Game recap: Michigan football dismantles UNLV to move to 2-0

The No. 2 Michigan Wolverines moved to 2-0 in the 2023 season after a 35-7 win over the visiting UNLV Rebels. The win was the team’s second without head coach Jim Harbaugh, who is serving a three-game suspension, while safeties coach Jay Harbaugh (first half) and running backs coach Mike Hart (second half) handled interim head coaching duties on Saturday.

Junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy was surgical for the second week in a row, going 22-for-25 for 278 yards and 2 touchdowns, both to senior wideout Roman Wilson. The defense got back on track with 5 sacks on the afternoon in a complete and dominant effort.

Here is the blow-by-blow recap of the game.

First quarter

Michigan won the opening coin toss and deferred to the second half, starting on defense from the UNLV 25 yard-line. The Wolverines’ D got off the field after a 6-play, 19-yard yard drive that ran 3:17 off the clock, and the offense took over at its 20-yard line following a touchback. Michigan imposed its will on the first drive, going 80 yards in 9 plays in 4:37 to take a 7-0 lead on a 2-yard touchdown run from running back Blake Corum (7:06).

Bully ball 😤 pic.twitter.com/2CGPDPevt3

— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) September 9, 2023

After forcing a three-and-out on the next drive, Michigan took back over and went 73 yards in 10 plays down to the UNLV 2-yard line before the quarter ran out. The Wolverines would lead 7-0 heading into the next chapter of play.

Second quarter

On the first play of the second quarter, Corum found the end zone from two yards out for his second score of the day and third of the year. After James Turner‘s extra point, Michigan had a 14-0 lead over the Rebels with 14:56 remaining in the half. UNLV’s ensuing offensive drive included a first-down pickup, and a pair of sacks by senior Jaylen Harrell, forcing a punt. The Wolverine offense took over at its own 41-yard line to start the next drive. After getting down to the Rebels’ 17-yard line, Michigan was stuffed on fourth-and-2 and turned it over on downs.

UNLV went 25 yards in 7 plays, but was forced to punt the ball back to U-M with 4:30 left in the half. Michigan put together a 10-play, 83-yard scoring drive to end the half, capping it with a 13-yard pass from J.J. McCarthy to Roman Wilson, their fourth scoring connection of the season. Michigan led 21-0 at the half after the extra point.

Third quarter

Michigan started the half on offense and went three-and-out, punting to the 15-yard line with 13:41 to go in the quarter. After another UNLV three-and-out, Michigan took over on its own 36-yard line. Three plays later, U-M had another touchdown on a 47-yard connection from McCarthy to Wilson, their second of the day and fifth of the season. Turner’s fourth extra point made it 28-0 with 10:31 to go in the third quarter.

JJ climbs the ladder, fires one in to Roman Wilson, and the Flyin’ Hawaiian does the rest. pic.twitter.com/ei3mnQimVZ

— Anthony Broome (@anthonytbroome) September 9, 2023

UNLV went 42 yards in seven plays on its next drive, but turned the ball over on downs at the Michigan 33-yard line with 8:08 to go in the quarter. Michigan went three-and-out on the next possession, followed by UNLV doing the same. The Wolverines started with the ball on their own 24-yard line after a Rebels punt at 5:28 and went 76 yards in four plays on a possession that finished with a 5-yard Corum touchdown run, his third of the day. Turner’s extra point made it 35-0 with 3:16 to go in the third. That would be the end of the day for the U-M starters.

Fourth quarter

Michigan’s second-string offense entered the game late in the third quarter on a possession that went into the fourth. Junior quarterback Davis Warren threw an interception on third down, which was returned to the UNLV 23-yard line with 14:45 left in the quarter. The Rebels turned the ball over on downs after an 8-play, 37-yard drive on the next possession, giving way to the Michigan offense at its own 41-yard line with 10:31 remaining. The Wolverines turned it over on downs on sophomore Jayden Denegal‘s first drive of the game at QB.

After a Michigan punt down to the UNLV 19-yard line at 8:17, the Rebels got on the board on a 20-yard touchdown run from Jordan Younge-Humphrey after a 9-play, 81-yard drive that took 5:34 off the clock. U-M’s lead would be cut to 35-7 with 2:43 to go after the extra point.

U-M then ran out the clock to preserve a 35-7 win.

Michigan vs. UNLV: Final box score, stats