No. 25 Michigan routs Eastern Michigan 45-17

By LARRY LAGE, AP Sports Writer Sep 19, 5:44 pm EDT

Preview | Box Score | Recap
  • Print

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP)—Michigan got a very freshman-like performance from quarterback Tate Forcier.

The 25th-ranked Wolverines’ running game more than made up for a bad day passing by Forcier and fellow freshman Denard Robinson.

Carlos Brown ran for a career-high 187 yards and two scores, including a 90-yarder, and Michigan ran for 380 yards in a 45-17 win Saturday over Eastern Michigan.

“We weren’t particularly sharp throwing the ball, so it was a good thing we could run,” coach Rich Rodriguez said.

The Wolverines had their highest rushing total since getting 392 against Houston in 2003.

“I’m giving all the credit to the offensive line,” Brown said.

Forcier had a lackluster day after two spectacular games for Michigan (3-0), which matched its win total from last season, a dismal 3-9 slog in Rodriguez’s first season as coach.

The true freshman was 7 of 13 for 68 yards, had 5 yards rushing and left the game briefly in the second half with bruised ribs. Robinson scored on a pair of TD runs, but also threw two interceptions on just four attempts—the only passes he had caught all day.

“We had the intention of throwing a little bit more,” Rodriguez said. “But why would you when you don’t have to?”

Michigan won, but may have lost a starting offensive lineman for the second straight week and a key running back.

Center David Molk injured a foot seriously enough for Rodriguez to be concerned and Brandon Minor aggravated an ankle injury. Right guard David Moosman didn’t face Eastern Michigan because of a dislocated shoulder.

“I wish we were healthier,” Rodriguez said. “But we couldn’t be any better than 3-0. That’s a good thing for some confidence, but we have to play better.”

Michigan hosts Indiana next before going on the road for the first time at Michigan State and at Iowa.

Eastern Michigan (0-3) lost to Northwestern last week on a late field goal after giving up more than 300 yards rushing to Army in its opener.

“I do think we’re improving, but in sports, nobody remembers that,” said first-year coach Ron English, who was Lloyd Carr’s defensive coordinator two years ago at Michigan.

Senior quarterback Andy Schmitt hurt his right knee in the fourth quarter after he was 13 of 22 for 97 yards and scored on a run.

“I’m getting an MRI on Sunday,” Schmitt said, leaning on crutches with a brace covering his right leg. “I don’t think it’s terrible, but I’ve never had a knee injury. We have a bye next week, so hopefully that helps.”

The Wolverines were ranked this week for the first time under Rodriguez after a win over then-No. 18 Notre Dame and Western Michigan.

They didn’t look fired up to face the Eagles—whose campus is just several miles from Michigan—after being motivated to start the season strong and to beat the rival Fighting Irish.

“We definitely started off slow, but we made the adjustments we needed at halftime,” said linebacker Kevin Leach after starting for Jonas Mouton, who was suspended for punching a Notre Dame player. “We’d like to have that half back, but we took care of business in the second half, so that was better.”

The Eagles tied it twice in the first half, including at 10 early in the second quarter, before Michigan outscored them 35-7.

Michigan took control midway through the second quarter on Michael Shaw’s 5-yard run and Brown’s TD run that was the third-longest in school history. Butch Woolfolk, whose son, Troy, is a starting safety, set the record with a 92-yard run in 1979 and Tony Boles had a 91-yarder.

Eastern scored for the last time late in the first half on Dwayne Priest’s 5-yard run to get within a TD. The Eagles had the ball more than twice as long as Michigan did before halftime and ran for 128 yards.

“Everyone was mad at halftime,” Woolfolk said.

The Wolverines put the game away by holding Eastern Michigan to 51 yards rushing and on Martavious Odoms’ reverse for a score and Robinson’s TD runs.

Updated Sep 19, 5:44 pm EDT
digg del.icio.us
more

Head to Head - Week 3

Team Total Yds Pass Yds Rush Yds First Downs 3rdD% Pen./Yds Turnovers Time of Poss.
Eastern Michigan 285 106 179 17 42.1% 4/30 2 40:02
Michigan 448 68 380 17 45.5% 2/20 2 19:58
NCAAF

76 Comments

Post a Comment
  1. David
    76. Posted by David Mon Sep 21 10:41am EDT

    Report Abuse

    it has been a long time since michigan has beaten the snot out of their opponents.

    38-0 ring a bell? Maybe that it happened TWICE IN THE LAST 10 YEARS!

