Angelique S. Chengelis

Wolverines believe anything's possible

Ann Arbor -- We interrupt your normally scheduled season to bring you Michigan and Delaware State.

OK, now that that's over with, did the Wolverines really gain anything by beating the one-win, overmatched Football Championship Subdivision team last Saturday at Michigan Stadium?

Look, this game should not have happened and should never happen again at Michigan. This game shouldn't have happened for Delaware State, either, although the payday will offer a significant boost to the athletic department fund.

But it did, and what we know is the Wolverines are 5-2 after the 63-6 thumping of the Hornets. Michigan gained 727 yards, rushed for 461, and now is ranked eighth nationally in rushing (235 yards per game) and ninth in scoring (37.29).

We also got to learn the names of guys like fifth-string quarterback Jack Kennedy, who diligently work the scout team preparing the starters and backups for game days.

So maybe there was a silver lining, but the feel-good story is over. And now it's back to business with No. 13 Penn State is coming to Ann Arbor on Saturday.

Back to the Big Ten

The Wolverines are 5-2, one win from bowl eligibility, and while they are 1-2 in the Big Ten with five games left, they feel very much in the running for a conference title.

"They know the challenge ahead," Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez said after the Delaware State game.

Seventh-ranked Iowa remains in the Big Ten driver's seat at 7-0, and Ohio State and Michigan State, Iowa's opponent Saturday in East Lansing, are just behind at 3-1. Michigan is in a group of four at 1-2.

But U-M remained unfazed by its two-game losing streak in Big Ten games, both coming on the road (MSU and Iowa), before the out-of-conference gimme against Delaware State.

It's difficult to say if the Delaware State game did anything for Michigan. Did it make it a better team? Who knows, but it did get playing time for guys who needed it this year and for guys who will be more important factors next season.

What it also might have done is given a struggling team a needed boost. There did not seem to be a false sense of security among the players after hammering the Hornets -- they won, they knew they should have won, so be it.

And after seeing then-No. 7 and arch rival Ohio State lose at Purdue last Saturday, U-M seems to believe anything is possible. Beat Penn State? Why not.

The Nittany Lions ended a nine-game losing streak in the series last season with a 46-17 win at Beaver Stadium, so there's always the payback factor.

Wait. This team doesn't talk about the past, so last year means nothing, right?

Title still the target

In the here and now, Michigan is thinking it could go unbeaten the second half, which started against Delaware State, and, who knows, win the Big Ten? Of its final five games, three are at home -- Penn State, Purdue and Ohio State -- and it plays at disappointing Illinois (1-5, 0-4) and at Wisconsin (5-2, 2-2).

After a 3-9 season last year, the Wolverines believe anything is possible.

"It's up for grabs, that's what I told them," senior defensive end Brandon Graham said. "The goal is 10-2. It could happen. We could still win this because there's a lot of games to be played and you never know, anything could happen.

"I told them never lose hope because the goal is still the Big Ten championship We finish out 10-2, who knows?

"We might tie for first, we might win."

Who knows?

angelique.chengelis@ detnews.com