Assigning positional grades for Michigan's 38-17 loss to Oregon

The Michigan Wolverines couldn't beat the beast, falling to the No. 1-ranked Oregon Ducks at home on Saturday. After defeating the Michigan State Spartans a week ago, Michigan fought hard but ultimately fell short against the top team in college football.

Let's take a look at this week's position grades.

Quarterbacks: C+

Davis Warren appears to be the starter for the Wolverines. While he didn't hurt Michigan's chances of winning, he also didn't do enough to put the Wolverines in a position to win. He was 13 of 23 for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Warren's two touchdowns came in tight windows, but Oregon's defensive pressure and outstanding secondary play made things difficult for the former walk-on.

Alex Orji carried the ball six times for 39 yards, including a 26-yard carry late in the fourth quarter. However, the playmaking was predictable with Orji in the game and the Oregon defense was able to stop five of Orji's six runs.

Running Backs: C-

After dominating on the ground in the first six weeks, Michigan's rushing attack has been held in check over the last three games. Kalel Mullings did nothing on the ground, averaging two yards per carry on just eight attempts, while Donovan Edwards had 10 carries for 52 yards. When you're down 18 points at halftime, the running game can quickly disappear, and in the second half we saw mostly Orji keepers producing every running play.

Wide Receiver: B-

We see the wide receiver room improving every week, even if the opportunities they receive are limited. They only managed five receptions to Warren's 13 completions, but they all seemed to be in big moments. Tyler Morris caught a ball across his body for his touchdown and Peyton O'Leary caught his first touchdown of the season.

Tight Ends: A

Colston Loveland led the team with 67 receiving yards against Michigan State, and he somehow upped his game against the Ducks, rushing for 112 yards on seven catches. With nine targets, Loveland was Warren's go-to score on virtually every pass, and we even saw him run into the backfield and run an end-around. He is the only constant bright spot on the team.

Offensive line: C

Michigan fielded the same starting offensive line it ended with against Michigan State, and there was a mix of ups and downs. The line didn't allow a sack for the second straight game and allowed three quarterback hits against one of the best defenses in the country. However, they failed to open up holes in the running game and the Wolverines only totaled 105 rushing yards. The scripts were also inconsistent, and Michigan consistently fell behind the posts on second down. There are only three games left in the regular season and there is still plenty of improvement to be made on offense.

Defensive line: C

Michigan's defensive line hasn't played poorly, but the group is expected to be the best unit on defense. The line didn't generate any sacks (or much pressure at all) on Dillon Gabriel, collecting just two tackles for a loss and five quarterback hits. The line also gave up 117 rushing yards to running back Jordan James.

Linebacker: B

Just like last week, giving up big runs to multiple defenders (and even quarterbacks) falls to the first two levels of defense. A lot was asked of the linebackers with a limited secondary, and we saw Ernest Hausmann and Jaishawn Barham both having to play slot corner and follow wide receivers down the field. Oregon tight end Terrance Ferguson sneaked past the entire linebacker corps on a 20-yard under-route pass that set up the Ducks' first touchdown, and James reached third level with a 22-yard handoff. The tackling was fine, but the linebackers had a tough time overall.

Defensive Backs: D

Will Johnson was ruled out again, but surprisingly so was Jyaire Hill. Aamir Hall, Zeke Berry and Joziah Edmond saw more snaps Saturday, with safety Makari Paige playing more nickel. Backup safety Mason Curtis also got starting relief. It was a domino effect that helped Gabriel throw for 294 yards and a touchdown. It was a difficult performance without Michigan's top two cornerbacks on Saturday.

Special teams: B+

In addition to the tight ends, the special operations unit had a very solid day. Kicker Dominic Zvada converted his only field goal, punter Tommy Doman averaged 45 yards per punt, including two inside the 20, and special teams ace Joe Taylor forced a crucial fumble on a punt early in the game that resulted in a touchdown Michigan led. The only thing that marred the group's performance was a costly illegal formation while defending a punt, which led to a longer drive for the Ducks.