Michigan Football: Wolverines edge Fresno State 30-10

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The Michigan Wolverines football team dominantly defeated the Fresno State Bulldogs, winning with a final score of 30-10 in their Week 1 matchup. The Wolverines kicked off their season with a massive win over a strong G5 team, while Fresno State looked to stay in this game longer than they could.

Opening the Game

Both Michigan and Fresno State wanted to make strong impressions early on and cement themselves as the more physical football team. However, Fresno State got the ball first and simply sputtered. A long third down forced quarterback Mikey Keene to make an errant throw right into the hands of defensive back Zeke Berry. 

Michigan trotted out Davis Warren as its starting quarterback; which shocked most fans who thought Alex Orji would win the job. With a prime field position, Warren led a quick touchdown drive with an  Orji swing pass to Donovan Edwards for the touchdown to make it 7-0 early in the game.

Fresno State then punted twice on two short drives, while Michigan also punted after a 3rd and 10 pass to Tyler Morris was short of the line to gain. Warren ended the quarter by throwing a wild pass right into the hands of Cam Lockridge of Fresno State for an interception.

A Slow Second Quarter

Both teams struggled offensively in the second half. Fresno State and Michigan punted twice, and both defenses created long third downs, forcing the quarterbacks into difficult situations. Both run games were stopped quickly at the line, and there weren’t many holes. This quarter showed what these two defenses could look like at full potential. 

Fresno State finally got the ball moving late in the second quarter after Keene completed a pass to wide receiver Jalen Moss for a significant gain. The Bulldogs slowed down in Michigan territory, and were forced to take a 41-yard field goal. That make made it a 7-3 game in the second quarter.

Michigan quickly responded with a strong drive of its own. The Wolverines marched down the field on a 11-play drive that took nearly seven minutes off the clock. It was highlighted by big first down throws from Warren to wide receiver Kendrick Bell and tight end Colston Loveland.

However, two-yard loss on first down at the Fresno State 25-yard line put the Wolverines behind the sticks. They were never able to recover, settling for the field goal to make it 10-3 to end the half.

Yet Another Slow Quarter

Michigan came out firing to open the third quarter, and it looked like the football team was on the verge of scoring again. A big 20-yard pass from Warren to Loveland put the Wolverines in Fresno State territory.

However, a holding penalty on guard Josh Priebe put the Wolverines behind the sticks again, and they couldn’t recover. They settled for the 56-yard field goal, which Dominic Zvada nailed to make it 13-3 in the opening portion of the quarter.

After this, both teams put together some longer drives but ultimately ended up in three punts—two for the Bulldogs and one for the Wolverines.

The Deciding Fourth Quarter

The fourth quarter is when the game became closer than ever. Michigan opened the final fifteen by kicking another field goal. This conversion was from 55 yards out, making it 16-3 in the final frame. 

Fresno State answered by putting together their best drive of the game. A seven-play, 75-yard drive highlighted by multiple Keene passes for 15+ yard gains to Moss, Mac Dalena, and Nathan Acevedo to push into the red zone. Keene then threw a strike to Raylen Sharpe to cut the Michigan lead to six points. Fresno State was now within one score of upsetting Michigan.

Michigan responded with their own seven-play, 75-yard possession. Running back Kalel Mullings was the captain of this drive. He broke off runs of 15 and 21 yards to push the Wolverines deep into Fresno State territory. From the 18-yard line, Warren hit Loveland in stride, and the tight end waltzed his way into the endzone. Michigan put together their best drive of the day to make it a 23-10 football game.

Fresno State needed a touchdown here to keep them in the game. On the first pass of the drive, Keene was nearly intercepted, but the pass was dropped by safety Quinten Johnson. After avoiding disaster, Keene threw an interception to Makari Paige. However, it was called back due to a roughing the passer call on defensive lineman TJ Guy.

The Bulldogs found themselves at the Michigan 10-yard line thanks to some penalties. However, fate would finally find itself knocking on Keene’s door – and this time he wouldn’t be as lucky. Keene dropped back to pass and was intercepted by cornerback Will Johnson, who took the pass back for a touchdown to make a 30-10 game. 

Key Takeaways

Michigan came out with a 20-point victory, but it was not flawless like many of last year’s wins. The offensive line struggled heavily to create holes in the run game and give time for Warren to throw. Edwards also looked slow running the ball, and struggled to hit holes when needed. In fact, he was outshined and out-touched by Mullings. Loveland is Warren’s favorite target and could quickly become the best tight end in college football.

However, the Michigan defense proved that they were legit. The team’s defense had key stops and gave the fans a dominant performance.

Dominic Zvada is the unsung hero in this game. Zvada hit three critical kicks, two from 50 yards out. Zvada will be an essential stabilizing force on which the Wolverines can rely. 

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