ANN ARBOR — Michigan is headed to a bowl game in 2024. The Wolverines dominated Northwestern on Saturday at Michigan Stadium, 50-6, to improve to 6-5 (4-4) on the season.
Michigan allowed just 107 yards, with Northwestern netting a paltry 10 on the ground. Kalel Mullings scored three times. Northwestern fell to 4-7 (2-6).
The Wolverines close the regular season next Saturday at Ohio State looking to pull off a massive upset for their fourth straight win in the series.
A complete drive-by-drive recap of Michigan’s win over Northwestern is below.
FOURTH QUARTER
4:02 — Northwestern runs out the clock, getting across midfield but still finishing with just 127 yards (including 10 on the ground).
Michigan 50, Northwestern 6
4:17 — After Jordan Marshall returns the kick 63 yards to the Northwestern 20, freshman quarterback Jadyn Davis takes his first snap. It’s a handoff to senior Tavierre Dunlap, who scores the first touchdown of his career. Michigan is at the half century mark.
Michigan 50, Northwestern 6
5:17 — A short kickoff return put Northwestern at its own 14 to start the drive. On third and 10, Ryan Hilinski is pressured; he backs into the end zone before throwing to nobody. That’s intentional grounding and a safety. Michigan gets two more points and will receive a kickoff.
Michigan 43, Northwestern 6
12:29 — Freshman Jordan Marshall gets a few carries — his first of the season — and picks up a first down by himself. Another freshman running back, Micah Ka’apana, makes his college debut with a four-yard reception. Michigan had a first and goal from the 5. Marshall lost five yards. The next two plays were incomplete passes, and Michigan settled for a field goal.
Michigan 41, Northwestern 6
13:30 — The Wildcats go three and out. They have just 103 yards, including minus-3 on the ground.
Michigan 38, Northwestern 6
15:00 — Donovan Edwards bursts through the middle, untouched, for a 24-yard gain to the Northwestern 20. He scores on the next play, again racing through the middle. Michigan will be going to a bowl game in 2024.
Michigan 38, Northwestern 6
THIRD QUARTER
1:21 — Michigan will face a third and 4 when the fourth quarter begins.
Michigan 31, Northwestern 6
5:06 — On the verge of a three-and-out, Northwestern picks up a 20-yard gain on third and 17. Facing a third and 13, Northwestern again picks up the first down. It wouldn’t happen again. Northwestern faced another third and 13 and misfired on a pass before going for it on fourth. Freshman Mason Curtis made a diving interception over the middle, Michigan’s second pick of the day.
Michigan 31, Northwestern 6
10:42 — Per the Michigan radio broadcast, Colston Loveland won’t be available for the second half. Even without their top offensive weapon, the Wolverines used short passes, jet sweeps, and traditional runs to move the ball. Mullings found the end zone on first and goal from the 1, his third score of the day.
Michigan 31, Northwestern 6
12:10 — Josaiah Stewart picks up his second sack of the game on third and short, forcing a Northwestern punt. Tyler Morris returns it 19 yards to the Northwestern side of the field.
Michigan 24, Northwestern 6
15:00 — Kalel Mullings, who only had three carries in the first half, gets the first two to open the second half. The first goes for 13 and the second for 47. He gets the ball again from the Northwestern 10 and bursts through the middle for a touchdown. Michigan strikes quickly to open the half.
Michigan 24, Northwestern 6
HALFTIME: Michigan 17, Northwestern 6
Defenses largely stole the show in the first half. Both teams have a turnover, while the Wolverines lead in total yards 145-84. Michigan will receive the second-half kickoff.
SECOND QUARTER
0:03 – Northwestern took a knee to end the half.
Michigan 17, Northwestern 6
1:57 – Michigan dink and dunked its way to the end zone to extend its lead. Davis Warren had seven completions on the 75-yard drive, but only one went for more than 10 yards. Blown coverage by the Wildcats led to a wide-open Colston Loveland in the end zone, who caught a 3-yard touchdown.
Michigan 17, Northwestern 6
4:14 – Northwestern connected on a deep shot as Bryce Kirtz made a remarkable over-the-shoulder catch with Zeke Berry and Mason Curtis both in tight coverage. The completion for 39 yards doubled the Wildcats’ offensive output for the game, and that was the only first down they had on the drive, settling for a 26-yard field goal after Jack Lausch underthrew a back-corner fade in the end zone that was broken up by Berry.
