3 takeaways from Illinois beating Michigan to clinch bowl eligibility
Illinois and Michigan met Saturday afternoon for the first time since a thrilling victory for the Wolverines in 2022. This would be another tight matchup all game long, but it would not result in heroics for Michigan.
Instead, it was Bret Bielema’s Illini squad coming up with big play time and time again. After building a 14-point lead in the 3rd quarter, Illinois would lean on its defense to deliver major stops at every key swing in the game.
When the final buzzer eventually sounded, it was a 21-7 win for the Illini to reach 6 wins and a bowl game. On the other side, Sherrone Moore had to watch as his team fell to 4-2 in Michigan’s first loss to the Illini since 2009.
Here are the key takeaways from that game:
Illini defense gets after Wolverines
We can talk about Michigan’s offensive issues, but we also need to acknowledge the work of the Illini defense. They were aggressive and attacked the Wolverines all game long.
Illinois has been among the best in the B1G at taking the ball away even before this game, and they delivered 3 takeaways, including a crucial interception by Matthew Bailey. It allowed the Illini to go +3 in turnover differential.
The defensive front was a big reason Illinois was able to be successful. Gabe Jacas delivered 2.5 sacks to lead the effort (to go with 13 total tackles), and TeRah Edwards added 2 as Illinois recorded 5 total sacks, 7 TFL and 2 pass breakups to go with the takeaways.
About Michigan’s QB situation…
Sherrone Moore made it clear coming out of halftime he was not tinkering with Michigan’s QB situation, giving Jack Tuttle a full game under center with the offense. It’s probably the right call to move fully forward with Tuttle, but that’s not a ringing endorsement.
Tuttle did throw for 208 yards. However, that’s the best thing you can say about his overall performance, and even Tuttle’s yardage came as a result from Michigan trailing for the entire second half.
Tuttle fumbled twice (lost one) and threw a costly pick in the red zone. It’s also true the offense struggled with its efficiency throughout the game.
On the ground, Michigan averaged just 3 yards per carry with Kalel Mullings rushing for 87 yards. Colston Loveland (7 catches for 83 yards) was once again the most productive weapon for Michigan, but they could not take advantage of him in the red zone.
Twice in the 2nd half, Michigan had drives of at least 12 plays and 5+ minutes time of possession. However, the Wolverines came away with zero points on both drives, and some of those issues reside with the QB position.
The problem? There is nowhere else for Michigan to realistically turn this season.
The Wolverines know Tuttle is a better passer than Davis Warren at this point in the year. And they have already tried going ultra-heavy in their ground-and-pound style with Alex Orji on the field.
This is who Michigan is. And it’s probably not going to lead to many wins in the B1G this fall. Buckle up.
Special teams leaves an impact
Special teams does not always earn a lot of attention. However, it’s still a key area for teams, and it was a major impact on Saturday.
At the end of the first half, Illinois had a field goal blocked by Michigan, and it looked like that missed opportunity could haunt the Illini. The difference between a 6 and 9-point lead at the break is noticeable, but the Illini goat a shot at redemption in the 2nd half.
That shot at redemption came on a blocked field goal for Illinois. Instead of Michigan capping a huge 15-play, nearly 9-minute drive with points, the Wolverines came up empty at a crucial point.
The punting unit of either team also played a role. Michigan’s Tommy Doman, traditionally strong with his leg, averaged just 32.7 yards per punt with a long of 36 yards in the game. On the flip side, Hugh Robertson of Illinois averaged 46.3 yards per punt, and 3 of Robertson’s 4 punts landed inside the 20.
That difference in field position had a major impact in the final outcome.