Michigan Football: 3 takeaways from steadfast win over Sparty

It wasn’t a sexy Michigan football win like Penn State was. Still, Jim Harbaugh’s guys ground out another victory over a rival who has given them too many unnecessary problems in the recent past.

Michigan State came out sizzling ready to make some noise in the Big house. Their first drive fizzled out though with back-breaking penalties. Michigan football got it on their initial possession and turned it over due to a Cornelius Johnson fumble. The maize and blue eventually got the ball back and Jake Moody connected on his first of five field goals on the night.

The Spartans responded abruptly to take their only lead on the scoreboard.  Payton Thorne threw up a 50/50 ball that his 6’4” receiver Keon Coleman came down with. Michigan football answered with an 80-yard drive to go on top for the remainder of the evening, however. J.J. McCarthy pitched it ahead to Blake Corum and he hit the hole to find paydirt.

Moody nailed three more field goals to open the second until Michigan State made a costly mistake on a bad snap on a fourth down punt attempt that reminded some of 2015. The Wolverines put things out of reach two plays later though as Corum once again found his way to the endzone. 29-7 was the end result as Michigan fans were left with wanting more of a blowout.

Michigan football now heads into the final month of the season perfect. The Wolverines got through the heart of their schedule, in October unscathed, before they finish up with a Brett Bielema-coached Illinois team that is on the uptick and another potential top-five meeting with everything on the line at Ohio State.

Here are the three takeaways.

1. Blake Corum had another virtuoso performance

The Heisman hopeful carried it 33 times for 177 yards and had both of Michigan’s scores. It’s his sixth consecutive outing with 120 yards or more and he also broke the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the year. His work ethic is being rewarded as he is the centerpiece of this potent rushing attack that hasn’t been stopped by anyone so far.

As a whole, they didn’t run wild as they did against Penn State, but it was effective enough to wear down a tired defense. J.J. McCarthy went for 50 on some timely runs that went for first downs and Donovan Edwards did his thing on the ground and caught a trio of passes from McCarthy, including a 28-yarder that set up one of Moody’s field goals.

Hendon Hooker of Tennessee appears to be the leader in the clubhouse, for Heisman, with C.J. Stroud not far behind. Hooker has to deal with Georgia’s defense next Saturday, while Alabama quarterback Bryce Young faces off with LSU in Baton Rouge next week.

So Corum has a chance to increase his odds of tightening things up in the race as the competition heats up heavily in November.