The gasps were audible inside a stadium that seats more than 100,000 people. They broke the uncomfortable silence that hovered above the field Saturday. During the fourth quarter of Michigan football’s 20-13 victory over Rutgers, the trauma of 2020 returned for a fan base scarred by the misfortune that afflicted the program less than 12 months ago.
The Scarlet Knights were mounting a comeback, threatening to shock Michigan on home soil and extinguish the optimism the Wolverines engendered during a dominating 3-0 start. Was Jim Harbaugh’s squad about to fold in the face of pressure just as it did on multiple occasions a season ago? The question hung in the crisp Ann Arbor air with 14:09 left in regulation after Rutgers narrowed its deficit to seven points.
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The Scarlet Knights had controlled the second half, choking Michigan’s offense and shredding its defense. In the third quarter alone, Rutgers outgained the Wolverines, 131-14, and held the ball twice as long as its wilting opponent.
As the Scarlet Knights wrested the momentum, they climbed out of a 17-point hole and now had U-M in its sights.
A 25-yard field goal by Valentino Ambrosio cut Michigan’s lead to 20-13 less than a minute into the fourth quarter.
By the time clock expired, the score remained the same. Michigan withstood Rutgers’ charge and didn’t break.
“I was really proud of them,” Harbaugh said. “They found a way. … Got it done. Gritty game. It wasn’t pretty. But when they make a space for ‘pretty’ on the scoreboard, then we’ll worry about that.”
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As Harbaugh conceded, the game wasn’t a feast for the eyes. Michigan slogged through stretches and its deficiencies were exposed. Its offense went comatose after halftime, as it routinely fell behind schedule and couldn’t sustain possession. Four consecutive three-and-outs stanched the momentum. The nation’s No. 1 rushing attack, which tore through the first three defenses it faced, sputtered to a 2.9 yards-per-carry average after Rutgers loaded the box and rallied to the ball.
Quarterback Cade McNamara, who played with ruthless efficiency in the first half while producing 156 passing yards, couldn’t muster the same level of performance after the break. His stat line suddenly went static as he completed only 1 of 5 pass attempts for 7 yards during the final two quarters. The struggles seemed to infect Michigan’s defense, which started to crack as it aimed to blunt a Rutgers surge that featured 41 plays executed in a span of 18 minutes.
“We know that is not going to get the job done,” McNamara lamented.
The issues are troubling.
But at least Michigan can be encouraged by its response. When the going got tough, the Wolverines held strong.
Up until the late afternoon Saturday, it was uncertain how Michigan would react if it were tested. In the preseason, the Wolverines talked about the team’s renewed spirit and the improved culture within the locker room. The energy was pulsating, they claimed.
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The change was needed after Michigan appeared to play with questionable effort at times last season. In 2020, snapshots of the sideline revealed a lifeless team with a fragile psyche. Back then, adversity caused U-M to combust.
Defensive lineman Christopher Hinton remembered it well. He insisted it wasn’t like that Saturday, though.
“I guess you can say it was a little bit different,” he said, “just being positive and trusting the process … I think we had a positive attitude throughout the whole game, through all the ups and down. I really like that about the defense and this team this year. We’ve just got to keep that rolling because every game is not going to be sunshine and rainbows. We’ve just got to stay stout in tough times.”
It could end up being the difference between success and disappointment for these Wolverines.
A team that lacks mental fortitude can’t withstand the rigors of a Big Ten schedule, after all.
As McNamara said, “We’re not going to blow everyone out.”
Instead, challenges will arise and obstacles will appear as they did Saturday. It’s during these crucial moments when collective character is revealed. A year ago, Michigan may have crumbled under the pressure applied by Rutgers.
But even as a feeling of uneasiness coursed through the Big House and fans gulped with dread, the worst fears weren’t realized because the Wolverines didn’t surrender with Rutgers bearing down on them.
No, linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green said, “We didn’t flinch at all. We bowed up and got the win.”
After what happened in 2020, it’s another step in the right direction for a Michigan team that — lest we forget — is still undefeated.
Contact Rainer Sabin at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @RainerSabin. Read more on the Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans and sign up for our Big Ten newsletter.
