ANN ARBOR, Mich. — — Michigan seems to be prefer it has an issue at quarterback.
Kalel Mullings ran for a career-high 153 yards and two touchdowns to assist the Seventeenth-ranked Wolverines overcome Davis Warren’s three interceptions in a 28-18 win over Arkansas State on Saturday.
The Wolverines (2-1) couldn’t draw back from a Solar Belt Convention crew they had been anticipated to rout not less than partly as a result of Warren threw an interception in every of the primary three quarters.
“Put the ball in hurt’s approach too many occasions and we made a change,” Michigan coach Sherrone Moore mentioned.
Alex Orji changed Warren and took benefit, throwing a 9-yard landing cross to Hogan Hansen to offer the Wolverines a 28-3 lead early within the fourth quarter.
“He performed effectively,” Moore mentioned.
Warren was 11 of 14 for 122 yards, principally relegated to finishing brief passes when he wasn’t throwing to defensive gamers.
“Not nice stuff to placed on movie,” Moore mentioned.
Operating was far more efficient than throwing for the defending nationwide champions.
Michigan scored 3 times on the bottom after getting into the sport with no dashing landing in two video games, together with final week’s loss to then-No. 3 Texas that ended a 28-game regular-season profitable streak and a 23-game stretch of success at dwelling.
“They managed the soccer,” Arkansas State coach Butch Jones mentioned. “It took us 10 possessions to pressure a three-and-out.”
The Purple Wolves (2-1) scored two late touchdowns and missed alternatives earlier within the recreation to make it even nearer.
“We did an important job of taking the ball away defensively, however we had zero to indicate for it offensively,” Jones mentioned.
Arkansas State trailed by simply 4 factors for a lot of the second quarter after Clune Van Andel made a 27-yard kick, however he hit the correct and left upright on two different field-goal makes an attempt within the first half.
Jaylen Raynor had an opportunity minimize into the Wolverines’ 18-point lead at their 20, however his lofted cross into the tip zone was picked off by Makari Paige late within the third quarter.
Raynor was 19 of 33 passes for 140 yards with an interception earlier than Jones put Timmy McClain in halfway via the fourth quarter.
McClain threw a 24-yard landing cross to Reginald Harden with 5:38 left and threw a brief cross to the speedy receiver, who scored on a 22-yard reception with eight seconds left.
“We solely had two explosive performs, and people had been on the finish of the sport,” Jones mentioned.
Banged up
Preseason All-American tight finish Colston Loveland had three receptions for 30 yards earlier than leaving the sphere with an damage within the third quarter, and Moore mentioned after the sport that he didn’t have an replace on his situation.
The takeaway
Arkansas State transformed three third downs on the opening drive and with an opportunity to proceed the momentum with a fourth-and-1 on the Michigan 25, Jones selected to have Van Andel kick and he hit the correct upright.
“I wished the factors,” mentioned Jones, a former Tennessee coach.
Michigan went with Warren to start out the season after he beat out Orji for the job getting into the season, however Warren hasn’t performed a lot to maintain it. Orji is restricted as a passer, however his capability to run offers the offensively challenged crew one other method to transfer the ball. He ran the ball 3 times for 27 yards and was 2 of 4 passing for 12 yards with a rating.
Who will begin below heart subsequent week?
“We’ll determine that out in observe,” Moore mentioned.
Ballot implications
Michigan could fall once more within the AP Prime 25 after one other lackluster efficiency. It began the season at No. 9, dropped a spot after beating Fresno State and plummeted 7 extra after dropping to the Longhorns.
Touching tributes
Michigan requested followers earlier than the sport to have a second of silence earlier than the sport for actor James Earl Jones, a Michigan alum who died Monday, and to cheer to have fun Greg Harden, a Michigan graduate who died Thursday.
Up subsequent
Arkansas State faces a second straight ranked crew, touring to play No. 21 Iowa State on Saturday.
Michigan performs its Huge Ten opener in opposition to No. 11 Southern California on Saturday.
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Comply with Larry Lage at https://twitter.com/larrylage
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