Highlights, gut reactions from Michigan Football’s 10th win

Michigan football put together an impressive performance against Maryland and here are the best highlights as well as our gut reactions.

Earlier on Saturday, Michigan football fans watched Ohio State beat Michigan State, which is exactly what the Wolverines needed.

Then, Michigan football took the field against Maryland and absolutely dominated the Terrapins — setting up a winner-take-all game for the Big Ten East title next week.

Yes, Michigan hasn’t beaten Ohio State since 2011 and in similar matchups with both teams ranked in the top 10 or with the conference title on the line, the losing streak dates back to 2006, with 2007, 2016, and 2018 all going the same direction.

This will be the first top-10 showdown in Ann Arbor since 2003, a game Michigan football won. We’ll see what happens next Saturday.

But this week, the Michigan offense was explosive. The Wolverines had two touchdowns of more than 70 yards including this kickoff return for a score on a reverse pass by Michael Barrett to A.J. Henning.

https://twitter.com/CFBONFOX/status/1462196504551120897

Donovan Edwards also broke out in the game and contributed this back-breaker in the third quarter. He scored on a 77-yard reception when Maryland got within 20.

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Then after extending the lead to 27 points again, DJ Turner put the exclamation point on the victory with a pick-6 that got Michigan over the 50 mark.

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The score by Turner was the fourth touchdown of the third quarter. Michigan led 24-3 at the break and extended the lead on Hassan Haskin’s second touchdown run.

https://twitter.com/CFBONFOX/status/1462192155632484352

Cade McNamara tossed a touchdown in the first quarter and J.J. McCarthy also came off the bench to find Mike Sainristil for a score as U-M built a 21-point halftime lead.

https://twitter.com/CFBONFOX/status/1462178262948495363

We predicted that Michigan would hit the 300-yard mark as a team in passing yards and proved to be true as both quarterbacks treated the Maryland secondary like Swiss cheese. Haskins also reached 1,000 yards — the first back to do it since Karan Higdon in 2017 and Edwards had 10 receptions for 171 yards in a breakout performance for the five-star running back.

Oh, and McCarthy added this touchdown run, looking like Jim Harbaugh himself (as a player) for good measure.

https://twitter.com/CFBONFOX/status/1462202750129913863

All in all, it was a perfect day for Michigan and Jim Harbaugh, who has now led the Wolverines to 10-1 starts in three of the last five full seasons. It’s also his fourth 10-win season in Ann Arbor.

Here are our gut reactions.

Gut Reactions from Michigan football win over Maryland

• A 10-win season is a helluva achievement, regardless of what happens next week.
• Michigan will play in a New Year’s Six Bowl.
• Cade McNamara and J.J. McCarthy both played well.
• McCarthy has had a touchdown pass/run in two separate Big Ten games.
• The coaching staff gave Ohio State some stuff to think about.
• This team has playmakers on offense…a lot of them.
• Donovan Edwards is going to be a superstar.
• Andrel Anthony is damn good too.
• Michigan saw a weakness in pass defense and attacked.
• The U-M pass defense left too many guys open.
• The pass rush will need to be better next week. A lot better.
• Hutchinson still made 3-4 impact plays — 4th down stop, batted pass, etc.
• Michael Barrett is a football player…a good one.
• No thought The Game would be for the Big Ten East.
• Thank goodness we kept Jim Harbaugh.
• Freaking love this team!
• Go Blue!