Michigan 10, Northwestern 6
6:25 – Not a great possession for Michigan. Donovan Edwards was tackled for a 2-yard loss on first down, then lost another 2 yards on a swing pass on second down. Kalel Mullings picked up 12 on a screen pass on third down, but Michigan still had to punt. It only has 80 yards of offense.
Michigan 10, Northwestern 3
How to watch Northwestern vs. Michigan – NCAA Football: Week 13 | Channel, stream, preview
8:36 – Despite Northwestern starting at the Michigan 20, the Wolverines held the Wildcats to a field goal. On a third-and-10, Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant both put the heat on Jack Lausch, forcing him to throw the ball away.
Michigan 10, Northwestern 3
12:08 – Michigan was backed up to start, beginning on its own 3, but got some breathing room with Davis Warren hitting fullback Max Bredeson in the flat for a 15-yard pickup on a third-and-2. But on the next set of downs, Warren airmailed TE Colston Loveland in the middle of the field and was intercepted. It was his first interception since Week 3.
Michigan 10, Northwestern 0
15:00 – Northwestern’s drive continued at its own 34, and it picked up a first down with a 4-yard run. The Wildcats have struggled holding up against the pass rush all season, and that trend has continued today. Jack Lausch was sacked for the second time, this time by Josaiah Stewart, on first down. Northwestern couldn’t recover after the 8-yard loss and punted from its own 41.
Michigan 10, Northwestern 0
FIRST QUARTER
1:09 – An 8-yard completion and a 1-yard run for Northwestern ended the quarter. Michigan outgained the Wildcats 49-22 in the first quarter.
Michigan 10, Northwestern 0
5:01 – Michigan picked up one first down but had to settle for a 56-yard FG from Dominic Zvada, who is now 6 for 6 this season from 50-plus yards. Davis Warren was sacked for a 9-yard loss on third-and-9. Colston Loveland had a reception on the drive to set the single-season program record for the most in a season by a tight end (54).
Michigan 10, Northwestern 0
6:44 – Dominant series for Michigan’s defense, which forced a three-and-out. On second-and-9, Kenneth Grant exploded through the middle for a sack, and the Wildcats only got 5 yards back on a third-down run.
Michigan 7, Northwestern 0
12:35 – Michigan used a lot of quick-hitters in the passing game to move the ball on its opening drive. Kalel Mullings capped it with a hard 2-yard touchdown run. Davis was 4 for 5 passing for 18 yards, with three completions going to Tyler Morris, an Illinois native. The Wolverines also benefitted from a pass interference penalty in the end zone on a third-and-12, giving them first-and-goal.
Michigan 7, Northwestern 0
15:00 — Northwestern begins at its own 25 after a touchback. Naturally, the first play from scrimmage goes to former Michigan receiver A.J. Henning on a short completion for 5 yards. The Wildcats followed with an 11-yard run from Cam Porter before Michigan’s defense bowed up. A run for no gain and an incompletion set up third and long. Jack Lausch rolled out to his right and tried to force a pass to his receiver, but cornerback Aamir Hall made a diving interception while keeping his feet in near the sideline.
Michigan 0, Northwestern 0
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PREGAME UPDATES
– Michigan will be without All-American cornerback Will Johnson for a fourth straight game. Starting receiver Semaj Morgan also has been ruled out.
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Michigan’s football team (5-5, 3-4 Big Ten) is looking to close its 2024 home schedule with a win to become bowl eligible.
The opponent? A lowly Northwestern team (4-6) that ranks last in the Big Ten in offense, averaging 284.4 points per game. The Wolverines haven’t fared much better, averaging 290.1 yards, but they enter Saturday’s game (3:30 p.m., FS1) as a double-digit favorite.
How to watch Northwestern vs. Michigan – NCAA Football: Week 13 | Channel, stream, preview
Both teams are reeling, with Michigan losing four of its past five and Northwestern dropping five of its past seven. Continue to refresh this page for the latest from Michigan Stadium.
The Wolverines have won seven straight in the series.
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