Bryce Underwood, dominant defense, leads Michigan past Oklahoma

This was more like it.

Michigan didn’t play a perfect football game Saturday. It didn’t suddenly answer every question that came out of an ugly opener against Western Michigan. In fact, there are a few problems Kyle Whittingham and his staff should probably spend most of the next week obsessing over.

But Michigan just beat Oklahoma, 17-10.

Enjoy it.

The Wolverines are 2-0, Bryce Underwood looked like the most dangerous player on the field for long stretches, and Michigan’s defense looked like a unit capable of carrying this team a long way.

For all of the concern after Week 1, that’s a pretty good place to be.

Underwood’s passing numbers won’t jump off the page — 9-of-17 for 111 yards — but that doesn’t come close to telling the story of his afternoon. The sophomore was Michigan’s best running threat, finishing with 87 yards on 18 carries and scoring the game’s first touchdown on a 38-yard keeper with 47 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

More importantly, he looked comfortable taking control of the offense.

When Michigan needed yards, Underwood repeatedly created them himself. He converted a fourth-and-1 in the third quarter, ripped off a 15-yard run two plays later, and helped put together Michigan’s best sustained drive of the second half.

That’s exciting.

It also leads directly into one of Michigan’s biggest concerns.

Jordan Marshall finished with 32 yards on 11 carries. Savion Hiter had just six yards on eight attempts. Hiter did make an impact catching the football, with three receptions for 41 yards, but Michigan simply could not consistently run the ball with its running backs.

The most frustrating example came with the game basically sitting there waiting to be finished.

Michigan took over with 2:12 remaining, leading 17-10. Oklahoma was running out of timeouts. One first down probably ends the game.

Michigan got six yards from Underwood on the first two plays before handing it to Marshall on third-and-4.

Zero yards.

Punt.

Oklahoma got the football back.

That cannot become Michigan’s identity. The Wolverines shouldn’t need Underwood to be their most effective running back, and the play-calling around the traditional run game deserves scrutiny this week. The offensive line has to be better, the backs have to be better, and the staff has to find answers that don’t involve repeatedly asking its quarterback to create something himself.

Penalties were another problem.

Michigan actually had opportunities to make the first half much more comfortable than its 10-0 halftime lead suggested. An 18-yard Hiter run to the Oklahoma 20 was erased by holding on Michigan’s first possession. Later, illegal motion and a false start backed up another drive. A second holding penalty wiped out a run inside the Oklahoma 15 late in the second quarter, eventually forcing Michigan to settle for Trey Butkowski’s 40-yard field goal.

Those are self-inflicted mistakes, and they continued after halftime.

But the encouraging part is that Michigan kept overcoming them.

The defense was outstanding.

John Henry Daley announced himself immediately with a sack on Oklahoma’s opening possession and continued making plays around the line of scrimmage. Dom Nichols was a problem again. Chase Taylor was active. Nate Marshall put an exclamation point on the afternoon by burying John Mateer for a 10-yard sack on the final play.

And Michigan’s secondary continues to look legit.

Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer finished 17-of-33 for 189 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Even when Oklahoma managed to move the ball, Michigan repeatedly tightened up before things got out of hand.

Nobody had a bigger moment than Jyaire Hill.

Hill committed a costly personal foul late in the third quarter that helped Oklahoma escape from deep in its own territory. He responded exactly the way you want a veteran corner to respond.

With the score tied 10-10 and Oklahoma facing third-and-9 from its own 16 midway through the fourth quarter, Hill jumped Mateer’s throw, intercepted it at the 30 and returned it 24 yards to the Oklahoma 6.

Two plays later, Marshall punched it in from a yard out.

Michigan 17, Oklahoma 10. Ball game.

There were young players everywhere in this one. Underwood making plays with his arm and legs. Nichols continuing to look like a difference-maker up front. Marshall delivering the final sack. Michigan’s secondary holding up against an Oklahoma offense that was supposed to test it.

That should matter more than searching for reasons to discount the win.

Michigan escaped Western Michigan while playing poorly. A week later, it beat Oklahoma while still making enough correctable mistakes to keep the game much closer than it needed to be.

Now UTEP is next.

That gives Michigan a chance to get cleaner before the schedule keeps moving. Fix the penalties. Figure out the running game. Examine the play-calling. Stop turning manageable situations into difficult ones.

There is plenty for this coaching staff to fix.

But Michigan doesn’t need to apologize for winning while it figures it out.

The Wolverines are 2-0. They just beat Oklahoma. Their quarterback looks dangerous, their defense looks for real and there is still obvious room for this team to get better.

After what Michigan fans watched a week ago, that should feel pretty damn encouraging.