Welcome back to Michigan Stadium, Scott Frost. Michigan put together as physically dominant a first quarter as Jim Harbaugh could ever ask for Saturday,…
Welcome back to Michigan Stadium, Scott Frost.
Michigan put together as physically dominant a first quarter as Jim Harbaugh could ever ask for Saturday, as the Wolverines have bludgeoned visiting Nebraska at the line of scrimmage all afternoon here.
The result: Michigan is throttling Frost and the Cornhuskers through one half, 39-0.
Michigan has outgained Nebraska 305-17.
Nebraska has minus 6 rushing yards.
Same play: Michigan’s hammered its G-scheme run over and over this season. That process continued Saturday and the Cornhuskers had no chance.
The Wolverines mustered 101 yards on their first six rushes, two for touchdowns, basically running the same play over and over. Michigan’s offensive line has completely handled Nebraska’s front, cracking gaping holes for Karan Higdon — who already has another 100-yard game.
Fullback Ben Mason has been the Wolverines‘ No. 2 running back today with Chris Evans out due to injury and has the first multi-touchdown game of his young career.
He already has three.
The first half was a clinic in physical football, as Michigan’s front made Nebraska look like Western Michigan’s over the first 15 minutes.
Total domination.
Big rush: Michigan’s pass rush has been relentless and completely overwhelming as the Wolverines have already sacked freshman quarterback Adrian Martinez four times.
Nebraska’s tried to the move the pocket, but Rashan Gary, Devin Bush and Chase Winovich have had no part of it. They’ve wrecked Nebraska upfront and the Huskers will enter halftime with negative rushing yards as a result.
The Wolverines, remember, played the first half without Khaleke Hudson.
But the defense has put together its best half of the year to date, by a wide margin.
The only bad news? Gary left the game midway through the half with what appeared to be a right arm injury. He’s still on the sideline, still in full uniform. But the Wolverines have held him out for a few series with a large lead.
Patterson’s passing: Michigan hasn’t needed much from Shea Patterson today, as has been the case the past two weeks. But he’s still made some nice throws.
Nico Collins ran a terrific route down the sideline for a 23-yard pickup. Patterson’s hit Zach Gentry in space, and in the end zone for a touchdown.
The only struggles Michigan’s had offensively have come when the Wolverines have tried to do some horizontal stuff with their passing game. Not much of that has worked.
Everything else has been fine and pretty effortless.
Contact Nick Baumgardner: nbaumgardn@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickBaumgardner.
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