Michigan football did everything it could to lose to Northwestern on Saturday. Just about everything.
In the last few minutes, when the game, and the season was on the line, Michigan's defense got a three-and-out.
Then, Bryce Underwood, the true freshman quarterback who had a disastrous fourth quarter, delivered maybe his best drive of the season.
At least the most important.
It wasn't pretty. At times, in the fourth quarter, it down-right volatile.
The offense only punted once. It had five drives across the 50-yard line that led to zero points. Underwood was stellar for much of the game. Yet, he was fooled on two fourth-quarter interceptions, then mishandled the ball on a fourth-down attempt.
It felt like Michigan's playoff hopes chances were dead. There was still time, though. And Underwood found a way. He delivered a strike. Ran for a first down and made the plays needed to win.
That's all you can ask for in that situation.
Underwood will grow from this game. But ending it with his first game-winning drive wasn't terrible. Dominic Zvada, after missing two field goals, found a way.
The defense, despite being put in terrible situations, got two critical stops in the fourth quarter, plus turned away a two-point attempt that looms large after a 24-22 Michigan win.
Bryce Underwood has been great at protecting the football, or had been. He's got two turnovers in two games. These are correctable mistakes. But they have to get fixed or Michigan isn't going to get where it wants to go this season.
Outside of the turnovers, Underwood had one of his best games throwing the ball. He was 18-of-24 at one point. Then, things went downhill. But he landed the plane before it crashed. The quarterback also thanked his teammates for helping him keep his head up in the post-game interview.
It was a weird game. Northwestern also got just six points out of two first-half chances inside the 10. Michigan should have won going away, just like it did against Purdue. Underwood threw for 280 yards. He also ran for 30. Andrew Marsh caught 12 passes for 189 yards.
But at this point, it doesn't matter how it looked. Survive and advance. Michigan is still alive in the College Football Playoff race. What's true before -- that they can likely win out and make it, is still true.
Just beat Maryland and Ohio State.
And as hard as it might be for some to see it, Saturday's win will help in that endeavor. Underwood will grow from this. QB development isn't linear. Sometimes, it's one step forward and two steps back.
The last drive was progress, though. Even if it was one of the wackiest wins (minus five in turnover ratio) in Michigan football history.