By David MorrisonThe Daily Northwestern

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – After losing to No. 2 Michigan, coach Pat Fitzgerald refused to offer any excuses for his offense’s play.

Not the atmosphere at the Big House, with an announced crowd of 109,114.

Not even the wind and rain.

“It’s easier on the offense than people imagine,” Fitzgerald said. “They know the snap count, and they know the routes. All the defensive players are thinking about is not slipping.”

But the Wolverines kept their footing and stood up to the Wildcats’ offense, holding it to a season-low 191 yards and forcing five turnovers in Saturday’s 17-3 win.

Northwestern (2-7, 0-5 Big Ten) used a variety of screens and swing passes in the first half to try to slow down Michigan’s fifth-ranked defense.

“We wanted to try to spread them out, make them run and tire them down a little bit,” Fitzgerald said. “And we wanted to run the football because we loosened it up with the pass. Obviously we didn’t accomplish the second goal today.”

NU ran the ball 17 times for -13 yards as Michigan’s front seven made itself at home in the Cats’ backfield.

A week after putting up 172 yards against Michigan State, sophomore running back Tyrell Sutton was hounded by the Wolverines all day. Sutton ran for just six yards on seven carries.

On the second play from scrimmage, Sutton took a pass from sophomore quarterback C.J. Bach