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After the first quarter Saturday, the Michigan football team and No. 1 Oregon were tied 7-7, making it look like neither team had the clear edge at that point. But looks can be deceiving, and that score certainly was.
The offenses may have reached the end zone the same number of times, but that’s where the similarities ended. The Ducks had 102 total yards in the first quarter compared to the Wolverines’ 34. Oregon’s average yards per play nearly doubled Michigan’s. And really, the Wolverines likely wouldn’t have scored if not for the Ducks fumbling a punt return, turning the ball over at their own 28-yard line.
“As an offense, we got to start faster,” senior quarterback Davis Warren said. “ … Just being better on third down, being better early in the game, starting faster. Just got to start faster. Got to start faster and bring that energy from the jump.”
Warren repeating that Michigan needed to “start faster” four times in the span of a few seconds gives the notion all the emphasis it needs.
The Wolverines started the game with two three-and-outs, although the second one was followed by the muffed punt and touchdown. Warren made a nice play on the run to find junior receiver Tyler Morris in the end zone, but the touchdown didn’t signify that the offense had broken out of its slump. Michigan proceeded to punt on its next two drives, only managing one first down. In the meantime, all but one of Oregon’s first five drives ended in a touchdown.
With four minutes left in the first half, the Wolverines finally found an inkling of rhythm. Warren found junior tight end Colston Loveland on back-to-back plays for 18- and 36-yard gains — the latter a double-toss flea flicker bolstered by a stiff arm from Loveland after the catch to pick up chunk yardage.
“(Loveland) did a great job getting open,” Warren said. “They weren’t covering him, and I was going to hit him. He was incredible for us today, and I’m just really proud of the way that guy fights. There’s no quit in him, and I know I can rely on him.”
Despite the budding Warren-to-Loveland connection, Michigan settled for a field goal. But its offense was starting to wake up.
Starting the second half forcing Oregon to go three-and-out, the Wolverines saw an opportunity. And once again, Warren to Loveland was the sweet spot for Michigan. Dropping back on second down, Warren found Loveland wide open over the middle for a 34-yard gain. A few plays later, with junior quarterback Alex Orji running around in the backfield as a decoy, Warren dumped the ball off to Morris, who found a gap for 12 yards. Then, it was back to Loveland, who hauled in another catch for 20 yards.
Warren capped off the momentum-swinging drive with a six-yard dot to senior wide receiver Peyton O’Leary, O’Leary’s first of the season.
“(Offensive coordinator Kirk) Campbell did a great job setting us up to start moving the ball down the field there in the second half,” Warren said. “We needed that one after the start we had. From that perspective, just proud of the way the guys fought. Came out of halftime, knew our backs were against the wall a little bit. We had a real heart to heart combo at halftime, like, ‘Hey, we got to go now, this is an opportunity for us.”
Trailing 31-17 early in the fourth quarter, Michigan put together a drive that nearly made it a one-score game — something that started to seem improbable after its poor start. The Wolverines drove down the field to Oregon’s 10-yard line. But facing fourth-and-5, they sputtered out, turning the ball over on downs and inhibiting any chance of a comeback.
Warren, Loveland, Morris and plenty of others on the offense made good plays at times and gave Michigan a chance. But with a slow start and not enough juice to make it to the end, the Wolverines ultimately paled in comparison to the Ducks.
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