Offense Gets Rolling Early, Defense Dominates in Michigan's Win at Nebraska

Saturday, September 30

Lincoln, Neb.

2:30 PM CT

Michigan

5-0 , 2-0

Nebraska

2-3 , 0-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Michigan

Nebraska

Roman Wilson (Michigan Photography)

Offense Gets Rolling Early, Defense Dominates in Michigan's Win at Nebraska

9/30/2023 7:23:00 PM | Football

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By: Dave Ablauf, Chad Shepard

Site: Lincoln, Neb. (Memorial Stadium)
Score: #2 Michigan 45, Nebraska 7
Records: U-M (5-0, 2-0 B1G), Nebraska (2-3, 0-2 B1G)
Attendance: 87,134
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Oct. 7 -- at Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minn.), 6:30 p.m. CDT (TV: NBC)

LINCOLN, Neb. -- The No. 2-ranked University of Michigan football team shined on offense in defeating Nebraska 45-7 on Saturday (Sept. 30) at Memorial Stadium to earn its fifth win and first on the road this season.

The Wolverines' 45 points marked an early-season high and the 436 yards of total offense marked four times in five games with U-M breaking the 400-yard mark.

Temperatures were in the mid-90's for kickoff, but the heat did little to slow the Wolverines' rushing attack, posting 249 yards on the ground against the Cornhuskers' nation-best rushing defense (46.2 rushing yards per game). Blake Corum led the ground attack with 74 rushing yards on 16 attempts and added one rushing touchdown -- his ninth of the season.

Quarterback J.J. McCarthy accounted for 30 of U-M's rushing yards on two attempts, with one resulting in a touchdown. Through the air, McCarthy completed an efficient 12-of-16 passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns. Both passing scores went to Roman Wilson, who increased his season tally to eight receiving touchdowns and finished the game with four receptions for 58 yards.

On defense, the Wolverines held the Cornhuskers scoreless over the first 55 minutes of the game and allowed only one scoring play. Edge rusher Josaiah Stewart posted five total tackles and career highs in sacks (two) and tackles for loss (two) since his transfer to Michigan.

The Wolverines got rolling early with a first-drive score, capped off by a 29-yard pass from McCarthy to Wilson, who reached over a Nebraska defender to haul in the first of his two touchdown receptions. Crucial to the 11-play drive were third- and fourth-down conversions on Corum rushes up the middle.

Michigan continued to pick up momentum on an interception by defensive tackle Kenneth Grant -- the first of his career -- off a tipped pass by Braiden McGregor on only the second Cornhuskers offensive play of the game. The turnover gave the Wolverines strong field position and led to a rushing touchdown by Kalel Mullings, his first of the season on a career-long rush of 20 yards.

U-M's next offensive drive -- set up by a fourth-down defensive stand on its own 12-yard line -- resulted in yet another score. A steady dose of McCarthy led the attack, including a pair of receptions of 16 and 10 yards by AJ Barner and a 20-yard flea-flicker pass to Cornelius Johnson. McCarthy closed the drive with a 21-yard rushing touchdown -- his first ground score of the season -- to put Michigan ahead 21-0 early in the second quarter.

The Wolverines remained consistent on both ends of the ball, holding Nebraska scoreless for the remainder of the second quarter and scoring another seven points. McCarthy rolled left and found Wilson in the back of the end zone for their second touchdown connection of the game with 23 seconds remaining in the first half. The Wolverines went into the break with 247 yards of total offense and a 28-0 lead.

Nebraska kicked off the half with a 56-yard passing play after being held to only 90 yards through the air in the first half. The Cornhuskers ended another productive drive scoreless, missing a 40-yard field goal attempt. The Wolverines capitalized on the miss with their fifth scoring drive of the game, highlighted by Corum, who rushed on eight of 11 U-M plays with a one-yard touchdown score.

After removing the starters from the game, the Wolverines scored 10 more points in the fourth quarter on two steady offensive drives where no play exceeded eight yards in length. The first concluded with a 30-yard field goal by James Turner, with the second resulting in an eight-yard touchdown pass from Jayden Denegal to Peyton O'Leary -- a career first for both players.

Michigan's shutout was spoiled by a Nebraska 74-yard rushing touchdown with 4:17 remaining in the game to end the scoring at 45-7.

Michigan will continue its Big Ten schedule next Saturday (Oct. 7) with another road trip, this time to Minnesota. The game is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. CDT kickoff and will be broadcast live on NBC.