CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Michigan Wolverines put on another putrid display of football, falling 21-7 to the Illinois Fighting Illini in embarrassing fashion.
Michigan spent two weeks preparing for the Illini and came out with the same struggling offense and undisciplined defense.
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The defense continuously got beat and was forced to hold receivers, or the defensive linemen would make a play and be called for a hands-to-the-face penalty.
Even the special teams unit shanked a punt and got a field goal blocked after a nine-minute drive to end the third quarter while getting a trick on a fake punt for over 30 yards.
It’s ridiculous to be on their third starting quarterback in seven games.
They spent the whole offseason talking up the position, and neither one of them can complete a pass if their lives depend on it.
In the second quarter, they ran four plays for two turnovers, and at this point, it’s not funny anymore. They’re doing a disservice to their alumni and fanbase.
They traveled to Illinois as a six-point favorite to take on the Fighting Illini but left their offense, defense, and special teams back in Ann Arbor.
Jack Tuttle started his first career game and looked like he had never played football. Midway into the second quarter, he completed three of six passes for 11 yards.
He kept turning the ball over, fumbling it on a scramble to hurt his team in the first half.
He later threw an interception to a defender, who he thought was wearing a Wolverines uniform, but it was negated due to a penalty.
Two plays later, running back Donovan Edwards fumbled the ball in his own territory, marking their second fumble of the half.
They accumulated 53 yards on their first four drives but found their footing on the fifth drive when they punched in their first touchdown of the game on a one-yard Kalel Mullings score on fourth down to cap off a 12-play 72-yard drive to trail 13-7.
After blocking a field goal to end the first half, the Wolverines came out in the second half and went three and out again, putting their defense in a bad field position, which the Fighting Illini turned into points.
The Illini ran the fake punt for over 30 yards into the Wolverines’ territory and ended the drive to take a 21-7 lead when their backup quarterback Donovan Leary tossed a dime to receiver Zakhari Franklin in the back of the endzone.
Tuttle finished the game 20-32 for 208 yards, with one fumble and one interception.
He’s 25 years old, played for three college programs, and has been a backup to Michael Penix Jr. and J.J. McCarthy, and after two games under center, fans now know why he never really got a shot to start until this season.
The only bright spot for the Wolverines was Kalel Mullings, who scored their only touchdown of the day. He finished the game with 19 carries for 87 yards and a touchdown.
The game against the Fighting Illini on Saturday (Oct. 19) was the first time that both teams have matched up inside Memorial Stadium as ranked opponents since 2000.
The Illini celebrated the 100th anniversary of Memorial Stadium’s dedication, where Red Grange scored six touchdowns in an upset over the men in maize on Oct. 18, 1924.
Four of Grange’s touchdowns came in the game’s first 12 minutes to defeat the then-undefeated Wolverines.
Reports indicated that the Fighting Illini commissioned Saturday’s game against the Wolverines to commemorate the 100th anniversary.
The nationally televised game was a sellout to honor the past, which Illinois did by wearing their specialty uniforms commemorating the historic feat.
The time has come...#Illini // #HTTO // #famILLy pic.twitter.com/ROn1wBNrlk
— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) October 17, 2024
The meeting between the two teams was the 99th game of all time, and the men in maize fell to 72-24-2.
The Wolverines have an 8-3 record in the last 11 games in the series, including wins in six straight contests between the two schools until Saturday’s game.
The Wolverines won their last matchup in 2022, 19-17, inside the Big House. That was the Blake Corum injury game, which brought horror to Michigan fans who thought their season was over. However, they went on to beat Ohio State, win the Big Ten Championship, and make the College Football Playoff.
The Wolverines have won 11 of the past 14 games against the Illini in Champaign with one tie (11-2-1).
The last visit for the Wolverines to Memorial Stadium was a 42-25 victory during the 2019 season. Michigan has compiled an impressive 35-13-1 record all-time in Champaign, including a 32-12-1 mark at Memorial Stadium.
