Michigan Football: Running game comes up small again on big stage
Michigan football has struggled to win big games under Jim Harbaugh and one reason for that, is a running game that can’t get it done when it matters.
The loss by Michigan football to Wisconsin Saturday at Camp Randall was disappointing. It was also predictable. Under Jim Harbaugh, the Wolverines have been woeful against good teams and even worse against them on the road.
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The fifth-ranked Badgers, who were also undefeated, represented a great chance to end that narrative. Michigan football even had a 10-7 lead midway through the third quarter. But the Wolverines were let down again and not just by the quarterback play — by the running game.
While the quarterbacks have been an issue, whether it was John O’Korn or Brandon Peters, who had a costly fumble, the other consistent problem has been the running game. And it’s been an issue for three years.
Currently, Harbaugh has a 28-9 record as the head coach for Michigan football. Certainly, not a bad mark at all. But his record against top-10 teams is 1-6. His record against Ohio State and Michigan State is 1-4. He hasn’t beaten a ranked team on the road and his only top-10 win, was a 14-7 triumph over Wisconsin last year in Ann Arbor.
The question is, why? The Wolverines have as much talent as any team in the Big Ten, outside of Ohio State. Michigan has had outstanding defenses in all three seasons under Harbaugh and a bunch of pro-level players, so why can’t the Wolverines beat good teams?
The answer: the running game or the lack of one.
Whenever Michigan football plays anyone of substance, the running game falls to pieces. Just look at the three losses in 2017. The Wolverines are averaging just 87 yards per game on the ground. Going into the Wisconsin game, they were averaging well over 200.
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Of course, the numbers look great when you run up huge stats against Minnesota, Rutgers, Purdue and Indiana. But against the teams that matter, the Wolverines are stymied, seemingly every time.
Saturday, against the Badgers, the Wolverines ran 37 times for a paltry 58 yards. That’s not just bad, that’s pathetic. Karan Higdon may not have been 100 percent, but Chris Evans was fine and he mustered just 25 yards on 11 carries. Not one player had a run longer than 10 yards. All game.
But this is nothing new, it’s happened over and over again.
Think back to last season. In defeats to Iowa, Ohio State and Florida State, Michigan football averaged just 89 rush yards per game. Not surprisingly, UM lost all three, by narrow margins.
The story was the same in 2015, when Utah, Michigan State and Ohio State stuffed the Wolverines ground attack. Michigan averaged 65 yards per game running in those three losses, with a high of 76 yards against Utah.
So the problem isn’t just surfacing now, it’s been an issue from day one and until the Wolverines address it, they will continue to look foolish against top teams.
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Yes, the quarterback position has been a problem. But lots of teams win in college football without elite signal callers. Michigan has had the defense to win big, but the running game keeps falling short and until it comes through, the Wolverines won’t win many big games, period.