    Or 47-21?
  2. Brett W
    75. Posted by Brett W Mon Sep 21 12:58am EDT

    Report Abuse

    Not gonna happen Michael, sorry.
  3. Hazbro
    74. Posted by Hazbro Sun Sep 20 9:13pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    the funniest part of that, in your retarded logic, is that one loss(even though your guaranteed 2 more) was from MICHIGAN..@#$% you go to hell @#$%, haha
  4. Michael
    73. Posted by Michael Sun Sep 20 7:45pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    You know all you idiots will be nowhere to be seen when ND is 10-1, and mich has long since dropped out of the top 25. That's the funniest part of all of this...hahahaha
  5. Hazbro
    72. Posted by Hazbro Sun Sep 20 7:31pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    And a lot of fans hate programs because of their fans, and mikey you are on sore @#$% loser fan...so @#$% you and @#$% notre dame., @#$% your fat ass coach, and @#$% your goofy looking QB
  6. Mike
    71. Posted by Mike Sun Sep 20 7:20pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Mikegold, I'm a Michigan transplant to Clearwater. My daughter will be going to UF in 2 years. When I got down here they had some recruiting issues (Galen Hall) but have cleaned it up since then. I'm a Gator fan unless they are playing Michigan. I agree with most of what you said. But Michigan is one Big Ten team that has handled the SEC(21-4, Florida 2x). We're still a couple years away from getting back to where we were but took a big step this year and the future looks good. It will be hard to repeat just because that is the way collge football is. Need to be good and lucky. The years of totally dominanting from beginning to end are gone now that scholarships are down to 85 from the 125 in the old days. Too much talent to spread around, makes an undefeated season very tought top achieve. Would love to see ND schedule Florida, LSU, or Alabama. It wouldn't be pretty. Now if the ND pukes would quit whining like girls, like that's going to happen.
  7. Mike
    70. Posted by Mike Sun Sep 20 6:58pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Mikey, what is your record against Michigan the last 4 years? I believe you won 1. Somewhere in there were a couple of woodshed whoopins, 38-00 ring any bells in your empty head? Whats your record against State? That was your first home win against the Spartens since Holtz was calling the shots. The Big L hung on you this year is there no matter how much you cry. You suck and still aren't a factor in any national championship talk. Last year was the first losing year in 40 years. How many do the irish girls have. Oh and what's your bowl record in the last 10 years ? 1 W?
  8. Brett W
    69. Posted by Brett W Sun Sep 20 5:07pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    LOL @ michael for claiming that ND plays a "tough" schedule.
  9. Brett W
    68. Posted by Brett W Sun Sep 20 4:45pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    What was the score of the two games before that Michael? ND got destroyed.
  10. <i>damianwardel</i>
    67. Posted by damianwardel Sun Sep 20 1:58pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Sorry Michael I can’t win an award that was already given away to you. I appreciate you wanting to give me your award but i have to pass on it. What I said is perfectly legitimate. UM for the most part is a perennial favorite and is in the top 10 or 5 for that matter almost every year. Yes Michigan has been down the last few years but you have to look way way back in history to see the last time Michigan wasn’t one of the top 25. And that’s why Notre Dame and Michigan state and many many other programs and fans hate them. People don’t hate them because of the refs they hate them because for the most part their teams can’t normally beat Michigan! Read what was said not what you want to hear because you’re trying to give away your biggest idiot award.
  11. Hazbro
    66. Posted by Hazbro Sun Sep 20 1:57pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    hey @#$%ot ass mikey..i wonder what bowl game the irish were in when they lost Brady Quinn and Jeff whatever his last name is...shut the @#$% up...yall are gonna get beat by washington and usc atlease...how does it feel not to be in the top 25..cuz apparently we arent the one ppl that think michigan is better than Notre dame...the experts think so too....so enjoy being in the independent leage..and when you feel like you can step your @#$% up, you can join the big ten...get outta here @#$%ot.
  12. <i>mikegold1950</i>
    65. Posted by mikegold1950 Sun Sep 20 1:26pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    The "fun" of sports fan comments is how "objective" and rational they generally are. The notion that the Michigan win against ND was "fixed" being just one of the more obvious delusions being touted here. But as probably the only person to weigh in here who: A) has two graduate degree from U of Florida; B) a graduate degree from U of Michigan; and C) lives in Ann Arbor, perhaps I can be a little more reasonable.

    1) Michigan is a vastly better team than they were last year, and only a blind person would suggest otherwise.

    2) Michigan legitimately beat ND, and all the whining in the universe will never change that fact. If the ND fans can't accept that they were beaten legitimately, I'm not surprised. But that doesn't rewrite history.

    3) Michigan didn't go to a bowl game last year, nor did they deserve to. But how many times have they missed a bowl in the last half-century? And how many times has ND GONE to a bowl with a mediocre record because of their vast and mobile fan base? Let's not delude ourselves that who goes to bowls is always a matter of the quality of the teams: money is a HUGE factor, and fans = money.

    4) ND, for whatever reasons, simply isn't what it once was, and Charlie W. hasn't helped them enough. He was a fabulous NFL assistant coach with no head coaching track record. Why anyone ever thinks that a college coach will automatically succeed in the pros or vice versa remains a mystery to me.

