SPORTS

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com Sports Wednesday, November 18, 2020 — 19 two drives later, Wisconsin’s THEO MACKIE lead was 28-0. Michigan’s Managing Sports Editor drive chart, to that point, read: interception, Thirty minutes before Michigan was set to interception, three-andkick off against No. 13 Wisconsin on Saturday out, three-and-out. night, senior safety Brad Hawkins walked to Including penalties, the the back left corner of the end zone and knelt Wolverines finished the to offer up a prayer. If it had anything to do first quarter with negativewith football, it was not answered. four yards of offense. The By halftime, the Wolverines trailed, 28-0 Badgers had 129. — their largest halftime deficit in Michigan “The game started off Stadium’s 94-year history. When the game with two turnovers and we came to its merciful conclusion two hours as a defense had a chance later, the score had ballooned to 49-11 and the to get stops and stop them Jim Harbaugh era reached yet another nadir and hold them to field goals,” with a third-consecutive loss. fifth-year senior defensive Through four games, Michigan has been tackle Carlo Kemp said. “And outscored by more points than Rutgers. Their that’s something we didn’t end current three-game losing streak is the longest up doing.” single-season losing streak since 2014. Outside For Kemp and the Wolverines’ of the Brady Hoke and Rich Rodriguez eras, defense, it was a familiar story. In it’s a stretch not seen at Michigan since 1967. last year’s 35-14 loss to Wisconsin, the So as Jim Harbaugh looked up at the Badgers ran for 359 yards on 57 carries. scoreboard late Saturday night, he could only “Things just don’t go how you planned bring his hands to his hips and stare blankly it,” Kemp said then. forward. It was the same look he wore a A year later, Michigan’s run defense quarter earlier when Wisconsin went up improved — by 18 yards. This time around, 35-3, two quarters earlier when quarterback Wisconsin, sans Jonathan Taylor, gained 341 Joe Milton was stopped on fourth-and-goal, rush yards on 51 carries against a Wolverines’ and three quarters earlier when the Badgers defensive line that sorely missed Kwity jet-sweeped their way around Michigan’s Paye and Aidan Hutchinson, both out with defense. injuries. Over the past two years, the Badgers “Not a good place as a football team right have now outgained Michigan, 700 to 87, on now and that falls on me,” Harbaugh said. the ground. Peppered with questions over the next “We didn’t set an edge all night,” 12 minutes, Harbaugh’s search for answers Harbaugh said. “There’s things that we continued. Asked about Michigan’s three- weren’t containing.” game free fall, he emphasized re-evaluating. In the passing game, Wisconsin The same refrain held true when discussing quarterback Graham Mertz wasn’t asked junior quarterback Joe Milton, who finished to do much. But unlike Milton, he avoided with 98 yards and two interceptions before mistakes, finishing with two touchdowns getting benched for Cade McNamara. and no interceptions. “We gotta evaluate all things,” Harbaugh “That’s something we really have to said. look at. Did Joe understand the keys, After Saturday, the Wolverines don’t have where he was looking?” Harbaugh said another option. after the game. “I mean, threw a ball The latest iteration of their recurring right to another guy.” nightmare started before it even began. Meanwhile, Mertz — despite missing Milton’s first pass of the game slipped two weeks of practice with COVID-19 through fifth-year senior tight end Nick — said he “didn’t feel rusty,” buoyed Eubanks’ hands for an interception. Six plays by a Michigan secondary that has and a Wisconsin touchdown later, his second struggled to stay tight in coverage all throw found the Badgers’ Leo Chenal over season. the middle. Twenty yards from the nearest For the Wolverines, it was a familiar Wolverine, Chenal met his opportunity with story. equal surprise and gratitude, taking it back to Another loss, another game the Michigan 14-yard line. without answers, another week of By the time Milton completed his first pass wondering where to go from here. MILES MACKLIN / DAILY