5 Michigan football winners from its senior day rout vs. Northwestern

Posted by Admin November 25, 2024 Football

Free Press sports writer Tony Garcia picks five Michigan football winners from its 50-6 romp over Northwestern on senior day in Ann Arbor to clinch a bowl berth for the fourth consecutive season.

Senior running backs

It was one of the best rushing days of the year, spearheaded by U-M’s senior duo and highlighted by an oft-forgotten third senior. Kalel Mullings ran 12 times for 92 yards and a career-high three touchdowns. On the first drive of the second half, he ran four times for 74 yards and changed the game entirely. Donovan Edwards took his 10 carries for 65 yards and his four grabs for 17 yards; his final two rushes went for 24 yards and then a 20-yard touchdown. Last but not least, Tavierre Dunlap got one rush in the contest and took it for 20 yards and the first touchdown of his career. All told, the trio ran 23 times for 177 yards and five touchdowns.

“It felt amazing,” Mullings said. “This is my last game in the Big House. Me and (Donovan Edwards) were actually talking about. Both of our last plays were touchdowns. There’s nothing more you could ask for. It just felt amazing to be able to help the team win, help get the run game going, and be able to make some plays.”

Dominic Zvada

It felt like Michigan may never find a kicker as good as Jake Moody, yet one year after James Turner came in and was quite impressive in a national title season, Arkansas State transfer Dominic Zvada may have stolen the crown as the best of the bunch. He extended his program-record for 50 yard kicks in a career, tying his career-long with a 56-yarder in the first quarter. He’s now a perfect 6 of 6 from 50 yards or further. The junior later added a 28-yard chip shot and connected on each of the five extra points he attempted. The man who was named a Lou Groza Award semifinalist as the nation’s top kicker earlier in the week is now 15 of 16 on field goals.

“I try not to,” Zvada said when asked if he’s thought about winning the award. “I try to focus on myself. I’m kinda superstitious. I don’t like making celebrations during practice or planning things, because I just like to focus on the game and my craft and stuff like that.”

Josaiah Stewart

He came in as a transfer from a mid-level FBS program and plays on a line with two projected first-round picks, yet Josaiah Stewart has been the Wolverines’ most impactful defensive player in 2024. He was back at it on Saturday with two game-wrecking sacks for which he was awarded the game ball. On the first, he speed-rushed outside around the left tackle, used his inside left arm to rip and got to the quarterback before he violently slammed him down. The other came on third-and-3 in the third quarter when NU had a last hope at a comeback, but instead Stewart forced to punt. Stewart, who also had two more pressures on the day, according to Pro Football Focus, now has 32 tackles on the year and leads the team with 13 for loss and 8½ sacks.

Tyler Morris

He wasn’t Superman for Michigan, but he didn’t need to be. On a day where U-M was out one of its leading receivers in Semaj Morgan and lost its top threat, Colston Loveland, with an undisclosed ailment at half time, the junior proved to be a reliable option. He caught a career-high seven passes (he had 15 all year coming in) for a career-high 64 yards. Morris also had a 9-yard carry on an end-around and flipped the field with a 19-yard punt return that set up Zvada’s long field goal.

Freshmen’s futures

The Wolverines found themselves in a rout, which allowed a number of underclassmen to get more run than they have all season. Jordan Marshall got seven carries and managed 17 yards, but showed his explosion with a 63-yard return on a free kick after U-M’s defense forced a safety. Fellow freshman back Micah Ka’apana also got his first career snaps and caught a 4-yard pass in the fourth quarter.

Perhaps most notably, Mason Curtis continued his solid play in the secondary as he was in for 24 snaps (second most behind the Oregon game when U-M’s secondary was banged up) per PFF and came away with his first career interception when he jumped a crossing route on fourth-and-13 in the second half.

“I thought all those guys played well,” Moore said of the freshmen. “Jordan obviously was more the future guy, but you saw Micah Ka’apana get the ball later on. He’s lightning in a bottle. Those young guys are going to be really good. The whole freshmen class. Mason Curtis got his first pick. He’s been playing really well. He’s an absolute stud.”

Tony Garcia is the Michigan Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X @RealTonyGarcia.

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