Michigan grinds past Western Michigan in a rock fight, 13-12
A rock fight to the end. The quiet edges that won it for Michigan.
Bryce Underwood scored 12 of Michigan's points. Michigan grinds past Western Michigan, 13-12 at Michigan Stadium. Both offenses were throttled, and Michigan found just enough to win it. Bryce Underwood threw for 170 yards on 22 attempts with one touchdown and ran nine times for 47 yards and one score.
Who got home
Two names to keep: Dillon Moore (0.5 sack, 0.5 TFL, 1 INT, 4.5 tackles) for Western Michigan and Dominic Nichols (1.5 sacks, 2.5 TFLs, 6.5 tackles) for Michigan. 3 of Michigan's 3 sacks came from the defensive line — a change from the 54% it had averaged over the previous 9 seasons.
Where the game was won
Western Michigan had the better field position all night, 21 yards closer per drive, and lost anyway. Michigan produced 5 plays of 15+ yards to Western Michigan's 2, chiefly Bryce Underwood (involved in 3), JJ Buchanan (involved in 2) and Jordan Marshall (involved in 2). Michigan won the game without it.
How the two sides actually played on the night.
The plays that turned it
Three snaps account for most of the difference. Broc Lowry's 0-yard attempt to Baylin Brooks that came up short on 4th-and-2 at Q2 14:54. Then Broc Lowry's 16-yard throw to Aveion Chenault on 3rd-and-14 at Q3 00:07. Later, Bryce Underwood's 28-yard throw to JJ Buchanan on 3rd-and-10 at Q4 00:11.
How it unfolded
Michigan struck first through Bryce Underwood, led 7-6 at the half and Michigan got the final points on a late score by JJ Buchanan.
The standouts
Bryce Underwood threw for 170 yards on 22 attempts with one touchdown and ran nine times for 47 yards and one score, including that score from inside the 20, two third-down conversions and a hand in three plays of 15 yards or more. JJ Buchanan caught six passes for 126 yards, one of them for a touchdown. Jordan Marshall ran 11 times for 44 yards and caught two passes for 17 yards. For Western Michigan, Broc Lowry threw for 89 yards on 21 attempts and ran 15 times for 35 yards — four third-down conversions. Aveion Chenault caught six passes for 53 yards. Dominic Nichols was the disruptive one for Michigan: 1.5 sacks, 2.5 TFLs, 6.5 tackles.
What it means
Historically similar games since 2019 — close margin, both offenses held far below norm — and how often that offense outperformed this level the following week.
Michigan won the ugly way, which is its own kind of useful. Western Michigan will rue the points it left out there.
Discussion
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