Michigan Football: 3 takeaways from resounding win over Wisconsin
By Nick Popio
![Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/6d2ea5ba4d1f0087bfa9f397b87f81c3e535bbc58f819a9f533bd122b23b2d81.jpg)
Michigan football went into a place it hasn’t won in two decades and thoroughly dismantled the Badgers 38-17 to remain unblemished in 2021.
It took a minute for both clubs to gain their footing in this one. Once they did, Michigan football flipped the battle of early field positioning and put the first points on the board. Cade McNamara found Cornelius Johnson on a flea-flicker that was dialed up by the offensive staff to give the Wolverines the upper hand at 7-0.
Later in the half Michigan football punted and the ball hit a Wisconsin player only to be recovered by the maize and blue inside the Badgers 10 yard line. Michigan could only get a field goal out of it, but had a firm grip of things from that point in the action. It wasn’t until late in the half when Wisconsin found life. Michigan kicked a field goal to go up 10 and made a costly mistake by squib kicking the preceding kickoff.
Wisconsin took advantage by driving the length of the field for six by nudging their way to a 13-10 deficit at the break. Then Graham Mertz go knocked out of the contest after getting sacked with an injury that halted their initial drive of the third period. Michigan responded to open the second half by getting a qb sneak for a touchdown by J.J McCarthy. The floodgates were about to be wide open.
Michigan dominates in a 38-17 win. Wisconsin might not be Wisconsin this year ... but this looked like the Jim Harbaugh Michigan we expected when he was hired. Go on the road and break a team's spirit.
— Chris Balas (@Balas_Wolverine) October 2, 2021
Michigan blew the doors off the barn in the fourth though. McNamara connected with Johnson on a short td pass following a Wisconsin turnover. Then McCarthy put it completely out of reach with a 56 yard touchdown to close the scoring on the day for Michigan. It was an all around thumping from a Michigan bunch that is gaining steam as each week passes.