University of Michigan Athletics

» Junior Shea Patterson went 12-of-17 passing for 125 yards and threw three touchdowns in his Michigan Stadium debut.
» On his 22nd birthday, Karan Higdon ran for 156 yards and a touchdown, while Chris Evans added a pair of touchdown runs.
» Defensively, Josh Metellus led the team with seven tackles. Noah Furbush had a first-half interception and Khaleke Hudson blocked a punt.

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Michigan Stadium)
Score: #21 Michigan 49, Western Michigan 3
Records: U-M (1-1), Western Michigan (0-2)
Attendance: 110,814
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Sept. 15 -- vs. SMU (Michigan Stadium), 3:30 p.m. (TV: BTN)

• Kornacki Feature: When Dreams Became Realities

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Junior quarterback Shea Patterson threw three touchdowns in his Michigan Stadium debut to lead the No. 21-ranked University of Michigan football team to a resounding 49-3 victory over Western Michigan on Saturday (Sept. 8).

Patterson was extremely effective, going 12-of-17 for 125 yards and touchdown passes to junior Sean McKeon and sophomores Donovan Peoples-Jones and Nico Collins. Despite running 21 fewer plays, the Wolverines racked up 451 yards of total offense -- an average of 8.5 yards per play -- including 308 yards on the ground. Senior tailback Karan Higdon, who celebrated his 22nd birthday on Saturday, ran 13 times for 156 yards and a touchdown, while junior Chris Evans added 10 rushes for 86 yards and a pair of scores.

The Michigan defense was outstanding, with only a field goal allowed in the game's final minutes ruining the shutout attempt. The Wolverines held the Broncos to just 2.8 yards per play and were stingy on both third downs (4-of-17) and fourth down (2-of-5) against WMU. Junior Josh Metellus led the way with seven tackles, and classmates Rashan Gary and Khaleke Hudson each added six.

After each team exchanged scoreless possessions to begin the game, Michigan stepped on the accelerator and did not let up. Higdon was the catalyst and came up with the game's first big play, getting to the second level and breaking two tackles for a 43-yard rush to the Western Michigan 16-yard line. Two players later, Patterson rolled out to the right and found McKeon, who tiptoed down the sideline and dove into the end zone for a 17-yard touchdown.

Higdon struck again on the team's next possession. After another Western Michigan punt, the senior tailback needed only one play to score, putting the Wolverines up 14-0 off a 67-yard run.

The defense forced a turnover on the ensuing Western Michigan possession. Pressure up the middle forced Broncos quarterback Jon Wassink out of the pocket right, where his throw back across to the middle of the field was intercepted by graduate student linebacker Noah Furbush. Two plays later, Evans went untouched on 27-yard touchdown run, extending the lead to 21-0.

Western Michigan was driving and crossed midfield into Michigan territory before it was forced to punt. But on the attempt, Hudson burst through the line and blocked it, with fifth-year senior Joe Hewlett recovering at the Bronco 24-yard line. With great field position -- and following a successful fourth-and-one conversion from Higdon -- Evans added his second touchdown, this time from two yards out.

Facing an uphill climb, Western Michigan elected to go for it on fourth-and-1 at midfield, but Wassink was stopped short by Hudson and junior Carlo Kemp on the keeper attempt, turning the ball back over to the offense. After an illegal substitution penalty on the visitors moved Michigan up five more yards, Patterson dropped in a deep ball to Collins for a 44-yard touchdown, sending the Wolverines into halftime up 35-0.

The Michigan defense remained strong, as junior Devin Bush made a stop on a fourth-and-one to give the ball back to the offense. Two possessions later, Patterson drove the offense down the field for another score, a nine-yard touchdown pass to Peoples-Jones in the back corner of the end zone. Patterson soon exited and made way for sophomore Dylan McCaffrey, who threw an 18-yard touchdown pass -- the first of his career, and his only one of the game -- to sophomore Jake McCurry during his only drive.

Western Michigan broke the shutout with 2:42 left on a 35-yard field goal from Josh Grant, capping the scoring at 49-3.

Michigan will be at Michigan Stadium again next weekend, when it plays host to SMU at 3:30 p.m. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.