    5) Florida has been the best team in college football for the last four years. The #1 factor has been team speed. The #1a factor has been leadership - that of the coach and of Tim Tebow, who is the toughest, gutsiest player I've ever seen, both mentally and physically. Any college football fan who wouldn't want him on his/her team is a cretin. Even if he weren't physically talented, his leadership qualities make him invaluable. He and Meyer are a perfect fit.

    6) The above said, the Gators looked a bit flat on offense against Tennessee. The loss of Percy Harvin is not insignificant. He's one guy who can NEVER be ignored on the field. I don't know if they have a receiver of that caliber this year, at least not yet. Nonetheless, they still are good enough to win every game and would be a favorite against every team I've seen so far this year. Home or away or bowl game.

    7) For the record, I have rooted for UM over UF when they've played, but it has been fun to see Michigan win a national championship while I was in school here, and to see Florida win a bunch of them (in basketball, too), even though I wasn't there to attend the games. I was there in the Doug "Underachievement King" Dickey days. That was masochism personified.

    8) Finally, what Tim Tebow may or may not do in the pros is quite irrelevant to his value NOW. And the guy is a proven winner. He'll be an asset in the pros, maybe at another position, maybe at QB, but somehow he will contribute. Because he has enormous will and dedication. I'm not a religious person, but unlike a lot of athletes, Tebow doesn't seem obnoxious about his religion and is obviously sincerely dedicated to humanitarian principles and ACTS. I have to respect that. This is a guy who will not wind up embarrassing his fans, family, or team.
  13. Michael
    64. Posted by Michael Sun Sep 20 1:05pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Damian...well you get the biggest idiot award of all these postings....it is always 'next year' for you idiots it has been a long time since michigan has beaten the snot out of their opponents..you obviously are ignorant of college football....learn a little bit about the game before you add your two cents worth ...
  14. <i>damianwardel</i>
    63. Posted by damianwardel Sun Sep 20 12:03pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    To Michael. Yeah we BARELY beat Michigan state yesterday winning by 3. Good job. The Spartans are the Lions of the big 10. Don’t be too proud of the fact we barely beat them. If ND was back to our former self we would have destroyed the Spartans. Yeah I’m a fan of the Irish and you my friend are being an idiot. The Irish are NOT back yet next year watch out. But not this year. The wolverines beat us fair and square and they deserve some respect. Michigan isn’t hated because of refs they are hated because they normally beat the snot out of everyone!
  15. Darryl
    62. Posted by Darryl Sun Sep 20 11:53am EDT

    Report Abuse

    ChrisR-

    I think you hit the nai on the head with your assessment of weeding out the week knees in the UM program!

    Mich has gotten off to a good start on home turf...if they can pull out a win against MSU or Iowa on the road in a few weeks, that will mean a lot as they move into the second half of the season.

    You are right, the OSU-MICH game in Nov will be an epic......just hope Pryor will take it like a man when he gets hit 15-20 times by those blitzing linebackers and corners!!
  16. <i>damianwardel</i>
    61. Posted by damianwardel Sun Sep 20 11:52am EDT

    Report Abuse

    Ok first off let me say I’m not a fan of Michigan I’m a fan of football. Yes I have a team but that’s not relevant to what I’m going to say. So here is the truth about all of this. First Michigan may or may not be back to their former glory it’s too early to tell but they did beat Notre Dame fair and square it wasn’t “fixed” as some idiot said. As far as Florida and the running back they call a quarterback are concerned it is fixed. The SEC is NOTHING!!!! Florida plays 2 games all year this year in LSU and Georgia that’s it. The rest of their schedule is a joke! Michigan plays teams like Ohio stats, Penn state, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Notre Dame, ANY team should be able to come out of the big 10 with 1 or even 2 losses and still be ranked higher than any undefeated SEC team. Sorry but it’s the truth the Big 10 is a way better conference than any other conference in college football and that’s that! Stop @#$%ing about Michigan if any team is over rated and gets special treatment in college football its Florida with their joke schedule. If you want to argue go right ahead because your wrong so you can yell scream all day I don’t care because YOUR WRONG!
  17. Michael
    60. Posted by Michael Sun Sep 20 10:23am EDT

    Report Abuse

    You are such a hyprocrite Hazbro. You squeeze out a win against the mighty Irish, playing in your own backyard, and with the refs 'fixing' the game, and then you make excuses as to why the Irish crushed Michigan last year. This is exactly why michigan is one of the most hated programs in College FB.

