Report Card: Grading Michigan football in a 24-10 win over Wisconsin

Michigan handled Wisconsin, 24-10, behind 270 yards passing from freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood and another 100-yard game (117) from running back Justice Haynes. It wasn’t always pretty against a bad team, but it was good enough. The grades …  

RELATED: Michigan 24, Wisconsin 10: Notes, quotes, and observations — a win, but work to do

Michigan rushing offense: A

We said we’d be impressed if the Wolverines managed 150 to 175 yards (which we predicted), and they did, nailing it at 175. There was another cool 100 (117, long of 43) for Haynes, and Jordan Marshall had a 19-yarder as part of a nine-carry, 44-yard effort. Ten of Haynes’ 19 carries went for 4 yards or more. One of those, too, was a one-yard touchdown run. 

Michigan averaged 5.4 yards per rush when adjusted for sack yardage.

Passing offense: B+

Underwood gets an ‘A’ for his part, once again protecting the ball and keeping the ball out of harm’s way. He notched six “big” plays (19 yards or more) in the passing game and threw some beauties on his way to 270. But the pass protection was leaky again, the tackles struggling at times, and the receivers dropped a few more balls. Fifth-year H-Back Max Bredeson, Kendrick Bell, and Semaj Morgan were among the culprits here. 

The freshman could afford to take a little bit off the fastball on some of the shorter throws, but he’s special. 

Michigan rushing defense: A-

Other than a first drive that netted 39 yards on the way to a 59-yard first quarter rushing, the Badgers didn’t do much. They finished with 75 yards total, averaged 3.2 per carry when adjusted for sack yardage, and went nowhere in the last three quarters. Leading rusher Dilin Jones only had one run over three yards in the second through fourth quarters, a 7-yarder when the game was out of reach. 

The Michigan front seven adjusted and dominated the final 45 minutes.  

Passing defense: B

Wisconsin managed five “big” passing plays of 16 yards or more and did it with a third-string quarterback in Hunter Simmons. Receiver Vinny Anthony II managed 97 on his own, and the Wolverines gave up 9.8 yards per completion. They notched only one sack but did get a pick from grad safety Rod Moore. 

This needs to be tightened up before next week at USC.

Michigan special teams: C

Kicker Dominic Zvada missed another short field goal after a dropped snap threw off the kick, and there was another bad exchange on an extra point he knocked through anyway. Punter Hudson Hollenbeck averaged 49.2 yards per punt and had two boomers, though he got a good roll on a bad kick to pad the average.

Semaj Morgan did have one punt return for 13 yards, but he still struggles with when to field, when not to. He let one go that could have led to a nice return.