Things you may not have known about Michigan football’s 35-7 win over UNLV
For the second straight week, Michigan football had a methodical, ho-hum win against an overmatched opponent. This time the punching bag was UNLV, which came to Ann Arbor after a 44-14 win over Bryant only to succumb to the Wolverines, 35-7.
It was another big day for Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who completed 88% of his passes, going 22-for-25 for 278 yards on Saturday. He threw two more touchdown passes to Roman Wilson, while running back Blake Corum added three touchdowns on the ground.
If you watched the game on TV or were in the stands, there are many other things that happened that you may not know about. That’s where MGoBlue.com has us covered. Here are all of the facts, stats, tidbits, and other things you need to know about the game.
Facts/stats:
The Wolverines extended their home winning streak to 17 games dating back to 2021. It is the longest home winning streak under head coach Jim Harbaugh and the program’s longest since a 21-game streak under coach Lloyd Carr (2002-05).
Today’s announced attendance of 109,482 marks the 310th consecutive game at Michigan Stadium with a crowd in excess of 100,000.
Today’s game was broadcast on CBS. Prior to today, the last time a Michigan game was broadcast on CBS was 1999 at Syracuse. The last CBS broadcast at Michigan Stadium was Oct. 18, 1986, a 20-17 victory for the Wolverines against Iowa led by quarterback Jim Harbaugh.
Saturday’s game was the second matchup between Michigan and UNLV. Both have come in the Harbaugh era and the Wolverines are 2-0.
The honorary captain for today’s game was Navid Mahmoodzadegan, a University of Michigan alumnus and co-founder and co-president at Moelis & Company.
Special teams coordinator/safeties coach Jay Harbaugh served as acting head coach in the game’s first half, while run game coordinator/running backs coach Mike Hart was U-M’s acting head coach in the second half. Each coach earned a win (1-0) on their respective record.
Hart is also the first African American to serve in the role of head football coach at the University of Michigan.
Senior tight end AJ Barner made his first U-M start against the Rebels in a two-tight end set. Barner previously made nine starts at Indiana. Graduate student safety Quinten Johnson also made his first career start; he appeared in eight games at safety — 14 total — at Colorado State.
Junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy completed 13 consecutive passing attempts to open the game, a record for quarterbacks under Harbaugh. Previously, the longest streak occurred when McCarthy went 8-for-8 to open last season’s Indiana game. McCarthy nearly matched his career-best 15 straight completions — also a Harbaugh-era record — from last weekend’s win over East Carolina; that streak began mid-game.
Through two games, McCarthy has completed 48-of-55 pass attempts (26-of-30 in week one). According to the CBS broadcast, McCarthy has the fourth-highest completion percentage through two games in NCAA Division I history. His 66.5 percent career completion percentage leads U-M all-time (290-for-436) and his 88 percent completion percentage against UNLV ranks second in Michigan history.
In McCarthy’s 15 starts, U-M has produced 64 touchdowns and 26 field goals on the 153 drives during which McCarthy starts and finishes the possession — 41.8 percent of McCarthy-led drives lead to touchdowns and Michigan has scored on 58.8 percent on all such possessions.
Senior running back Blake Corum posted 15 carries for 80 yards and scored three touchdowns on the ground. It was his 11th career multi-touchdown game and the ninth multi-rushing touchdown game of his career. Corum upped his career total to 35 rushing touchdowns and moved to sixth all-time in program history, surpassing Rick Leach (34, 1975-78).
Senior wide receiver Roman Wilson (four receptions, 89 yards) scored two receiving touchdowns for his fifth multi-touchdown game and second in as many games. He owns a career-high five touchdowns through two games; he posted four receiving touchdowns last season.
Sophomore wide receiver Tyler Morris saw his first game action of the season and posted a career-high three receptions for 40 yards.
The Wolverines have yet to allow a sack through two games this season. Michigan’s offensive line is the two-time defending winner of the Joe Moore Award as the nation’s top offensive line.
Michigan’s defense recorded five sacks, including three in the first half — its most since posting seven last season against Indiana (Oct. 8, 2022). Sophomore defensive lineman Kenneth Grant posted 1.5 sacks (2.5 TFL) — the first of his collegiate career — for losses of four and seven yards in the second quarter.
Defensively, U-M held the Rebels scoreless for 57:17 when UNLV spoiled the shutout bid with a 20-yard rushing touchdown. Michigan has shut out opponents 117:12 through two games.
Sophomore defensive lineman Mason Graham, senior defensive end Jaylen Harrell, senior defensive lineman Kris Jenkins, senior defensive end Braiden McGregor and graduate student defensive back Mike Sainristil led the team with five total tackles each.
Graham, along with 0.5 sacks and 1.5 TFL, recorded the first forced fumble of his career in the third quarter.
