Michigan survives Illinois upset by the power of milk: CFB media reacts

The Michigan Wolverines were on the ropes against Illinois but punched back to fight off the upset and college football media couldn’t look away.

Call it a lookahead spot, call it a bad day at the office, but the Michigan Wolverines were in serious trouble on Saturday morning against the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Despite Jim Harbaugh’s team being 17.5-point favorites in Ann Arbor, they found themselves down 17-10 entering the fourth quarter as the offense stalled after star running back Blake Corum was injured late in the first half. But credit where its due, the Michigan defense held firm against the Illini offense while J.J. McCarthy, though far from perfect, kept allowing the Wolverines to put points on the board with field goals.

It was the final field goal that was the most dramatic, though.

After a questionable catch ruling that put them in field goal range, Jake Moody came out and showed he had the Bill Rafferty onions in the big moment as he drilled the go-ahead field goal that became the game-winner.

Michigan holds off Illinois to avoid upset: College football media reacts

With so much drama in the Big House, college football media was buzzing about the near upset that Michigan staved off.

One thing that’s for sure, Michigan can’t play the way they did on Saturday next week as they travel to Columbus for a date with rival Ohio State. If they do, it’s not going to be a pretty sight for the Wolverines.

But for now, everything is still intact for Harbaugh and his milkmen. They are undefeated still on the season with a shot to make it to the College Football Playoff. But again, this has to be the game they escaped by, because that type of performance isn’t going to cut it from here on out.

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