Justice Haynes had 16 carries for 159 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 14 Michigan held firm for a 34-17 win over New Mexico on Saturday night in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Highly touted true freshman Bryce Underwood completed 21 of 31 passes for 251 yards and one touchdown in his collegiate debut for the Wolverines (1-0). Marlin Klein finished with six catches for 93 yards and a touchdown.
Dorian Thomas had 10 catches for 71 yards and two touchdowns for the Lobos (0-1). Jack Layne completed 31 of 47 passes for 208 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.
Michigan outgained New Mexico 452-267 in total offense.
Haynes opened the scoring with an electrifying 56-yard touchdown run in the opening minutes. The Alabama transfer carried the ball up the middle, broke toward the right sideline and outraced the secondary for the score.
Haynes struck again, this time from 5 yards, to increase Michigan’s lead to 14-0 with 4:26 remaining in the first quarter. Underwood set a block to spring Haynes free for the touchdown.
Michigan made it 17-0 on Dominic Zvada’s 21-yard field goal with 8:21 left in the second quarter.
The Lobos battled back to pull within 17-10 late in the first half.
Dorian Thomas put New Mexico on the scoreboard with a 9-yard touchdown reception with 2:23 remaining in the half. He scored on a trick play as the Lobos snapped the ball between the quarterback’s legs to running back D.J. McKinney, who lobbed a pass to Thomas in the end zone.
Luke Drzewiecki followed with a 44-yard field goal to pull New Mexico within seven points with 1:56 to go in the half.
Michigan responded with an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to go ahead 24-10 with 25 seconds before halftime. Underwood capped the drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Klein.
Zvada added a 39-yard field goal early in the third quarter to make it 27-10.
New Mexico refused to go away as Thomas hauled in his second touchdown reception of the evening with 1:40 left in the third quarter. His 3-yard score cut the deficit to 27-17.
Haynes tallied his third touchdown on a 1-yard run to increase Michigan’s advantage to 34-17 with 10:14 remaining in the fourth quarter.
–Field Level Media
