Michigan football came off its bye week and laid an egg Saturday against Illinois in a top-25 Big Ten battle, losing 21-7 in a game that never felt close in the second half.

The No. 22 Wolverines lost two first-half fumbles, and allowed three scoring drives on defense, before finally showing life offensively late in the second quarter at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois.

Michigan 25-year-old quarterback Jack Tuttle, making his first start for the Wolverines, had a rough showing early with inaccurate passes, and had the ball punched out on a run early in the second quarter.

On the next possession, Donovan Edwards lost a fumble. Seven plays later, the No. 21 Illini had covered 51 yards for the game's first touchdown and a 13-0 lead. Illinois led 13-7 at the half after blocking a field goal to end the half.

CBS' halftime analysts ripped into the Wolverines' performance. And that was before U-M went three-and-out to start the second half and the Illini went right down for a touchdown and 2-point score for a 21-7 advantage.

"This is the best that you have coming out of a bye week, defensively and offensively?" CBS' Aaron Taylor, the former Notre Dame standout and six-year NFL veteran, said at the half. "What'd you do with that time?"

"I understand coming out of a bye it takes maybe a few series to get back up to speed, to real game," Brian Jones, who played at Texas and in the NFL, said. "But this is pathetic. And Jack Tuttle, way to get off to a good start ... in the wrong direction. This guy couldn't hit the side of a building, wide open tight end there. He's open again on the corner route, just hit him! Layer the ball over there, no touch on these passes. ... And right here, man he's running towards the light. Turns out it was a bus because he gave up the ball! Come on, you got to take care of the rock baby."

INSIDER: Michigan football might not win another game this season

Jones again pulled no punches on the Wolverines postgame.

"I know Michigan is playing with one arm behind their back because they have a quarterback who can't make the dang rudimentary throws. And he can't even throw it. That's embarrassing. That's an indictment of that coaching staff. You had two weeks to get ready for this football game, you're on your third quarterback and none of 'em know how to complete a forward pass. Are you kidding me?

"I would have put Davis Warren back in, least he can get out of harm's way, he's athletic. Put (Alex) Orji in there, he can get out of harm's way. Coach some zone read or something. Obviously, they don't know how to coach any other type of offense there."

Michigan is one of two teams, along with winless first-year Football Bowl Subdivision team Kennesaw State, to throw for below 1,000 yards and has double-digit turnovers this season, according to CBS.

THE GAME: Michigan football offense looks completely broken in 21-7 spanking by Illinois

Folks on X in the first half ripped into Michigan first-year coach Sherrone Moore, and criticized the quarterback situation, turning to a seventh-year player in Tuttle.

Michigan in the second quarter averted disaster when a holding penalty away from the play negated an Illinois interception returned inside Michigan's 10-yard line. The Wolverines' quarterback room continues to be a large reason for this subpar season.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football ripped by CBS experts, fans for 'pathetic' game