It may not have been the best start for the Michigan offense on Saturday against Fresno State, but the Wolverines did what they had to do to win 30-10. Davis Warren got the start for Michigan, going 15-25 for 118 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Warren actually had one or two bad throws that night. He undershot a deep strike to Fred Moore for an interception, but he also held on to his primary target for too long. It was his first career start in primetime, and fans will have to give Warren some time to improve — even with Texas looming.

Michigan’s defense lived up to expectations. Despite a few blown coverages, the Wolverines didn’t break much. Fresno State had one drive that went down the field for a touchdown, but outside of that, Michigan’s defense was dominant. The Wolverines allowed just nine rushing yards and intercepted Mikey Keene twice. Zeke Berry intercepted a pass on the first drive, and Will Johnson took an interception 86 yards for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

The Wolverines still need to make some improvements before next Saturday. The Michigan O-line needs to work, and Warren needs to get more comfortable in uncomfortable situations. Getting Donovan Edwards rolling would help, too.

Below are some key takeaways from national media.

Two of the Buckeyes’ supposed biggest threats in the Big Ten didn’t inspire the same confidence. Defending national champion Michigan led Fresno State just 16-10 in the fourth quarter, with the offense looking every bit like a unit that lost its first-round quarterback and entire offensive line. Surprise starting quarterback Davis Warren went just 15 of 25 for 118 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Warren eventually led a 75-yard drive, then Will Johnson grabbed an interception six to help the Wolverines pull away on a 30-10 run.

With QB-hungry programs now able to find answers in the transfer portal, it’s rare for a program of Michigan’s caliber to enter a season with so little experience at quarterback. Warren has been a reliable backup throughout his career, but was never viewed as the heir apparent to JJ McCarthy. Alex Orji was viewed as a work in progress who needed to develop as a passer. Michigan gambled that its internal options were better than those in the transfer portal, and it remains to be seen whether that was the right decision.
Warren was Michigan’s primary quarterback on Saturday night, completing 15 of 25 passes for just 115 yards with an interception and a touchdown. Orji came on the field for a snap or two at a time and ran for 32 yards on five carries, including a 3-yard touchdown pass to Donovan Edwards on Michigan’s opening drive. Regardless of who took the snaps, Michigan had little success creating explosive plays through the air.

David Hale (ESPN) “College Football Week 1 Highlights: Best Plays, Games, Takeaways”

And what about Michigan? The reigning champs entered the match without Harbaugh or JJ McCarthy or a host of other players who earned their rings before leaving for the NFL, but the Wolverines came out on top anyway, using their trademark brute strength to beat Fresno State 30-10. Sure, Michigan found a replacement for McCarthy when Sherrone Moore put on a jacket he hadn’t worn in three years and found $20 and Davis Warren in the pocket, but isn’t that exactly the formula we’ve come to expect from the Wolverines? Same as always.

Bill Bender (Sporting News) “Week 1 Football Overreactions: Notre Dame vs. CFP, ‘The U’ is Back, Dabo is Ready”

No. 9 Michigan led 16-10 with 10 minutes left against Fresno State with a shaky offense that struggled with the quarterback combination of Davis Warren and Alex Orji. The Wolverines totaled 269 yards and the line could shift more in Texas’ favor for that Week 2 showdown. Michigan has an elite defense, but will it be enough against a brutal schedule?

Mike McDaniel (Sports Illustrated) “College Football Week 1 Takeaways: Florida Gators enter the crunch”

For Michigan, this was somewhat to be expected, given the changes to the coaching staff and the entire roster following last year’s national championship. Still, Michigan’s quarterback situation seems like a complete mess. Former walk-on Davis Warren was given the starting job over junior Alex Orji, a former four-star recruit, which probably says more about the staff’s lack of confidence in Orji throwing the ball than anything else.

Warren completed 15 of his 25 passing attempts for just 118 yards with one touchdown and one interception. That was good enough on Saturday night to give the Wolverines a 30-10 victory over Fresno State, but it certainly won’t be good enough next Saturday when Michigan hosts the Texas Longhorns in the Big House.

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Takeaways: Michigan beats Fresno State with a rather mediocre offensive game

Michigan’s offense sluggish, defense dominant in win over Fresno State

Michigan players of the game in 30-10 win over Fresno State