Michigan football ripped apart by CBS pundits and fans for 'pathetic' play

Coming off its bye week, Michigan football laid an egg in a Top 25 Big Ten matchup against Illinois on Saturday, losing 21-7 in a game that never felt close in the second half.

The No. 22 Wolverines lost two fumbles and allowed three shots on defense in the first half before finally showing some life offensively late in the second quarter at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois.

Michigan quarterback Jack Tuttle, 25, a first-time starter for the Wolverines, had a difficult early performance with inaccurate passes and dropped the ball on a run early in the second quarter.

On the next possession, Donovan Edwards lost a fumble. Seven plays later, the No. 21 Illini had rushed 51 yards for the game's first touchdown and led 13-0. Illinois led 13-7 at halftime after Michigan blocked a field goal to end the half.

CBS studio analysts examined the Wolverines' halftime performance. And that was it before UM made a three-pointer early in the second half and the Illini took a 21-7 lead with a touchdown and a 2-pointer.

“This is the best you got out of a bye week, defensively and offensively?” CBS's Aaron Taylor, the former Notre Dame star and six-year NFL veteran, said at halftime. “What did you do with that time?”

“I understand that after a bye it might take a few series to get back up to speed, to the real game,” said Brian Jones, who played at Texas and in the NFL. “But this is pathetic. And Jack Tuttle is off to a good start…in the wrong direction. That guy couldn't hit the side of a building, that wide open tight end there. He’s open.” again You just hit him on the corner route! Put the ball over there, no contact on those passes. …And right here, man, he's running toward the light. It turned out to be a bus because he dropped the ball! Come on, you have to take care of the rock baby.

INSIDER: Michigan football may not win another game this season

Jones again couldn't do anything about it in the Wolverines' postgame.

“I know Michigan plays with one arm behind its back because they have a quarterback who can't make the damn, rudimentary throws. And he can't even throw them. That's embarrassing. This is an indictment of this coaching staff. They had two weeks to prepare for this football game, you're on your third quarterback and none of them know how to complete a forward pass. Are you kidding me?

“I would have put Davis Warren back in so he could at least get out of the danger zone, he's athletic. Put (Alex) Orji there and he can get out of harm's way. Do some zone lessons or something. Obviously they don't. I don’t know how you train any other type of attack there.”

Michigan is one of two teams, along with winless first-year Football Bowl Subdivision team Kennesaw State, to throw for fewer than 1,000 yards and have double-digit turnovers this season, according to CBS.

THE GAME: Michigan's football offense appears to have been completely broken by Illinois' 21-7 thrashing

The people up

Michigan avoided disaster in the second quarter when an off-play holding penalty negated an Illinois interception inside Michigan's 10-yard line. The Wolverines' quarterback room continues to be a major reason for this subpar season.

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