Michigan Football: The good, bad and ugly from Peach Bowl loss
Michigan football didn’t get the redemption it was looking for in the Peach Bowl and here are the good, bad and ugly things about the Peach Bowl loss to the Florida Gators Saturday.
You never know what to expect in bowl games. But you can just about guarantee that very few people saw Michigan football getting beat 41-15 by the Florida Gators.
A loss wouldn’t have been a huge shock. Florida came into the Peach Bowl as the 10th-ranked team in the country. The Gators were a 9-3 team in the SEC and did beat down a very good LSU team earlier this season.
Michigan football, wishing it would have been in the playoff, obviously overlooked Florida. Its fans acted like playing Florida wasn’t a challenge and it looks like the players and coaches had the same mentality.
This is just brutal for Michigan. Stars were aligned for them to be a CFP team this season, and instead they deliver these last two performances. OSU in transition, PSU losing a generational QB, MSU with offensive issues. HAS to happen next year, doesn’t it?
— Dave Revsine (@BTNDaveRevsine) December 29, 2018
There was nothing creative on offense and on defense, it was the Ohio State game all over again. People have figured out Don Brown and if he doesn’t adapt soon, he needs to be shown the door. Shutting down an above average Penn State at home, with an injured Trace McSorley is his best achievement as defensive coordinator.
The game was 13-10 but a few things changed the outcome. Michigan missed a field goal before the half and then when driving for the lead in the middle of the third quarter, Shea Patterson threw the interception that changed the game.
Florida made Michigan look foolish on a 4th-and-1 end around to Kadarius Toney. The play gained 30 yards and led to a touchdown that made it 20-10. It was the polar opposite of what Michigan ran on its own 4th-and-1 earlier when it ran slow Ben Mason into the teeth of a fast Florida defense that knew exactly what was coming. And worse, UM did it twice. That set the tone.
On the next drive, still up 20-10, the Gators ripped off two more big plays and Jordan Scarlett made it 27-10. UM added a field goal after Tarik Black dropped what should have been a touchdown, but at least it was 27-13.
Needing a stop, Michigan’s “elite” defense gave up a 28-yard pass before allowing a 53-yard touchdown run on 3rd-and-17 when Florida was just handing off the ball to punt. Lamical Perine’s run ended the game and was the exclamation point on a pathetic showing overall.
After digesting that, here is a look at the good, the bad and the ugly of Wolverines debacle against Florida.