The Washington Huskies fell to 5-2 on the season in Ann Arbor, losing to the Michigan Wolverines 24-7 on Saturday morning. The Huskies kicked off at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time and failed to convert points for most of the first half, despite moving the ball relatively well. The defense gave the offense every opportunity to win, but it wasn’t to be.

The defense held the Wolverine offense to just seven points in the first half. They stuffed Michigan on a fourth-and-one attempt and forced long field goal tries that the Wolverines failed to convert. However, in the second half, the defense spent a lot of time on the field and was often put in terrible field position after the offense turned the ball over four times (three interceptions and one turnover on downs).

Defensive Line:
Jordan Marshall was tough to stop throughout the contest. His average of 5.3 yards per carry was the highest the Huskies allowed all season—excluding the outlier run that inflated Rutgers’ Antwan Raymond’s average to 5.9. Marshall was consistent, with his longest rush being just 14 yards. The defensive line generated push at times, but Michigan’s offensive line was ultimately more effective.
Grade: C

Linebackers:
Xe’ree Alexander made a huge stop on fourth down in the first half and was typically in the right gaps when he was on the field. However, the Wolverine offense exploited the middle of the field with slants and drag routes to their tight ends. Deven Bryant and company were often put in difficult positions, and not enough defensive adjustments were made to support them.
Grade: B-

Defensive Backs:
Bryce Underwood had a strong outing against the Huskies, completing 77% of his passes—well above his season average of 59%. While the tight ends were the most effective against the slot defenders and linebackers, Andrew Marsh also made key plays when Michigan needed to move the chains.
Grade: B-

The offense absolutely lost this game for Washington. The defense was consistently put in bad situations throughout the second half and eventually wore down. While the defense played well enough to win, Michigan was able to convert when it mattered, and Washington couldn’t get the stops when it counted. The final blow came on a 62-yard touchdown drive that put the Wolverines up by two scores.

This week, the Husky offense must step up early to give the defense some help, and the defense must find a way to generate takeaways against the Illini offense