The Victors

The team was going through a lot after Moore's firing, though I think Poggi did a good job keeping things together for the bowl.

Texas was really motivated for the bowl. Bowl motivation is a weird thing. Some teams arrive motivated, others do not.

Michigan only had a couple key opt outs in Derrick Moore and Barham, though that didn't help the defense and resulted in putting more pressure on the offense esp with Hausmann also out.

But there were a lot of guys sitting out with injuries. Sprague and Link on the OL. Both running backs (Marshall and Haynes). Morgan at WR. Bredeson a key guy at FB and TE. We weren't running with the normal group, especially at RB, and combined with losing the blocking of Sprague and Bredeson was a tall ask. And we were in a situation where we had to score because of the defense being undermanned.

Finally, Lindsay left a couple days before the game and Casula was the OC.

So I am not sure Texas (or OSU) was a good comp. If you watch NW or Maryland right before, BU looked quite good (except for the later stages of the NW game prior to the last drive).