The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1545685
142 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2026 FOOTBALL PREVIEW Michigan's 2021 recruiting class was headlined by J.J. McCar- thy (left) and Junior Colson (right). They, along with Donovan Edwards (not pictured), were top-100 players nationally at their respective positions. THE WOLVERINE, MARCH 2021 THEWOLVERINE.COM | MARCH 2021 | $3.95 THEWOLVERINE.COM | MARCH 2021 | $3.95 2021 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE Quarterback J.J. McCarthy And Linebacker Junior Colson Quarterback J.J. McCarthy And Linebacker Junior Colson Headline Michigan's Top-10 Class Headline Michigan's Top-10 Class RING RING LEADERS LEADERS Running back Donovan Edwards shined brightest on the biggest stages, including a Buckeye-busting 22 carries for 216 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 45-23 victory over rival Ohio State in 2022. He put the game away for Michigan on 85- and 75-yard touchdowns in the fourth quarter. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL TOP FIVE PERFORMANCES 1. Donovan Edwards at Ohio State, 2022 Blake Corum injured his knee the previous week against Illinois and tried to give it a go against the Buckeyes, but it was clear from the jump that he couldn't. Enter Edwards, who carried 22 times for 216 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 45-23 victory over the rival Buckeyes. Most of his production came late, scoring 85- and 75-yard touchdowns in the fourth quarter to hand Ohio State its second straight loss in the series and keep U-M's undefeated season alive, clinching a berth in the Big Ten title game in back-to-back years. 2. J.J. McCarthy at Michigan State, 2023 Days after news broke of advanced scouting allegations within the U-M pro- gram, the Wolverines went to East Lansing to take on a Spartan team reeling after the dismissal of its head coach, Mel Tucker, and the administration voicing concern for player safety in the wake of the accusations. The junior quarterback gave them plenty to be worried about in a 49-0 drubbing at Spartan Stadium, going 21-for-27 for 287 yards and 4 touchdowns in a win over their in-state rivals in prime time. The performance was impressive enough that sportsbooks tabbed McCarthy the Heisman favorite after the game, though LSU's Jayden Daniels would win the award. 3. Donovan Edwards vs. Washington, 2023 Another big moment, another iconic performance from Edwards. Corum re- turned in 2023 as Michigan's bell cow at tailback and took the lion's share of the carries that season. Edwards had a bit of a backseat and struggled throughout the year, but showed up in the 34-13 win over Washington in the College Football Playoff national championship game. He reeled off touchdown runs of 41 and 46 yards, respectively, on the first two U-M possessions to put the Wolverines up 14-3 in the first quarter. Edwards finished the game with 6 carries for 104 yards and the 2 scoring runs. 4. J.J. McCarthy at Ohio State, 2022 Just like Edwards, McCarthy gets another spot on this list. He had to shoulder more of the load in the OSU game in 2022 with Corum down. After a slow start, the passing game came alive with McCarthy completing 12-of-24 passes for 263 yards and touchdown throws of 69, 75 and 45 yards, respectively, in the game. Cornelius Johnson caught two of them, and tight end Colston Loveland pulled down the other in the third quarter to give U-M a lead it would never relinquish. He also added 6 carries for 27 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. 5. Rod Moore vs. Ohio State, 2023 One of the defining achievements of this class was its success over the Buck- eyes, and defensive back Rod Moore, an Ohio native, experienced the win during his junior campaign. Moore contributed 5 total tackles and an interception in U-M's epic 30-24 win over Ohio State in 2023, which included the game-sealing takeaway with 25 seconds to go. It kept U-M's undefeated year going heading into a third straight Big Ten title with wins over Alabama and Washington to follow.