The No. 9 Michigan Wolverines kicked off the 2024 season in the Big House on Saturday night with a primetime matchup against Fresno State. Although there are still some things that need to improve heading into the massive Week 2 matchup against Texas, there were also some things to feel pretty good about.

Here are the top offensive and defensive performers from Michigan’s Week 1 victory over Fresno State:

Kalel Mullings, RB: 15 carries for 92 yards

Although Donovan Edwards has received most of the attention among the running backs during the off-season, it was veteran Kalel Mullings who had the most production on the ground Saturday night. After a relatively slow start in the running game, Mullings found his groove in the second half and helped put the Wolverines in scoring position late. At 6-2, 233 pounds, Mullings is more than just a short-yardage back who can move the sticks if needed. He’s surprisingly quick and shifty, and we saw that on display in Michigan’s season-opener.

Colston Loveland, TE: 8 receptions for 87 yards and 1 TD

It’s clear that Loveland is going to be a major factor in Michigan’s passing game this season. Whether lined up at tight end, in the slot or out wide, the 6-5, 245 pound target is a matchup nightmare. Loveland’s catch radius and athleticism is one of the reasons why he’ll likely be a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. As the season progresses, the Michigan offense will need every bit of what Loveland has to offer.

Dominic Zvada, K: 12 points, 3/3 on FGs (45, 53, 55)

The Arkansas State transfer put 12 points on the board for the Wolverines in their 30-10 victory, including field goals from 45, 53, and 55 yards in Michigan’s season-opener. Although you’d like to be able to finish drives in the endzone, having a reliable kicker with a big leg is certainly a luxury that can be the difference maker on fall Saturday’s.

Will Johnson: 2 tackles, 1 INT (Pick-Six)

The nations best corner was tested multiple times on Saturday night, but you can only poke the bear so many times before you pay the price. On a Fresno State first-and-goal play with just over four minutes left in the fourth quarter, Johnson snagged an 86-yard pick-six that extended Michigan’s lead to 20. Although he finished the evening with just one interception, Johnson was inches away from notching three on the evening. He did get beat a couple of times, but I’ll chalk it up to Week 1 rust and expect that to improve in the weeks ahead.

Zeke Berry: 2 tackles, 1 INT

The junior defensive back got the party started on the Bulldog’s first drive of the game, snagging an interception as defensive tackle Kenneth Grant forced a bad throw from Fresno State QB Mikey Keene. Berry is a guy who had to pay his dues behind Michigan legend Mike Sainristil, but it’s clear the junior DB is ready for his moment and that he’ll continue to be a solid piece in the secondary moving forward.

Josaiah Stewart: 5.0 tackles, 2.0 sacks

The veteran edge rusher notched 5.5 sacks during the 2023 season (good for No. 2 on the team), and it looks like he’s poised to surpass that mark by a decent amount in 2024. His combination of speed and power is a nightmare to defend against, and he was able to get to the quarterback twice on Saturday night. Top to bottom, the Michigan defense is going to be a problem for any opposing offense in 2024.

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Takeaways: Michigan takes down Fresno State with a rather lackluster offense

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

What the national media is saying about Michigan’s performance against Fresno State

Two people were shot, one fatally, at the Michigan State Fair in Novi Saturday, according to police.

This was an isolated act and there’s no threat to the community, Novi police said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The two victims were taken to the hospital, where one of them died. Novi police did not give any information about the victims.

Novi police did not say if anyone had been arrested and did not respond to requests for further comment.

The state fair runs through Monday at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi.

kberg@detroitnews.com

Detroit — A teenager drove nearly 140 miles per hour just days before a high-speed crash in suburban Detroit last November that killed his friend, according to video obtained by CBS News this week. 

On Nov. 17, 2023, Flynn MacKrell, 18, was a passenger in a BMW X3 that crashed into a utility pole and tree minutes after he left his home in the city of Grosse Pointe Farms.

Flynn’s 16-year-old friend, Kiernan Tague, was behind the wheel and survived. Police say Tague was driving over 100 mph on a residential street where the speed limit was 25 mph.

“Every day I wake up and it literally feels like a horror show,” Anne Vanker, Flynn’s mother, told CBS News. 

MacKrell’s parents believe Tague’s mother, Elizabeth Puleo-Tague, could and should have stopped him.

“I think both of them should go to jail,” said Thad MacKrell, Flynn’s father, of Tague and his mother. 

“Gross negligence manslaughter for Elizabeth,” Vanker said.  

Investigators found cell phone videos on Tague’s phone showing a pattern of excessive speeding, matched they say by records from an app called Life 360 which his mother used to track his car in the weeks leading up to the crash. 

During a 17-day period, the app recorded that about a quarter of his trips involved speeds over 100 mph, and 10% involved speeds over 120 mph.

Police records showed that Tague’s mother was concerned about her son’s driving, texting him once that “it scares me to my bone,” and another time to “slow the f— down right now!”

Tague was charged in March with second-degree murder and remains out on bail. If found guilty, he could be sentenced at least partially as an adult. When contacted by CBS News, the family’s attorney had no comment, citing ongoing litigation.

Anne and Thad compare the case to that of Oxford, Michigan, school shooter Ethan Crumbley. Both his parents were separately convicted earlier this year for not securing the gun he used in the 2021 killing of four people.

CBS News legal contributor Jessica Levinson says she believes this case could be even stronger.

“She had months and months of knowledge of her son’s reckless driving,” Levinson said. “And she not only failed to take the keys away. She actually gave him a car that could go faster.”