Highlights, game recap from Michigan’s win over Army

The second game of Michigan’s 2019 season didn’t get off to a hot start. The offense didn’t score points consistently in the game, and the Wolverines defense was put in a situation where they had little margin for error. However, in the end, Michigan rattled out a win in overtime.

Game Recap

Michigan’s first drive of the game on offense ended the same way their first drive of Week 1 did, with a Shea Patterson fumble. After driving past mid-field and the offense faring well on the drive, Patterson was sacked and literally just dropped the football without the defender even getting a hand on it.

And just like Week 1, the Patterson turnover led to points for the opposition, a 1-yard touchdown run by Sandon McCoy to put Army up 7-0, capping off a 10 play, 60-yard triple option fueled drive.

Michigan’s following drive on offense was extended on a 4th down trick pass by Michael Barrett. Following the conversion on 4th, Patterson hit tight end Nick Eubanks for a 24-yard gain that put Michigan in the red-zone, and RB Zach Charbonnet ultimately proceeded to get the first rushing touchdown of his career from 1-yard out to tie the game up at 7-7 with just 24 seconds left in the 1st.

It appeared for a few minutes like the moment was about to swing back into Michigan’s favor and that they were going to start rolling in this one. Safety Josh Metellus picked up an Army fumble which put U-M within striking distance of the end-zone, but when the offense took over, ball security issues sprung up yet again. On the first play of the possession, Shea Patterson fumbled for the second time in the game, and third time in the season, and Army regained possession.

The fumbling woes weren’t over for Michigan there, though. On Michigan’s next drive, RB Ben VanSumeren coughed the ball up after a short gain, resulting in Michigan’s third turnover in under 21 minutes of play.

VanSumeren’s fumble led to another Army touchdown, a 1-yard rush by QB Kelvin Hopkins. With time winding down in the second quarter Michigan had a chance to get back on the board and end the half on a positive note, but a bad intentional grounding penalty by Shea Patterson led to a longer field goal attempt by Quinn Nordin from 55 yards out, which he missed. If Patterson didn’t commit the penalty, it would have been around a 44-yard attempt.

The third quarter started off with a three and out for Michigan on offense, and then Army proceeded to have a long drive with goal-to-go. However, this time Army was the team turning the ball over. Hopkins scrambled and with pressure in his face he threw right into the arms of a waiting Lavert Hill.

The pick by Hill paid big dividends for the Wolverines. Following the INT, Michigan had a 12 play, 78-yard drive that featured an 18-yard pass to Nico Collins and a 25-yard pass to Ronnie Bell, and a 1-yard TD run by Zach Charbonnet to tie the game up 14-14.

Michigan had a shot to take the lead the following drive, but instead of attempting a field goal on 4th & 2 from the 20-yard line, Michigan went for it on 4th and Zach Charbonnet was stopped for a 4-yard loss.

Late in the game, Michigan decided to go for it yet again on the 43, and their 4th & 2 attempt failed, setting Army up with good field position to put together a 2-minute drill to win the game. With time expiring, Army kicker Cole Talley attempted the first kick of his career from 50 yards out, the kick was short and the game went into overtime.

Army took the ball first on offense in overtime and were able to punch it in for six on a 6-yard TD run by Kelvin Hopkins. Michigan would have got Army off the field earlier in the possession on a 3rd & 4 run stopped short of the marker, but LB Khaleke Hudson was offsides on the play and extended Army’s drive.

Michigan had to score a touchdown in their first possession of OT, or they’d lose. It took the Wolverines just 4 plays to score, a 3-yard run by Zach Charbonnet, his third of the day, and the score was tied up at 21-21.

On Michigan’s following possession, three straight incomplete passes (two of which were way off by Patterson) set up a 43-yard field goal by Jake Moody, putting Michigan ahead 24-21.

With Army now the team trailing, Michigan’s defense came onto the field and had a fierce and ferocious sequence. Aidan Hutchinson had a tackle for loss, and on the last play of the game Hutchinson and Kwity Paye both tackled Hopkins in the backfield and Paye recovered the subsequent fumble to seal Michigan’s win.

A nail-biter, a headache of a game for fans, but a win for Michigan nonetheless.