    One thing I can guarantee all of you , is that ND will be in a higher tiered bowl than michigan. Gee, I forget, what bowl game was michigan in last year???
  18. Jack S
    59. Posted by Jack S Sun Sep 20 10:13am EDT

    Report Abuse

    UM will have at least 10 wins this year..all you Biting Irish fans crawl back under the Blarney Stone for another year..Rudy is gone..
    All you Buckeye fans who think you still have a chance to win the Nat. championship....uh,NO.
    UM has a victory over the Florida 'Baters and Tim Teabag...I think we'll get another shot at him this year.
    GO BLUE!!!!
  19. Brandon
    58. Posted by Brandon Sun Sep 20 9:45am EDT

    Report Abuse

    Michigan will get better win or lose... They are playing great with freshmen.. imagine a couple years with even more recruits and more depth and time to grow... lol.. its going to be ridiculous... and all the michigan haters on this board know that... so get your kicks in now... because 2 years from now.. top 3 National championship level will be a yearly reality... This team has great chemistry... And why are florida fans on here? We kicked FLORIDAS ass 2 years ago... lol get the @#$% outta here florida.. @#$%. lmao.. we even went down into florida and beat that ass..lol I dont care what you do 2 other teams or if you even win the @#$% title.. when you played US... we WHIPPED YOUR ASS. We are 4-1 against SEC teams last 5 years... Michigan TAKES respect when we play SEC teams... period.
  20. xman
    57. Posted by xman Sun Sep 20 8:18am EDT

    Report Abuse

    The blue will be alright. They will do all the right things to win. Remember rich rod knows how to win. He beat georgia and oklahoma years ago. He knows how to win on the big stage and not choke like osu.
  21. Hazbro
    56. Posted by Hazbro Sun Sep 20 1:54am EDT

    Report Abuse

    oh and mikey..last year you beat us 35-17 yea thats great..but we had a new coach, not an established QB, RB, or WR...and we just lost all of our player sin the draft...and you had a fat coach in his 4th year in teh ssytem..with a sophomore QB...and your crappy team still let us score 17 points...go @#$% yourself.
  22. Hazbro
    55. Posted by Hazbro Sun Sep 20 1:47am EDT

    Report Abuse

    for the notre dame fan (#42)...your an idiot...you never play on neutral turf dumbass..and even if you play eachother in a bowl game..one team is gonna be closer to home then the other...honest refs..@#$% yea they were honest refs..we had just as many penalties in that game that your piece of @#$% team, we just performed better in the cluch...so go @#$% yourself..oh yea dont forget about games like Washington, USC, pittsburg and stanford..at best yall be a 8-4 or 9-3 team...so have fun in a middle tier bowl...and stopping talkign @#$% like a sore loser you simple @#$%

    and number 50....if michigan beat notre dame, then how the @#$% do you expect ND to beat teams that this michigan team would lose to...jimmy clausen lost to a freshman..fare and square..stop being like @#$% Patriot fans and just take a god damn lost, haha..(patriot fans, how does 18-1 look haha...GO DOLPHINS)
  23. Mike
    54. Posted by Mike Sun Sep 20 12:25am EDT

    Report Abuse

    Mikey, besides the fact that you only get to play once and you LOST, Michigan would beat you 10 out of 10. See talkin is cheap. But I do KNOW that we won 1 out of 1. And that matters a heck of a lot more than your idiotic predictions.
  24. Mike
    53. Posted by Mike Sun Sep 20 12:20am EDT

    Report Abuse

    Mikey #50. Big talkin for claiming that U of M couldn't beat the teams on your schedule. No way to prove or disprove. Just a big mouth for a chump whose team lost to U of M. Your perfect season is already gone. So shootin your mouth just makes you look like a moron. Your opinion is irrelevant but the L is official. You barely made it past State today and gave up another 400+ yards. Your defense is terrible, they can't stop the pass or the run. Lucky you only have 1 ranked team on your schedule, you would finish 4th at best in the Big Ten and most likely about 6th. But thats why you sissies didn't join. Embarassing enough to be wiped by U of M or State or both every year. Remember the last couple of games against OSU? They outscored you something like 100 - 14. Man Holtz looked liked he was going to cry last week.
  25. bret
    52. Posted by bret Sat Sep 19 11:43pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    hey # 50 there is no way nd will run the table there defense is horrible and if the dbs of any team can stay deep and take out clausens deep ball notre dame has nothing there a joke
Sign in to post a comment, or sign up for a free account

No upset!

99%
of College Pick’em users chose Michigan to win the game

Did the Yahoo! Sports Experts make the right picks?

Top Performers

 Top Performers
 East. Michigan
D. Priest D. Priest, RB
27 Rush, 91 yds
1 TD
 Michigan
C. Brown C. Brown, RB
13 Rush, 187 yds
2 TDs

Conference Scoreboard

NCAAF - Week 3

YAHOO! SPORTS

ALSO ON YAHOO!

THINGS YOU CAN DO

- Site Map - Additional Terms

Copyright © 2009 2009 STATS LLC and The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the STATS/AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of STATS LLC and The Associated Press.