Michigan Football: 3 takeaways from a persevering win over Illinois

2. J.J. McCarthy has some serious accuracy issues

For the third straight contest, McCarthy was 52% or less with his completion percentage. He didn’t need to complete do-or-die passes in the last two wins like he did today though. When the outcome was on the line he found Roman Wilson and Isaiah Gash on crucial fourth-down completions that kept Michigan alive.

Earlier in the matchup, he was missing receivers by overthrowing them at a troublesome rate. The one long throw that should have been a touchdown on fourth down was not his fault, however. Illinois jumped into the neutral zone and no penalty was called, so McCarthy thought he had a free play and threw it up to Andrel Anthony toward the endzone and it went right threw his hands. Anthony literally blew a touchdown opportunity by letting it slip right through his fingertips.

Michigan is going to have to pass to win next Saturday. They can’t rely on the rushing attack all day unless Ohio State has problems stopping it as they did in Ann Arbor last November. The Buckeyes defense is better and might be the stoutest defense that Michigan has seen all season long. McCarthy will have to make plays with his arm if Michigan wants to overcome the Buckeyes again.