The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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Top Five Performances 1. RB HASSAN HASKINS vs. Ohio State in 2021 Haskins managed to put together one of the most iconic per- formances in Michigan football history with a Buckeye-busting 28 carries for 169 yards and 5 touchdowns in a 42-27 win in Ann Arbor. The output headlined a dominant day for the Wolverines and symbolized a turning of the tide in the rivalry. Down 10-7 with 3:51 to go in the first quarter, Haskins found the end zone for the first time on the day from the 1-yard line to give U-M a 14-10 lead. Touchdown runs of 13, 1, 2 and 4 yards followed. His performance was the first 5-touchdown rushing output in the history of The Game, and he tied Ron Johnson's single-game Michigan record set in 1968 against Wisconsin. 2. EDGE Aidan Hutchinson vs. Ohio State in 2021 The Heisman Trophy runner-up had plenty of strong perfor- mances throughout a tide-turning 2021 season, but his most iconic goes in the books as his showing against the Buckeyes. His 7 total tackles and 3 sacks of OSU quarterback C.J. Stroud helped rattle an offense that had to be perfect to keep up with the Wolverines that day. Hutchinson's first sack came on a critical third-and-goal situ- ation from the 8-yard line in the first quarter, forcing a field goal attempt. His second came on another third-down situation during OSU's first drive of the second half, forcing a punt. Hutchinson's last came on a Buckeye touchdown drive that narrowed the deficit to 28-20 in favor of U-M, but the squad held on from there. 3. K JAKE MOODY vs. Illinois in 2022 Moody won the Lou Groza Award for his play in 2021, but never had a bigger moment than saving an undefeated season at home against Illinois in 2022. He booted a 35-yard field goal with 9 sec- onds left that helped lift Michigan to a 19-17 victory in the home fi- nale, one of four field goals needed on the day to preserve a victory. Moody also made field goals of 46 and 41 yards, and a 33-yarder pulled Michigan within 17-16 with 3:14 left to play. "I've been watching Michigan football since I was a kid and am a pretty decent historian of Michigan football. I am nominating Jake for legendary status at the university," head coach Jim Harbaugh said after the game. 4. WR Ronnie Bell vs. Michigan State in 2019 Ever the underdog story, Bell had the best game of his career against the rival Michigan State Spartans, going off for a then-career-high 9 catches for 150 yards in the battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy. Seven of his receptions came in the first half, and he gave the rival Spartans fits all afternoon. If not for get- ting tripped up at the 3-yard line on one of his catches, he would have had a touchdown, too. "All big plays. All over the field," Harbaugh said after the game. "Bubbles and then yards after the catch. Run- ning physical and tough on the boundary. Not looking to step out of bounds and coming out the other side and making the first downs. Over the middle, right in there, making the tough plays and catches. Blocked really well, too. … He's a real football player." 5. LB Michael Barrett at Rutgers in 2022 Michigan trailed 17-14 at halftime of a Nov. 6, 2022, game at Rutgers, but fortunes flipped with Barrett's performance in the third quarter. He had back-to-back interceptions — the first two of his career — including a 31-yard return for a touchdown on a ball that was tipped. Barrett's play in the second half helped fuel a 38-0 run that led to a 52-17 victory for the Maize and Blue, and helped him earn the honor of wearing Will John- son's famed "Turnover Buffs" in the postgame press conference. NFL Draft Picks (8) • EDGE Aidan Hutchinson – Detroit Lions; first round, No. 2 overall in 2022 • TE Luke Schoonmaker – Dallas Cowboys; second round, No. 58 overall in 2023 • OT Jalen Mayfield – Atlanta Falcons; third round, No. 68 overall in 2021 • K JAKE MOODY – San Francisco 49ers; third round, No. 99 overall in 2023 • RB Hassan Haskins – Tennessee Titans; fourth round, No. 131 overall in 2022 • LB Cameron McGrone – New England Patriots; fifth round, No. 177 overall in 2021 • OT Ryan Hayes – Miami Dolphins, seventh round, No. 238 overall in 2023 • WR Ronnie Bell – San Francisco 49ers, seventh round, No. 253 overall in 2023 In Michigan's 42-27 win over Ohio State in 2021, Hassan Haskins ran for 169 yards and scored 5 touchdwons, the most by a rusher in the history of The Game. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL THE WOLVERINE 2023 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 143