ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — J.J. McCarthy was sharp in his first start, throwing for three touchdowns to help No. 4 Michigan overwhelm Hawaii 56-10 on Saturday night.
McCarthy had his turn to take the first snap after Big Ten championship-winning quarterback Cade McNamara had a lackluster performance in the season-opening win over Colorado State as the starter.
The sophomore made the most of his opportunity against the Rainbow Warriors, throwing a 42-yard touchdown pass to Roman Wilson on his second snap and 13-yard pass to Ronnie Bell early in the second quarter to give the Wolverines (2-0) a four-touchdown lead.
McNamara entered the game with 6:22 left in the first half and took a sack to end his first possession.
McCarthy went back in and threw for his third score, dropping back and stepping up in the pocket before connecting with Cornelius Johnson for a 17-yard touchdown late in the first half to give Michigan a 42-0 lead.
The former five-star recruit finished 11 of 12 for 229 yards without a turnover, a performance that likely helps him start next week against Connecticut.
McNamara started the second half and finished 4 of 6 for 26 yards with an interception.
The Rainbow Warriors (0-3) were scoreless until late in the third quarter when Matthew Shipley made a 26-yard field goal, taking advantage of favorable field position following their second sack of McNamara.
With Michigan backups getting a chance to play, freshman Tylan Hines ran for a 54-yard score to make it 49-10.
HONOLULU GUY
Wilson, who hails from Honolulu, caught a touchdown pass on McCarthy’s first throw and ran for a 21-yard score after the quarterback casually flipped it to him on an end-around.
THE TAKEAWAY
Hawaii: First-year coach Timmy Chang, a former star quarterback at the school, is facing quite a challenge. The Rainbow Warriors opened the season with two home games and lost 63-10 to Vanderbilt and 49-17 to Western Kentucky. Chang is following Todd Graham, who resigned as coach in January after former players and some parents criticized his management style and relationships with players.
Michigan: Before the season began, coach Jim Harbaugh said he would decide on his Week 3 starter after both McCarthy and McNamara had a shot to start a game. It seems clear that McCarthy’s talent as a passer and runner gives him an edge in the competition. McNamara accomplished a lot last year, but he has struggled this season and seems to be out of a job.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
The Wolverines will likely remain ranked No. 4 because the teams ahead of them in the AP Top 25 also won their games.
UP NEXT
Hawaii: Hosts Duquesne, a second-tier college football program that beat NAIA-level Thomas More after opening with two losses.
Michigan: Hosts Jim Mora-led Connecticut (1-2) in the third of four straight home games to open season.
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Follow Larry Lage at https://twitter.com/larrylage.
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