BYU vs. Michigan: Game Grades, Analysis for Cougars and Wolverines

The Michigan Wolverines amassed a 24-point second quarter and overpowered the No. 22 BYU Cougars during a 31-0 victory Saturday at the Big House.

Jake Rudock had the best game of his Michigan career, while the Wolverines defense stalled Tanner Mangum and the BYU offense all game.

Positional Unit	1st-Half Grade	Final Grade
Pass Offense	F	F
Run Offense	D-	F
Pass Defense	C-	D+
Run Defense	D+	D-
Special Teams	B+	A-
Coaching	C-	D+

Pass Offense: Tanner Mangum's previous late-game heroics made it easy to forget he's a true freshman quarterback. Mangum's youth showed right away when he left clean pockets, and that trend didn't improve behind horrid protection. Mangum finished 12-of-28 for 55 yards.

Run Offense: On the second play of BYU's second possession, Adam Hine found a running lane and ripped off a 29-yard gain. And that's the only positive for the Cougars rushing attack, since they managed just 21 yards on 21 other carries.

Pass Defense: Rudock didn't obliterate the secondary by any means, but BYU gifted Michigan's pass-catchers more than a handful of wide-open receptions. Those short, seemingly harmless throws resulted in 11 first downs. Considering Rudock only completed 14 passes, that's not a great ratio.

Run Defense: The Cougars were decent against the run during the Wolverines' first three possessions, but that all changed on a single play in the second quarter. Michigan running back De'Veon Smith disappeared into a scrum at the line of scrimmage then emerged with only one defender to beat. The end result was a 60-yard touchdown. Overall, BYU surrendered 254 rushing yards and three scores.

Special Teams: Good news? Jonny Linehan is a wonderful punter. Bad news? He kicked the ball away 11 times. Linehan racked up 43.2 yards per attempt, so the junior executed his job. That's not much of a bright side, is it?

Coaching: According to Jeremiah Jensen of KSL, BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said he was "really disappointed in how I prepared our team." The Cougars were shut out for the first time since 2003.

Positional Unit	1st-Half Grade	Final Grade
Pass Offense	B+	A-
Run Offense	B+	A-
Pass Defense	A	A
Run Defense	A	A
Special Teams	A	A-
Coaching	A	A

Pass Offense: Redemption, thy name is Rudock. Head coach Jim Harbaugh's patience paid off in a major way for the senior quarterback. Rudock did miss a couple wide-open receivers, so the tape won't be 100 percent friendly. Nevertheless, a 14-of-25, 194-yard day was a tremendously encouraging sign.

Run Offense: Smith nearly eclipsed his career-high rushing mark before leaving the game with an ankle injury. Behind that unbelievable 60-yard touchdown run, he registered 125 yards and a score. Rudock added a pair of scrambles for touchdowns.

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Pass Defense: Thanks to a stellar pass rush and stingy coverage in the secondary, Michigan surrendered just 55 yards through the air. No Cougars receiver tallied more than two catches or 14 yards. The defensive line constantly disrupted Mangum, sacking the freshman three times.

Run Defense: Senior linebacker and defensive captain Joe Bolden should—and likely will—shoulder the blame for Hine's 29-yard run, but his mistake didn't matter in the grand scheme of the game. Michigan entered the day as the nation's No. 15 rush defense, and that standing will only improve.

Special Teams: Harbaugh has been reluctant to use placekicker Kenny Allen, but the senior drilled a 40-yard field goal. Blake O'Neill averaged 40.8 yards on four punts, deadening one at the 1-yard line. Jabrill Peppers was held in check as a returner, tallying just 20 yards on four attempts.

Coaching: Jim Harbaugh and D.J. Durkin stayed a step ahead of Mendenhall for 60 minutes. The offense truly improved for the fourth straight week, and the defense played at an elite level. The Wolverines sent a resounding message throughout Big Ten country that a one-year turnaround isn't impossible.

Follow Bleacher Report college football writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.