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Michigan’s defense came through again.
Cincinnati wasn’t suppose to be in the game on Saturday. The Bearcats entered the Big House as 34.5-point underdogs. Considering the Wolverines’ 33-17 win over Florida and the Bearcats’ struggled with Austin Peay a week ago, that seemed like a fairly reasonable line for the Week 2 matchup.
Instead, Cincinnati and new head coach Luke Fickell put up a fight. Early in the third quarter, the Bearcats trailed just 17-14, and stayed within striking distance for most of the afternoon. The scoreboard might’ve read 36-14 when the clock struck zero, but it was much closer than the 22-point difference.
Michigan’s offensive issues were costly on Saturday, much like they were last week against the Gators. Fortunately, it hasn’t cost Jim Harbaugh and Co. a game just yet. Two interceptions – pick-sixes to be exact – were the only reason Florida was within two scores a week ago. This time, fumbles were an issue.
The first fumble came in the first quarter on a punt return, which gave Cincinnati great field position. The Bearcats were able to cap a nine-play, 38-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run to make the score 14-7.
Wilton Speight was the cause of Michigan’s second fumble, which came midway through the second quarter while driving in Cincinnati territory. The Bearcats weren’t able to capitalize on the mistake, but ahead 17-7, it cost the Wolverines a chance to deliver a potential knockout blow in the first half.
Luckily for Michigan, those two turnovers on Saturday weren’t too costly. But it’s not a bullet the Wolverines can continue to dodge all year long.
Michigan’s offense isn’t good enough to overcome some of those recurring mistakes and sloppy turnovers. The Wolverines scored just two offensive touchdowns against Cincinnati. Two pick-sixes, two field goals and a safety accounted for 22 of the 36 points. That won’t be good enough when conference play rolls around.
Check the stats and Michigan’s numbers aren’t too bad. Speight completed 17-of-29 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns. He didn’t throw an interception after tossing two in the opening week. Ty Isaac racked up 133 yards on 20 carries. It was a balanced attack but the Wolverines still couldn’t punch the ball across the goal line.
Yardage doesn’t mean squat unless it translates to points. In the first two weeks, the Wolverines have scored just enough to escape with victories. But all of the miscues through the first two weeks need to be addressed.
The Wolverines aren’t in terrible shape and this isn’t an insurmountable hurdle. The Wolverines are already one of the top teams in the country, and cleaning up the offensive slop will only improve their chances of winning a B1G title.
It’s not time for panic mode or a quarterback switch. Just two games into the season, there’s plenty of time to correct those mistakes. But if Michigan wants to compete with Ohio State and Penn State in the East, it’s something that must be fixed before B1G play starts.
As good as the defense is, it won’t be able to bail out the offense every single week.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB