Michigan football saw its dream season end in Miami Friday night and here are five things we learned from the loss to Georgia.
After an incredible ride, the Michigan football season ended with a thud in Miami on Friday as the Georgia Bulldogs dominated the Wolverines in a 34-11 win.
Georgia was just the better team and after losing its last game to Alabama, the Bulldogs were certainly on point. They were also just bigger, faster, and stronger.
Michigan shot itself in the foot too. There were mistakes on the opening series defensively, such as not being aligned or trying to have an edge rusher cover an all-world tight end, and things didn’t get much better from there.
Once the Wolverines failed to convert on a fourth-and-four on their opening drive, things go out of hand quickly. Michigan was able to mount a few drives but on its first three trips inside the Georgia 40, U-M came away with only three points.
Some turnovers hurt but ultimately, Georgia just whipped the Wolverines upfront and on the back end. There will be some tough lessons and here are five things we learned.
Michigan has work to do
The Big Ten has only won three games in the College Football Playoff and there’s a reason for that. The SEC is winning the recruiting wars right now and the Wolverines need to improve in that area if they are ever going to contend seriously for a national title.
This was an important first step. Michigan football had to beat Ohio State, win the Big Ten and make the playoff. Now, if the idea is to win it, there is work to do.
But that’s true in Columbus and basically every single place in college football outside of Tuscaloosa. Georgia is on the doorstep and probably should have won in 2017, but if Bama does what it did in the SEC title game, the Dawgs will feel the same way Michigan does right now.
There is no shame in losing to Georgia. Before it lost to Bama, the Bulldogs were talked about as one of the best teams ever. We’ll see what happens next in Indy vs the Crimson Tide but from a Wolverines perspective, it’s clear there is more work to do.
At least if the program wants to win a national championship.