Michigan football survives Maryland, 31-24, for 1,000th all-time win; Ohio State next

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Michigan football faced adversity all week long, so what was a little more.

The Wolverines mounted a 20-point lead early in the first half against Maryland and appeared ready to cruise to their 11th consecutive victory, ready for all eyes could turn to an undefeated showdown against Ohio State. Not so fast said the Terrapins.

A touchdown on fourth-and-goal with less than two minutes before the half cut the lead to 13. U-M had a chance to punch the ball in before the break, but J.J. McCarthy threw an interception in the endzone.

Maryland came out of the half and marched down the field to get back within six and forced a U-M three-and-out to officially put Michigan’s on notice.

As he’s done so many times, senior Mike Sainristil made a big play, this time an interception at midfield when he jumped a curl-route midway through the third quarter. It flipped the field and the momentum; eight plays later the Wolverines were in the end zone when Semaj Morgan took in an end-around for a touchdown.

Though Maryland responded with a touchdown of its own, Michigan was able to hold on in a back-and-forth fourth quarter thanks in large part to a number of game-changing plays on defense.

Mason Graham had a third down sack to force a punt in the fourth quarter, then Kenneth Grant derailed the next drive with a sack of his own. The moment that felt like it sealed the was the second interception by Sainristil, a leaping grab down the right sideline, with 5:32 to play, however Michigan's offense went backwards and the Terps were going to get the ball back once more.

Last year in the penultimate game of the regular season, it was Jake Moody with the big special teams play. This year, it was Tommy Doman, as the junior punter dropped a perfect punt at the Maryland one yard line.

Two plays later, Taulia Tagovailoa was called for intentional grounding in the end zone which resulted in a safety. Michigan's offense got the ball back, ran for a first down on the ground and took a knee to seal the 1,000th victory in program history, 31-24.

Anything but ordinary

The setting was 10 miles north of the nation's capitol, on an idyllic 57-degree afternoon, under a perfectly azure sky − a road game only by definition as droves of maize and blue clad fans lined the east sideline even before kickoff, as if they were the ones on hand for senior day.

If it weren't for what the words on the shirts of players or the banners of fans actually said − 'Michigan vs. Everybody', 'Free Harbaugh', 'Bet' − it would've looked like any other college football Saturday.

But of course, it was not any other Saturday.

On Thursday, coach Jim Harbaugh and attorneys who represent the U-M Board of Regents agreed to drop their hearing (which was scheduled for the following day) and accept the Big Ten's previously-imposed three-game suspension. Almost exactly 24 hours later, the program announced via statement it had fired linebackers coach Chris Partridge and Rick Minter, father of coordinator Jesse Minter, was immediately promoted from analyst to serve in his place.

No matter what happened on this day, everything would still be at steak in a week, which likely didn't help internal motivation; but even still, the Wolverines started sharp.

Down by three early, U-M's offense marched down the field on a touchdown drive. The defense then came back on the field on the ensuing drive when senior Michael Barrett recorded a strip-sack on Tagovailoa which Maryland native Derrick Moore returned for a touchdown.

The defense then forced a three-and-out thanks to a Jaylen Harrell sack and Traverse City native Christian Boivin blocked the fourth-down punt. The Wolverines appeared poised to jump on the ball in the end zone for a second consecutive non-offensive touchdown, and Maryland's punter Brenden Segovia was forced to kick the ball out of the end zone for a safety.

All three phases scored in the first 15 minutes of the game and it looked as if the route was on.

A familiar formula

The Wolverines ran 32 consecutive times to end the game a week earlier at Penn State and while it wasn't to that level, U-M again leaned on the ground. The Wolverines ran 22 times and only threw six passes as they jumped out to a 20-point lead across their first three drives.

J.J. McCarthy found Roman Wilson on a seam-route for a gain of 23 to kickstart things on the second drive of the game, then targeted AJ Barner on the next play and was nearly picked off. That set up a sequence of seven straight runs, the last of which Blake Corum scored from two yards out to go up 7-3 early.

By the time the offense went back on the field, it was 16-3. On that series, the Wolverines ran the ball six times for a total of 13 straight plays before McCarthy finally threw a pass, which was forced to Morgan in double coverage.

Though U-M appeared to have turned it over on downs, but a pass interference penalty kept the drive alive before Corum scored a program-record tying 20th touchdown of the season from one yard out to go up 23-3.

McCarthy seemed off all day and finished 12-for-23 passing for 141 yards no touchdowns and one interception, his third consecutive game without a score.

Corum finished with 28 rushes for 94 yards and two scores.

Injuries to watch

Michigan has had rather remarkable health much of the season, but paid a price in recent days. It started with LaDarius Henderson, starting left tackle who was ruled out prior to kickoff. He met with media on Tuesday, which implied something happened later in the week of practice.

Then Wilson, Michigan's leading receiver, was knocked out of the game after his grab in the first quarter. He went to the medical tent, then to the locker room before he came out later in the half in street clothes and sunglasses.

On the final play the third quarter, Michigan ran the ball left and Myles Hinton (in the game in place of Henderson) went down and reached for his right leg. He was helped off the field by a pair of trainers and went directly to the locker room.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football survives Maryland for 1,000th win; Ohio State next