Just as you can't do anything about your family, Michigan's 2024 football team is equally powerless when it comes to its schedule. A series with Arkansas was cancelled several years ago. Or wait, I think it was UCLA. I don't know, one of those home-and-home matchups that disappeared off their future schedules was planned for 2022 and 2023.
As the cliche goes, you can only beat who you play. To say Michigan has beat everyone is an understatement. While not the offensive juggernaut they were last season, they've smothered their competition by a combined score of 127-30.
One of the most telling statistics of the Wolverines' 2023 early-season dominance is this: an opponent has yet to take an offensive snap inside their 10-yard line. Coach Minter's defense has allowed 3 gargage-time touchdowns so far, but all were long passes or runs. They have not faced a single first-and-goal situation. Or a second- or third-down play similarly close to their end zone.
That streak was put to a test in Lincoln on Saturday. With a minute left in the first quarter the Nebraska Cornhuskers, already down 14-0, put together a respectable drive from their own 25. On a third down, tailback Janiran Bonner bounced through tacklers to reach just inside the Michigan 12, setting up a fourth and one situation. Were they not down two scores they may have opted for a field goal. But they needed seven.
The Wolverines front line dug deep and dug in. When Huskers quarterback Heinrich Haarberg took the snap and started to his left, his fate was sealed. Cornerback Keon Sabb wrapped him up, fellow cornerback Makari Paige dropped him, and six other Wolverines piled on. My photo capture of the wall of maize and blue says it all.
