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Rapid Reaction: Michigan escapes disaster, overcomes mistakes with clutch finish to take down Army
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Final Score: Army 21, Michigan 24
Brief Recap: What a game! Many analysts around the country wondered if Army’s unique offense would pose a problem for Michigan, and did it ever. The Wolverines struggled to get going in the first half, committing three turnovers and missing a long field goal as the half expired. Even after the break, the Wolverines still struggled to get rolling against the Black Knights with just one touchdown. In the end, the game would not be settled until the second overtime with Michigan coming up with one more play than the Black Knights. But hats off to Jeff Monken and Army for an incredible performance.
Key Moment: All eyes will be drawn to the scoop-and-score for the Wolverines that was controversially whistled dead in the first half. But with all due respect to that play, it came down to overtime. After Michigan kicked a field goal to go up 24-21 in double overtime, the Wolverines needed a stop to clinch the game. And they got it. A strip-sack and fumble recovery clinched the narrow win.
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Key Stat: 9-for-16, Michigan’s conversion rate on third downs. Being able to convert consistently on third downs allowed Michigan to keep its defense off the field for key stretches. That allowed for the Wolverines to nearly pull even with Army in time of possession, a very difficult task against their unique offense.
Key Player: Zach Charbonnet. The true freshman continues to impress and sure looks like the workhorse back for the Wolverines. He carried the ball 33 times for an even 100 yards and all three touchdowns scored by Michigan. His yards per carry may not have been the highest, but he was the key to Michigan’s offense and grinding out possessions in the second half.
What it Means: Michigan escapes in a similar fashion to Oklahoma’s win over Army in 2018. That Oklahoma team went on to make the College Football Playoff. While that remains a tall task for the Wolverines, a loss would have been disastrous and put Michigan on thin ice in regards to the Playoff. A win, narrow as it was, leaves the Wolverines with plenty of life and a good wakeup call heading into B1G play next weekend.
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.