The Victors: Team 138, Games 7, 8, & 9

The Wayback Machine Tour of The Victors: Team 138, Games 1-6
Game 1: Florida
Game 2: Cincinnati
Game 3: Air Force
Game 4: Purdue
Game 5: M.A.C.
Game 6: Indiana

Saturday, 21 October @ Beaver Stadium
(№ 2) Penn State 42-13 Michigan (№ 19)
5-2, B1G 2-2

In 2016, in "the Big House," the valiant Wolverines bested the ferocious Nittany Lions 49-10; a year later, amidst a "white out" night game in Happy Valley, Penn State coach James Franklin wanted revenge. Give Michigan's offensive woes, already present under incumbent starting quarterback Wilton Speight & exacerbated under second-string quarterback John O'Korn, it was expected that the valiant Wolverines would struggle against the ferocity of the Penn State faithful; less expected was the cluelessness of Uncle Don's Murder Machine. The ferocious Nittany Lions, a quick-starting team, quickly jumped out to a 14-0 start; disheartening, but not entirely unexpected. Surprisingly, though, the valiant Wolverines responded with a pair of touchdowns that would have tied the game had it not been for a missed field goal by increasingly erratic sophomore placekicker Quinn Nordin. Still, after the sock in the mouth, no one would have ever guessed a 14-13 score in the second quarter. Unfortunately, the rest of the night was all downhill for the men of the Maize & Blue.

Uncle Don's Murder Machine rightly focused on shutting down Penn State's Heisman-hopeful running back Saquon Barkley, but was then gashed by the legs—not the arm—of quarterback Trace McSorley, who ran for three touchdowns! The Murder Machine was thoroughly beaten, giving up three rushing touchdown to a quarterback who is not particularly noted as a runner, but who on that night looked like the second coming of Fran Tarkenton. After Michigan's missed extra point made it 14-13, the ferocious Nittany Lions scored, then scored again, then scored twice more for good measure, while the valiant Wolverines could muster no response, resulting in a 42-13 drubbing.

Saturday, 28 October @ Michigan Stadium—Homecoming
Michigan 35-14 Rutgers
6-2, B1G 3-2

Despite the festivity of Homecoming, gloom & doom hung over "the Big House" as the unworthy Scarlet Knights of Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey came to Ann Arbor & dueled the valiant Wolverines to a 7-7 tie early in the second quarter. Under John O'Korn, the Michigan offense just didn't work. There was no such thing as a simple play. Nothing came easily. Nothing was routine. The question mark that has swirled since Speight was lost to injury was redshirt freshman Brandon Peters. Such were Michigan's offensive straits under the senior O'Korn that the hearts of the Maize & Blue faithful, both those in the stadium & us watching at home, stirred when Peters was inserted into the game. Would he succeed? Would he fail? The thrill of uncertainty was invigorating compared to the certain futility of life with O'Korn under center. A road game at Penn State would have been a suicide mission, but a home game against Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey was just about the ideal trial by fire for an inexperienced young Q.B.

Everything changed with young Peters in the game. All of a sudden, the valiant Wolverines' offense was minumally functional! Dare one say, adequate! A heavy dose of running saw both junior Karan Higdon & senior Ty Isaac rush for one hundred-plus yards as the yearly insult of having to face off against Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey was mildly ameliorated by a victory that was more lopsided than the score.

Saturday, 4 November @ Michigan Stadium
Michigan 33-10 Minnesota
7-2, B1G 4-2

As if Minnesota's new head coach P. J. Fleck wasn't annoying enough on his own (& he is), he has deep ties to the hated Buckeyes; so, I wish him nothing but disaster & defeat throughout this career. The highlight of the valiant Wolverine's workmanlike victory over the scrappy Golden Gophers was three long touchdown runs, of seventy-seven yards by Hidgon, sixty yards & sophomore Chris Evans, & sixty-seven yards by Evans. The Gophers might well row the boat, but they don't play run defense terribly well. Michigan placekicker Quinn Nordin missed another routine extra point attempt; so, in the fourth quarter, Coach Harbaugh ordered a two-point attempt (which failed, because instead of giving the ball to Khalid Hill, the "Hammering Panda," Michigan's stout short-yardage specialist, the ball inexplicably went to the faster & more lithe Evans, who couldn't quite pound it up the middle as the Hammering Panda so often does).

In Brandon Peters's second game as Michigan's starting quarterback, the valiant Wolverines looked, blessedly, normal. They weren't fancy. They didn't look like world-beaters or prospective conference champions, but after the paralysis & dysfunction of O'Korn's tenure, normal was entirely satisfactory & pleasant.

Go Blue!