Defense/ST Notes: Michigan 'sends waves' at Maryland in blowout win

The Michigan Wolverines allowed the Maryland Terrapins to drive right down the field on the first drive of the game and take a 7-0 lead. And when the game was still on the line, it let 6 more points the rest of the way and saw the backups surrender a late touchdown in a 45-20 win.

Michigan dominated the game after the scripted opening drive, holding Maryland freshman quarterback Malik Washington to 19-of-39 passing for 210 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The Terrapins’ run game never got going, either, amassing 71 yards on 25 carries (2.8 avg).

Graduate defensive tackle Tre Williams, a Maryland native, had a sack in the game and said to tip the cap toward the Maryland offense for the opening drive, which went 75 yards in 10 plays.

“That’s the way the offense works,” he said after the game. “The offensive coordinator, going into the game, is going to have a script of the first or second drives of the game. Coach [Pep] Hamilton, their O.C., put together a good script for the first drive. I’m pretty sure we had an offside penalty on the drive, so that extended the drive on third down.

“It was a good drive by them. We just had to really lock in and focus, and just like, alright, we had to get all the nerves out. Time to play Michigan defense now.”

Maryland had only let its freshman quarterback get sacked three times all year, and Michigan got to him three times on its own.

“We knew that he had only gotten sacked 3 times, but also I don’t think they had seen a complete defensive line that has waves like us,” Williams said. “We send waves at people. It’s not just a couple guys. We send waves and waves and waves and waves at people, and that gets really overwhelming, at times, for teams. I’m not surprised that we sacked him 3 times today. It was good. Wish we could’ve had more.”

Williams’ sack was his first of the season with the Wolverines, which was a homecoming milestone for the Maryland native.

“Really special,” Williams said. “I talked to my dad this morning, and he was talking to me and telling me like, ‘Don’t do too much. Just be you and do your job and plays are going to come to you.’ That’s kind of what happened. Shout out to my dad.”

Mason Curtis talks pick, defense peaking

Sophomore Mason Curtis was a standout in the victory, notching the second interception of his career and first of the 2025 season. It was a gift off the hands of Washington.

“After I picked the ball, to be honest, I just saw the whole line running after me, so I really wasn’t focused on the receiver,” Curtis said. “And yeah, I wish I could have scored, sorry.”

Michigan was just happy to blow the doors off a team heading into the Ohio State game, echoing what it did in its 11th regular season game last year, too, a 50-6 win over Northwestern.

“A win is a win, no matter if it’s about one or 40,” Curtis said. “We just keep attacking each week, but the same mindset that we have to win.”

“…It’s just preparation throughout the whole season. Just fixing mistakes, being able to come back, go through the whole week and practice, fix those. Come out Saturday, put out a better tape.”

Michigan could now be in a spot where a win next weekend against the Buckeyes could help them punch a ticket to the College Football Playoff. The group has been in ‘playoff mode’ since taking a second loss this season, though.

“After our USC loss, we were kind of already in the mode of ‘win or go home.’ So just continues to go on,” Curtis said. “…We’re gonna enjoy this win tonight. Look at the film, study up like every other game.”

Williams, despite spending only one season in Ann Arbor, knows what he feels he need to know about “The Game” and is ready to contribute next week.

“I always grew up watching The Game,'” he said. “Everybody knows Thanksgiving Saturday at 12 o’clock. You know where you’re at. You know where you’re sitting. I can’t be more excited. I’m at a loss for words. I can’t wait.”

Miscellaneous Michigan defense/special teams notes

• Sophomore linebacker Cole Sullivan returned to the lineup on Saturday and made his first career start with Ernest Hausmann out (undisclosed – not injury related).

“It meant everything,” Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore said. “Cole’s such a good player. He’s such a great player. He’s a young player, but he doesn’t play like that. And it’s great to be in the position to have all these guys. But we don’t really have starters and not backups. They’re all starters. They all play. We got six starting defensive tackles. We got six starting edges. And at any point, any of those guys can be in, and we’re good. The defense doesn’t change.”

• Michigan limited Maryland to 5-of-14 on third down and 71 rush yards on the day.

• Senior EDGE rusher Derrick Moore is now up to 9.5 sacks on the year and 20.5 for his career, which moves him into 8th all-time in program history. Moore, Williams and senior Jaishawn Barham had the three sacks in the game, each player hailing from the state of Maryland.

• Following its opening-drive touchdown, Maryland attempted an onside kick that was recovered by freshman linebacker Chase Taylor.

• Sophomore Deyvid Palepale made his debut along the defensive line in Saturday’s game.

• Senior Dominic Zvada missed a 36-yard field goal attempt early in the game, but was given a shot to make a 46-yarder and banged it through in the 4th quarter to put U-M up 45-13.