from our own 23 and takes it 50 yards; hurdling a Cornhusker near midfield and gaining an additional 25 yards after the hurdle. This led to the tying field goal and setting up for Hawkins to make one of the plays of the season. This for me at least, was a WOW moment. Not just the hurdle, but also the fact that in a tight situation on the road (where Harbaugh’s teams have struggled) that something this spectacular could happen for a Michigan team.

#10. Donovan Edwards’ 75-yard TD vs OSU (2022)

As Jim Knowles prepared for the biggest drive of his coaching career, Michigan lined up and ran an inside zone play vs a 3-3-5 Cover Zero look. The nose slants away, and Olu and Zinter seal the LBs. All that is left is for Edwards to outrun and avoid a safety’s diving attempt and there would be 6 more points put on the board; effectively ending the game. As Edwards steps off the tackle attempt he puts one finger in the air; knowing that the Champions of the B1G will remain in Ann Arbor.

Honorable Mention: David Ojabo’s forced fumble and Junior Colson’s recovery vs Rutgers (2021)

Do you remember much of this game? I don’t blame you if you don’t. It was a stupid game and a stupid second half where Rutgers did a bunch of dumb college stuff and our offense went into a shell in the second half. Rutgers had the ball with 1:30left at their own 30. With a score, Schiano undoubtedly goes for 2 and the win. We see Ojabo use his soon to be patented spin move to get inside the tackle and hit Noah Verdel; forcing a fumble that the young freshman Junior Colson recovers and seals the victory. This was early in the 2 year run, but a play from a couple of guys who were not yet well-known who would turn out to be major factors in the next year; and in Colson’s case the next 2 and beyond.

It has been an incredible 2-year run, and there still is more to add this season. I look forward to adding more plays next offseason as we look back at the greatest 3 year run in modern Michigan Football history.

What would your most important plays of the past two seasons be?