The Michigan Wolverines are still undefeated, but only just. Michigan got all it could handle from the Army Black Knights on Saturday afternoon, needing double overtime to emerge with a 24-21 victory. As a result, the Wolverines are likely to take a tumble in the polls this week.
🚨 MICHIGAN HOLDS ON 🚨
No. 7 Michigan escapes Army in 2OT, 24-21 pic.twitter.com/NJfFmMfFx7
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 7, 2019
The Wolverines were not sharp on the afternoon and were somewhat fortunate to survive. Michigan fumbled four times on the day (losing three of those fumbles), and those turnovers short-circuited some promising drives. Two of the fumbles happened inside Army’s 30-yard line, costing the Wolverines points they could have used to prevent having to go to overtime against the Black Knights.
The Michigan offense has become more one-dimensional than Army's. Which is basically impossible.
— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) September 7, 2019
During the game, Jim Harbaugh was being criticized for his conservative playcalling. Harbaugh was far too content to run the ball, continuing to try to run even though it wasn’t having much success. Michigan ran the ball a whopping 45 times, and the Wolverines could only muster 2.4 yards per carry. Conversely, Shea Patterson had a decent game and consistently moved the ball on third and long, helping Michigan convert 9 of 16 third downs.
Jeff Monken’s postgame comments to Army radio following 24-21 2 OT loss to No. 7 Michigan pic.twitter.com/gQ4I3FzxfC
— Black Knight Nation (@BKKnightNation) September 7, 2019
This is the second straight season that Army nearly knocked off a CFP contender as a massive underdog in September. The Black Knights were a 28.5-point underdog when they went into Norman to face Oklahoma last year, and they took the Sooners to overtime before falling 28-21. Army was a 22.5-point underdog ahead of this game with Michigan, and the Black Knights nearly pulled off the unthinkable again.
Army’s premier non-conference opponent next season is Oklahoma, and the Sooners will be wary when they face the Black Knights in West Point after almost losing at home in 2018.
Michigan will have a needed week off to give its fans some time to get their blood pressure back to normal levels before traveling to Madison to face Wisconsin on September 21.
H/T Bleacher Report
