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    • Michigan humiliated by Texas in 31-12 crushing defeat
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    Michigan humiliated by Texas in 31-12 crushing defeat

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    It was a strange sight, so unfamiliar to Michigan football that it was last seen when games were played in an empty stadium in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

    That was in 2020, when the Wolverines were going nowhere with a 2-4 record.

    At the time, the program’s fans didn’t experience the misery of defeat firsthand, having to endure the agony while watching television from home. But on Saturday, the maize and blue fans who stayed for the entire game as No. 3 Texas defeated No. 9 Michigan 31-12 were subjected to every gory detail of their team’s demise.

    The Longhorns (2-0) came to Ann Arbor and defeated the reigning national champions in quick succession, dismantling Michigan’s vaunted defense and stifling its feeble offense.

    Here’s what stood out about Michigan’s first loss since losing to TCU in the Fiesta Bowl in the 2022 College Football Playoff national semifinal.

    SHAWN WINDSOR: The CFP hangover is over and it’s time for the Wolverines to sober up

    Michigan hosts Arkansas State next Saturday, and USC comes to town on September 21. Texas hosts UTSA next week.

    Reality hits hard

    The resounding defeat snapped a 16-game winning streak for league-leading Michigan’s Football Bowl Subdivision and confirmed fears that the Wolverines were in a tailspin after a remarkable run that saw them win 41 of 44 games, become Big Ten kings and win the sport’s biggest prize last January.

    That breakthrough performance saw many of the 2023 team’s best players leave, including 10 of the team’s 11 starters on offense. Jim Harbaugh, meanwhile, left for the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers, prompting a regime change and a major overhaul of the defensive coaching staff. Harbaugh’s replacement, Sherrone Moore, pledged to keep the program’s core principles intact — telling reporters at his introductory press conference that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

    But by mid-afternoon Saturday, everything was shattered: Michigan’s aura of invincibility, its enduring winning formula and even its pride.

    Sarkisian came up with a number of clever plays early on, designed to use the Wolverines’ aggressiveness against them. The mix of play-action passes, screens and quick throws dulled Michigan coordinator Wink Martindale’s pressure and galvanized the Texas offense, allowing it to build rhythm and momentum. Using the power of quarterback Quinn Ewers, a former Ohio State transfer, and a massive offensive line, the Longhorns picked off Michigan on their first possession, moving the ball 51 yards in 13 plays before stalling just outside the red zone and watching Bert Auburn’s 43-yard field goal attempt sail wide to his right.

    But while Texas’ opening drive didn’t yield any points, it wasn’t entirely fruitless. It took nearly six minutes off the clock and sapped energy from a Michigan defense that lacks the same depth in its front seven as last year, when it led the nation in points and yards per game.

    The vulnerabilities in Martindale’s unit were further exposed as the first half progressed, as the Longhorns took control and began calling the shots.

    On Texas’ next possessions, Ewers drew on his vast arsenal and continued to attack the Wolverines. He leaned on his fleet of running backs, Jaydon Blue, Quintrevion Wisner and Jerrick Gibson. He forged a connection with Gunnar Helm, a tight end who maneuvered between linebackers and defensive backs to get open. When needed, he turned to his speedy wideouts, Isaiah Bond and Matthew Golden. Then, he pulled all the right levers and unleashed an all-out assault on Michigan in the Big House.

    The first blow came with 4:14 left in the first quarter, when Ewers threw a 21-yard pass to Helm in the end zone to put the Longhorns ahead, 7-0. From that point on, Texas’ all-out bombardment would leave Michigan in shambles.

    The Longhorns scored 17 points on their next three possessions to open a 24-3 lead going into halftime. Gibson scored on a 7-yard run midway through the second quarter, capping a soul-crushing 12-play, 76-yard drive. Then Golden delivered a devastating blow when he caught a 5-yard pass with 10 seconds left before halftime.

    JEFF SEIDEL: Texas dismantles Michigan, exposing many problems for Wolverines along the way

    Wolverines offense has no answer

    The Wolverines were blown to pieces, torn apart by Texas’ relentless offense and Ewers, who put up an impressive stat line: 24 completed passes on 36 attempts, 246 passing yards and three touchdowns.

    Like a tank tower, the Longhorns quarterback was firing away — firing passes in every direction and frustrating the Wolverines by extending drives. His nimble work in the pocket helped Texas convert eight of its 10 third-down opportunities in the first half, as the Longhorns outpaced Michigan’s time of possession by more than eight minutes.

    Texas’ dominance in the ball was a recipe for disaster for the hitting-starved Wolverines.

    The offense remained in hibernation after a lethargic performance in Week 1, when they moved the ball for just 269 yards and scored two touchdowns in a disappointing 30-10 win over Fresno State, which raised concerns.

    On consecutive attacks, the Wolverines self-destructed, losing any momentum they had built after a drive that resulted in a 37-yard field goal by Dominic Zvada.

    Quarterback Davis Warren threw a risky, inaccurate pass to Tyler Morris, who was tipped and intercepted in a crowded field. Minutes later, tight end Colston Loveland – the only viable receiving threat in Game 1 – inexplicably let the ball languish as he tried to transfer the ball to one hand after a catch. The crowd groaned, sensing the end of their beloved Wolverines.

    For the first time in a long time, Michigan was hit by a disaster.

    It was indeed a strange sight.

    Rainer Sabin is in his sixth season covering college football at Michigan, Michigan State and the Big Ten for the Detroit Free Press.

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