Blake Corum rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries and No. 2 Michigan endured a mistake-prone first half before beating Bowling Green 31-6 Saturday night in Ann Arbor, Mich.
J.J. McCarthy went 8-for-13 passing for 143 yards for Michigan (3-0). He completed touchdown passes to Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson but also tossed three interceptions.
The Michigan defense held Bowling Green (1-2) to 205 total yards, tallying three sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Mike Sainristil had a sack and two tackles for loss for the Wolverines, who have allowed just 16 points through three games.
Bowling Green quarterback Connor Bazelak was a late scratch with a calf injury. Camden Orth started but left with an unspecified injury in the second quarter, and Hayden Timosciek took over, making his college debut.
Orth and Timosciek combined to complete 14 of 21 passes for 124 yards. Timosciek threw two interceptions.
Bowling Green linebacker Demetrius Hardamon suffered a serious injury making a tackle in the third quarter. He was carted off on a stretcher and taken to a local hospital.
Corum’s 54-yard run on the Wolverines’ first play on offense set them up to strike first. Corum did the honors from 4 yards out for a 7-0 lead at the 10:44 mark of the quarter.
The Wolverines nearly doubled their lead on the next drive, but McCarthy’s pass intended for Wilson in the end zone was picked off by Jalen Huskey for a touchback. Bowling Green turned that into a 12-play, 62-yard drive ending in Alan Anaya’s 36-yard field goal with 14:13 left in the half.
Bowling Green kicked the ensuing kickoff short and Max Bredeson fumbled the return. The Falcons recovered but only managed another Anaya field goal, this time from 42 yards, making it 7-6.
Michigan made it three straight turnovers when McCarthy’s deep pass was intercepted by Jordan Oladokun. But the Wolverines forced a punt and McCarthy hit Wilson for a 33-yard strike with 4:15 left, resulting in a 14-6 halftime lead.
On the first play of the third quarter, Timosciek backpedaled and floated a pass that defensive tackle Kris Jenkins snagged and returned to the 2. Corum reached the end zone on the next play.
Jaylen Harrell stripped Timosciek on the next drive, leading to a 42-yard field goal by James Turner and a 24-6 Michigan lead.
On their next possession, the Wolverines pulled off a flea flicker and Johnson juggled the catch away from his defender before securing it for a 50-yard touchdown with 6:28 left in the third.
Avi McGary had the third Bowling Green interception of McCarthy.
–Field Level Media