Game balls from Michigan football's blowout win over MSU
The Michigan Wolverines rolled to 8-0 on Saturday night with a 49-0 win over Michigan State in East Lansing. In a win as complete and as dominant as it was, there was no shortage of standout performances.
The Wolverine’s team of Chris Balas, Clayton Sayfie and Anthony Broome chime in with their game ball picks after the eighth victory of the 2023 campaign.
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Chris Balas: Junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy
What else is there to say about J.J. McCarthy, who continues to ascend up the ladder of all-time Michigan quarterbacks and has now left an emphatic mark on the MSU rivalry. He finished the night 21-for-27 for 287 yards and 4 touchdowns, a career-high mark for the talented passer. McCarthy continues to be in complete and total control of the Wolverines’ offense. He was as confident as he’s ever been on Saturday night and now has 18 touchdown passes on the season. Remember, the all-time single-season mark at U-M is 25, and he’s well on track to break it.
Clayton Sayfie: The Michigan tight ends
Michigan senior tight end AJ Barner has been lauded for his run blocking all season long, particularly in recent weeks. He said this week that he wasn’t always known as a “blocking tight end,” having been solid in both that area and pass-catching. He looked like the total package Saturday night, hauling in 8 catches for 99 yards and his first touchdown as a Wolverine (and fifth of his collegiate career), an 11-yard score in the third quarter.
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Sophomore Colston Loveland was his fantastic self and was the beneficiary of some great throws by McCarthy. He had 4 grabs for 79 yards, 2 of which were 22-yard touchdowns. The two tight ends picked up 3 key third downs, as well, in the blowout win.
Anthony Broome: Graduate defensive back Mike Sainristil
Michigan tried like hell to get its fifth touchdown of the night on the board right before the first half ended, but had the clock expire on them due to a 10-second runoff. Mike Sainristil helped them reach that mark on the first defensive series of the second half with a 72-yard interception return for a touchdown, officially sending Spartan fans for the exits.
When there’s a momentum-changing, demoralizing play to be made, he makes it. And on Saturday night, it helped rub salt in the wound of a night that quickly went awry in East Lansing for the home team.
