Will Stein
Dec 4, 20222 min
INDIANAPOLIS-A Day full of Big 10 festivities ended with two hopeful schools representing themselves as Champions of the Big 10 Conference. Charlie Jones was tough to defend early as Purdue was keeping pace with Michigan. Jones ironically was in the Big 10 Championship game as a member of the Iowa Hawkeyes in the 2021 season as a punt returner. Charlie felt like he could expand his role as a receiver, so he ended up transferring to Purdue. He showed up big with 13 catches for 162 yards. At the half the score was a one-point game with Michigan leading 14-13
The second half started with back-to-back touchdowns by Michigan when Donovan Edwards simply took over. First play of the second half after the kickoff was a 60-yard run by Edwards which set up a 1-yard Touchdown run to put the Wolverines up 21-13. Following a Purdue punt, it only took two more plays and a 27-yard score by Edwards to make the score 28-13. Purdue simply struggled to get the ball in the Endzone however their kicker was impressive going 5-5 with a long of 45 yards. Scoring threes is great in basketball however it won’t keep pace with a high-powered offense like Michigan.
After two Purdue field goals to make the score 28-19, Michigan scores a Touchdown to make the score 34-19. Attempting to put the game away Michigan opts to go for two with success to make the score 36-19 which makes the score a three possession game. Purdue adds another field goal to make it a two possession game again with a glimmer of hope as Purdue attempts the onside kick to potentially start a comeback. After the Michigan recovery, they finish in good measure adding another Touchdown which ultimately covered the spread for Michigan as the Boilermakers ultimately just ran out of gas.
The next question for Michigan is can they overcome the SEC with Georgia in their potential futures for a College Football Playoff rematch? We’ll see what the next chapter holds for the Wolverines as they prepare for their National Championship run. Intriguing possibilities include a rematch against Ohio State after losses by TCU and USC in their respective championship games.
Jim Harbaugh preached the Family atmosphere that the University of Michigan has thanking the parents of the student athletes for creating a special brotherhood at the University of Michigan. JJ McCarthy and Donovan Edwards echoed what Harbaugh said with the family oriented aspect of the players on the team for Harbaugh as a father figure on and off the field as they prepare for their next steps in the College Football Playoff. JJ McCarthy stated that the University of Michigan has the best fans in College Football to add to that family atmosphere at the University of Michigan. Wolverine fans are anxiously awaiting to take out their credit cards as the road to SoFi Stadium begins.