The findings of the Oregon Ducks smoking Michigan football hand the Wolverines their fourth loss

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The top-ranked Oregon Ducks came to Ann Arbor and did exactly what most people expected. Michigan had neither the talent nor the training to keep up with the explosive Ducks. Behind Dillon Gabriel, Oregon was able to move up and down the field offensively throughout the game, fending off Michigan's injury-plagued defense. Although Michigan played hard in the second half, it didn't have enough firepower to keep up and overcome a 28-10 halftime deficit.

After a 38-17 loss, Michigan is 5-4 this season. Here are some takeaways from the game.

It was a valiant performance from the Wolverines after they trailed 28-10 going into halftime. Michigan was a team that fell short in the second half, but it couldn't do that against the No. 1 Oregon Ducks. Instead, the Wolverines struggled,

But offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell outwitted himself several times that day. Twice when Michigan entered the red zone, he brought Alex Orji on in place of Davis Warren – who led the team down the field.

The worst came midway through the fourth quarter when Michigan trailed by 14 points and needed two points. Not only did the Wolverines get into the red zone, but Michigan also had a chance to really make a play if it scored a touchdown.

Instead, on third-and-7, Michigan ran the ball up the middle with Kalel Mullings for two yards. Then on the fourth and fifth, Campbell inexplicably brought Orji into the game and attempted a wide receiver reverse pass from Semaj Morgan that failed incomplete.

Even though Michigan isn't on the same level as Oregon or any other top team right now, the coaching staff hasn't done this team any favors after beating the competition.

This could be defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, but something needs to change before next season. The Wolverines' defense has become ridiculous when facing an elite defense. Michigan under Mike Macdonald and Jesse Minter may have bowed a few times, but it has very rarely broken.

Michigan's defense breaks down a lot, and it showed once again on Saturday. Of course, having two starting cornerbacks doesn't help, but Michigan's players are still out of position and struggling with the fundamentals. It really comes down to coaching at this level, and when you're at Michigan, fans expect a lot more – especially after winning a national title.

Despite being benched for 2.5 games at the start of the year, Davis Warren has once again become the Wolverines' starting quarterback – he's the best option. That may not be earth-shattering news, but it's clear he gives Michigan the best chance to win games. He's familiar with the football but isn't afraid to stretch the field when his playmakers allow him to.

He threw several balls over defenders against the Ducks on Saturday. Warren made about three great throws for Loveland in traffic, one to Tyler Morris for a touchdown and one to Peyton O'Leary for a score.

Since Michigan didn't have a run game against Oregon, Warren did his best to keep the Wolverines in the game. He threw for 164 yards and two scores without turning the ball over in two straight games.

Last weekend against Michigan State, Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards combined for 48 yards. Alex Orji was the leading rusher against the Spartans with 64 yards.

Things didn't go any better against Oregon this weekend. Michigan's running game has been non-existent in the last two games and that's a big problem for a run-first team. The Wolverines finished the game with 105 total yards on the ground.

Edwards and Mullings combined for 68 yards. Mullings played little role in the game and Edwards got the starting nod. For a team that prides itself on running the football, Michigan needs to do a better job of keeping the offense going and keeping the high-powered offenses off the field.

This may sound idiotic, but I think it was a great time to have star players on the sidelines to watch this Michigan team. It's clear Michigan needs help, and that starts with Sherrone Moore's first recruiting class. Moore has Michigan on its toes with recruiting right now and the Wolverines can sell playing time along with better NIL packages.

It's never fun watching a team you have a strong interest in lose – or you're there for a recruiting visit – but the Wolverines can definitely turn it around for the better. Michigan needs help at every position and spectators can see that they can play very quickly for the Wolverines.

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