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.
LFG! pic.twitter.com/00dVPUosTv
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) November 19, 2022
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.
FIELD GOAL UNIT GETS STEAKS
— BUM CHILLUPS AKA SPENCER HALL (@edsbs) November 19, 2022
Delightfully entertaining noon window. TCU & Michigan both score in the final minute to stay unbeaten.
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) November 19, 2022
CLOSE CALL FOR NO. 3 MICHIGAN
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) November 19, 2022
The Wolverines defeat Illinois 19-17 and improve to 11-0❗️ pic.twitter.com/N52tS1XmZ0
MICHIGAN SURVIVES pic.twitter.com/kNEaj5xYyN
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) November 19, 2022
MICHIGAN'S FG IS GOOD!
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) November 19, 2022
And @UMichFootball survives at home!! Great way to start another Saturday of #CFB with some incredibly competitive games down to the wire! Nothing better! https://t.co/nyqUnpPJXO
— DustyDvoracek (@DustyDvoracek) November 19, 2022
Michigan cannot play like that next week.. or else it’s gonna be ugly
— John Rawlings (@JohnRawlingsTV) November 19, 2022
#BigTen avoided a potential doomsday situation going into #Michigan-#OhioState.
— Cory McCartney (@coryjmccartney) November 19, 2022
But some major love for #Illinois’ Chase Brown. Best defense he’s seen all season and ran for 140 and two TDs. pic.twitter.com/yQdpZrC6Qa
Jake Moody officially is invited to my family's Passover Seder this year! It really is great to be a Michigan Wolverine (even though I declared that game over 15 times).
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) November 19, 2022
I can’t believe anyone was actually worried about Michigan losing that game lol.
— Jordan Strack (@JordanStrack) November 19, 2022
Y’all are some weirdos. 😅
Michigan and TCU break the hearts of Vol fans today with last second FG’s to win—but you gotta think a sound Vols victory coupled with Wolverines and Horned Frog struggles would give the CFP committee something to think about! @wvlt
— Rick Russo (@wvltrick) November 19, 2022
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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