Started with a memorable landscaping job by Devin Bush Jr., included a weather delay that lasted more than an hour, and ended with one of the most lopsided yardage disparities in the rivalry’s history (395-94). If you just looked at the score, you’d think this one was pretty close but if it weren’t for Michigan shooting itself in the foot multiple times, this one would’ve been a 4-5 score game.
But it wasn’t all pretty. The play was ugly after halftime when the rain kept up as the offense went conservative and both Chris Evans and Karan Higdon coughed the ball up, one of which led to State’s only score of the game. It also wasn’t Shea Patterson’s best day with a couple dropped interceptions and some poor RPO reads early in the game. But when it mattered most, like on 4th down at the start of the 4th quarter, he made the big play. The biggest being Patterson’s 79-yard touchdown connection to Donovan Peoples-Jones, which went for more yards than Brian Lewerke had all game.
Speaking of Lewerke’ss dreadful performance, wow has this defense taken things to another level. Don Brown’s boys were without Rashan Gary yet again and still held Michigan State to just 94 yards of offense in total, including Lewerke going 5-25 for 66 yards and only had more than 10 yards on 4 of their 14 drives (including three that went for negative yards). It was an absolute beat down of a ranked rival on the road. A big feather in the cap for Harbaugh and another step towards a special season for Michigan.
Check out the full pregame activities and full condensed game highlights from @UMichWD:
Photo Credit: Bryan Fuller/MGoBlog
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