Stats, records: Michigan beats Northwestern 24-22 with new milestones, big numbers
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CHICAGO — Michigan football survived by the skin of its teeth, needing a walk-off field goal to beat Northwestern, 24-22. The maize and blue more than doubled up the Wildcats in terms of total offense, yet with five lost turnovers, the Wolverines had to survive with Dominic Zvada drilling his final of three tries after missing his first two.
He was the star of the game, along with wide receiver Andrew Marsh, who had 12 catches for 189 yards.
It was a darn near home game at Wrigley Field, and if you were at the game or watched it on TV, there are some things you might not have known about the win. But that's where the Michigan sports information department has us covered!
Here are some key stats, notes, facts, and trivia from the game that you might not have known.
Notes and stats:
• In the 78th all-time meeting between U-M and Northwestern, Michigan improved to 61-15-2 all-time with wins in 39 of the last 45 matchups.
• This marked the third matchup in series history in which the George Jewett Trophy was on the line, and U-M improved to 3-0 in those games. The trophy is the first in FBS history named for an African American player. Jewett was the first African-American football letterman at both institutions, completing his undergraduate studies at U-M before studying medicine at Northwestern.
• The Wolverines improved to 8-2 with today's victory, including a 6-1 mark in Big Ten play with four straight league wins. The Maize and Blue have back-to-back trophy game wins on the road this season, with one more road tilt on the schedule next weekend at Maryland.
• Prior to today's game, the last time Michigan played a game at an outdoor baseball stadium was in 1950, a loss to then-No. 1 Army at Yankee Stadium. U-M also posted a 12-0 record at an indoor baseball venue, Minnesota's Hubert H. Humphry Metrodome, with the most recent game being played in 2008.• Kicker Dominic Zvada converted a 31-yard field goal to take the lead as time expired, marking his second game-winning field goal in the final minute as a Wolverine. The other came with 46 seconds remaining in last year's 13-10 victory over Ohio State.
• U-M has racked up 49 plays of 20-plus yards on offense this season, including seven in today's contest.
• Recently named a Joe Moore Award semifinalist unit, the U-M offensive line has paved the way for 27 rushing touchdowns on the year, including three in today's game.
• The U-M offense was 10-of-15 on third down, compared to two-of-12 for Northwestern's offense.
• U-M's 12-play, 91-yard drive (5:45) that was punctuated by a Jordan Marshall touchdown to open the scoring was the team's longest (by distance) of the season and fourth-longest (by play number).
• Marshall made his fourth career start (third this season) in the backfield and put forth the 11th different 100-yard rushing performance by a Wolverine this season. It was Marshall's fourth 100-yard outing this year and his third straight (133 yards, 185 yards at Michigan State, vs. Purdue).
• Marshall recorded a 65-yard run in the third quarter, setting up U-M's second touchdown. It was Marshall's fourth run of 50-plus yards this season, tying Justice Haynes for the team lead. U-M entered the weekend leading the country with seven rushes of 50-plus yards and added Marshall's today.
• Marshall now has multiple scores in three games this season, and seven touchdowns across the last four contests.
• The Michigan offense totaled 496 yards (216 rushing, 280 passing) in the win, its second most in a game this season and fifth of at least 400 yards.
• U-M's rushing attack has posted 200-plus yards in five contests this year, including 250-plus yards in four games.
• Quarterback Bryce Underwood completed each of his first nine pass attempts to start the game, his best opening sequence this year. Underwood's early passing performance was the best by a Wolverine since J.J. McCarthy completed 13 consecutive pass attempts to open the contest against UNLV in 2023. Underwood bested McCarthy's 8-of-8 start at Indiana in 2022.
• Underwood's third-quarter rushing touchdown (nine yards) was his fifth on the ground this season.
• Underwood finished with a career high 280 passing yards, his fifth game of 230-plus yards this season.
• Wide receiver Andrew Marsh eclipsed 100 receiving yards at 13:50 in the second quarter with a 32-yard catch down the sideline. It marked Marsh's second career 100-yard game (138 at USC).
• Marsh is the first U-M freshman wide receiver to record multiple 100-yard performances since 2009 (Roy Roundtree, redshirt freshman).
• Marsh also surpassed his career high in receptions (previous: eight) with nine catches in the first half alone.
• Marsh's 12 catches and 189 yards are single-game records among Michigan freshmen (since at least 1979).
• Marsh's 189-yard total is tied for the sixth-most receiving yards in a game in U-M history and most since Bryalon Edwards posted the same total in a 2004 matchup against Michigan State. His 12 receptions tie three other Wolverine pass catchers (Brad Myers, 1958; Tai Streets, 1996; Edwards, 2004) for fifth-most in program history.
• Northwestern was limited to 106 yards in the first half, including 39 from the final possession of the second quarter.
• The Wildcats were held to season lows in rushing yards (61) and yards per carry (2.3) in the contest.
• Tight end Deakon Tonielli made his first career start in today's game, lining up at tight end.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Key stats, facts, and records from Michigan football’s win at Wrigley
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