Michigan is 3-1 overall and 1-0 in Big Ten play after an exciting victory over Nebraska on the road, 30-27. The win wouldn’t have been possible without the contributions from these players, who are taking home a game ball for their efforts.
Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall
Justice Haynes looked like the most impressive running back in the Big Ten coming into the week, and he did little to change that sentiment with his performance in Lincoln. He showed out with 149 rushing yards, including a 75-yard touchdown near the end of the first
half. He provided the spark when the offense badly needed it, while also converting two third downs on a late fourth-quarter drive to kill the clock.
He wasn’t the only running back making an impact, as Jordan Marshall impressed in his own right. While the sophomore has ceded some carries to Haynes this year, he broke free for his first big run of the year in the third quarter — a 54-yard touchdown to give Michigan a 27-17 lead. While he might not be in an even split with Haynes at the moment, he made the most of his opportunities today.
Pass Rush
Coming into the week, Nebraska’s offensive line and quarterback Dylan Raiola hadn’t been tested big a high-caliber defensive front. The Wolverines made the group work, as they were living in Nebraska’s backfield from the very start. Once again, Jaishawn Barham was the most noticeable player in Michigan’s front seven, as he was wreaking havoc from the edge to keep the Cornhusker offense off-schedule.
The defense finished with seven sacks, and it could have even had a few more had Raiola not escaped the grasp of defenders multiple times. Rayshaun Benny and Derrick Moore were the most productive in the stat sheet with 1.5 sacks each, while Barham, Jimmy Rolder, Ernest Hausmann, Enow Etta and Cameron Brandt each got to Raiola as well. This type of productive day for the front seven is an encouraging development.
Cole Sullivan
Sticking with the defense, Michigan got a breakout performance from one of its younger players on Saturday with sophomore linebacker Cole Sullivan. He has long been a favorite of the coaching staff, but there were some question coming into the year as to where he’d fit into the rotation. Now that he’s getting a sizable share of the off-ball snaps, he is flying around the field and making the most of his opportunity.
He did a bit of everything in this game. His most impactful play came in the first quarter as he intercepted a tipped pass to help set up Michigan’s first touchdown. Sullivan didn’t stop there, as he also registered a sack and six total tackles. He spent the day making his presence felt against both the run and the pass, and appears to be a big part of the defense going forward. Let’s see how high he can ascend.
Jayden Sanders
Michigan didn’t have Zeke Berry for the second consecutive week, which meant someone relatively inexperienced was going to get the tough task of covering Nebraska’s talented wideouts. On Saturday, it was true freshman Jayden Sanders that got much of the work, and he made a great impression by holding his own in coverage.
Not only was Sanders doing a good job of mirroring Nebraska’s pass-catchers, but he was making some key stops as well. He finished the game with eight total tackles, including multiple occasions near the sticks on third downs. That type of effort and production is a rather encouraging sign for Michigan’s secondary, and Sanders is making a bid for more playing time down the stretch — even once Berry returns.
