What they're saying about Michigan's blowout win at Maryland and 'The Game'
The Michigan Wolverines moved to 9-2 on the season in a 45-20 win over the Maryland Terrapins on Saturday, setting up another classic clash with Ohio State next Saturday in Ann Arbor.
A lopsided win was just what the doctor ordered for confidence heading into next week. It also drew plenty of reactions in the aftermath.
Below are some of the best from the Week 13 victory.
Ryan Van Bergen, The Wolverine postgame show
Podcast: How Michigan win over Maryland sets up The Game – ‘Needed that going into this week’
“The game that you saw today was what I think we all thought they were capable of earlier this season,” Van Bergen said. “With so many star players down, I think it’s even more surprising to see the polished performance that you saw today and it encourages you for what we can do in the biggest battle of the year this upcoming weekend.
“But in general, I think that you see a team that has no interceptions after a five-turnover game in Wrigley Field last weekend. The bounce back is real and the bounce back is happening. And with team captains going to the sideline, young guys having to step in. I thought you saw Bryce Underwood play his most poised and composed game in its totality throughout the entirety of the four quarters today. This team’s ceiling was a huge question mark for everybody coming in, including the Michigan coaching staff. And as we’ve talked throughout the season, I think we’ve seen glimpses of what the ceiling could be, but I do think we have some guys that are starting to peak.
“There was a passing game today. There was a running game that was damaged, but successful. There was a defense that was doing a lot of positive things on that side of the ball. I think it’s the most complete game that we’ve played and you kind of needed that going into this week to feel like you’ve got some hope and some optimism.
“I’m sure we’re going to be underdogs, but it is our stadium and this team just played its best game of football, so there’s not much more you can ask for than that.”
Chris Balas, The Wolverine
Michigan 45, Maryland 20: Notes, quotes, and observations — as ready as they’ll ever be
And now we can officially say it … it’s on — Michigan vs. Ohio State, with a ton at stake. The Wolverines earned the right with their most impressive offensive showing of the year, a defense that tightened after a disappointing first drive for an opponent, and overcoming even more injuries and absences to dominate in a 45-20 win at Maryland.
No, we’re not going to overdo it about a win against a bad football team (especially defensively), or gush about how this team is all of a sudden a playoff contender. It’s still going to take an outstanding effort to beat an Ohio State team that seems better prepared to play Michigan’s brand of ball than any so far, including maybe last year’s championship team.
But we are going to say, “this is what we’ve been waiting for” in terms of turning yardage into points (unless like last week), looking functional on special teams (though they didn’t have to punt — that’s one way to mask that deficiency, right?), and playing well enough on defense (though it will have be tightened up against the Buckeyes – more in a minute).
There were freshmen and third stringers all over the field for much of the game, but there wasn’t much drop off, if any. Minus a few-plus missed opportunities for the Terrapins in the passing game (that fans on message boards and ‘X’ were quick to point out “will be six next week if they don’t shore it up”), a leaky fourth string ‘D,’ Michigan did what you’d expect to do against a bad team, running Maryland off its own field.
Clayton Sayfie, The Wolverine
Best and worst from Michigan’s win over Maryland
Week after week, Michigan has won games, but not by wide margins. The Wolverines have had one true blowout, and it was a 63-3 win over CMU Sept. 13. Saturday was much different, though.
The Maize and Blue led by 11 at halftime, scored right away in the third quarter, and took a 45-13 advantage in the fourth, even after beginning to empty the bench. The deep reserves received valuable playing time, the starters got to rest and the vibes are high heading into the biggest game of the season, next week’s regular-season finale clash against Ohio State.
This was Michigan’s largest margin of victory against a Power Four team since the 50-6 win over Northwestern Nov. 23, 2024, which was also one week before taking on the Buckeyes.
John Borton, The Wolverine
Michigan fears no turtle, and gets out the nutcracker
So much for the preliminary bouts. For Michigan, it’s bring on the title fight.
Ever since losing badly at USC on Oct. 11, it’s been playoff time for the Wolverines. Lose and go home. Win and give yourself a chance.
Washington, Michigan State, Purdue, Northwestern, and finally Maryland. No Murderer’s Row by any means. But a row that could have murdered Michigan any week, with the slightest slip-up. Northwestern pulled on the “Scream” mask a week ago, but couldn’t finish the job.
Maryland? Forget about it. The Wolverines wound up fearing the turtle like an actual wolverine fears a house cat. Michigan dismissed Mike Locksley’s team, 45-20, like they had bigger fish to fry.
No fourth-quarter cardiac concerns. Not a hint of angst over too close a game, like against the Big Ten-winless (still) Michigan State and Purdue. No turnover trauma, or failure to finish with authority.
