| |
Michigan
quarterback
Shea
Patterson
(2)
throws a
pass in
the
second
quarter
of an
NCAA
college
football
game
against
SMU in
Ann
Arbor,
Mich.,
Saturday,
Sept.
15,
2018.
(AP
Photo/Tony
Ding) |
| |
Shea
Patterson
throws 3
TDs, No.
19
Michigan
beats
SMU
45-20
ANN
ARBOR -
Jim
Harbaugh
likes a
lot
about
his team
and yet
he also
sees
room for
improvement,
heading
into the
Big Ten
season.
Shea
Patterson
threw
three
touchdown
passes
to
Donovan
Peoples-Jones
to help
No. 19
Michigan
pull
away and
beat SMU
45-20 on
Saturday.
''We're
getting
closer
to being
good -
really
good,''
Harbaugh
said.
''We're
still
not
quite
there
yet.''
The
Wolverines
(2-1)
open the
conference
season
at home
next
week
against
Nebraska
(0-2)
hoping
to take
a step
toward
winning
their
first
Big Ten
title
since
2004.
To
end the
drought,
Michigan
will
have to
start
and
finish
much
better
than it
did
against
SMU
The
Wolverines
didn't
score
until
Ben
Mason
converted
a fourth
down
with a
1-yard
TD run
midway
through
the
second
quarter.
The
Mustangs
(0-3)
responded
with Ben
Hicks'
50-yard
pass to
James
Proche
to tie
it.
Michigan
took
control
over the
last
2:34 of
the
first
half.
Patterson
threw a
tiebreaking,
35-yard
TD pass
to
Peoples-Jones,
and Josh
Metellus
returned
an
interception
73 yards
for a
score as
time
expired.
Patterson
threw 7-
and
41-yard
TD
passes
to
Peoples-Jones
in the
third,
giving
the
Wolverines
a 35-13
lead.
His
three TD
receptions
matched
the
total
scored
by
Michigan
receivers
last
season.
''I'm
more
happy
about
the
win,''
Peoples-Jones
said.
Patterson
was 14
of 18
for 237
yards
with
three
TDs
threw an
interception.
Michigan's
Chris
Evans
ran for
85 yards
on 18
carries
before
leaving
the
field
with a
strain
or a
cramp,
Harbaugh
said.
Karan
Higdon
participated
in
pregame
warmups,
but was
held out
of the
game
with an
apparent
injury.
''Didn't
feel
like he
could
go,''
Harbaugh
said.
Hicks
started
and was
7 of 16
for 113
yards
with a
TD and
an
interception,
which
was
returned
for a TD
and led
to him
being
replaced.
''That's
three
consecutive
games at
that
position
that we
gave up
defensive
touchdowns,''
coach
Sonny
Dykes
said.
SMU
freshman
William
Brown
had an
extended
opportunity
to play
in the
second
half,
completing
11 of 17
passes
for 82
yards
and two
TDs
before
leaving
the game
after
getting
hit so
hard his
helmet
came
off.
THE
TAKEAWAY
SMU:
The
Mustangs
should
feel
good
about
their
performance
relative
to their
first
two
games in
which
they
lost by
a
combined
score of
88-35 to
No. 16
TCU and
North
Texas.
They're
the only
team in
the
country
to play
two Top
20 teams
out of
conference
over the
first
three
weeks of
the
season.
North
Texas
beat
Arkansas
44-17
Saturday.
''We're
an 0-3
football
team,
but look
who we
lost
to,''
Dykes
said.
''I
think
you guys
see what
North
Texas is
doing to
Arkansas
right
now.''
Michigan:
The
Wolverines
should
be
humbled
by their
performance
coming
off a
confidence-boosting
49-3 win
over
Western
Michigan.
They had
13
penalties
for 137
yards
and
struggled
on both
sides of
the ball
at times
against
an
overmatched
opponent.
Michigan
was
called
for 14
penalties
for 107
yards in
its
first
two
games.
''Penalties
are
hurting
us,''
Harbaugh
acknowledged.
''And
that's
something
we need
to clean
up and
get
better
at.''
PIVOTAL
POINT
After
the
Wolverines
converted
a
fourth-and-1
at
midfield
late in
the
second
quarter,
Dykes
was
penalized
for
unsportsmanlike
conduct
to give
them
another
15
yards.
On the
next
snap,
Patterson
threw
his
first of
three
TDs to
Peoples-Jones.
''I
wasn't
happy
with the
spot, at
all,''
Dykes
said.
''Shouldn't
have
gotten
the
flag.
I've
been
doing
this a
long
time and
I know
what
warrants
a flag
and what
doesn't
and I
shouldn't
have
gotten
the
flag.
Still it
was a
mistake
on my
part.''
BIG
TARGET
Michigan's
Zach
Gentry,
a
6-foot-8,
262-pound
tight
end, had
career
highs
with
four
catches
and 95
yards
receiving.
''What a
great,
big
target
he is,''
Harbaugh
said.
WELCOME
BACK
Proche,
who
lived in
Detroit
for a
few
years,
had 11
receptions
for 166
yards
and two
TDs.
''Me
and my
uncle
talked
about
playing
in the
Big
House,''
he said.
''He's a
Michigan
fan.
Well,
he's an
SMU fan
now. But
it's a
dream
come
true.''
POLL
IMPLICATIONS
Michigan
may stay
about
where it
is in
the
poll,
winning
with a
lackluster
showing.
UP
NEXT
SMU:
Hosts
the Navy
Midshipmen
next
week in
its
American
Athletic
Conference
opener.
Michigan:
Hosts
the
Cornhuskers
next
week in
the Big
Ten
opener.
The
Wolverines
will be
without
linebacker
Khaleke
Hudson
for the
first
half
after he
was
ejected
for
targeting
against
SMU.
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