No. 21 Michigan rides breakaway runs to victory over Nebraska; Wolverines win 2nd game without Sherrone Moore

Michigan survived a 52-yard prayer in Lincoln and, ultimately, this season's two-game suspension head coach Sherrone Moore had to serve as part of the Wolverines' self-imposed sanctions for NCAA violations tied to their infamous sign-stealing operation.

Michigan associate head coach Biff Poggi led the charge in the interim role, just as the former Charlotte head coach did the week prior in a 63-3 win over Central Michigan.

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His substitute job in a raucous Memorial Stadium undoubtedly carries more weight. A Nebraska Hail Mary tied the game at 17-17, but the third of three breakaway touchdown runs helped Michigan (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten) pull away from Nebraska (3-1, 0-1) in the back half of play for a 30-27 win.

Cornhuskers second-year quarterback Dylan Raiola threw for 308 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 pick, however, the Wolverines sacked him seven times.

The game's other five-star underclassman quarterback, Michigan true freshman Bryce Underwood, finished 12 of 22 for 105 yards to go along with his 61 yards and touchdown on the ground.

The real star of the game, though, was Michigan running back Justice Haynes, who piled up 149 rushing yards, 75 of which came on a touchdown run and 39 of which came on the Wolverines' final scoring drive.

Nebraska drove well into Michigan territory on its first two drives of the day but came up empty both times. The Huskers failed to convert a fourth-and-2 with a Raiola pass attempt at the Wolverines' 6-yard line. Then, later in the opening quarter, Kyle Cunanan's 44-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right.

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Michigan missed two scoring opportunities of its own the very next series. Semaj Morgan underthrew fellow wideout Donaven McCulley on a double pass that should have resulted in a walk-in touchdown. Two plays later, Underwood launched a perfectly-placed pass that went off the fingertips of Michigan wideout Channing Goodwin.

The Wolverines settled for a 46-yard Dominic Zvada field goal to take a 3-0 advantage.

That maize and blue lead extended to 10-0 when Underwood scampered freely for a 37-yard touchdown on a quarterback draw, the first play after Raiola misread Michigan's coverage and threw a pass that was broken up by a route-jumping Jyaire Hill and intercepted by linebacker Cole Sullivan.

Nebraska got points off a first-half turnover, too. Huskers defensive lineman Elijah Jeudy ripped the ball loose from a running Underwood, setting the stage for a 39-yard Cunanan field goal.

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Jacory Barney Jr. was the true spark plug for the Nebraska offense, though. The sophomore wideout sprung one touchdown drive with a 20-yard punt return. He capped that series with a 26-yard scoring grab. Then, after Haynes silenced Nebraska fans with his one-play backbreaker, the 6-foot, 170-pound Barney hauled in the half-ending Hail Mary despite being swarmed by five Michigan defenders.

The Huskers' offense ran dry in the third quarter, when offensive coordinator Dana Holgerson's unit mustered just 43 yards. Meanwhile, Michigan running back Jordan Marshall rode beautiful blocking, up front and on the perimeter, for a 54-yard touchdown run.

Nebraska got back within a touchdown of Michigan at the beginning of the fourth quarter, thanks to another Cunanan field goal. But the Wolverines answered with a soul-crushing drive, the kind that spanned 16 plays and 8:46 of game time. It featured a trio of third-down conversions, including two third-and-longs, and ended with a chip-shot Zvada field goal that restored the Wolverines' two-score lead.

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Raiola packed one final counter punch, piloting a 10-play touchdown drive that moved at much quicker pace. He completed a pair of 21-yard passes — the first on third-and-22 — and then located quarterback-turned-tight end Heinrich Haarberg for a three-yard score.

Clutching to a 30-27 lead, Michigan needed one first down to get out of Nebraska with a win.

Marshall picked it up. And Michigan picked up its first Big Ten win of the season, with Sherrone Moore surely smiling somewhere, ready to reclaim control of his Wolverines.