Photos by Aaron J. Thornton
Depending on how the next couple of years shake out, the month of November 2024 may very well go down as one of the most defining periods in the tenure of University of Michigan football, thanks to an unprecedented series of triumphs under head coach Sherrone Moore.
Despite starting the month dropping a contest to No. 1-ranked Oregon and a close loss to No. 10 Indiana, Moore turned the team around after a mid-month bye week, bouncing back in a major way against Northwestern. They did it with the nation’s No. 1 recruit on the sidelines during a high-stakes recruitment battle, ultimately getting him to flip his commitment later that week. To cap off the month, he pulled off perhaps one of the most impressive college football wins this season, defeating Michigan’s arch nemesis in the game that is simply known as “The Game.”
While many programs across the country have their eyes set on bowl games and championship titles in the final stretch of the season, Moore’s November was one to remember as for different reasons.
Blowout Win Over Northwestern: A Statement Game
It began with a dominant 50-6 victory over Northwestern on Nov. 23. A game that, on paper, appeared to be a mere formality for the Wolverines, quickly turned into a statement of strength. Michigan showed no mercy, dismantling the Wildcats from the opening whistle to the final snap, in a game that gave them bowl eligibility.
Coach Moore’s leadership on this day was nothing short of remarkable. Not only did Michigan’s offense score at will, racking up just under 400 total yards, but the defense also put together a performance that was as much about psychological dominance as it was about physical execution. Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale’ squad allowed just 127 yards of total offense, demonstrating one of Michigan’s most balanced games across offense, defense, and special teams.
This win served as a reminder that Michigan was not just a team on a mission—it was a program that had realized its true potential under Moore’s leadership. After a season of close calls and near-misses, the Wolverines had found their footing, and it was clear that Moore had been the guiding force in this renaissance.
The Ohio State Showdown: A Road Victory for the Ages
Just a week later, Michigan would face its most daunting challenge of the season: a road trip to Ohio State. This wasn’t just any ordinary rivalry game; this was a battle between one team searching to clinch its place in the College Football Playoff as a top seed, and a team looking to save its subpar season, with the added weight of decades of history and animosity between the two programs.
The No. 2 Buckeyes, a juggernaut under head coach Ryan Day, were clearly the better team heading into the game. But Michigan had one thing the Buckeyes didn’t: Sherrone Moore’s calm, unwavering leadership under pressure and the know-how to beat Day and the Buckeyes, having done it just a year ago when Moore was filling in as head coach for a suspended Jim Harbaugh.
The game had all the makings of an instant classic. But it was Moore’s Michigan squad that rose to the occasion, delivering a 13-10 victory in a nail-biting defensive showdown. It wasn’t a flashy win. There were no 50-point blowouts or highlight-reel touchdowns. Instead, Michigan showcased its grit, determination, and mental toughness—qualities that have defined Moore’s November 2024.
In a rivalry game this big, you cannot count out your opponent as the adrenaline is higher and as Michigan Head Coach Sherrone Moore mentioned, it’s one of the biggest rivalries in the country. He added, “It’s something you think about 365. It’s in my office. I walk in and the first thing I see is Ohio State. What are you doing to beat Ohio State today?” he said.
The Wolverines’ defense, which had been excellent all season, turned in an all-time performance in this one. They stifled Ohio State’s high-powered offense, forcing the Buckeyes to settle for field goal attempts on multiple occasions. The star of the game was Michigan’s defensive line, which consistently pressured Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, forcing him into errant throws and hurried decisions.
On offense, Michigan resorted to its old school “three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust” philosophy, pounding the rock with Kalel Mullings 32 times as he racked up 116 rushing yards. But it was Michigan’s ability to execute in critical moments that truly set the tone. In the final minutes of the game, with the Buckeyes threatening to drive for a game-winning score, Michigan’s defense held firm, forcing incompletion after incompletion.
In the end, it was Michigan’s clutch kicker, Dominic Zvada, who would get the go-ahead and game winning field goal from 21 yards out leaving Ohio State with just 48 seconds left in the game. Once again, it was the Wolverines’ defense that would be called upon to step up and it was a call they answered forcing the Buckeyes to turn the ball over on downs. Michigan took over with 28 seconds left and they kneeled to run out the clock, giving the Wolverines the narrow victory in “The Game.”
The celebration of the win by the Wolverines was interrupted several times after the game as the emotions were flowing on both sides and Buckeye players took offense to Michigan’s fourth straight win against them. To add insult to injury, several Wolverines planted the Block M flag at center field to commemorate their second straight win at Ohio Stadium, causing many Ohio State players to charge and confront Michigan. The result was several incidents, one that led to an onset of Ohio police coming in to diffuse the altercations with pepper spray being dispersed and several players on both sides being affected.
Coach Moore’s comment on the incident after the game was that “rivalry games get heated and we had the flag and they (Ohio State) charged us. There were emotions on both sides and that can’t happen.”
The loss to Michigan kept Ohio State out of the Big Ten Championship game another year and will certainly have impacts on the College Football Playoff with their second loss of the season. The Buckeyes will likely still make the playoffs, but their seeding will be much lower. Michigan earned their bowl berth with the win the previous week against Northwestern and will wait to see which bowl game they will play in.
For Moore, this victory was monumental. It wasn’t just about the win itself, but the way he managed the pressure and led his team on the road against a hated rival as a 20-point underdog. He had taken control of the program, guiding Michigan to its fourth straight win over the Buckeyes.
Recruiting Coup: Flipping Bryce Underwood
If his team’s success on the field wasn’t enough, Moore’s impact in the recruiting world in November sealed the deal on his month. Moore and his staff pulled off one of the most shocking moves in recent college football recruiting history by flipping Bryce Underwood, the nation’s top quarterback prospect, from a committed future at LSU to a pledge to Michigan.
Underwood, a Belleville (Michigan) High School star, had been a highly sought-after recruit, with LSU positioned as the front-runner for much of his recruitment. His commitment to LSU had been one of the most closely watched stories of the 2025 recruiting cycle, and it seemed like a done deal for the No. 1 high school player in the country. But Moore and Michigan’s recruiting staff – along with the help of a wealthy alumni base – worked relentlessly behind the scenes to sway Underwood. It wasn’t just about football; it was about culture, leadership, and the future of the program. Underwood saw in Moore a coach who not only had Michigan’s football team on the verge of greatness, but a coach who could develop him into the next great quarterback in college football. Coach Moore was able to offer Underwood an NIL deal that will likely net the new recruit about $10-$12 million over his Michigan career, blowing LSU’s $1.5 million NIL agreement out of the water.
The decision to flip Underwood was seismic, sending shockwaves through the recruiting world. It also represented a new era for Michigan football—one in which Moore had proven that he could not only lead the team on the field, but also attract and develop the best talent in the country. Underwood’s commitment made Michigan an even more formidable force in college football, positioning the Wolverines for sustained success in the years to come.
The Month That Defined a Coach
For Sherrone Moore, November 2024 will be remembered as a defining month in his legacy. He revived the team after all hope was lost early into the season following a National Championship by beating Ohio State and flipping the nation’s top recruit, proving that he was more than just a temporary caretaker of the program after Jim Harbaugh’s departure.
He has shown that he can win big games, recruit the best talent, and potentially build a championship-caliber team – one where the knock this year was that the team simply needed a quarterback. They’ll have that quarterback next season in Underwood, and Moore will truly have the opportunity to shine.
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