Final Score: #16 Michigan 42 Illinois 25

Brief Recap: Michigan led 28-0 in the second quarter and amassed 162 rushing yards in the first quarter alone. The Wolverines wanted to run it and showed as much when they ran the ball eight straight times to start the game. Michigan even ran it on a third-and-20 scenario in the first quarter. It was that dedicated. Illinois scored 25 unanswered points to make it a 28-25 game in the fourth quarter, but Michigan flexed its muscles late to avoid a disaster.

Key Moment: As soon as Michigan was able to make it 35-25, Illinois got the ball back and one play later, quarterback Matt Robinson fumbled the ball and the Wolverines recovered. That led to a Michigan TD making it 42-25.

Key Stat: Michigan had 162 rushing yards in the first quarter and 295 in the game. The 162 yards in the opening 15 minutes was more than what the Wolverines were averaging per game over their first five contests this season (129).

Key Player: Michigan’s offensive line. OK, the line as a whole isn’t one player, but, you get the point. Again, the Wolverines wanted to run the ball and were able to do that for the majority of the game. The line wasn’t perfect for 60 minutes, but it did its job in the beginning and end of the game, which is exactly what Michigan needed.

What it means for Michigan: Michigan losing this game would have been a disaster. It avoided that. Realistically, the Wolverines have won three straight games and were No. 16 in the AP Poll prior to this win. Michigan may not be what we thought it would be this season, but the team is still 5-1 overall and gets Ohio State at home to end the season. It only takes one surprise against the Buckeyes to make a potential playoff spot possible. Michigan travels to Penn State next week and then gets Notre Dame at home the following week. Huge stretch ahead for the Wolverines.

What it means for Illinois: Some believe Lovie Smith may have been fighting for his job in this game. Illinois hasn’t really looked better and Smith is known for being a defensive mind. Illinois’ defense has been anything other than great since Smith took over. However, Illinois was able to make this a 28-25 game at one point and showed that maybe, just maybe, the team is capable of breaking through and winning a few games here and there. Maybe it will just take the former Chicago Bears coach some time. For now, Illinois is 2-4 overall and we’ll see if improvement can take place next week against Wisconsin at home.