On Saturday, Michigan once again leaned heavily on its rushing attack en route to a 27-24 victory over Minnesota. With the win, the Wolverines improved to 4-1 overall and 2-0 within conference play. Under normal circumstances that would be something to feel good about, particularly with a team that lost so much during the off-season. But the mood surrounding this football program certainly doesn’t feel like a victory just took place.

Let me first say that I understand why there is some frustration within the fanbase. In fact, much of that frustration is definitely justifiable. It’s perfectly reasonable to expect a better performance from the reigning national champions, especially when it comes to the passing attack. For the second consecutive week, the Michigan offense has finished with less than 100 yards through the air. Although the Wolverines have found some success in the short to intermediate passing game, it’s starting to feel nearly impossible that we’ll ever see this offense connect on a deep ball to a wide receiver this season.

It’s also understandable to feel frustrated that the Michigan defense surrendered 21 points in the fourth quarter, allowing Minnesota to potentially steal the game and hand the Wolverines their second loss of the season. While that didn’t happen, there’s no question that the Michigan defense cannot have a repeat performance like that moving forward – not if the Wolverines hope to play for a conference championship and/or a spot in the College Football Playoff.

With that being said, we are nearing the halfway point of the regular season and it’s time for the Michigan fan base to accept a few harsh realties.

We all want to see more dominance from this football program. We want to see a well-balanced offense that can move the ball through the air and on the ground. We want to see a defense that can perform at an elite level for four quarters. All of those things will eventually become a reality in Ann Arbor once again, but it probably isn’t going to happen next week… and it might not happen at all in 2024.

What you saw on Saturday against Minnesota is pretty much who Michigan is. Do improvements need to be made? Absolutely. But there’s no realistic improvement that’s going to occur over the next several weeks that will fundamentally change what we’ve seen through the first five weeks. This Michigan team is going to continue to lean heavily on the run, try to capitalize in the short to intermediate passing game, and rely on the defense to give them a chance every single Saturday. That’s it, that’s the formula. There’s no secret sauce, no hidden weapon, no magical playbook. To a large extent, what you’ve seen is what you’ll continue to get.

I was texting with a friend the other night who happens to be a Penn State fan. He’s yet to see the Nittany Lions win it all, and we discussed what the ride was like for Michigan fans in 2023. “You’ve seen the mountain top,” he said. He was right. I told him that I don’t think I’ll ever experience a season like that for the rest of my life, and that I was perfectly fine with it.

Will Michigan have successful seasons after 2023? There’s no question about it. Will Michigan have to face similar circumstances to what it faced in 2023 on the way to a perfect 15-0 season and a national championship? Not a chance. There will never be another team quite like that again, and there will never be another season quite like that again. Indeed, we have all seen the mountain top as Michigan football fans, and it was glorious.

That type of success can definitely throw your expectations out of whack as a fan. If you’re not careful, you might start to believe that you’re destined, or even entitled, for a Harbaugh vs. Saban Rose Bowl feeling on an annual basis. You’re not, and that’s what makes those experiences so special.

With a new-look conference and an expanded 12-team playoff, it’s going to be harder than ever to reach that mountain top again. That doesn’t mean that Michigan shouldn’t be in the discussion every year, it just means that we all need to embrace the ebb and flow that comes with today’s college football.

The sky isn’t falling and Michigan isn’t heading back to the dark ages of the Rich Rod era. Instead, the Wolverines are trying to navigate life after a decade with Jim Harbaugh. They’re trying to discover who they are without guys like JJ McCarthy, Blake Corum, and Mike Sainristil.

After five weeks, Michigan is 4-1 with all of its season goals still very much on the table. That’s the reality of where this program is currently, and that’s ultimately what matters the most. Winning ugly is better than losing pretty, and the Wolverines have damn near mastered the art of winning ugly through five weeks.

Onward.

– Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI –

Takeaways: Michigan squanders big lead but takes down Minnesota

Social media reacts to Michigan football getting by Minnesota

HIGHLIGHTS: Top plays from No. 12 Michigan vs. Minnesota

Former Alabama coach and current ESPN “College GameDay” analyst Nick Saban won seven national championships after leaving Michigan State football, however, he credits the Spartans for sparking his success.

Saban, speaking about his time with Michigan State from 1995-99, was reflecting on upsetting Ohio State in 1998, 26 years before the Spartans take on the Buckeyes on Saturday.

