Ad Disclosure
Michigan stock report after Week 7: Wolverines keep rolling
By Sean Labar
Published:
After a lackluster first quarter, No. 2 Michigan got rolling against Indiana on Saturday. And once the Wolverines did, they couldn’t be stopped.
The Hoosiers jumped out to an early 7-0 lead as Michigan struggled in the first 15 minutes, but Michigan scored 52 unanswered points in its 52-7 victory over Indiana.
Just like it has all season, Michigan relied on a dominating defense — that forced 4 turnovers on the day — and a healthy balance of passing and rushing on offense to secure a 7th straight win in 2023.
Player of the Game: QB JJ McCarthy
Last week’s Player of the Game went to the entire Michigan defense, and there could be a case for that every week if the Wolverines keep playing like they are.
There was much to like from McCarthy, though.
After struggling early, he never wavered, bouncing back to finish 14-of-17 for 222 yards and 3 touchdowns. He added 10 rushes for 27 yards. While the stats weren’t eye-popping, McCarthy shined in critical moments, whether it was extending a play with his legs before finding an open receiver or his clutch touchdown pass to Roman Wilson on 4th-and-2 to give Michigan a 14-7 lead. McCarthy has grown into one of this team’s core leaders and continues to thrive in the biggest moments.
Biggest Surprise: RB Benjamin Hall
Michigan entered 2023 with one of the most dynamic running back duos in the country with Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards, yet Jim Harbaugh has shown us this team won’t lean on a single star player to carry the load in a given game. While Corum finished Saturday’s outing with 13 carries for 52 yards and 2 touchdowns, freshman RB Benjamin Hall led the team in rushing with 9 carries for 58 yards. Edwards added another 9 carries for 20 yards and finally found the end zone for the first time this season.
Developing trend: Third quarter dominance
Michigan’s defense has not allowed a point in the third quarter this season. That’s a wild stat and shows just how dominant this group — the No. 1 scoring defense in the nation — truly is. On paper, this is the kind of defense that can help the Wolverines knock off Penn State and Ohio State, their biggest regular season tests.
Key Stat: 3.7 yards per play
The Wolverines’ held Indiana to 3.7 yards per play and allowed the Hoosiers’ only points on a trick-play touchdown. On the other side of the ball, the Michigan offense averaged 6.4 yards per play and constantly stayed ahead of the chains.
Looking ahead: Michigan State
In years past, this game might garner a ton of hype as it’s a rivalry matchup. While Harbaugh will make sure his team doesn’t overlook the Spartans (2-4, 0-3 after choking their way to a 27-24 loss at Rutgers), this should be another matchup the Wolverines handle with ease, even though it’s a road game. Michigan State lost its head coach earlier this season and is clearly a program in rebuild mode, while Michigan is a legitimate national title contender.