Michigan's win against New Mexico on Saturday night demonstrated two things. One being that the Wolverines' receiving Alabama transfer, Justice Haynes, proved to pay dividends. His career-high 159 yards and three touchdowns were instrumental in the Wolverines' victory. And while the excitement around Bryce Underwood did not exactly dissipate following the 34-17 win, there is one thing that the Michigan fans cannot ignore.
It is the glaring observation that the Wolverines continued to flirt with disaster. In the second quarter, after a trick play and a kickoff fumble from the Michigan special teams, the New Mexico Lobos pulled within 17-10. And even in the second half, the Lobos had multiple chances to remain in the game but their quarterback, Jack Layne, threw a pass up for grabs that turned into an interception. Twice. If anything, New Mexico's self-inflicted mistakes contributed to the loss more than anything.
Any look at the Wolverine fans in that second quarter showed the underlying hint of what they fear the most. This team is closer to average than great. In a Big Ten, the Ohio State Buckeyes sit mightily atop of. There were moments of greatness and then moments of shielding your eyes from the damage. Yes, Bryce Underwood had instances of looking like he was worth the investment. Yes, the defense continued to be as opportunistic as any Wink Martindale defense could ever be. And yes, Dominic Zvada is probably the best kicker in the country. But what muddled the Wolverines' 2024 season besides inconsistent quarterback play was that they never looked dominant against teams they should have been dominant against. Of course, a New Mexico team coached by Jason Eck is guaranteed to be competitive, but the Michigan Wolverines are not in the business of moral victories.
The one thing about flirting with disaster is that eventually the luck will run out. Continuing to let teams stick around will just lead to teams gaining confidence and then ultimately, winning a game many experts said they had no chance in winning in the first place. That is a game of Russian Roulette that the Michigan Wolverines cannot afford to play. With all the controversy surrounding the off season and the upcoming suspension that Sherrone Moore will be serving, Michigan needs to win the games they're supposed to. The way they're supposed to.
The next game in Norman, Oklahoma will show who the Wolverines really are. An early test in a hostile road environment will show if the previous season's troubles continue to plague them or if the ripples against New Mexico were first game kinks.
For Wolverine fans, they hope for the latter.