Michigan final thoughts: Michael Barrett wears the Buffs, CFP top 4 awaits

Publish date: 2024-07-21

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — It was nearly midnight, and Michael Barrett still hadn’t taken off the sunglasses.

Michigan’s Turnover Buffs are an expensive pair of Cartier sunglasses handed out as a sideline prop to any player who comes down with an interception. Barrett got to wear them for the first time Saturday night, then donned them again after returning a pick six that quashed any chance of a Rutgers upset.

At some point after Michigan’s 52-17 victory, the glasses made their way back into Barrett’s possession. He was wearing them when he walked into the media room underneath SHI Stadium, the spoils of victory after a game-changing performance.

“They told me you can go do the interview with them if you get two,” Barrett said.

Anybody feeling as good as @mikebarrett_MB1 right now? pic.twitter.com/1k4zRVFYA9

— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) November 6, 2022

Trailing by a field goal at halftime, Michigan picked off three Gavin Wimsatt passes in the third quarter to turn a tight game into a blowout. Though it was a struggle at times, the fifth-ranked Wolverines improved to 9-0 and avoided the fate suffered by several other College Football Playoff contenders on Saturday.

Here are five final thoughts from Piscataway.

1. Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers.

Defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale has been pleading for more interceptions, and the Wolverines delivered at last. They needed them, too, on a night when the offense and special teams didn’t play up to their usual standards.

“Game changers, right?” running back Blake Corum said. “We knew coming into halftime that’s what we needed. We needed game changers. Mike B, back-to-back series, with the pick and then the pick six — it was unbelievable.”

Michigan allowed 123 yards in the first half, so it’s not as though the defense played poorly. But the Wolverines were trailing 17-14 and needed something to snap them out of their funk. That’s where Barrett came in.

On a second-and-14 play, Barrett lined up like he was going to rush off the edge, then floated back into the flat. Wimsatt seemed unaware Barrett was lurking and threw the ball straight into his arms.

“I knew I could sit underneath it,” Barrett said. “If it was a comeback, it was for me. I don’t think he saw it because I was looking right at him.”

On Rutgers’ next series, Barrett intercepted a deflected pass and returned it 31 yards for a touchdown. The 17-14 halftime deficit had turned into a 35-17 lead, and the Wolverines didn’t look back.

“I’ve just been waiting for him to have a breakout game this season,” defensive end Mike Morris said. “We’ve been praying for it, and it finally came.”

2. Michigan finally scored touchdowns in the red zone.

Six of them in seven trips, to be precise. That was a welcome change after the Wolverines had trouble getting the ball into the end zone against Michigan State.

The Wolverines got stuffed repeatedly near the goal line on their first two touchdown drives before scoring twice on fourth-and-1. At least early on, Michigan’s answer in the red zone was to pound the ball to Corum between the tackles and let him churn his way into the end zone a yard or two at time.

“I was happy to get it in and do it by any means necessary,” coach Jim Harbaugh said. “We felt like that was the best way to get it, to use all four downs if we had to.”

Effortless? No. Effective? Yes. Rutgers came into the game with the worst red zone defense in the Big Ten, having allowed 15 touchdowns in 18 possessions. Getting touchdowns instead of field goals was a good step, but the Wolverines still have some things to iron out with their third-down and red-zone efficiency.

3. Here’s what really got Michigan’s offense going.

The Wolverines emptied the backfield, with Donovan Edwards split out wide twice on their opening drive of the third quarter. The first time, Rutgers busted the coverage and J.J. McCarthy hit Edwards for a 26-yard gain. The second time, Edwards got a step in the back of the end zone and hauled in a 14-yard touchdown pass.

“He came and balled out,” Corum said. “You talk about game changers — he was one of them as well. He catches the ball really well.”

Edwards and Corum each rushed for 109 yards, and Edwards was Michigan’s leading receiver with 52 yards on three receptions. The Wolverines clearly missed Roman Wilson, and McCarthy’s final passing line wasn’t overly impressive: 13-for-27, 151 yards and two touchdowns.

McCarthy overshot Andrel Anthony by a few inches on one deep ball and threaded a pass to Luke Schoonmaker that was stripped away at the last moment to save a touchdown.

Michigan continues to leave yards on the field in the passing game, but even if he’s not hitting everything, McCarthy is doing enough to keep the offense rolling.

“I looked up after the game and (saw) that he threw for 151 yards,” Harbaugh said. “It felt like 300 to me.”

4. Michigan was shorthanded on Saturday.

Wilson, left tackle Ryan Hayes, edge rusher Jaylen Harrell and safety Makari Paige were among those who didn’t make the trip. Harbaugh indicated after the game those players could return next week against Nebraska, and this had the makings of a week when Michigan chose to play it safe rather than rushing anybody who wasn’t quite ready to play.

Jeffrey Persi found out Friday he would be starting at left tackle in place of Hayes and acquitted himself well in his first start.

“It took us a little while to get rolling, but especially once we did … it was time to have fun at that point, just relax and play ball,” Persi said.

Gemon Green, one of the players injured in the tunnel incident following the Michigan State game, made the trip but didn’t play. Freshman Will Johnson started in Green’s place and had the third of Michigan’s three interceptions.

“We had a lot of guys down,” Barrett said. “Will, he stepped in. He didn’t have a drop-off. He’s a great athlete, a great cornerback, and he’s going to have a great future.”

5. Saturday was a rough day for College Football Playoff contenders.

Top-ranked Tennessee lost to Georgia. Second-ranked Ohio State struggled with Northwestern. Notre Dame upset No. 4 Clemson, and LSU upset Alabama.

For the first two quarters, Michigan looked like it might be headed for the same fate. The Wolverines set things right in the second half and would seem to be a lock to move into the top four when the next batch of CFP rankings are released Tuesday.

The Wolverines didn’t just win a game on a night when they didn’t play their best. They won easily, even if it didn’t look easy the whole time.

“We definitely stepped it up in the second half,” Persi said. “The message was, ‘We know who we are, we know what we’re capable of doing, and we just need to play our brand of football.’ I think we came out in the second half and did that.”

(Photo of Michael Barrett: Vincent Carchietta / USA Today)