The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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JANUARY 2023 THE WOLVERINE 19 igan football team in a single season. "I can't say enough about our play- ers, our coaches, our staff," Harbaugh noted. "To be 13-0 — my mouth has a hard time even forming that. It's very unfamiliar to say that, in relation to football. It sounds like a hot start to a beginning of a basketball season." The 2022 Wolverines aren't known for hot starts, but they are becoming nationally acclaimed for dominant finishes. They outscored their final 10 opponents on the season in the second halves of games 217-57, including a 53-6 edge on arguably their two toughest foes — Ohio State and Penn State. In so doing, they locked up not only their first outright back-to-back Big Ten championships since 1991-92, but they also secured the No. 2 spot in the College Football Playoff and are set to face No. 3 TCU in the semifinals on Dec. 31. They could even square off with the Buckeyes again, in what would consti- tute a white-hot national champion- ship game, if the Wolverines prevail and No. 4 Ohio State upsets No. 1 Georgia. For what it's worth, sophomore quar- terback J.J. McCarthy wouldn't mind a piece of that action, like he expressed following the Big Ten title contest. "Please … please," McCarthy pleaded. "Bring it on. That would be truly a blessing, if we get a shot to play those boys again." Michigan will certainly take them as they come, in the rarified air involv- ing football's version of the NCAA Basketball Tournament's Final Four. For now, the Wolverines can prep for what's ahead with a whole lot of Big Ten wreckage in their rear-view mirror. PUTTING AWAY PURDUE A significant underdog coming into Lucas Oil Stadium, Purdue wasn't about to hand the trophy to Harbaugh's crew. However, the fans in West Lafayette — a mere 65 miles from the stadium — likely knew what was coming. They were outnumbered by an esti- mated 3-1 by maize and blue-clad root- ers. The Boilermakers didn't care. They prepped to pull off their biggest victory since Joe Tiller's 2000 Boilermakers — led by Drew Brees at quarterback — snagged a share of the Big Ten title. Purdue quarterback Aidan O'Connell breezed along for a good stretch against the Wolverines, going 32-of-47 pass- ing for 366 yards. But he didn't throw a touchdown pass, and two crucial inter- ceptions by freshman cornerback Will Johnson helped fuel Michigan's steady pull away from the Boilermakers. Meanwhile, a pair of scintillating sophomores — behind a mauling, grind- ing Michigan offensive line — demon- strated once again the hopelessness of second-half resistance. On the opening play from scrimmage in the second half, sophomore tailback Donovan Edwards broke away on a 60- yard run. He'd rushed for 37 yards in the foe-tenderizing first half, but he wound up with 185 yards on 25 tries. "This guy's got 401 yards in the last two games," Harbaugh marveled after- wards. You want to talk about big games. This guy comes alive in big games. He just hits another gear. He takes off to another level." Edwards — stepping up in the absence of injured 1,400-yard rusher junior Blake Corum and fully crediting "the best of- fensive line in the nation" — acknowl- edged his relishing of the grand stage. "I rise to those occasions, and I thrive on that … I'm made for the big mo- ments," Edwards said. Michigan seems made for the final 30 moments and proved it again. Edwards' burst led to a 1-yard touchdown run by junior running back Kalel Mullings, a converted linebacker. Moments later, the Wolverines needed just two plays to score from 77 yards out. The other sophomore — quarterback J.J. McCarthy (11 of 17, 161 yards, 3 touch- downs) — zipped a 40-yard strike to se- nior tight end Luke Schoonmaker, and Edwards followed with a three-tackle- breaking, 27-yard bolt to the end zone. In just 4:28 of the second half, the lead went from 14-13 to 28-13. If the Wolverines harbored any thoughts of polishing the champion- ship trophy early, Purdue sent a not-so- fast reminder. Kicker Mitchell Fineran pumped through two more of his five field goals on the night, and the Boiler- makers pulled back within nine, 28-19. McCarthy shrugged that off, gunning a 17-yard strike to grad wideout Ronnie Jim Harbaugh "I can't say enough about our players, our coaches, our staff. To be 13-0 — my mouth has a hard time even forming that. It's very unfamiliar to say that, in relation to football. It sounds like a hot start to a beginning of a basketball season."