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Michigan played a less than ideal football game on Saturday. After stomping Minnesota in Week 1, they did a 360 and struggled mightily against a Michigan State team that was inferior in talent. Still, Michigan’s speed and athleticism showed out on several plays throughout the game. Let’s forget about the bad and ugly of the weekend and look at some bright spots from Saturday’s game with this week’s Top-5 plays.
5. Milton scrambles and finds Ronnie Bell for a first
The Wolverines got themselves in some sticky situations on third down in Saturday's loss.
— Daniel Plocher (@DanPlocher) November 2, 2020
Joe Milton made the most on a few of them. He rolls right away from the pressure and finds Ronnie Bell for a first on this one.
Milton kept Michigan in the game for as long as they were. pic.twitter.com/spaciRJXGK
Michigan did a solid job of working themselves into third-and-long situations on Saturday. Part of that was on the play calling, part was the execution. Nonetheless, Joe Milton did everything he could to flip the script and this was the perfect example. He extends the play by rolling right, breaking a tackle, and completes a beautiful ball to Ronnie Bell for a first.
4. Cornelius Johnson almost breaks free late
Some shifty moves from @CorneliusNation that almost resulted in a TD in a big moment.
— Daniel Plocher (@DanPlocher) November 2, 2020
5 receptions for 52 yards on the day in his first appearance of the season.
Expect him to have an expanded role if he keeps making plays like this. pic.twitter.com/Vipsw1uwoE
Less than a minute to go, and you guessed it, Michigan is in a third-and-long spot. Cornelius Johnson cuts in and shows off some shifty moves nearly breaking it for six. This was the longest play of the Wolverines 18-play, 93-yards drive that ate up four and a half minutes of the final moments of the ball game.
3. Giles Jackson hangs on for a tough catch
Tough @gilesjackson__ pic.twitter.com/LpL21m3l46
— Daniel Plocher (@DanPlocher) November 2, 2020
Down three, Giles Jackson hauls in the reception from Joe Milton and gets rocked by Michigan State’s Shakur Brown, but holds on for a big pick up. At the end of the third quarter, this was just the fourth third down that the Wolverines picked up on the day.
2. Blake Corum shows off the speed around the corner for a touchdown
"Wow, what a burst!"@UMichFootball's @blake_corum evens things up at The Big House. pic.twitter.com/G2x9PNHtmS
— Michigan On BTN (@MichiganOnBTN) October 31, 2020
Speed. In. Space.
Blake Corum shows of videogame quickness as he keeps running for the edge and gets around a Michigan State defensive back all the way into the endzone. This was the first of two scores on the day and Wolverines’ faithful have a lot to look forward to with this true freshman.
1. Hurdlin’ Hassan Haskins
Hassan Haskins is good for one jaw-dropper every week.@H2_3125 | @UMichFootball pic.twitter.com/VDxjLQKjGy
— Michigan On BTN (@MichiganOnBTN) October 31, 2020
Hassan Haskins has been the most productive running back on the field for the Wolverines in 2020. This man is averaging 9.9 yards per carry through the first two games and continues to make plays like this seemingly every time he touches the ball. Yet, for some reason, Haskins has only 14 carries on the year. Michigan has a problem of too many talented running backs in the room, but they need to find a way to get Haskins more touches.