Michigan Clinches Bowl Game with Dominant Win Over Northwestern

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nick Wright | Last updated Nov 24, 2024 6:58 PM ET

Michigan football finally looked like the team that won the national championship last season, dominating Northwestern 50-6 on Saturday to clinch their fourth consecutive bowl game. The Wolverines (6-5, 4-4 Big Ten) put together their most complete performance of the year, just in time for next week's showdown with No. 2 Ohio State.

The offense found the balance that former coach Jim Harbaugh used to preach about, rushing for 201 yards on 35 carries while the defense held Northwestern to just 127 total yards. Kalel Mullings had his best game as a Wolverine, rushing for 92 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries. Senior Donovan Edwards added a storybook ending to his Big House career with a 20-yard touchdown run, finishing with 82 yards on 14 touches.

"Being able to get a win where we were able to put some things together, get momentum going," Mullings said. "To have some highs and some good points, it's huge. It builds confidence and it's great timing."

The offensive line, which has struggled with consistency all season, dominated the trenches. "They were moving dudes all game," Mullings smiled. "It's pretty easy to run when it's right in front of your face."

Defensively, Michigan suffocated the Wildcats, recording six sacks and forcing two turnovers. Twenty-five different Wolverines recorded tackles, including seniors Josaiah Stewart (two sacks) and TJ Guy (one sack). Outside of four plays that gained 75 yards, Northwestern managed just 52 yards on their other 45 plays.

The 50-point explosion nearly matched Michigan's combined scoring from their previous three games (24 vs. MSU, 17 vs. Oregon, 15 vs. Indiana). While this performance doesn't guarantee success against Ohio State next week in Columbus, it provides much-needed momentum heading into their biggest game of the season.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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