Defense shines in season opener, leading Michigan football to victory over Fresno State

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Michigan Wolverines defeated the Fresno State Bulldogs 30-10 in the season opener, behind stellar play by their defense, to extend the longest winning streak in the regular season to 16 straight.

Coming into the game, media pundits were focused on who the starting quarterback would be, but they should’ve been asking, “How’s Fresno State going to move the ball on this stout defense?”

The Bulldogs were held to 247 total yards, with 238 coming through the air and nine on the ground, thanks to edge rusher Josaiah Stewart (5 total tackles, 5 solos, 2 sacks, 3 tackles for loss), Makari Paige (5 total tackles, 1 solo), defensive lineman Rayshaun Benny (5 total tackles, 2 solos, 1 sack), and Mason Graham (4 tackles, 2 solos).

But it was a late-game pick-six by future top-10 pick Will Johnson for 86 yards to put the game out of reach.

The Wolverines opened the first series of the game with an interception by defensive back Zeke Berry, the first of his career, to put the offense in scoring range.

Alex Orji capped off a goalline package and hit running back Donovan Edwards with a speed option pass for the team’s first and only touchdown of the half.

A late-game drive chewing 4:17 off the clock, totaling 75 yards on seven plays led by new starter Davis Warren, ended with his favorite target in tight end Colston Loveland making paydirt to extend the lead 23-10 in the fourth quarter.

Loveland finished the game with 8 catches for 87 yards and one touchdown.

Prior to that, the offense was brutal to watch, as the fans chanted for Orji to enter the game and booed Warren every time Orji exited the field.

The rest of the receiving core totaled 33 yards on the day, as Warren struggled to complete 18-25 passes for 118 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

Michigan totaled 89 yards of offense in the first half, which was the fewest yards to end the first half since 2016 against Florida State University.

The only bright side to open the season as defending national champions was seeing Warren win the starting job under center.

Warren, who was a walk-on, reached the mountaintop for all of the leaders and best, but it was not the most impressive thing that he accomplished during his 22 years on earth as he is a cancer survivor.

He was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in March 2019, causing him to undergo five months of chemotherapy treatments, causing him to spend the majority of his summer around doctors and physicians as he lost more than 30 pounds as a junior in high school.

In 2021, former head coach Jim Harbaugh recognized Warren’s potential and, as mentioned earlier, offered him a spot as a walk-on.

He was the Wolverines offensive scout team player of the year in 2021, and after his hard-fought journey, he returned to the gridiron as a sophomore in 2022, completing five passes for 89 yards and adding 30 more yards on the ground.

During the 2023 season, he appeared in three games, throwing five passes, and was also placed on scholarship by Harbaugh.

He showed coaches during the spring game, completing six of nine passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns, why he deserved to be the starter.

However, with the Texas Longhorns coming into town in week 2, they’ll need to put on a better performance moving forward.

Saturday (Aug. 31) was the first meeting between both teams, but the men in maize improved their season-opening record to 119-23-3 all-time, including a 101-15-2 record at home.

They’ve also improved to 14-1 against the Mountain West Conference and are 13-0 against teams currently in the MWC.