5 things we learned from Michigan Football win over Illinois

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 19: Place kicker Jake Moody #13 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates with head coach Jim Harbaugh during the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Michigan Stadium on November 19, 2022 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Wolverines won 19-17. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images) /

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Jake Moody is a freaking legend

Some really good teams have won a lot with a great defense, a really good running game, and a clutch kicker and Michigan football has all those ingredients.

Seriously though, Michigan doesn’t win this game without Jake Moody.

People will want to talk about the game-winner that he made in the fourth quarter. It was clutch and one of the biggest kicks of his career. But the guy who has made as many field goals as any Wolverine ever needs credit for the 46-yard dead into the wind late in the third quarter.

That was a really tough kick and he nailed it. If he misses, the Wolverines don’t have the luxury of kicking the other field goals and might be driving for the tie or needing a touchdown to win on the last drive.

I wondered about Jim Harbaugh’s strategy of kicking a field goal down 17-13 with just a few minutes left, but the defense did its job, J.J. McCarthy did just enough and everyone knew if Moody got his opportunity, he wasn’t going to miss and they were right.

Moody should be a consensus All-American this season and no one deserves it more.

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