Live updates: Michigan football team runs away from Colorado State

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — For one team, it's the biggest opening game possible. For the other, it's a way to ease into the season.

That's the on-paper look, at least, as the Michigan football team hosts Colorado State on Saturday in the first game of the 2022 college football season for each squad.

Michigan (ranked in the top 10 in each poll) is looking to win the Big Ten and return to the College Football Playoff, and the Wolverines are in some ways treating this as a pseudo-exhibition with a QB rotation and all.

Colorado State is picked as a middle-of-the-pack Mountain West squad and aiming to start a resurgence under new coach Jay Norvell. A network national TV broadcast is rare for the Rams and a full Big House will be the largest crowd CSU has ever faced.

Coloradoan reporter Kevin Lytle is on the ground in Ann Arbor and will have live updates through the day Saturday.

FINAL: Michigan 51, Colorado State 7

The Wolverines controlled the game from the jump, and CSU couldn't protect quarterback Clay Millen well enough to stay in the game. The Rams allowed 234 rushing yards and three different Michigan QBs led scoring drives. Millen finished 16-of-20 for 137 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Tory Horton caught CSU's lone score on a 34-yard pass from Millen.

3 takeaways:Colorado State football team can’t hang with top-10 Michigan

Photos from the Big House

There are few grander places in college football than the Big House. This was CSU's first trip to Michigan. Here's what it looked like in Ann Arbor.

CSU gets on the board!

After 3.5 quarters, Colorado State finally has its first touchdown of the Jay Norvell era. Clay Millen hit Tory Horton on a nice 34-yard touchdown pass to cap a 9-play, 75-yard scoring march. It's Michigan 44, CSU 7 with about 9 minutes left.

Lytle:The real Fort Air Raid starts next week

Official attendance for Michigan football vs. Colorado State

It's no big surprise but the Big House lived up to its name on Saturday with the official attendance listed at 109,575 for Michigan's season opener vs. CSU. That's almost 2,000 fans above the official listed capacity of 107,601, though still shy of the attendance record of 115,109. It is by far the most people a Colorado State team has ever played in front of.

Michigan tacks on another TD

Michigan put J.J. McCarthy into the game at quarterback after a Rams' drive fizzled out with another 4th-down sack. And he immediately led the Wolverines on an 8-play scoring drive, capped by Donovan Edwards' 1-yard scoring run. McCarthy was 3-for-3 for 15 yards and had two rushes for 30 yards on the drive. 44-0 Michigan now.

End third quarter

Michigan leads 37-0 and has the ball at the Colorado State 20 to start the fourth quarter.

J.J. McCarthy adds a score

This game has officially gotten out of hand as Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy scores on a 20-yard run to make it 37-0 Michigan with 6:08 to go in the third quarter.

McCarthy is battling Cade McNamara for the starting job.

Michigan scores on defense

The second half got off to an odd start. CSU had one first down then decided to go for it three plays later on 4th down. Michigan ran the defense off, expecting a punt, then back on. The refs held the snap for the substitution, which frustrated CSU coaches.

On the fourth-down play Clay Millen was sacked, fumbled and Michigan's DJ Turner returned the fumble 45 yards for a touchdown. Michigan is now up 30-0 early in the second half.

Halftime: Michigan 23, Colorado State 0

Michigan's speed and strength dominated the half, especially defensively as the Colorado State offense could not get going.

Halftime stats:

• Yards: 240 to 76 for Michigan

• Plays: 38 to 29 for Michigan

CSU goes for it, but leads to Michigan score

CSU drove the ball past midfield late in the half, but elected to go for it on a 4th and long and failed when Clay Millen was sacked.

That set up a short field for Michigan and Moody hit his third field goal (this from 34 yards) as the Rams held in the red zone for the third time.

That kick put Michigan up 23-0 at halftime.

Michigan adds another touchdown

A 7-yard run from Blake Corum puts Michigan up 20-0 on Colorado State with 5:25 until half.

The score capped a seven-play, 48-yard drive. The CSU defense has mostly held up well but is likely beginning to wear down. Michigan has run 33 plays compared to 19 for CSU and time of possession is 15:55 to 8:40.

Big sack Kamara

Mohamed Kamara is one of the key players for Colorado State this season. He had 7.5 sacks last season and is counted on to be in the backfield next season. He grabbed his first sack with a super speed rush in the second quarter to sack McNamara and force a punt.

If he moves like that in the Mountain West he'll have a big season.

Michigan adds field goal

The Colorado State defense again had a red zone hold, forcing a 26-yard Moody field goal early in the second quarter. It was a long drive, going 71 yards in 6:48 but the Rams have twice held Michigan to field goals in the red zone.