REQUIRED READING: Mark Dantonio credits his Michigan State football ‘legacy’ to former players, others

“That 1998 game changed my whole coaching philosophy,” Saban said Saturday. “Because I thought we had no chance to win the game. Lee (Corso), no chance. So, I called the sports psychiatrist and said, ‘how do I approach the team?’ And he made me get to be a transformational leader in terms of making people focus on the process and not the outcome.

“That changed my whole coaching career.”

Saban has been consistent throughout his career of focusing on the process, which he has noted multiple times as an important aspect of his coaching philosophy over the year. One of college football’s most successful coaches ever won a national championship at LSU and won six at Alabama before retiring after the 2023 season.

The 72-year-old former coach said the unranked Spartans’ 28-24 upset win over then-No. 1 Ohio State completely changed him.

“That was the dawn of a new Nick,” Saban said.

Michigan State is hoping for the same magic from first-year coach Jonathan Smith on Saturday that it received from Saban in 1998, as the Spartans have only beat Ohio State twice in Columbus since then, also winning in 2011 and 2015. Ohio State has also won eight consecutive games against the Spartans dating back to 2015.

Saban finished his Michigan State tenure with a 34-24 record, ending the 1999 season with a 9-2 record and a win in the Citrus Bowl over Florida. The Spartans ended the year ranked No. 9 in the Coaches and AP Top 25 poll, which earned him a job at LSU for the next season.

Here are scores and results from around Metro Detroit for Week 5 of the Michigan high school football season.

Dearborn Heights Crestwood 33, Romulus 22: Tristan Vigneux and Jordan Brooks each scored two touchdowns while Kevin Brooks scored a touchdown as well for Crestwood (3-2, 2-2 Western Wayne). Romulus is now 2-2, 2-3.

Detroit Denby 40, Detroit Cody 6: Shawntez Bowie Jr led the way with 225 all-purpose yards for Detroit Denby (3-2, 3-0 DPSL Gold). Chris Kendrick had four touchdowns and Kenny McClinton recorded eight tackles for loss and three sacks defensively for Denby. Detroit Cody (3-2, 2-1).

Detroit Edison 32, Detroit Voyager College Prep 20: Kayden Upshaw had over 200 all-purpose yards, including a 70 yard interception and a 75-yard fumble recovery for Detroit Edison (3-2, 2-2 Charter-Gold). Myles Matlock added 110 yards and two touchdowns through the air. Detroit Voyager College Prep falls to 4-1, 3-1 in the Charter-Gold.

Detroit Pershing 50, Detroit Communication Media Arts 0: Jalen Foster threw for 251 yards, ran for 94 yards, and scored four touchdowns for Detroit Pershing (4-1, 2-1 Detroit PSL-Gold). Deijhone Patterson of Detroit Pershing caught three passes for 113 yards. Detroit Communication Media Arts is now 0-5, 0-3 in the Detroit PSL-Gold.

Detroit Southeastern 14, Detroit Western 0: For Detroit Southeastern, Khalil Hayes ran the ball 21 times for 157 yards while Anthony Laster threw for 157 yards and two touchdowns. Tayjon Watkins had nine tackles for Detroit Southeastern (2-3, 1-2 Detroit PSL-Blue). Detroit Western is now 1-4, 0-3 in the Detroit PSL-Blue.

Garden City 25, Melvindale 12: Andre Davis led the way with 100 rushing yards and two touchdowns for Garden City (4-1, 3-1 Western Wayne). King Allen had 116 yards for Melvindale (0-5, 0-4 WW).

Riverview 52, Flat Rock 45: Nathan Pinkava had 232 rushing yards and four touchdowns, including the game winning touchdown in the fourth quarter for Riverview (5-0, 4-0 Huron). Lucas Thompson went 3-4 with 62 yards and a touchdown for Riverview. Graham Junge went 10-20 with 193 yards and four touchdowns with Ben Sulley rushing for 176 yards and two touchdowns for Flat Rock (4-1, 3-1 Huron).

Utica 41, Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse 23: Mahti Gwilly led with 125 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown on 15 carries with a receiving touchdown, Xavier Crosby added 100 rushing yards and a touchdown on 10 carries, and Johnny Hiegel finished 9-for-13 for 115 passing yards and a touchdown for Utica (2-3, 1-2 MAC White). Harrison Township is also 2-3, 1-2.

