Wolverine Watch: Wolverines' title repeat follows the script

By John Borton

Michigan and its march into the history books took another monumental leap in Lucas Oil Stadium — Big Ten champions, once again.

Never has a Michigan football team won 13 games in a season. This crew did so — and they’re far from finished.

The 13-0, back-to-back Big Ten champs will launch themselves toward the College Football Playoff via their 43-22 pull-away from Purdue. It wasn’t easy — at times, more like four hours of blunt-instrument dentistry. At times, slightly anticlimactic after the euphoria of taking down Ohio State in Columbus.

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Post-game reactions

Defense comes through

But it was a goal and a launching pad, and sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy (11-for-17, 161 yards, 3 TDs) understood that very well. He watched Georgia celebrate in the Playoff last year. He doesn’t want to see that again.

That’s why he shifted gears so fast after the Wolverines punted Purdue.

“I love our chances,” McCarthy said. “Last year, it was kind of the bright lights. Everything was new — the Big Ten championship, the College Football Playoff. Going into the offseason, it gave us so much momentum. We knew we could get back.

“Ultimately, this whole offseason, it was about winning it. At the end of the day, everything was great that happened today, but the job’s not finished. We’ve got a lot bigger plans in mind.”

Purdue harbored plans of its own, with quarterback Aidan O’Connell taking on the C.J. Stroud role and firing for 366 yards on a 32-for-47 effort. But Michigan freshman cornerback Will Johnson picked him off twice, and after an opening possession touchdown, the Boilermakers never again cracked the end zone.

The Wolverines trumped five Boilermakers field goals with a half-dozen touchdowns, four of them in the final 30 minutes.

That proved more than enough to send the blue confetti fluttering from the rafters of Indianapolis’ football palace. And that brought smiles to maize-and-blue-clad Michigan faithful from the field to the stands.

The Wolverines led at the half only 14-13, on the strength of McCarthy’s 25-yard touchdown pass to freshman tight end Colston Loveland and a 7-yard rollout toss to senior tight end Luke Schoonmaker.

Sophomore tailback Donovan Edwards rushed for all of 37 first-half yards. He finished with 185 and a touchdown on 25 tries, prompting head coach Jim Harbaugh’s amazement.

“This guy’s got 401 yards in the last two games,” Harbaugh marveled. “You want to talk about big games. This guy comes alive in big games. He just hits another gear. He takes off to another level.”

“I rise to those occasions, and I thrive on that … I’m made for the big moments,” Edwards said.

The game MVP certainly did in this one.

Michigan followed the script of many of its wins this year. Tease the cliffhanger for 30 minutes, then shove the opponent off the cliff.

It’s Michigan … again

Halfway through the title game, the Wolverines led by that single point, and Purdue fans began dreaming of an upset bigger than their band’s massive drum. Michigan, AKA Lucy, took all of 4:28 of the second half to yank the football away and send Charlie Boilermaker sailing.

On the first play from scrimmage in the second half, Edwards burst off the left side of Michigan’s line and raced away on a 60-yard run. Four plays later, junior running back Kalel Mullings powered over from a yard out, giving the Wolverines a 21-13 cushion.

After a Purdue three-and-out, the Wolverines took all of two plays to put it in the end zone again. McCarthy gunned a 40-yard pass to Schoonmaker, and Edwards fought through three tackle attempts to bolt 27 yards for the TD.

The Wolverines took 30 minutes to score their opening 14. They doubled that by the 10:32 mark of the third quarter, cruising to a 28-13 lead and seemingly heading for another second-half rout.

Somebody forgot to tell Purdue.

Behind O’Connell’s continued pinpoint passing, the Boilermakers clawed back to 28-19 on 43- and 27-yard field goals by Purdue’s Mitchell Fineran.

If the Boilermakers entertained any thoughts of stealing the title and the trophy, Johnson ripped them away.

Johnson jumped a slant route deep in Purdue territory, securing the second of his two interceptions. Three plays later, McCarthy fired a 17-yard TD bullet to grad wideout Ronnie Bell, putting Purdue away for good.

Somewhere, Bo Schembechler growled: “And when the old season’s over, it’s gonna be Michigan again … Michigan!”

And deep in the bowels of Lucas Oil Stadium, Michigan’s brash QB showed as much fear of the Buckeyes as Harbaugh once did himself. Asked about the prospect of a rematch with them, McCarthy didn’t hesitate.

“Please … please,” he said. “Bring it on. That would be truly a blessing, if we get a shot to play those boys again.”

Those words wouldn’t surprise the coach. Harbaugh assured his sophomore backfield came in on a mission, and never doubted one minute along the way.

“These two guys, they came in and said, ‘Coach, we’re winning the Big Ten championship,’” Harbaugh recalled. “’We’re beating Ohio State. We got it.’”

They’ve gotten it, two years in a row. Now they all want more.