Recap: No Harbaugh, no problem as Michigan wins, 30-3
Recap: No Harbaugh, no problem as Michigan wins
The Wolverines had a little bit of a slow start but then quarterback J.J. McCarthy just started throwing the ball to receiver Roman Wilson for touchdowns and they cruised to a 30-3 victory.
Wilson caught three touchdowns, for 14 yards, 10 yards and 15 yards, finishing with six catches for 78 yards.
Blake Corum looked like his pre-injury self, recording 73 yards on 10 carries with a 2-yard touchdown.
Donovan Edwards had 12 carries for 37 yards plus four catches for 33 yards.
Cornelius Johnson had five receptions for 71 yards and Colston Loveland had four for 57 yards.
Defensively, Mike Sainristil had an interception. Junior Colson, Keon Sabb, Michael Barrett and Ernest Hausmann each had five tackles.
Kicker James Turner, taking over for Jake Moody, had a 50-yard field goal into the wind and a 52-yard miss.
On the final play of the game, Andrew Conrad hit a 33-yard field goal to prevent the Pirates from getting shut out.
Starting the 4Q: McCarthy, Corum, Edwards done for the day
J.J. McCarthy, Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards have done enough today so Davis Warren takes over at quarterback and Kalel Mullings at running back.
McCarthy finished 26 of 30 for 280 yards and three touchdowns to Roman Wilson.
Corum had 11 carries for 77 yards and a score while Edwards had 12 for 37 yards. Edwards had four catches for 33 yards and Corum had three for 5 yards.
The first post-McCarthy drive did not go as planned, with an unusual offensive encroachment call and another penalty for a false start.
End 3Q: Michigan continues to lead, 30-0
It looked like Donovan Edwards had a 2-yard touchdown but the officials reviewed it and ruled he was short of the goal line. So instead of declining the defensive offside penalty, they accepted it.
But Edwards and J.J. McCarthy failed to get into the end zone, so the Pirates got the ball back on downs.
9:13 3Q: Have yourself a day, J.J. McCarthy and Roman Wilson, 30-0 Michigan
For the third time today, J.J. McCarthy finds Roman Wilson for a touchdown, this one for 15 yards.
McCarthy also found Max Bredeson for 14 yards and a first and Cornelius Johnson for 16 yards and a first on this drive.
Halftime: Michigan leads East Carolina, 23-0
It was a masterful first half for Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who led a late drive to put James Turner in position to attempt a 50-yard field goal, which was good.
McCarthy had one incompletion on the drive, ending a string of 15 straight completions. He finished the first half 16 of 18 for 181 yards and two touchdowns, both to Roman Wilson.
East Carolina quarterback Alex Flinn led a good drive but Andrew Conrad could not convert a 51-yard field goal try.
Flinn, who replaced Mason Garcia, was 6 of 10 for 52 yards and also rushed three times for 14 yards.
Blake Corum had six carries for 56 yards and one touchdown.
More: Wolverines show support for suspended Jim Harbaugh with shirts, play formation
5:32 2Q: McCarthy finds Wilson again, 20-0 Michigan
There's still time left in the second quarter and Roman Wilson already has two touchdowns, this one for 10 yards.
J.J. McCarthy had consecutive first down passes to tight end Colston Loveland for 24 and 15 yards, respectively.
The only miscue was the missed point after.
14:13 2Q: Corum gets his first touchdown, 14-0 Michigan
Blake Corum was close to scoring but was stopped after a 37-yard gain to the East Carolina 2-yard line so of course he was going to get it again.
Corum ran it the final two years for the touchdown and the score is now 14-0.
End 1Q: Michigan leads East Carolina, 7-0
J.J. McCarthy was 7 of 9 for 70 yards and one touchdown in the first quarter.
Mason Garcia was 2 of 5 for 14 yards and one interception.
Blake Corum has four carries for 17 yards.
Roman Wilson already has three catches for 41 yards and a touchdown.
With McCarthy successful so far, the run game will likely open up more as the Pirates look to contain Michigan's quarterback.
5:43 1Q: Michigan gets first score, 7-0
The replay kind of looked like J.J. McCarthy was over the line of scrimmage when he threw the ball to Roman Wilson for a 14-yard touchdown but the officials reviewed it and said it was a good touchdown.
The Wolverines will take it, and the lead, 7-0, over the Pirates.
10:13 1Q: First Michigan INT
The first interception of the season goes to Mike Sainristil. Now the Michigan offense must do something with it.
Who is not playing
Here are the players not available, according to Michigan beat writer Angelique Chengelis.
And so it begins.
You can think of this game and the next two as kind of an appetizer for the full meal of the rest of the season.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore will not be available as both are serving suspensions but, that shouldn't matter in a game where the Wolverines are favored by 35½.
It remains to be seen how long starters like quarterback J.J. McCarthy and running back Blake Corum play today.
Follow along here for live updates from Detroit News contributor Dana Wakiji.
Michigan vs. East Carolina
▶ Kickoff: Noon Saturday, Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor
▶ TV/radio: Peacock/950 AM
▶ Records: Season opener for both teams
▶ Line: Michigan by 35½
▶ Series: First meeting
