And I Knew There Was No Turning Back: Michigan 32, Nebraska 29

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Michigan tried to lose before they found a way to win, which in the big picture context doesn't matter. We should definitely be celebrating a tough road win against a squad that is far better than their record. Michigan overcame its first adversity of the season in front of the first crowd that seemed to care. And again, big picture, an instant classic at night on the road in primetime.

And this team continues to have fun. Co-opting the 3rd quarter intermission on the road seems to be our thing now, and that's cool. Last week it was much easier to accomplish with a lead and a game that was not very much in question. This week the Wolverines jumped around after failing behind for the first time in 2021 and having just taken Nebraska's best shot. Nebraska players needed to be held back by coaches from attacking the Michigan sideline. Mission accomplished. After these two weeks of iconic stadium songs and superior sound systems, I don't know how this team will get up for Mr. Brightside on a set of laptop speakers. Get me a new sound system. Get me a new song. Finally on fun, I would like to think that Dax knew there was no chance that end of the game taunting penalty was going to result in a first down for Nebraska so he went with it. And that's brilliant.

Also, obligatory shout out to Sanristil’s catch, Dax’s int, Haskins’s hurdle, and Gemon Green’s open field tackle in bounds at the very end. Solid handful of amazing plays.

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So yes, big win, certainly, but built more on intangibles like timely fumbles and psychological warfare. But that will not be enough to win the game in East Lansing, Happy Valley, or Ann Arbor on Thanksgiving weekend. 

The defense got exposed, and a pattern of being out-adjusted in the 2nd half has certainly emerged. Rutgers, Wisconsin, and Nebraska all seemed to find and exploit holes after their respective mid-game locker room discussions. Nebraska's 3rd quarter scoring drives consisted of a total of 12 plays for 163 yards and 3TDs. And whatever it was that Nebraska was doing was never solved by scheme. Nebraska punted once in the second half, saw Brad Hawkins step up with the strip of the year on another possession, and then a turnover on downs to end the game...they had touchdowns every other time they had the ball. The Michigan offense found themselves in more third and longs than they should have, couldn't find an effective running game until the 2nd half, and for the second week in a row sputtered on the cusp of the red zone settling for field goals. The offense had a chance to put the game away, but couldn't take advantage of the opportunities. They played with fire enough times to get beat, and were just one more mistake away from a different result. 

The "hostile" environment of Lincoln is far from it. They are very similar to us in their journey from something revered to just "something". They haven't won anything in a long time, and their hero from the past is not achieving expectations, so they’ve got a bit of a beaten demeanor to them. At each TV time-out the crowd was presented with another Nebraska great with a pixelated 4:3 non-HD highlight package up on the screen. I can relate. The fanbase is a bunch of sweethearts, buying drinks, welcoming you to Lincoln, tons of "good luck" to you guys, reminding you at every opportunity that they are not Ohio State, and that they hate Ohio State. Couple that with a real yawner of a first half and I'll tell you, it was pretty quiet in there. Not Wisconsin quiet, but quiet. Some offensive success woke them up in the 2nd half, and their lights out Thunderstruck show was impressive and timely, but only for a few plays in the 4th quarter did I really feel that crowd. 

And speaking of crowd, our own Adam got a shout out from the Husker faithful (see I told you they were nice) and went viral on twitter:

Rolling in to the bye week undefeated was not in the imaginations of even the drunkest of the kool-aid-drunk Michigan fan, but here we are. Barring an unlikely Wildcat upset, Michigan will remain comfortably in the top 10 as they head into East Lansing for the state championship game on Devil's Night, after which one medium and one previously insurmountable challenge remain on a path to uncharted territory

Go Blue.