There is no denying it -- the #18 Michigan Wolverines are a full-fledged Big Ten (and dark horse College Football Playoff) contender. They showed as much in a 31-0 beatdown of the formerly-undefeated #13 Northwestern Wildcats at the Big House on Saturday. Here's three things we learned from Saturday's eye-opening affair in Ann Arbor.
Michigan's Defense Is Doing Some Historic Work
The Wolverines' defense is otherworldly right now. Michigan has shut out three straight opponents and has won their last five games by an absolutely daffy 150-14 combined score. They're the first team to record three straight blankings since the 1995 Kansas State Wildcats. In the span of just over a month, UM's defense has gone from really good to insanely great by clamping down in the secondary and forcing opposing QBs to settle for short, underneath routes for minimal gains. Combined with a front seven that has been sealing the edges and pounding opposing O-lines in the trenches, and you've got a recipe for a team on the cusp of something huge.
Northwestern's Hype Train Was Full Of Steam
Northwestern came into this game on a wave of hype. However, other than a home win over a completely out-of-sync Stanford team to open off the season, the Wildcats' strength of schedule has been lacking. Facing a true step up in competition this week, the Wildcats withered in all facets of the game. While they're still a worthy bowl team and a threat to any team that they come across, Saturday's loss is an indication of just how much room freshman QB Clayton Thorson and this young Wildcats team has to grow.
Jake Rudock Is Starting To Figure Out His Role
Michigan's starting QB wasn't exactly spectacular on Saturday, going 17-of-23 for 179 yards, zero TDs and zero interceptions. However, he did just what Jim Harbaugh & Tim Drevno have been asking of him all along. He protected the ball. Michigan doesn't need a gun-slinger under center with the way their conservative offensive approach is set up. They need today's version of Rudock, not the one who threw six interceptions in the team's first five games. Today was a step in the right direction.