Michigan routed at home by Texas, snapping 23-game win streak at Big House

ANN ARBOR – The Michigan Wolverines lost a football game for the first time in a long time on Saturday, with No. 3 Texas marching into town to take home a 31-12 victory. The defeat snaps a 29-game regular-season winning streak and is the team’s first loss with fans in the stands at home since the 2019 season.

Michigan was outgunned and outclassed in every conceivable way on Saturday afternoon by a team that will compete for a national championship this season. The most alarming part for the Wolverines is less than a year removed from doing the same and winning it all, the dropoff is significant.

Here is the blow-by-blow recap from Saturday’s loss at the Big House.

First quarter

Texas won the opening coin toss and elected to receive, starting on the 24-yard line. Michigan had Texas in a third-and-13 situation, but gave up a 33-yard pass from Quinn Ewers to Isaiah Bond down to the Michigan 46-yard line (13:31). Texas picked up a trio of third downs, but the Michigan defense held on the fourth before a missed 43-yard field goal attempt. The Wolverines would get the ball on their own 25-yard line to start their first offensive drive (9:06). U-M responded with a false start on its first snap on offense, then three plays that gained a total of 8 yards before a Tommy Doman punt to the Texas 44-yard line (7:20).

The Longhorns took advantage with a 6-play, 56-yard drive that ended in a 21-yard touchdown pass over the middle of the field from Ewers to Gunnar Helm. After the extra point, Texas led 7-0 with 4:14 to go in the first quarter. Michigan got the ball back and went 50 yards in six plays down to the 24-yard line as the first quarter expired.

Texas 7, Michigan 0

Second quarter

Michigan was able to put its first points on the board with a 37-yard Dominic Zvada field goal, his fourth make of the season, to narrow the deficit to 7-3 with 13:23 left in the half. Undeterred, the Texas offense drove right back down the field 76 yards in 12 plays, capped off by a Jerrick Gibson 7-yard touchdown run to take a 14-3 lead after the extra point (8:24). Three plays later, Michigan QB Davis Warren threw an interception on third down that gave Texas the ball back at the Michigan 37-yard line with 6:50 to go in the half.

The Wolverine defense held in the red zone, limiting Texas to a 26-yard field goal to put the Longhorns up 17-3 with 2:43 remaining. On the next drive, Michigan tight end Colston Loveland fumbled the ball away to Texas, giving the Longhorns the ball at the U-M 42-yard line with less than a minute to go. Texas drove the ball into the end zone again, this time on a 5-yard pass from Ewers to Matthew Golden. After the extra point, Texas led 24-3. The half would end that way.

Texas 24, Michigan 3

Third quarter

Michigan started the second half on offense at its 18-yard line after a penalty on the kick return. The Wolverines were able to pick up a first down, but stalled out at their own 35-yard line, forcing a punt down to Texas at the 29-yard line with 11:56 on the clock. The U-M defense forced a punt on the next drive for the first time on the day, Semaj Morgan returning it to the 25-yard line with 9:50 to go in the quarter.

The Wolverines went 41 yards in nine plays on the following drive, but gave way to Zvada for his second field goal of the day, this time from 52 yards out. The kick cut the Texas lead to 24-6 at the 5:28 mark of the third. Texas marched back down the field on the following drive, going 75 yards in six plays to take a 31-6 lead with 2:39 remaining in the quarter. The drive featured a 55-yard run from Texas freshman wideout Ryan Wingo and was closed out by a 7-yard pass from Ewers to RB Jaydon Blue. On the following possession, Warren threw his second interception of the day, giving Texas the ball back at midfield.

The Wolverines forced a punt, giving them the ball back at their 10-yard line. Facing a second-and-4 from the 16-yard line, time expired on the quarter.

Texas 31, Michigan 6

Fourth quarter

The Wolverines went 50 yards in 13 plays to close out their drive, but turned the ball over on downs, giving it back to the Longhorns at their 41-yard line with 8:25 to go. Texas ran six plays and punted back to Michigan at the 22-yard line with 4:49 left.

U-M showed its only tangible signs of life on offense on an eight-play, 78-yard drive that ended in a 31-yard touchdown pass from Warren to Morgan. The Wolverines missed the two-point try, bringing the score to 31-12 with 1:53 to play. The onside kick attempt also failed, giving Texas the ball and a chance to run out the clock.

FINAL: Texas 31, Michigan 12

Michigan vs. Texas final box score, statistics