Michigan’s missed chances turn into a 31-7 loss to Oregon

Michigan had a chance to make the game against Oregon close, but got in its own way again.

The Wolverines lost 31-7 after Oregon turned two explosive passes into early touchdowns, then pulled away late. Michigan had the ball for nearly 12 minutes in the third quarter and reached the Oregon 3-yard line early in the fourth. Both drives ended without points. Two lost fumbles in the final minutes helped seal the result.

Oregon needed just two plays to take the lead. Dylan Raiola hit Jeremiah McClellan for 60 yards on the Ducks’ opening possession, setting up a touchdown pass to Da’Jaun Riggs. Oregon made it 14-0 late in the first quarter after converting a fourth down and driving inside the Michigan 5.

Savion Hiter gave Michigan a spark on the first play of the second quarter. He took a handoff 70 yards for a touchdown, cutting the deficit in half and briefly changing the feel of the game. It was Michigan’s longest run of the season by far.

Michigan’s defense then had a chance to keep the momentum. Oregon drove to the Wolverines’ 2 but came up empty when Raiola’s fourth-down pass fell incomplete. Michigan couldn’t turn the stop into a scoring drive, though. The Wolverines went three-and-out, and Oregon got the ball back.

The Ducks struck again just before halftime. With less than a minute left, Raiola moved Oregon from its own 9-yard line and hit Dakorien Moore for a 59-yard touchdown with six seconds remaining. The play made it 21-7 and erased much of the lift Hiter’s run had given Michigan.

Michigan moved the ball well at times after halftime but couldn’t finish. Tommy Carr converted two third downs with his legs, including a 20-yard run, as the Wolverines reached the Oregon 37. On fourth-and-3, Carr was stopped short. Another wasted drive.

Michigan answered with its longest drive of the afternoon, taking nearly 12 minutes to reach the Oregon 8. Michigan went for it on 4th down, and Carr’s pass was incomplete. Michigan had spent most of the quarter on the field and came away with nothing.

The Wolverines’ next promising drive ended in another mistake. Bryson Kuzdzal fumbled near midfield, and Oregon recovered. Carr lost a fumble on Michigan’s following possession, giving the Ducks the ball at the Wolverines’ 40. Oregon needed one play to capitalize, and they got it when Raiola found Dierre Hill Jr. for a 49-yard touchdown.

Raiola finished 20 of 28 for 341 yards and four touchdowns. Moore caught seven passes for 101 yards and a score, while McClellan had 105 receiving yards. Hill added 98 yards on the ground and caught the long touchdown pass that put the game away.

Michigan’s offense had 286 yards, including 215 on the ground, but finished 4 of 13 on third down and failed on all three fourth-down tries. Carr went 4-for-12 for just 45 yards, while Bryce Underwood completed 2-for-8 for 26. Both QBs played in what felt like a pointless exercise of splitting the QBs because why not? Hiter led Michigan with 107 rushing yards and the team’s lone touchdown.

Another game where Michigan’s own mistakes make the loss feel even worse.