The terrible, horrible, no good, very bad first half
Throughout the season Michigan has been able to keep first halves close even when things aren’t going their way. Whether the bad breaks happened to the other team, or they played clean enough to keep things close. That was not the case in the first half of the Fiesta Bowl against TCU.
Michigan started out strong with a big run from Donovan Edwards, but it was all downhill after inexplicable 4th down play call that involved a double reverse to Colston Loveland, who appeared was suppose to then throw the ball to JJ McCarthy. On the next offensive series, McCarthy threw only his 4th interception of the season, but a pick six for the Horned Frogs.
When Michigan made plays like an interception from Rod Moore and then what appeared to be a deep touchdown to Roman Wilson, a controversial call took the points off the board and then the Wolverines shot themselves in the foot again with a goal line fumble from Kalel Mullings.
Michigan simply didn’t look themselves at all, with blown coverages, lack of running behind their offensive line, a panicked McCarthy, and what felt like a stream of head scratching plays. A Michigan record 59 yard field goal by Jake Moody took the Wolverines to the locker room trailing 21-6 in need of the biggest comeback in College Football Playoff history.
Michigan and TCU trade punches in electric second half
Hope you didn’t blink. Michigan and TCU have been lights out in the second half this year, but this was a little bit of a role reversal.
Michigan normally dominates first halves even if the scoreboard doesn’t show it. Then they start to run away in the third. Michigan got a defensive stop but had to settle for a field goal on the way back. A flea clicker touchdown and all of sudden Michigan was within a score.
Needing a bounce back instead of comeback, TCU had one of the easiest scoring drives we’ve seen against Michigan all season. With Michigan back down 12, another massive mistake from JJ McCarthy, a second pick six of the game.
Needing to mount a record setting comeback, Michigan came out firing, but with less than 3 minutes left in the third quarter they found themselves down 18. JJ McCarthy then finally ran the ball. A 39 yard run was followed by a 20 yard TD run for the sophomore quarterback had Michigan back within two scores.
The Michigan defense’s aggressiveness was punished quickly with a long run from TCU RB Emari Demercado that took them inches from a touchdown. A quick snap and Max Duggan was in the end zone.
Not to be outdone Michigan and JJ McCarthy fired back again, as if the clock expiring at the end of the third quarter meant Michigan would lose the ball. Another deep throw almost touchdown got Michigan to the half yard line. Michigan fans held their breath as Kalel Mullings pounded the ball in. A two point conversion keeper for JJ McCarthy made the score 41-30. With everyone trying to get their heads straight before heading to the 4th quarter Michigan forced a fumble, giving them ball at the end of a 24-20 3rd quarter. Every drive ended in points or a turnover. The highest scoring quarter in CFP history.
The punches kept coming in the 4th quarter.
An 8 yard Donovan Edwards run, an end around to Roman Wilson finishing with a circus touchdown, and Ronnie Bell finding the end zone for a two point conversion. After all the chaos of the first 46 minutes of this game, Michigan was within three points.
Michigan’s defense stayed aggressive and paid for it again with another big play surrendered. After bringing the heat in Cover 0, DJ Turner missed a tackle and one of the best receivers in the nation, Quentin Johnston, was off to the races.
This felt like the final blow to Michigan’s come back. A penalty on the kick return, a JJ intentional grounding, and a long punt return for TCU finished with the Horned Frogs leading by 51-38. It felt like Michigan had run out of gas, but a methodical, albeit slow finishing drive got the Wolverines back within a touchdown.
After a bizarre exchange on the kickoff, Michigan gave up a first down but ended up with the ball with the less than a minute to go.
Uncharacteristic game in every way for Michigan
The mistakes like McCarthy’s pick sixes. Michigan getting out rushed and unable to get push from the Joe Moore Award winning offensive line. On defense, defensive coordinator Jesse Minter went aggressive and gave up the big plays that Michigan has avoided all season. Blown coverages and missed tackles. It all just mounted against Michigan. Their most points given up in the biggest game of the season.
Everything that got Michigan a win in Columbus, a Big Ten Championship, and to 13-0 and back in the college football playoff was nowhere to be found. Michigan has been all in on its identity since reinvesting in it at the start of the 2021 offseason. Yet in this game they let TCU do the very things they needed to do to dictate the game. They took the bait if you will, electing to play a version of football they haven’t played in 2 years.
Yet, with 3:18 left, Michigan had a chance to lean on their identity one more time, a big defensive stop.
There have been a handful games since 2021 where we have said “no way Michigan wins this game before.” At multiple moments it felt like this may be one of those games yet again. With the ball back in JJ McCarthy’s hands Michigan made nothing but more inexcusable mistakes, bad passes, a false start, and a botched snap ends one of the most chaotic losses for Michigan.
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