Michigan Wolverines running back Justice Haynes made a statement in his first matchup against rival Michigan State, going for a game-high 152 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries in a dominant 31-20 win on Saturday night.
It was a historic performance as Michigan racked up 276 total rushing yards — the most against Michigan State since 1994. The Wolverines were undoubtedly the more physical team, recording four rushing touchdowns and 5.8 yards per carry.
Michigan held a 10-7 lead at halftime before Haynes took over, rushing for 89 yards and two touchdowns in the third quarter. That was highlighted by back-to-back 20-yard runs to start the third quarter to set up a touchdown and extend the lead to double digits.
“Coming out of halftime, we had to just get going,” Haynes told the media after the game. “We had to put up points and set the tone. In my mind personally, I was thinking I had to take this game over. We marched down the field and got a touchdown.”
Haynes surpassed the 100- yard mark for the sixth time in seven games this year, with the only exception being when he got hurt at USC. Additionally, it was Haynes’ third multi-touchdown game this season.
“I love this coaching staff. The trust and belief that they have in me is special. I take a lot of pride in that,” Haynes said. “I’m so thankful to be here and to be in such a great situation. I’m happy to be back out there. It’s really just a blessing.”
Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore reacted to having Haynes back on the field after missing the last game.
“It was great to have him back,” Moore said. “He’s an explosive player and one of the best running backs in the country. It was awesome. He ran so hard and so physically. He continues to play at a high level and it was huge to have him back.”
Haynes has certainly proven exactly what his head coach said — that he’s one of the nation’s premier running backs. Now that he’s back from injury, he should continue to build on his great season with four games left.
“I was very eager to get back out there. It always sucks to be hurt but I can only control the controllables,” Haynes said. “It’s unfortunate that it happened. It’s not about how many punches you take, but it’s about how many you throw back.”
In addition to Haynes leaving his mark on the intense rivalry, Jordan Marshall put the finishing touches on the victory. Marshall sprinted past the defense and into the end zone for a 56-yard touchdown to push Michigan’s lead to 31-13.
“Having Jordan back there is pretty good, too,” Moore said. “We have a really good running back tandem that plays physically and wears you down. Those guys played in sync today and to watch that run game was really exciting.”
The Wolverines simply weren’t going to be stopped in the running game — as Haynes reminded the country he’s seemingly unstoppable when healthy — and that’s certainly a recipe for success with the calendar turning to November.
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