Stewart Mandel, The Athletic
Oregon eliminated USC but a Playoff logjam looms, plus more college football Week 13 takeaways
Both Ohio State and Michigan go into The Game on a roll, while also dealing with notable injuries on offense. The top-ranked Buckeyes were without both star receivers Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith against Rutgers. Their status for next week is unclear. But their absence did not keep Ohio State from handling the 5-6 Scarlet Knights 42-9, behind freshman running back Bo Jackson, that ridiculous defense and a 100-yard game from tight end Max Klare.
Meanwhile, No. 18 Michigan earned its fifth straight win, 45-20 at 4-7 Maryland. Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood is back on the upswing and freshman wide receiver Andrew Marsh has 17 catches for 265 yards over his past two games. On the downside, Sherrone Moore’s team has already lost top running back Justice Haynes and played without fellow standout Jordan Marshall against Maryland.
It’s a highly unfavorable matchup for Michigan, but I’ll never rule them out again after last year’s stunning upset in Columbus. And if the Maize and Blue do knock off the Buckeyes a fifth straight time to finish 10-2 — welp, there’s another at-large candidate.
Austin Meek, The Athletic
Will Michigan peak for Ohio State again? Wolverines earned Rivalry Week optimism
The game had barely ended before the chants began to rain down from a large contingent of Michigan fans clustered in one corner of SECU Stadium.
Beat O-hio! Beat O-hio!
Four years running, Michigan has. The Wolverines have done it by following a reliable formula that involves hitting their crescendo at exactly the right time. It looked for a while as if this year’s team might have to find a new approach. As Michigan’s stretch of mediocrity dragged into November, the idea of a late-season surge started to look unrealistic.
A 45-20 victory against Maryland, a team that’s lost seven games in a row, won’t make anyone in Columbus cower in fear. Still, Saturday’s performance, coupled with the first three quarters of last week’s narrow escape against Northwestern, could be enough to raise the question: Is this happening again?
…
Michigan spends 364 days a year getting ready for The Game. Winter workouts, spring practice, summer conditioning, preseason camp — all of it builds toward that final Saturday of the regular season. The intensity that fuels the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry is impossible to sustain for the course of a full season, or even a few weeks. The adrenaline has to hit at the perfect time.
How Michigan does this, exactly, is a bit of a mystery. The Wolverines aren’t trying to play at less than their best against teams like Purdue and Northwestern. They certainly didn’t try to commit those five turnovers last week at Wrigley Field. Nevertheless, when they’ve needed to level up against Ohio State, they’ve found a way to do it.
Tony Garcia, Detroit Free Press
Michigan football grades vs. Maryland: A comprehensive smackdown
The Wolverines did not attempt a single punt, nor did they have a turnover — a nearly flawless performance.
Michigan had 10 offensive possessions, resulting in six touchdowns and one field goal. The other three? A missed field goal, the end of the first half and the end of the game. QB Bryce Underwood was crisp, completing 16 of 23 passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns. Four Wolverines had at least 30 yards receiving led by Andrew Marsh (five catches, 76 yards and a TD) and Donaven McCulley (two for 46 yards and a TD.
The run game was nearly as impressive, led by former walk-on Bryson Kuzdzal, who continued the streak of every U-M running back who starts and finishes a game this year having at least 100 yards and a touchdown.
Tomas O’Meara got in late and ran eight times for 71 yards, and even true freshman Jasper Parker turned his eight carries into 23 yards and a touchdown. In all, Michigan ran 50 times for 228 yards and four touchdowns, even without its two starting backs.
Stefan Krajisnik, Cleveland.com
Ohio State football is built to win ugly vs. Michigan — only if it needs to, though
Ohio State football has taken a methodical approach on offense this season. The Buckeyes have, admittedly, played slower, tweaked schemes and focused on improving their run game while cruising to victory against lowly foes such as the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, who OSU beat Saturday, 42-9.
Coach Ryan Day has said, though, that top-ranked Ohio State will put its foot on the pedal offensively when necessary — a sign that a roster loaded with receiver talent will utilize its weapons when consequences and competition improve.
And that’s the right approach. Starting with next week’s game at Michigan, Ohio State should plan to lean on players such as Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, assuming the two are back from injury.
But if not, the Buckeyes are built to win slugfests where their offense can ride a safe approach to victory.
That might not be what Ohio State fans want to hear, so let’s reiterate an important point: the nation’s best team should not go into a game vs. Michigan, or Indiana, with intentions of scoring 14 points and winning.
However, if a defense is capable of slowing down Ohio State’s offense, the Buckeyes can still make a run to the 10th national title in program history. Normally in the Day era, that hasn’t been the case.