Happy: Michigan shows primetime readiness in rout of BYU
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- It was abrupt and refreshing, like watching another awful summer reality TV show, then switching over to a new episode of "Empire" as the networks finally roll out their fall must-see stuff.
What we saw from the Michigan Wolverines against No. 22 BYU on Saturday has been missing from the Big House since about the time "Friends" went off the air, and was even in stark contrast to what we witnessed during the first three games under coach Jim Harbaugh.
Before Saturday, Harbaugh's Wolverines were at best spotty and at worst sloppy, especially in their loss to Utah. So expecting them to come out and rout the Cougars, dominating every facet of the game, seemed as likely as a Kardashian saying something profound while the TV cameras rolled.
But the Wolverines did the improbable, making a profound statement with a 31-0 victory, playing their best all-around game against a quality opponent in about seven years.
"I'm starting to get to know this team," Harbaugh said. "They like to work. They compete all week."
They certainly did against BYU. Aside from Jake Rudock's inability to spot a wide open Jehu Chesson down field for a sure touchdown on the first play of the game -- when everybody else in the stadium saw him and, seemingly in unison, gasped in amazement by the dump-off short pass instead -- the Wolverines were vintage.
They were stout on defense -- stopping BYU twice in Wolverines territory early on -- and balanced on offense, including the quarterback, Rudock, who scored two by land and one by air … perhaps quieting his critics.
"He's already shown me enough," Harbaugh said of Rudock, who was 14-of-25 for 194 yards, purposely throwing the ball harmlessly away at times, and tucking it away and running with it at others. "He's seeing things. He's having fun."
Yes, the Wolverines are having fun again and were even magical at times Saturday. Like the one-handed grab by Amara Darboh that kept Michigan's opening drive alive – and that radio analyst Dan Dierdorf called one of the best catches in Wolverines history.
"He made a great play, and it sort of jump-started us because it was a third-down conversion," Rudock said of Darboh's catch. A few plays later Rudock scored on a 3-yard run to make it 7-0.
And there was De'Veon Smith's 60-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter that made you immediately think of Barry Sanders. Smith appeared to be stopped cold at the line of scrimmage, but somehow managed to squeeze through a tiny hole and popped out like a champagne-bottle cork on New Year's Eve. Then, once Smith hit the open field, he fended off BYU defensive back Michael Davis with his left arm at the 20-yard line, finally losing Davis for good with a little spin move near the 10.
"You don't see that happen often at any level," Harbaugh said of Smith's run. "To see the second, third, fourth and fifth effort, he did a heck of a job."
The score put Michigan ahead 21-0 and appeared to be the knockout blow for the Cougars. The Wolverines would tack on their final 10 points before the end of the first half -- a half in which they outgained BYU 317-62. The final yards tally was 448-105.
BYU averaged 310 yards passing and 122 yards rushing against three solid opponents entering the game.
The Michigan defense has now held its opponents scoreless in 10 of the past 12 quarters.
"It's good," Harbaugh simply said of the feat. In fact, Harbaugh used the word "good" at least a dozen times during his postgame press conference.
Good like a nap after stuffing yourself with turkey on Thanksgiving. And why wouldn't it be?
The only bit of bad news for the Wolverines came in the third quarter, when Smith (128 yards on 16 carries) was carted off for evaluation of his right ankle. He came into the postgame press conference limping a bit and with a boot on, but Harbaugh said that initial X-rays were negative.
"Yes, I expect to play next week (in Maryland)," said Smith, who admitted to being "a little bit sore" and called the boot "precautionary."
With just four games in the books and the Big Ten season on the horizon, Harbaugh was precautionary with his words, even as many fans left the stadium with visions of the olden, golden days of Michigan football dancing in their heads.
But the coach did pose a question that makes one think maybe even Harbaugh's thinking the unthinkable about this team, if they keep working hard and getting better each week.
"Maybe the sky's the limit," Harbaugh said. "Move on with a humble heart and just keep grinding it out."
And, for the first time in a long time, giving us good reason to tune in again.
