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Michigan Football is shocked by Michigan State, 14-10

By Chris Peterson

ANN ARBOR, MI - OCTOBER 07: Michigan State Spartans head football coach Mark Dantonio talks with his team prior to the start of the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI - OCTOBER 07: Michigan State Spartans head football coach Mark Dantonio talks with his team prior to the start of the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /
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Michigan football turned it over five times and looked flat out bad on offense in an ugly 14-10 loss to Michigan State Saturday night at the Big House.

Michigan football might be more talented than Michigan State, but when you turn the ball over five times, it doesn’t really matter how talented you are.

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In the ugliest loss of the Jim Harbaugh era, Michigan football showed its clearly not a College Football Playoff contender, following a shocking 14-10 loss to Michigan State Saturday night at the Big House.

The defeat stings. Michigan football entered the game as a 10-point favorite. The Wolverines defense dominated most of the night. But mistake after mistake by the offense doomed it to defeat.

After a Quinn Nordin field goal put Michigan up 3-0 early, a Ty Isaac fumble changed the game. Michigan State turned the turnover into a touchdown and suddenly, it was 7-3. A second-quarter touchdown catch on a screen by Madre London gave the Spartans a 14-3 halftime lead.

Starting in the second half, Michigan was able to pin the Spartans deep. On the second possession of the half, it led to UM getting the ball at the Michigan State 33. A pass from John O’Korn to Grant Perry took the ball to the one, before Khalid Hill scored it. That was with 8:09 left in the third quarter.

Michigan Wolverines Football
Michigan Wolverines Football /

Michigan Wolverines Football

From that point, the weather got bad and the Michigan offense got worse. The two first-half turnovers were bad enough. One even came with the ball in Michigan State territory after a big play.

But in the second half, O’Korn went from bad to worse. At some point, he lost his confidence and wound up tossing three interceptions, with each more costly than the next. On the other side, the defense dominated, particularly Rashan Gary, who was all over Brian Lewerke.

Even a last-second gasp to try and the win the game fell short, when Eddie McDoom dropped a wide open pass at the Michigan State 30 with 20 seconds left. It was that kind of night —  whatever could go wrong, did.

Outside of the 158 rushing yards given up, the Michigan defense was great. But it didn’t force any turnovers and failed to make a game-changing play. O’Korn was awful, completing 15-of-34 passes for 180 yards. The run game also generated just 102 yard and 2.6 yards per carry.

Next: Top 10 Michigan Running Backs of All Time

At 4-1, Michigan football will travel to Indiana next Saturday. The Wolverines are  1-1 in the Big Ten. Jim Harbaugh is 1-2 against the Spartans and 0-2 at home.

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