ANN ARBOR, Mich. – We waited five long weeks to see if Michigan's Top 10 ranking was justified, and with a hard-fought win over Wisconsin Saturday, the Wolverines proved they belong.
It definitely wasn't pretty. Michigan let Wisconsin hang around and found itself in a 7-7 tie to start the fourth quarter. But when they needed to make a big play, the Wolverines made it, and now their undefeated record is still intact.
Recommended Videos
READ: Big Ten football power rankings: Week 5
Here are my 10 takeaways from the game.
Don't run on Michigan
Wisconsin made a point to establish a running game against Michigan, rushing 28 times compared to just 25 pass attempts. It didn't go well. Corey Clement had one run of 19 yards and his other 16 carries went for a total of 49 yards. The team averaged just 2.5 yards per carry and went just 4-15 on third down due to the long yardage situations they faced. Ryan Glasgow is one of the best run stuffers in the country, and the talent surrounding him on the defensive line is much deeper this season.
Offensive line concerns
There were already major concerns about Michigan's offensive line, and the loss of left tackle Grant Newsome will only make its job more difficult. The Wolverines have not been able to run the ball between the tackles this season -- a trend that continued Saturday. Eight different ball carriers combined to average just 3 yards per carry, and much of their success came on the outside. Wilton Speight was sacked four times Saturday and rarely looked completely comfortable in the pocket. Now, with Newsome gone for the year, Michigan has to plug another hole at one of its weakest positions.
Ty Isaac gaining trust
Michigan has a deep and talented core of running backs, from De'Veon Smith to Chris Evans to Karan Higdon. Even wide receivers Eddie McDoom and Jehu Chesson have earned regular carries on sweep plays. But the forgotten man in this group was Ty Isaac, who fell out of the rotation last season because he couldn't take care of the ball. Now Isaac is on the rise, playing a major role in the fourth quarter against Wisconsin and coming through when Michigan needed a play. Harbaugh called Isaac's number when the offense was backed up against Colorado in Week 3, dialing up a screen pass from his own 10-yard line. Isaac took the screen and turned it into a 21-yard gain that eventually led to a touchdown drive. Since that play, his role has increased, and on Saturday, he picked up 48 yards on eight carries and made a crucial block on the game-winning touchdown play. Isaac might not take over starting duties, but he's cemented his place in the rotation.
Jourdan Lewis isn't alone
When the Badgers planned to attack the Michigan secondary, it's clear they took the same route most teams choose: avoid the All-American cornerback. Alex Hornibrook mostly shied away from throwing at Jourdan Lewis, but Channing Stribling made Wisconsin pay. Stribling picked off two passes, including one in which his coverage was so perfect, it looked like he was the wide receiver. He also batted down two passes and answered every challenge Hornibrook threw at him. The whole country knows Lewis is elite, but Stribling isn't 'the guy who cost Michigan a game against Penn State three years ago' anymore. He's the guy who helped lead Michigan in a top-10 win over Wisconsin.
Kicking problems return
Remember in 2010, when Michigan kickers went 4-14 on field goal attempts and 0-4 from 40 yards or farther? Well, this season isn't quite that bad yet, but Michigan's kicking woes are becoming more and more alarming. Kenny Allen is just 4-8 this season, with two misses under 40 yards and an 0-2 mark from 40 and beyond. When Ryan Tice came in to turn things around, he missed from 40 yards. That's nine points the Wolverines left on the field, so this game shouldn't have been nearly as close as it was. Fans who watched 2010 know how much a bad field goal kicker can haunt a team.
Teams are done with Jabrill Peppers
Special teams have been a major advantage for Michigan this season, but the Badgers sent a message that other teams are sure to pick up on: Jabrill Peppers won't beat us. Peppers is the best punt returner in the country, and Wisconsin made sure he couldn't impact that phase of the game. In nine punts, Anthony Lotti and P.J. Rosowski combined to average 35.7 yards per kick, but more importantly, gave Peppers just two returns for an average of 9.5 yards. Peppers is a huge playmaker in the return game, but Wisconsin laid the blueprint to limit the damage.
Wilton Speight has work to do
With Harbaugh as head coach, Michigan's quarterback wasn't expected to be a position of concern despite being a first-year starter. While Speight certainly hasn't been a disappointment, he has a long way to go if Michigan hopes to field a dynamic offense. Yes, the Wolverines averaged 52 points per game in their first four contests, but when the first real defensive test of the year came to Ann Arbor, Speight struggled. He completed 20 of 32 pass attempts, but averaged just 6.8 yards per attempt. His interception thrown into quadruple coverage resulted in Wisconsin's only score of the game. Speight has enough talent to make Jake Rudock-like strides by the end of the season -- just look at the perfect pass he threw to Amara Darboh for the game-winning touchdown, or the way he moves around the pocket to avoid sacks -- but through five games, he's shown struggles with throwing the deep ball and bouncing back from big hits.
Wisconsin is here to stay
If there were any doubts about Wisconsin being a Top 10 team, Saturday erased them. The Badgers' two biggest wins came against LSU and Michigan State teams that have since fallen out of the top 25. But when Wisconsin took Michigan to the brink in Ann Arbor with a redshirt freshman quarterback, it earned its spot among the Big Ten elites. The Badgers were fortunate that Michigan missed three field goals, and only put together one 31-yard scoring drive, but their defense shut down a team scoring over 50 points per game, so Wisconsin could beat any team on any given Saturday.
Alex Hornibrook has freshman flaws
When Hornibrook took over against Georgia State and led Wisconsin in a comeback victory, he didn't look like a freshman quarterback. When he went into East Lansing and led Wisconsin's undressing of Michigan State, he didn't look like a player making his first career start. But when Michigan's stout defensive line put pressure on Hornibrook, he looked rattled, and some of the throws he made to beat the Panthers and Spartans vanished. Hornibrook made some excellent throws Saturday, highlighted by his perfect dime to Dare Ogunbowale for a touchdown. But he also missed a few open receivers when Michigan sent pressure on third down, and that was a major reason the Badgers fell short.
Be careful circling Nov. 26 too early
When Iowa lost at home to Northwestern and Michigan State dropped a second straight game in Bloomington, the murmurs started circulating. "Michigan could be 11-0," "Michigan should win both of those road games." But look no further than 2015 to understand just how dangerous those mentalities can be. Michigan State was all but dead in Ann Arbor last season when a freak play took victory from Michigan's hands. Over the next month, the Wolverines were one play away from losing to both Minnesota and Indiana, which could have turned 9-3 into 7-5. Yes, Michigan is a better team than Rutgers and Illinois and Michigan State and Maryland and Iowa and Indiana, but that doesn't mean Michigan will roll through its next six games. Should the Nov. 26 showdown in Columbus decide the Big Ten East? Yes. But football games aren't played on paper.