By the numbers: Michigan's record under Jim Harbaugh when run game has been held in check

Michigan Wolverines football ran 31 times for 122 yards in Saturday’s 30-3 win over East Carolina. Both of those marks were the program’s lowest in a game since its 34-11 loss to Georgia in the 2021 Orange Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal (27 attempts for 91 yards).

With ECU loading up to stop the run, the Wolverines threw for 280 yards and 3 touchdowns on 26 completions, opening up the passing attack. However, lower rushing numbers have typically led to U-M losses in recent history.

Michigan is 9-18 under ninth-year head coach Jim Harbaugh when rushing for less than 125 yards in a game. Additionally, since Harbaugh was hired in 2015, the Maize and Blue are 4-9 when rushing 31 or fewer times, with the four victories being versus ECU this season, Indiana in 2019, Penn State in 2015 and Indiana in 2015. U-M is 17-19 under the head coach when averaging less than 4 yards per carry.

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It’s impossible to draw any big conclusions on Saturday’s game, given the level of competition, with ECU ranking 94th nationally in The Athletic‘s ranking of all 133 FBS teams. The Pirates, too, ranked 130th in the nation in passing yards allowed per game last season.

Senior running back Blake Corum still averaged 7.3 yards per carry — racking up 73 yards on 10 attempts — and if the Wolverines would have used him more often, it’s quite possible (likely?) he would’ve put up even bigger numbers while remaining highly efficient.

Michigan coaches talked all offseason about desiring a 50-50 run-pass split, and that’s exactly what they got Saturday, with 31 rushes and 31 throws. Time will tell how it goes from here, but the Wolverines appear to be closer to having balance than they did a season ago, when they ran nearly 62 percent of the time. And if they do have a prolific passing attack unlike in past years, perhaps the aforementioned results of Harbaugh teams should be taken with a grain of salt. This team has a chance to make its own mark, and that will likely still include a strong run game.

By the numbers: Michigan vs. UNLV

No. 2 Is where Michigan stayed put in this week’s AP poll. That means UNLV will face its highest-ranked opponent in program history, tying the time it took on second-ranked Tennessee in 1996. This is UNLV’s first top-10 opponent since going to Ohio State in 2017 (a 54-21 loss). The Rebels are 2-16 against teams that currently make up the Big Ten, with the most recent win coming at No. 14 Wisconsin in 2003, 23-5.

9-1 Mark for Michigan against the Mountain West, with the lone loss coming to Utah — which finished the season 13-0 and No. 2 in the AP poll — in 2008. The Utes, of course, are now in the Pac-12, having joined the league in 2011, and will soon move to the Big 12. The Maize and Blue are 1-0 all time against UNLV, with the lone victory coming in 2015, 28-7.

15 Teams in the country have not allowed a touchdown through this point of the season, including Michigan, which gave up a field goal as time expired against ECU. Only five teams haven’t allowed any points. Eleven have given up three or fewer.

20-0 Is Michigan’s record in nonconference home games under Harbaugh.

26-25 Is UNLV head coach Barry Odom‘s record as an FBS coach, having helmed the Missouri program from 2016-19. Odom spent the last three seasons as Arkansas’ assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and safeties coach under Sam Pittman.

44-14 Was the final score of UNLV’s season-opening win over FCS Bryant. UNLV was a 16.5-point favorite entering the game. The Rebels were 6-for-6 in the red zone and rushed for 6.7 yards per carry. Quarterback Doug Brumfield connected on 11 of his 18 passes for 86 yards with 1 interception and ran for 49 yards on 7 carries with 1 touchdown.