Thursday

Detroit PSL

Detroit Central 59, Detroit Osborn 0

Detroit Denby 40, Detroit Cody 6

Detroit Douglass 20, Detroit Northwestern 8

Detroit Renaissance 30, Detroit Mumford 0

Friday

Catholic

Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard 44, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood 12

Birmingham Brother Rice 22, Toledo St John’s Jesuit (OH) 21 

Clarkston Everest Collegiate 63, Madison Heights Bishop Foley 6 

Jackson Lumen Christi 35, Dearborn Divine Child 0

Macomb Lutheran North 49, Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett 13 

Orchard Lake St Mary’s 64, Waterford Kettering 0

Riverview Gabriel Richard 29, Detroit Loyola 8  

Royal Oak Shrine Catholic 14, Allen Park Cabrini 7

Toledo Central Catholic (OH) 27, Cleveland St Ignatius (OH) 26

Toledo St Francis De Sales 28, Detroit U of D Jesuit 21 

Charter

Arts & Technology Academy of Pontiac 26, Southfield Bradford Academy 6

Detroit Edison 32, Detroit Voyageur College Prep 20 

Detroit Lincoln-King 42, Detroit Leadership Academy 0

Ecorse 1, Romulus Summit Academy North 0 (forfeit)

Harper Woods Chandler Park 1, Detroit University Prep 0 (forfeit)

Melvindale Academy for Business & Tech 14, Detroit Community 6

Mount Clemens 35, Detroit Old Redford 6 

Detroit PSL

Detroit Cass Tech 40, Detroit East English 6

Detroit Martin Luther King 39, Detroit Henry Ford 0 

Downriver

Allen Park 33, Dearborn Edsel Ford 7 

Gibraltar Carlson 63, Southgate Anderson 13

Taylor 43, Woodhaven 7

Trenton 42, Wyandotte Roosevelt 7 

Huron

Monroe St Mary Catholic Central 32, Milan 0 

New Boston Huron 39, Monroe Jefferson 21 

Riverview 52, Flat Rock 45

KLAA

Belleville 35, Livonia Franklin 6 

Brighton 42, Hartland 17

Dearborn Fordson 14, Dearborn 10 

Howell 27, Northville 12

Livonia Stevenson 14, Livonia Churchill 7

Novi 35, Salem 28 

Plymouth 49, Canton 20 

Westland John Glenn 59, Wayne Memorial 0 

Lakes Valley Conference

South Lyon 51, Walled Lake Central 16

South Lyon East 20, Waterford Mott 7 

Walled Lake Western 42, White Lake Lakeland 7

MAC

Grosse Pointe South 38, Roseville 21

Clinton Township Clintondale 44, Hazel Park 24 

Madison Heights Madison 46, New Haven 6

Marine City 56, St Clair Shores South Lake 16

Port Huron Northern 30, Port Huron 23

Romeo 21,  New Baltimore Anchor Bay 14

St Clair 46, Center Line 20 

St Clair Shores Lake Shore at Sterling Heights

St Clair Shores Lakeview 42, Macomb L’Anse Creuse North 0

Utica 41, Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse 23 

Utica Eisenhower 35, Sterling Heights Stevenson 13

Warren Fitzgerald 18, Madison Heights Lamphere 7 

Warren Mott 49, Fraser 28

MIAC

Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest 42, Sterling Heights Parkway Christian 7

Whitmore Lake 54, Lutheran Westland 23

OAA

Berkley 14, Royal Oak 7 

Birmingham Groves 28, Harper Woods 12  

Birmingham Seaholm 14, Farmington 6

Bloomfield Hills 19, Pontiac 6

Clarkston 35, West Bloomfield 20 

Lake Orion 28, Rochester Adams 25 

North Farmington 14, Troy Athens 7

Oxford 28, Rochester 10

Rochester Hills Stoney Creek 17, Southfield Arts & Technology 0

Troy 31, Oak Park 6 

Southeastern

Chelsea 35, Adrian 10

Dexter 63, Ann Arbor Skyline 0

Pinckney 24, Tecumseh 18

Saline 48, Ann Arbor Huron 0

Temperance Bedford 24, Ypsilanti Lincoln 21

Ypsilanti Community 27, Jackson 20 

Western Wayne

Dearborn Heights Crestwood 33, Romulus 22

Others

Orchard Lake St Mary’s 64, Waterford Kettering 0