Michigan makes statement in dominant 38-0 win over Northwestern

If you had any doubt that Michigan is a legitimate contender in the Big Ten, the Wolverines answered emphatically on Saturday afternoon.

In front of a huge crowd at Michigan Stadium, No. 18 Michigan dominated previously unbeaten No. 13 Northwestern 38-0 behind a stout defensive effort and a steady, balanced offense. The shutout was the third in a row for Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines, who haven’t allowed a point since the fourth quarter of a 28-7 win over UNLV on Sept. 19.

This time around, the Wolverines held Northwestern to only 168 yards of offense while limiting the Wildcats to just 2-of-13 on third down. Offensively, Michigan did not do anything spectacular, but the offensive line controlled the trenches all day, allowing Jake Rudock (17/23, 179 yards) to carefully and efficiently pick apart the Wildcats secondary while nine different ballcarriers put up 201 yards and three scores on the ground.

And you can’t forget about Michigan’s special teams, which started the game off with a spark – a 96-yard kickoff return for touchdown by Jehu Chesson on the opening kickoff.

The kickoff return set the tone for the afternoon, and by the end of the first quarter, Michigan already built a 21-0 lead on two short touchdown runs, one from Drake Johnson and another from Rudock. That was all the Wolverine defense would need. A pick-six from Jourdan Lewis extended the lead to 28-0 lead before halftime.

The second half was no different as the Wolverines coasted to a 38-0 win.

The win improves Michigan’s record to 5-1 on the season and gives the team a ton of momentum heading into another huge home matchup against in-state rivals Michigan State next Saturday.

Through six weeks, Harbaugh’s group looks like it could be the class of the Big Ten East. Top-ranked Ohio State and the fourth-ranked Spartans may be undefeated, but neither have looked great in recent weeks. The Buckeyes have struggled in wins over the likes of Northern Illinois and Indiana while MSU survived a scare from Purdue. Michigan’s only loss came in Harbaugh’s debut on the road at No. 5 Utah.

On the other side, the loss is certainly a disappointing one for Northwestern, but the Wildcats, now 5-1, still have as good a chance as any in the mediocre Big Ten West. The Wildcats will get right back at it next week against Iowa, which beat Illinois on Saturday to improve to 6-0 and earn sole possession of first place in the West.