End Zone: Michigan, 10-17

10/17/2013
BY RACHEL LENZI
BLADE SPORTS WRITER

This team has no killer instinct.

The Wolverines showed flashes of that against Akron and Connecticut, but they proved it Saturday night in central Pennsylvania.

They allowed a 10-point lead to dissolve. Their pass rush all but disappeared when it was put in a clutch situation. Their top running back had about as much of a chance to run for any kind of yardage as he did running through the eye of a needle. Or the main gate at Beaver Stadium.

It proved what many had started to believe: This team is not yet legitimate. Penn State's win amplified Michigan's flaws. Those five wins have raised more questions than they have given answers. Brady Hoke called last year's 8-5 mark "a failure" because UM failed to win the Big Ten title.

Semantics. You know what's a failure? Not earning any true quality wins against quality opponents. The Wolverines had one quality win last year: Northwestern. They have one quality win this year: Notre Dame.

The Wolverines couldn't finish off Penn State when they had their best chances, both in regulation and in overtime. If they need to figure out anything right now, it's not when to step on Indiana's throat. It's how to step on Indiana's throat.