Lincoln – No. 2 Michigan controlled the game from start to finish in a 45-7 win over Nebraska at Memorial Stadium in one of the hottest games in history at Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Wolverines improved to 5-0 with the victory, while the Huskers slipped to 2-3 with their first home loss of the season while playing in front of the 392nd consecutive sellout with more than 87,000 on hand in Lincoln.
The temperature at kickoff was 93 degrees and matched the hottest at game time inside Memorial Stadium since 1985 against Florida State. The reading on the thermometer surged into the upper 90s midway through the first half, as the hard-hitting Wolverines pulled away from the Huskers.
Nebraska totaled 305 yards on the day, including 199 yards on 14-of-25 passing by Heinrich Haarberg. The Huskers added 106 on the ground, including 74 by Josh Fleeks on his lone carry of the game in the fourth quarter that accounted for NU’s lone touchdown. Billy Kemp led Nebraska’s receivers with four receptions for 61 yards, while Marcus Washington added a 56-yard grab early in the third quarter.
Michigan put up 436 total yards, including 249 on the ground and 187 through the air. J.J. McCarthy led an efficient Wolverine offense by completing 12-of-16 passes for 156 yards with two touchdowns. Blake Corum led the Michigan rushing attack with 74 yards on 16 carries, while Donovan Edwards added 14 carries for 48 yards.
Michigan scored on the game’s opening drive, covering 75 yards on 11 plays capped by an outstanding 29-yard touchdown catch by Roman Wilson over the top of Isaac Gifford in the back of the end zone.
It was the first of two first-half highlight reel touchdown grabs by Wilson from McCarthy. The second came with 23 seconds left in the half to cap an eight-play, 55-yard march that put the Wolverines up 28-0 at the half. Wilson finished with four receptions for 58 yards.
In between the two passing touchdowns by Michigan, the Wolverines got a 20-yard touchdown run by Kalel Mullings in the first quarter and a 21-yard scoring dash by McCarthy early in the second period.
Michigan added another touchdown on its first drive of the third quarter, scored on a short field goal in the opening minute of the fourth period, and capped the scoring with an eight-yard touchdown pass from Jayden Denegal to Peyton O’Leary with 4:37 left in the game.
The Huskers came up empty on a pair of scoring opportunities earlier in the game. On their first drive of the second half, Nebraska drove to the Michigan 11, but settled for a 40-yard field goal attempt from Tristan Alvano that sailed wide right.
Early in the game, the Huskers came up short on a 4th-and-1 at the Michigan 12, ending a promising drive.
Nick Henrich led the Nebraska defense with nine tackles and a pass breakup on the afternoon, while Gifford, Omar Brown and Javin Wright each contributed seven stops.
Nebraska will try to regroup with a short week before traveling to Illinois to battle the Fighting Illini on Friday, Oct. 6. Kick-off is set for 7 p.m. (CT) with live national television coverage by FS1.
