The Sherrone Moore era kicked off with a win at the Big House, as Michigan outlasted Fresno State 30-10 in a season opener that was a bit too close for comfort. Fresno State proved to be more than just a non-conference pushover, unlike some of Michigan’s recent early-season opponents. While the Wolverines showed some concerning signs on offense, the defense looked dominant, and a secret weapon kicker was unveiled.
Things started strong for Michigan, with Zeke Berry intercepting Fresno State quarterback Mikey Keene on just the third play of the game, setting the Wolverines up deep in Bulldog territory. Michigan’s offense looked sharp and surprisingly creative, capping off a quick five-play, 31-yard drive with an Alex Orji touchdown pass to Donovan Edwards. But after that, the offense seemingly went on vacation. The next four drives netted just one first down, a pair of three-and-outs, and an underthrown deep ball from starting quarterback Davis Warren that led to a Fresno State interception. Luckily, the Michigan defense had their backs, although they did allow a second-quarter field goal that brought the score to an uncomfortable 7-3.
While Michigan’s offense will face criticism following their performance in this game, they started to quietly piece things together late in the first half. The Wolverines managed to put together a seven-minute drive that ended with a 45-yard Dominic Zvada field goal, taking a 10-3 lead into halftime. Not exactly the fireworks fans were hoping for, but points are points and halftime lead is a halftime lead.
After the break, Michigan chewed up nearly six more minutes of clock before a questionable holding call stalled their drive, forcing them to settle for another Zvada field goal, this one from 53 yards. The score held at 13-3 until early in the fourth quarter when Zvada showed off his leg again with a 55-yard bomb. Fresno State finally responded, driving down the field and capping it off with a 16-yard touchdown pass from Keene to Raylen Sharpe after a Michigan blitz just missed getting home. Suddenly, it was 16-10 with 10 minutes left, and Michigan fans everywhere suddenly slid forward to the edge of their seats.
But then the Wolverines put together their best offensive drive of the night. Michigan marched 75 yards in seven plays, highlighted by chunk runs from Kalel Mullings, who was a bright spot all night, and finished with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Warren to star tight end Colston Loveland. Just like that, the Wolverines were up 23-10 with 5:43 left.
Michigan’s defense looked to seal the deal with a diving interception by Quinten Johnson, but the call was overturned. On the next play, another interception, this time by Makari Paige, was wiped out by a weak roughing-the-passer call, gifting Fresno State 15 yards. As if that wasn’t enough, Jaishawn Barham got hit with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after a Fresno State player ripped off his towel. Just like that, the Bulldogs were in business. After another first down and yet another penalty—this time a legit facemask against TJ Guy—Fresno State was knocking on the door. But Will Johnson had seen enough, intercepting an attempted screen pass and returning it 86 yards for a game-sealing touchdown.
Michigan ultimately walked away with a 30-10 win over a tough non-conference opponent, but the offense will likely face criticism and the typical Week 1 fan overreactions. The offensive line, a strength for the past three years, didn’t look quite as dominant, but a halftime message about needing to play more violently seemed to resonate. They started to control the line of scrimmage in the second half, particularly on the final drive. It’s a new line, and there’s plenty of film to correct early mistakes.
Quarterback play needs to improve, too. Davis Warren clearly earned the starting job over Alex Orji, but he needs to do a better job reading defenses post-snap. The receivers also need to step up and get open, but it will help as Warren improves his progression through post-snap reads. Tight end Colston Loveland is the star we thought he was, and the passing offense will likely go through him this year. While Donovan Edwards struggled, remember he’s always been more of a home-run hitter. Kalel Mullings looked great, rushing for 92 yards on 15 carries and playing a major role in the game-sealing touchdown drive, giving fans flashbacks to Hassan Haskins in 2021.
On defense, Michigan looked dominant. The D-line controlled the trenches, holding Fresno State to just nine rushing yards and collecting three sacks. Good luck to anyone trying to run through the middle of this defense with Kenneth Grant and Mason Graham up front, and Ernest Hausmann, Jaishawn Barham, and Jimmy Rolder flying around behind them. Barham was everywhere and will be an impact player all season. Derrick Moore and Josiah Stewart brought pressure off the edge all night, with Stewart standing out as the best defensive player on the field. The secondary was tested in some one-on-one situations, but overall, they looked sharp, and Jyaire Hill impressed in his first start.
Michigan will need to be better next week against Texas, especially on offense. However, lost in the Week 1 overreactions is the fact that the offensive line started to gel in the second half, and Michigan scored on four of their last five drives (excluding the kneel-downs). Also overlooked is that Fresno State has consistently been a strong non-Power 5 program with a shot at competing for a spot in the 12-team playoff this season. Defensively, Michigan will have its hands full with Texas, but expect the Wolverines to put the clamps down on most offenses this year. Any way you slice it, Michigan is 1-0 and still the defending National Champs.