Michigan responds, knocks off Oklahoma

ANN ARBOR — The message from Michigan’s players-only meeting a day after a slim win in the season opener was simple: Do more. And the Wolverines followed through.

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They felt like underdogs entering the game against No. 10 Oklahoma, because, well, they were, after their first-game-win impressed no one. The Wolverines dropped out of the Associated Press Top 25 (they are No. 24 in the coaches poll) and after entering the season as a 2½-point favorite against the Sooners, flipped to 5½-point underdogs following the Western Michigan game.

A late-game interception by Jyaire Hill led to a go-ahead touchdown giving Michigan a 17-10 win on Saturday, Sept. 12, at Michigan Stadium. Quarterback Bryce Underwood, who took so much heat after the season opener, finished with 111 passing yards and 87 rushing.

Oklahoma trailed 10-0 at halftime, but the Sooners’ defense opened the second half holding Michigan to a three and out and then scored on two straight long drives to tie the game with 11:49 left in the game.

But the Wolverines got their first defensive turnover of the season when they needed it most in the fourth quarter. Coming out of a timeout with 8:49 left, quarterback John Mateer, facing 3rd and 9 from the OU 16-yard line, targeted Trell Harris, but Michigan cornerback Jyaire Hill intercepted the pass and returned it 23 yards to the Oklahoma 6-yard line.

Underwood, who scored on a 38-yard run in the first quarter, ran five yards to the 1. Running back Jordan Marshall scored the one-yard touchdown to give the Wolverines the 17-10 lead with 7:53 left.

Oklahoma, with 3:05 left, started what looked like its best chance to tie the game at the 50 yard line. But Mateer, who was so tough against Michigan last season and accounted for three touchdowns in the OU win, threw five straight passes without a completion and on 4th and 7 at the Michigan 47, he took a bad snap and threw incomplete again to give the Wolverines the ball with 2:16 left.

But Michigan could not get anything going and punted, giving the Sooners the ball with 1:06 left from their 15-yard line. They reached the 40 but a false start pushed them back. Mateer’s next pass was dropped and then he was sacked by Nate Marshall to end the game.

Tate Sandell tied the game at 10 on a 34-yard field goal. Michigan’s defense, which had played well in the first half, gave up substantial yardage on two penalties, a personal foul on Jyaire Hill and a face mask on Dom Nichols, and allowed the Sooners to move down the field.

Michigan had 11 penalties against the Sooners, a week after its nine penalties against Western Michigan.

The Sooners outgained Michigan 129-51 in the third quarter and cut the lead to 10-7 after Mateer orchestrated a 90-yard touchdown drive. Oklahoma, which had 105 yards in the first half, had big plays, including a 26-yard pass to tight end Rocky Beers on third down and on a 17-yard reception, they got a boost from a facemask on Michigan’s Shamari Earls.  Mateer connected with wide-open Mackenzie Alleyne for a 22-yard touchdown.

The Michigan players, at the urging of captain Trey Pierce and endorsed by the other three captains, held a players-only meeting on Sunday, the day after the 13-12 win over Western Michigan in the season opener last weekend. They knew they had a sub-standard performance, particularly on offense, and Underwood had taken most of the heat followed closely by the offensive line and running backs.

They emerged from the tunnel at the start of the game against Oklahoma looking more energized than they did against WMU. And while the Wolverines certainly weren’t flawless in the first half — they managed to fumble twice within four plays in the second quarter and recovered both — Michigan held the lead, 10-0, and left the field at halftime jumping around and throwing up their arms to get the maize-out crowd energized.

Underwood combined for 148 yards, including 52 rushing on seven carries and had a touchdown and clearly looked more comfortable than he did in the opener. He worked behind a tweaked offensive line that had Nate Efobi and left guard — Evan Link started last week — and Brady Norton at right guard.

The Wolverines took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on Underwood’s impressive 38-yard touchdown run, assisted by a nice block by receiver Andrew Marsh that allowed Underwood to cut and keep the run alive. That drive started at Michigan’s 9-yard line and went six plays, including a 36-yard completion to JJ Buchanan on 3rd and 10.

Michigan had a chance to build a two-touchdown lead late in the half after Oklahoma went three-and-out after starting the drive at the 1-yard line. Michigan punter Cam Brown’s punt was downed at the 1, and the Sooners could not get beyond the 4-yard line. On 3rd and long, Mateer was chased in the end zone by Enow Etta and threw incomplete to set up the Wolverines’ final extended drive.

They drove 11 plays but a holding call pushed Michigan to a 1st and 20 on the Oklahoma 28-yard line. The Wolverines could not chip away after that penalty, their fifth in the half, and reached the 22. Underwood’s third-down pass was tipped, and Trey Butkowksi made a 40-yard field goal.

Freshman Savion Hiter led the team in receiving with 41 yards on three catches, and Buchanan, who made the stunning Hail Mary catch for the win against WMU, had two catches for 48 yards, but dropped one pass and made a terrific catch but landed out of bounds.

Michigan had possession 18:56 in the first half, just slightly less than the 19:52 the Wolverines had in the entire game against Western Michigan.

What carried over from Week 1 was Michigan’s defense. It set the first-half tone against the Sooners, who won their opener 51-0. OU coach Brent Venables said this game would be won on which team was more physical, and that edge went to the Michigan defense in the first half.

Oklahoma had 115 total yards and could not find the end zone. The Sooners looked to have a good chance on their second possession when Michigan’s Kendrick Bell ran into the punter or a costly 15-yard penalty and a first down. But the Sooners could not get beyond their 40-yard line.

Michigan’s defensive players knew the goal was to contain Mateer, who burned the Wolverines in a win at Oklahoma last year, and they held him to 7-of-16 passing for 52 yards and 21 rushing yards on seven carries. The Sooners were 2 of 7 on third down.

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan responds, knocks off Oklahoma

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