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United States Five takeaways: Michigan football falls to TCU
For the second year in a row, Michigan is bounced out of the College Football Playoff in the semifinals.
The Wolverines found themselves down big early, but Michigan kept battling and lost, 51-45.
Michigan turned the ball over three times: two pick-six interceptions and a fumble from Kalel Mullings. But the Wolverines defense intercepted Max Duggan twice and recovered a fumble of their own.
The maize and blue cost themselves a chance to be in the national title, but the officiating was very suspect as well. A Roman Wilson touchdown was called back after a review — it looked to have been a score — and then Mullings fumbled the play after. The Wolverines have a shot to go down to win the game with 30-seconds left in the game and a missed targeting call sealed the deal for TCU.
The Wovlerines finish the season going 13-1 after losing to TCU.
Here are our five takeaways.
Photo by: Isaiah Hole
Michigan entered the game as one of the best teams in the country taking care of the football. The Wolverines turned the ball over seven times all season.
But Michigan was careless with the ball on Saturday against TCU and the Wolverines lost 21 points because of that. J.J. McCarthy threw two pick-six interceptions and Kalel Mullings fumbled on the TCU one-yard line and cost Michigan seven possible points.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Wolverines were poor against the run — more on that later — when they are usually one of the best, and open-field tackling was not very good.
Even with all of that going against Michigan, the Wolverines rallied. Michigan was down 41-22 towards the end of the third quarter before pulling within three points. A few fewer mistakes could’ve made Michigan winners and rolled into the national championship.
Photo by: Isaiah Hole
The Michigan offensive line won the Joe Moore Award for the second straight season and they were more than deserving.
But the line appeared to meet its match on Saturday. Donovan Edwards broke a 53-yard run on the first play of the game but the Wolverines were stuffed when trying to run the ball up the middle.
The Wolverines finished with 185 yards on the ground, but Michigan had to work for those yards. The maize and blue had multiple runs go for negative yards with TCU defenders in the backfield. It wasn’t the best night for the Michigan run attack.
But what was worse was the Michigan run defense. The Horned Frogs gashed the Wolverines on the ground.
Michigan held Max Duggan in check for the most part through the air — it intercepted him twice. But the Wolverines’ No. 3 run defense looked very mediocre against TCU.
The Horned Frogs ran for 263 yards on the ground and three scores against Michigan. The Wolverines had zero push against TCU and the Kendre Miller / Emari Demercado combo was fantastic up the middle for the Horned Frogs.
Photo by: Isaiah Hole
Michigan had red zone issues all season and while they seemed to be better as the regular season concluded — they resurfaced on Saturday.
Michigan was five-for-seven in red zone attempts against TCU, but the Wolverines failed to convert early on.
Michigan tried to get cute on the first drive of the game with a reverse and a look for Colston Loveland to pass, but that was stuffed and the Wolverines turned the ball over.
Once again, Michigan had the ball inside the five-yard line after a Rod Moore interception and Kalel Mullings fumbled the ball to give it back to TCU. The Wolverines failed to score once more inside the five and Jake Moody kicked a field goal.
The Wolverines cost themselves plenty of points and if just one of those turnovers would’ve resulted in a touchdown, the Wolverines may have one.
Photo by: Isaiah Hole
Michigan lost the game by six and there were so many chances to win.
We talked about the red zone woes and the unusual mishaps by the Wolverines, but the team looked very unprepared in the first half.
Even with all the negative plays that occurred for the Wolverines, they had all the chances to win the game. TCU never could quite put the game away and the Wolverines had the game within three points and then five with a chance to go down the field for a win. But for the second year in a row, the maize and blue fell in the college football playoff semifinal.
Photo by: Isaiah Hole
J.J. McCarthy had two interceptions and not only did he have two, but both resulted in pick-six interceptions.
McCarthy also had an intentional grounding in the fourth quarter deep in Michigan territory for his third mishap of the game.
But the sophomore played his heart out and tried to will Michigan into a comeback that came up short. McCarthy threw for 343 yards and two touchdowns while running for 52 yards and a score.
McCarthy found success throwing to Ronnie Bell and Roman Wilson on Saturday and Michigan fans should look forward to another year with No. 9 behind center.
