Kirk Herbstreit heaps praise on Michigan following big road win at Wisconsin

It took seven years, but Jim Harbaugh and the No. 14 Michigan Wolverines went into Wisconsin Saturday and won, 38-17, to give Harbaugh his first win as an underdog since his arrival in Ann Arbor.

Heading into the game, the Harbaugh-coached Michigan football program was 0-12 in the previous six seasons as underdogs. In the process of beating Wisconsin, Michigan also beat Wisconsin in Camp Randall Stadium for the first time in 20 long years.

Perhaps Michigan’s win was a statement victory, one that Harbaugh so desperately needed in his seventh season at the helm. The Wolverines move to 5-0 after the latest victory, and it’s come time for ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit to label them a “complete team” — despite his allegiance to Ohio State.

“Huge day for [Coach Jim Harbaugh] and [Michigan],” Herbstreit wrote on Twitter. “Defense shut down Wisconsin running game to only 43 yards, created three turnovers and were disruptive all game. And [quarterback] Cade McNamara opened it up more today, continuing to play with great efficiency. Wolves proving to be a complete team after five weeks!”

Michigan is now 2-0 in Big Ten play, and although its last win against Rutgers was nothing to write home about, beating Wisconsin on the road — no matter the state of Wisconsin’s team — is certainly something for Harbaugh to be proud of.

Harbaugh’s Wolverines got it done in every facet of the game Saturday, shutting down Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz, who had just 115 passing yards, and forced backup quarterback Chase Wolf to throw an interception. Wisconsin’s rushing attack was just about nonexistent, as Herbstreit noted, managing just 43 yards on the ground on 32 carries. Michigan, by comparison, was very efficient on offense. McNamara completed 17 of 28 passing attempts for 197 passing yards and two touchdowns, while backup quarterback J.J. McCarthy added a 56-yard touchdown pass on his only throw. They managed to tally 112 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown, too, despite Wisconsin’s strong defensive front.

Maybe this is a sign of what’s to come, and maybe Herbstreit is right — this could be a complete Michigan team, or at least as complete of a Michigan team that Harbaugh has seen in his tenure as head coach. With a 5-0 record and two consecutive upcoming contests in which Michigan will be favored — one away at Nebraska, and one home against Northwestern — will pave the way for Michigan to do some damage this season. If the Wolverines truly want to show their colors, however, they’ll have to find a way to sneak past three ranked opponents left on their schedule: No. 17 Michigan State, No. 4 Penn State and No. 11 Ohio State.