ANN ARBOR, Mich. — After three weeks of staying focused while going through the motions, fluffing statistics, and sitting near the top of the national rankings, Michigan got a huge dose of reality with the start of Big Ten play.
There were lots of questions about the No. 4 Wolverines after the first three games. Had they been tested? What does anyone really know about them? Is there a pass rush? Is J.J. McCarthy the answer?
A couple of those will need time to be answered during the season, but what's clear is the fact the Wolverines had not been tested, the defense has some work to do, and running back Blake Corum is vital.
Maryland and its dangerous offense directed by dual-threat quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa gave the Wolverines everything they could handle Saturday at Michigan Stadium, but Corum scored two big touchdowns to help lead Michigan to a 34-27 victory.
Michigan (4-0) will spend the next two weekends on the road against Iowa and Indiana.
Corum, with No. 2 back Donovan Edwards out for the second straight game because of a leg injury, had career highs in carries and yards. On his 30th carry of the game, he sprinted 47 yards to give Michigan a 34-19 lead. Corum finished with 243 yards and two touchdowns, including a 33-yard score.
But the Terps weren't going away. They drove 75 yards on 14 plays and scored on an 18-yard play from Bill Edwards to C.J. Dippre and converted on the two-point conversion to pull within a touchdown.
The Wolverines built a 24-13 lead early in the fourth quarter on an 85-yard, 10-play drive with McCarthy and Roman Wilson connecting on a 20-yard touchdown pass.
But Maryland responded on its next possession. Tagovailoa and Tai Felton connected for 4 yards on a fourth-and-1 to keep its drive alive and Corey Dyches gained 44 yards on a reception to the Michigan 6-yard line. Felton scored on a 4-yard pass but Maryland failed on the two-point conversion.
Michigan responded its next drive converting on a third-and-6 when McCarthy and Ronnie Bell connected for a 49-yard gain. Jake Moody pushed the lead to 27-19 on a 38-yard field goal, his second field goal of the game.
The Terps weren't going away, but Michigan's defense came up with its second interception of the game, this time from R.J. Moten, which set up the Wolverines' final scoring drive. DJ Turner also had an interception.
The Wolverines took a 17-13 lead just before halftime when Corum scored on a 33-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-1 with 22 seconds left. That scoring drive came after Michigan held the Terps to their lone three-and-out in the first half.
It was a rather pedestrian first half for the Michigan defense, which entered the game ranked No. 3 nationally allowing an average 194 yards a game. The Wolverines got very little rush on Tagovailoa as the Terps gained 195 yards.
Maryland's Chad Ryland, a graduate transfer kicker from Eastern Michigan, entered the game having made 20 straight field goals dating back to Oct. 2, 2021, the longest active streak in the country. He added two more in the first half with field goals of 53 and 52 yards.
