Michigan Rolls Toward Michigan State Matchup Behind Historical Defense
By Ashley Scoby
@AshleyScoby
The numbers popping out of the Michigan football program are like the proverbial clown car situation -- more and more materializing, each more garish than the last.
Against the No. 13 ranked team in the country Saturday, the No. 18 Wolverines were ruthless. Downing Northwestern 38-0, Michigan posted its third straight shutout – the first time since 1980 that the program has done so. Coach Jim Harbaugh was still in high school when the feat was last accomplished in Ann Arbor, and Jimmy Carter was the U.S. president.
The Wildcats came into Saturday's game with the No. 1 scoring defense in the country, allowing an average of seven points per game. Michigan matched that in the first 15 seconds when Jehu Chesson dashed 96 yards for a touchdown on the opening kickoff. The most points Northwestern had allowed all year had been 19 to Ball State; Michigan had 21 with 2:35 remaining in the first quarter.
Shrugging, Harbaugh said it best: "The fellas really came out ballin'."
Since its loss to Utah in the first week of the season, Michigan has allowed two touchdowns in 20 quarters of football. They've outscored opponents 160-14 from Sept. 12 onward.
"Going against them (the defense) every day down at practice, it's kind of stressful sometimes," said Michigan running back De'Veon Smith.
Northwestern was stressed early, and it showed. Early in the first quarter, already down 14-0, the Wildcats faced a fourth down and less than a yard to go at the Michigan 25-yard-line. Their decision to acquiesce to the Wolverines' defense by going for a 42-yard field goal instead was the closest the team would come to putting points on the board.
For the Wolverines, the zero on the scoreboard has become expected.
"Everything is an opportunity," said Michigan cornerback Jourdan Lewis, who added a pick-six to the blowout. "When we were out there, it was an opportunity to get the shutout. Honestly, it's just the standard."
With less than 30 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, and the 38-0 lead already accumulated, 110,452 at Michigan Stadium were still chanting "De-fense" as if the game depended on it. Nearly all of Michigan's starters were still playing.
"I'm not surprised about having the starters stay in until basically the end of the game," Smith said. "You always want to put your foot on their throat and make sure they can't get back up."
It's an attitude that has been funneled straight from Harbaugh, who has preached competitiveness on this team so much that the players make it a competition for things as simple as who can get to the cafeteria the fastest.
The swagger of the program – which had been lost somewhere amidst losing seasons and a coaching carousel – is back just in time to take on in-state rival Michigan State next Saturday.
"Congratulations," Harbaugh said in his typical post-game response, his comments as consistent as his defense. "It was impressive. Next. Onward."