Michigan Football: Wolverines are the bullies of the Big Ten

Michigan football isn’t just beating teams in the Big Ten, it is bullying them and that’s a welcome sign for fans of the Wolverines.

To anyone watching Michigan football play Penn State Saturday at the Big House, it was clear that the Wolverines were out to prove a point. Michigan didn’t want to just win the game, it wanted to dominate it.

And dominate it, the Wolverines did.

After losing to Penn State 42-13 last season, Michigan football was motivated for this one. The players said it; the coaches said it and after the Nittany Lions tried to score on the last play of the game up 29 a season ago, the Wolverines were on a mission. Shea Patterson even said so.

Yes, after the game, Patterson admitted to reporters that Michigan meant to run up the score and in the fourth quarter, UM poured it on. Jim Harbaugh was at the front of it all. Up 42-0, Harbaugh challenged a first down for Penn State. If he was right, it would have been Michigan ball and would have preserved a shutout. Apparently, it was a move PSU didn’t like.

My response: Get used to it, because Michigan football is the bully of the Big Ten and I have to admit, I love it.

I loved the fact that Harbaugh challenged that play, just like I loved when Don Brown wanted a timeout prior to the fourth down just to get his defense lined up right, even though again, it was 42-0.

I love that this Michigan football team actually talked and thought about running up the score. It didn’t just want to beat Penn State — it wanted to embarrass the Nittany Lions and guess what fellas — mission accomplished.

The Michigan defense didn’t just stop Penn State, it humiliated Trace McSorley and the offenses of the 14th-ranked team in the country. Penn State got 11 first downs, converted on third down twice, gave up six sacks, was intercepted twice, turned the ball over three times and was held to just 186 yards, most of which came on the final drive of the game, which also happened to produce the only Nittany Lion points.

Michigan took Penn State behind the woodshed. It was an awesome performance to witness, yet for this team, it’s just par for the course.

Over the last three games, against three ranked teams, Michigan has allowed an average of just 187 yards per game. UM is also allowing just nine points a game and won those three contests by an average of 24 points. Michigan State was held under 100 yards and truthfully, from the opening play, Penn State never seemed to have a chance.

Michigan still needs to prove it can beat Ohio State, however, you can bet these Wolverines relish that challenge. Right now, the Wolverines look like the biggest bully in the Big Ten and they have the Buckeyes squarely in their sights.