Michigan football dominated in College Football Playoff

Michigan football didn’t have a good showing in Miami for the College Football Playoff semifinal as they fell to Georiga 34-11.

How Georgia beat Michigan football

The Georgia Bulldogs got off to a fast start. On the game’s opening drive, the Bulldogs went right down the field. On a 7-play, 80 yard drive that only took four minutes and 11 seconds, Georgia found the end zone on a connection by quarterback Stetson Bennett to tight end Brock Bowers.

Michigan’s first offensive drive didn’t go anywhere. They picked up one first down before punting the ball back to Georgia. The Bulldogs would score a touchdown, again, just over three minutes later to go up 14-0.

The Wolverines, again, would only pick up one first down before punting. The Bulldogs would settle for a field goal to go up 17-0.

Michigan put together a nice drive to respond, though, marching right down the field. But the drive stalled after getting into the red zone forcing Jim Harbaugh to send Jake Moody out to kick a field goal, making the score 17-3.

The Bulldogs kicked another field goal and got another touchdown before halftime, making the score 27-3.

In the second half, the game was rather dull as Michigan couldn’t find the end zone until late in the fourth quarter. True freshman quarterback J.J. McCarthy found true freshman wide receiver Andrel Anthony for the 35-yard touchdown. True freshman wide receiver A.J. Henning converted the two-point conversion.

Final, Georgia 34, Michigan 11.

Analysis of Michigan football’s showing at the College Football Playoff

From the first snap of the football game, Georgia dominated Michigan, and it wasn’t even close. The Bulldog’s offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage, allowing them to gain positive yards on almost every first down.

The exact opposite happened when Michigan was on offense. The Georiga defensive line, which is daunting, blew up the Michigan offensive line forcing the Wolverines to have first and long situations.

For the Maize and Blue, you have to come out fast with more intensity when your opponent has more talent. Georgia came out of the gate fast and explosive. Michigan came out slow and flat.

The three, almost four, weeks between the Big Ten Championship Game and the Orange Bowl probably hurt Michigan as they were playing with a lot of momentum. But they came out looking unprepared to play. The Bulldogs had scouted the Wolverines perfectly, attacking the Wolverine’s weakness on every play.

Let the quarterback controversy begin.

J.J. McCarthy went 7-17 for 131 yards and one touchdown, while Cade McNamara went 11-19 for 105 yards and two interceptions.

I am very happy with Cade McNamara’s performance this season, and no, Michigan didn’t lose the Orange Bowl because of him. McNamara deserves a ton of credit for being a fantastic leader and “the guy” who finally took the Wolverines to the Big Ten title and College Football Playoff.

On the flip side, though, J.J. McCarthy gives Michigan a different wrinkle offensively. McCarthy can run exceptionally well, as everyone saw against Georgia and all season long. But he also can throw extremely well.

There was a different zip to the passes when McCarthy threw the ball on Friday night, although he struggled to be accurate consistently, just like McNamara.

We all know how much Harbaugh takes the experience factor into consideration, and it could be why McNamara got the majority of the snaps all season long. Still, if Michigan wants to get back to the playoff and change the outcome, J.J. McCarthy might need to be behind center.

The rumor mill will be buzzing all spring once the Wolverines start spring ball with all eyes on the quarterback room.