The final seconds ticked off the clock as the Michigan offense was out of timeouts and down 10 points. Washington students began to pour onto the field as the Huskies took down the tenth-ranked Michigan Wolverines by a score of 27-17 on Saturday Night. The environment was electric from hours before kickoff until the final seconds ran out. Washington’s offense took an early lead in the contest but gave up an unanswered 17 points to the in the second and third quarters. The Husky defense got two critical stops that flipped momentum, and two game-changing turnovers. Jedd Fisch gets his first signature win of the season with the upset over the Michigan Wolverines.
Trading Turnovers
Will Rogers III was in the midst of a 30-yard drive in a tie football game early in the fourth quarter. It was then that the fifth-year senior did something he hasn’t done in over a full calendar year. His pass over the middle was picked off by Ernest Hausmann. It was Rogers’ first interception in 269 pass attempts. The turnover took the wind out of Washington’s sails in a moment of the game where it looked like Washington could regain the lead. But Belichick’s defense was back on the field.
Five plays later, Voi Tunuufi punched the ball out of quarterback Jack Tuttle’s hands on a scramble up the middle. Logan Sagapolu jumped on the loose ball and Husky Stadium erupted. Washington gained possession at the Michigan 32-yard line. Rogers and the Husky offense were back in business and went to work quickly. Four run plays on the legs of Jonah Coleman for 32 yards were all it took for Washington to find the end zone and regain the lead. Washington was up 24-17.
Five plays into Michigan’s ensuing drive, the Husky defense again stepped up. Kamren Fabiculanan jumped in front of a pass to Colston Loveland, hauling in an interception. Once again, the sold-out Husky Stadium shook. Washington had the ball just outside the Wolverine 40-yard line with over three minutes to play. Rogers and the Husky offense drained 2:18 off the clock and Grady Gross connected on a 32-yard field goal to extend the lead to 10. That kick would seal the Washington victory.
Three and Outs Establish Momentum
The fumble recovery and interception were what sealed the game for Washington. But it was the two drives before the turnovers that established the momentum change. The Washington defense forced two three-and-outs in a row late in the third quarter and early in the fourth quarter. The first stop came with 4:38 remaining in the third quarter. It was Washington’s defensive first stop since the 11:54 mark of the second quarter. Following the punt, the Huskies gained possession and drove the field 45 yards in 12 plays. Gross connected for his first field goal of the day to tie the game at 17. He had missed a kick earlier in the game, and had another blocked.
Following the three points, Michigan regained possession in a tie-ball game. For the second Michigan possession in a row, Steve Belichick’s defense got a much-needed stop. This time it was with 12:04 remaining in the game, and it gave Washington the football with an opportunity to change the game.
The ensuing drive was where Rogers threw his first interception of the season. At the time, it felt like a great defensive stand would be for nothing, as Michigan had captured some momentum. But the Husky defense then forced the two turnovers to end the game. The final three Michigan possessions went punt, punt, fumble, interception, end of game. It was a tremendous adjustment from on defensive side of the ball for Washington. Especially considering what the Wolverine quarterback change was able to do.
Tuttle Tips the Scales
Tuttle entered the football game at quarterback mid-way through the second quarter. To that point, Michigan had not been able to put together any drive success. Alex Orji ran 16 plays for a total of 47 yards in three drives. The change at quarterback immediately sparked the Wolverine offense.
Michigan drove 75 yards in seven plays on Tuttle’s first drive at quarterback. It was capped by an all-too-familiar long touchdown run from running back Donovan Edwards. He sprinted through the middle of the defense for 40 yards to put the Wolverines on the board. The four-minute drive answered Washington’s four-play 74-yard touchdown drive that took just over two minutes off the clock. The Wolverines would go on to score 17 straight.
An eight-play, 56-yard drive ended with a field goal in Michigan’s final drive of the first half. And the Wolverines kept the momentum going on their first drive of the third quarter. Tuttle remained in the game and drove the Wolverines 75 yards in 11 plays. He capped it with a passing touchdown to Loveland, taking their first lead of the evening. Washington seemingly had no answers to the quarterback change. But that changed late in the third quarter.
Washington Tops Michigan
The Huskies move to 4-2 on the season with their win over the tenth-ranked Wolverines. It’s Fisch’s first signature win as the head coach of the Washington Huskies, and he got it against Michigan, a program where he used to coach. With the calendar moving to October, the Big Ten schedule continues to be tough. Washington has crossed out Michigan, but four currently ranked teams still remain on the schedule. Next week, it’s a trip to Iowa City and a 9:00 am Pacific Time kickoff inside Kinnick Stadium against Iowa.