Michigan lead is 13-0 with 14:48 left in the half.

End first quarter

Michigan leads CSU 10-0 after the first quarter. The Wolverines have the ball at the CSU 8 to start the second quarter and face a third-and-goal.

Yardage right now is 155 for Michigan and 52 for CSU.

Robert Griffin III on Norvell to CSU

"It's a wild experience, honestly," ESPN analyst and former Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III said on the ABC broadcast of the game talking about Jay Norvell leaving Nevada for CSU and a number of players coming with him.

RGIII also praised Norvell for his calming of Millen after the INT and talked about how he's a coach players want to play for.

"Wondering why he'd move in-conference after blowing that same team out? Well, this is why," the ABC broadcast said before showing a package of highlights of CSU's facilities and Fort Collins, Colorado. "They've got everything you need to compete there."

Michigan adds field goal

CSU almost had a perfect defensive response to the Millen interception when Jack Howell appeared to pick off a McNamara pass. It was ruled incomplete upon review, though.

That allowed Michigan to kick a field goal and go up 10-0 with 8:06 left in the first quarter.

Michigan interception

Clay Millen was picked off by Rod Moore on CSU's second drive. Moore returned it to CSU's 13. Millen tried to step up in the pocket to evade pressure but then threw it into the hands of the safety.

It's Millen's first career college start. Fun fact: He only threw one interception in high school.

Touchdown, Michigan

Quick-strike ability. Michigan goes 80 yards in two plays with Roman Wilson taking a quick swing pass from Cade McNamara and racing for a 61-yard touchdown.

The Rams were well-blocked downfield and couldn't cut off Wilson as he ran to the end zone. It's 7-0 Michigan with 9:49 left in the first quarter.

Teams trade punts

Considering the circumstances, not a bad start for Colorado State. Rams kicked and forced a Michigan three-and-out with two poor throws from Cade McNamara. The Rams then earned two first downs before punting and putting Michigan inside its own 20.

Football nation, let's ride!

The 2022 college football season is here for Colorado State. The Rams won the toss and deferred, so CSU will kick to Michigan to open the season.

Colorado State defensive lineman Devin Phillips out

Colorado State football senior defensive lineman Devin Phillips won’t play Saturday. He’s out due to a violation of team rules, according to a team spokesperson.

It’s a big loss for the Rams as Phillips is one of the key cogs of the defensive line, typically holding down the interior of the line. This is his fifth season as a Ram and he has 89 career tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.

A couple Michigan injuries

Michigan starting left tackle Ryan Hayes and inside linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green are both out due to injuries, according to Michael Cohen of the Detroit Free Press.

All-white jerseys for Colorado State

The Rams are wearing white pants, white shorts and the traditional green and gold helmet.

Michigan is in the yellow (er, maize) pants, navy tops and traditional helmet.

Big tailgate outside the Big House

The tailgate scene outside the Big House is, expectedly, huge. Despite a noon local time kick, the tailgates were out in full force hours before the game. There are tons of Rams around, too, with more than 1,000 CSU fans expected in one of the largest away followings ever for CSU.

Michigan even uses a golf course just south of the stadium as a big scene for tailgates.

Colorado State football arrives at Big House

At just before 10 a.m. local time, the CSU football team buses rolled up the the Big House. They were greeted mildly, a few scattered boos and some "Go Rams" shouts from families and fans of the green and gold.

Who are the quarterbacks for Michigan and Colorado State?

Colorado State: For the Rams, it was never a debate who would start at quarterback against Michigan. Redshirt freshman Clay Millen is the man chosen to start the Fort Air Raid revolution.

Millen's journey:Clay Millen hasn't started a game since 2020. Now he leads the Rams at the Big House

Michigan: The Wolverines have a much more interesting decision. Cade McNamara led Michigan to the College Football Playoff last season but had a battle in camp with sophomore J.J. McCarthy. Jim Harbaugh went the unusual route. McNamara will start against CSU and McCarthy will get the start next week against Hawaii. Both could play against the Rams.

Inside Michigan's QB battle:Read more on the competition from our friends at the Detroit Free Press

Get to know the Colorado State football team

At least a dozen starters on the CSU football team are new to the program this season. There are more than 50 new Rams on the roster overall.

It's a whole new look at Colorado State as the program transitions from the old-school Steve Addazio methods to Jay Norvell and the Air Raid.

There's a lot to learn about this Rams team.

Guide to CSU:Everything you need to know about new look Colorado State football

How to watch Michigan football vs. Colorado State

Saturday's game (10 a.m. MT, noon ET) will be broadcast on ABC.

Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on Twitter and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Live updates: Michigan football hosts Colorado State in 2022 opener