Michigan didn't play a perfect game against Nebraska. But when you physically dominate your opponent, the final score tends to take care of itself.
The Huskers made it interesting. Dylan Raiola had three touchdown passes, including a Hail Mary before the half that kept the game close.
With the score tied at 17-17, Michigan could have folded. Lots of teams do when something like that happens, but the defense stiffened, and the running game delivered with a 54-yard touchdown run from Jordan Marshall, who had 80 yards in six attempts, to put the game away.
Justice Haynes was the bigger story. After the game was tied up at 10-10, he ripped off a 75-yard touchdown run. He finished with 149 yards on 17 carries, becoming the first Michigan football running back, ever, to start his career with four 100-yard games.
The defense had seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss. It also forced a key takeaway and got a number of stops inside the 30. Some things need to be fixed and tweaked. Yet, the Wolverines are 3-1, have an impressive road win, and here are five things we learned from the 30-27 win.
Michigan is still Michigan
Plenty of Michigan fans questioned the offensive line after the Oklahoma loss. Nebraska has a poor run defense, it would have been a bad omen if the Wolverines couldn't impose their will.
Michigan controlled the ground and rushed for 286 yards. The offensive line allowed just one sack, and Greg Crippen had the game of his life.
It was his "best game" according to Biff Poggi and it's hard to disagree. Neither of the long touchdown runs from Haynes or Marshall happen without him.
People questioned whether Michigan still had the same identity. Saturday provided a resounding answer to that question. Bryce Underwood can run and throw. But as he grows on the job, Michigan football can still "smash" its way to victory.
The defensive line can still dominate
The offensive line was a big part of the equation on Saturday. So was the defensive line, which was credited with seven sacks, and 10 tackles for loss.
Whether it was Jaishawn Barham, Derrick Moore, or Rayshaun Benny, Nebraska couldn't block Michgan's front. It reminded me of the ReliaQuest Bowl.
We have been waiting to see the defense perform like it did last season, at least for that bowl game. That seemed like a reasonable expectation. The defense, which has been battling injuries in the secondary, hasn't met that expectation.
Even though it allowed 27 points, it did on Saturday. 10 points were gifted on the Brandyn Hilman penalty and the Hail Mary.
Nebraska took advantage of those opportunities, but they should never have had them. That stuff needs to get cleaned up. The secondary needs to get healthy, yet the play of the defensive line was one of the most encouraging things about the Wolverines win.
Justice Haynes could be a Heisman candidate
For the third time this season, Justice Haynes had a touchdown run of more than 55 yards on Saturday. The Alabama transfer scored from 75 yards out, matching the touchdown run he had against Oklahoma two weeks ago.
So far, the former five-star running back recruit has been an incredible addition for the Wolverines. We expected him to be good, even predicting him to run for over 1,000 yards.
But after 539 rushing yards and six touchdowns, as well as a yards per attempt average of 8.13 yards per attempt on 66 attempts, he feels like a Heisman contender. Haynes has four runs of more than 50 yards this season and kept his spot as the Big Ten's leading rusher.
Bryce Underwood is dynamic. He showed that with his 39-yard touchdown run. Yet, the most explosive player in this offense in Haynes, who might be the best running back in college football.
Haynes is on pace for 1,611 yards in 12 games. He would probably need to help Michigan reach the Big Ten title game to have a chance, but if Haynes has those numbers, being a Heisman finalist isn't out of the question.
Particularly if the Wolverines keep winning and he keeps ripping off 75-yard touchdown runs, a la Donovan Edwards.
Bryce Underwood is still learning
Underwood certainly played a role in the win for Michigan. He threw for 105 yards, ran for 61, and only had one mistake.
Underwood has two turnovers in four games. Against Oklahoma and Nebraska, he had a combined two turnovers. The freshman was more dynamic with his legs and it led to a touchdown. His wide receivers dropped some passes, too.
The final numbers ended up pedestrian, at least in terms of passing but even in the fourth quarter, he completed two key fourth downs. The moment never looked too big for Bryce. It never felt too big for him against Oklahoma either, the offensive line just had a rough night.
Underwood didn't win the game for Michigan. He didn't lose it either and as a freshman, on the road, that's half the battle.
The culture is strong as ever
It would have been easy for this team to point fingers after the Oklahoma game. That's not what happened. Without their head coach, and despite what could have been a game-changing mistake by Biff Poggi, the Wolverines had his back, just like they had the back of Sherrone Moore.
Michigan football is 8-0 with a suspended head coach over the past three seasons. That says a lot about the players and the culture they have built. It would have been easy to fall apart after the Hail Mary.
Nebraska had all the momentum and a half to play. What did Michigan do? Kicked a long field goal on the first drive of the third quarter, forced a three-and-out, then ripped off the Marshall TD run.
You couldn't dream up a better response than that. It was "championship" football as Gary Danielson said on the CBS broadcast in the fourth quarter.
Crippen, a senior leader, was a huge part of this win. So were other seniors like Derrick Moore, Rod Moore, Rayshaun Benny, Ernest Hausmann, and others.
When people question whether Sherrone Moore can maintain what Jim Harbaugh built, games like this, and the win over Ohio State are a reminder that he can. And in some ways, he already has.