SEATTLE — Ten months after then-No. 1 Michigan defeated then-No. 2 Washington in Houston with the National Championship on the line, the two programs faced off again on Saturday as completely remade versions of themselves.
With new quarterbacks, heavily restructured coaching staffs and lineups that looked nothing like they did in Houston when confetti rained maize and blue, the No. 10 Wolverines and the unranked Huskies competed in a National Championship rematch.
And in the first twenty minutes of that rematch, Michigan wasn’t only getting beaten — it looked completely lost. With junior quarterback Alex Orji and the run game stalling, the Wolverines fell behind 14-0. Even though an effective quarterback switch to graduate Jack Tuttle reshaped the contest and put Michigan ahead briefly, it wouldn’t be able to hang on. Washington’s fast start and late rebound proved just enough for the Huskies (4-2 overall, 2-1 Big Ten) to emerge victorious over the Wolverines (4-2, 2-1), 27-17.
In the first quarter of the contest behind Orji, and in a feverishly loud environment, everything started on the wrong foot for Michigan. The run game stalled, the passing offense showed no life and even the normally stout defense looked porous — giving up a 36-yard completion on the very first play and showing little improvement thereafter.
Conversely, everything was moving according to plan for the Huskies. Washington quarterback Will Rogers piloted efficient drive after efficient drive and threw two touchdowns to wide receivers Denzel Boston and Giles Jackson, storming ahead 14-0. And with the Wolverines punting on back-to-back-to-back drives, the contest appeared to be careening towards a blowout. And then, just like that, the energy completely shifted.
On Tuttle’s first drive under center, Michigan flipped a switch. With the pass and run game feeding off of each other and Tuttle making use of his legs effectively, the Wolverines marched to a seven play touchdown drive capped off by a 39-yard Donovan Edwards touchdown. Feeding off of that energy, Michigan’s defense jolted back to life as well.
By halftime, everything had flipped on its head. Michigan’s offense had put together successive scoring drives for 10 points, and its defense had forced a 3-and-out and blocked a field goal to end the half. Even down four points, the Wolverines seemed to be in control. And after the half, they didn’t relinquish it immediately.
Tuttle again piloted an efficient touchdown drive, and with Michigan suddenly ahead 17-14, the game appeared to be completely remade. But steadily, the Wolverines slowed, and the Huskies crawled back.
After three straight scoring drives, Michigan’s offense managed two consecutive three-and-out punts. But Washington still couldn’t seize control. Following a punt, and limited to a field goal on what had once been a first-and-goal early in the fourth, the game was tied with ten minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
Then, Michigan shot itself in the foot, multiple times, Tuttle fumbled on his own 32-yard line, and in that moment, Washington forcibly retook the spark that Tuttle had given to the Wolverines. And on a third-and-goal on the 1-yard line, the Huskeys punched the ball in for a 24-7 lead.
Michigan never recovered. Trying too hard to force points onto the board, Tuttle put the ball into danger and was picked off by Washington safety Kamren Fabiculanan, and the Wolverines never got the ball back.
In a game of massive energy shifts, key moments felt like they should’ve been decisive. The Huskies’ immediate 14-point lead should’ve been decisive, but it wasn’t. Tuttle’s roaring 17-point comeback after the quarterback switch should’ve been decisive, but it wasn’t. But when the clock ran out, Washington got the last say. Taking advantage of back-to-back clutch defensive drives, the Huskies staved off the Wolverines and walked away with something that couldn’t find last January — a decisive, defining victory.
The post Michigan stalls late, unable to complete comeback after slow start, falls 24-17 to Washington appeared first on The Michigan Daily.
Leave a Reply