Western Michigan Head Coach Bill Cubit

On the game ... "We had to start fast. We didn't get it done. We had some throws early where we were just trying to [get first downs]. We didn't want to put [quarterback] Tim Hiller under a lot of pressure back there and holding the ball too long. On the first series on defense we had [Tate Forcier] dead to right and we missed the tackle and it turns into a scramble drill, which is something we've done before but it happened. On the second touchdown, [Denard Robinson] fumbles the ball, picks it up, and makes a very athletic move. We have to look over and tip your hat to him, he did a great job. I think with the speed of the game, it's just different. You go into [Michigan Stadium] and there are 110,000 people there. There's a lot going on. We were ready to play but the speed of the game was a little bit different. You tell these kids that, but until you see it it's hard.

"In the second half, I think we came out there and we played better. What I was looking for was just how our kids would react. That was the biggest thing for me - whether they were going to point fingers or give up, and they didn't do that. They worked hard; [the defense] got some three and outs. We moved the ball and turnovers just killed us. There were three more times we were down there and we turned the ball over. That's not like Tim Hiller. He'll get better. He's a guy that hasn't played since Texas. He didn't go through spring ball and in the summer we had to take it easy on him because of his knee - he's seven months post-operative. We had to give him some days off during the summer and during camp we didn't want to mess that thing up. We're going to be fine. There were some good things. This is really the week to like coaching - after the first game -- because now is when you can try to correct the mistakes and see where they're at and move on."

On keeping perspective with 11 games still remaining... "It's one game. We didn't play well. Why didn't we play well - were we that over matched -- I don't think so. I just think there was some inexperience there and we let the game get out of hand early, which is what has happened to us in the past [early in previous seasons] against Nebraska and West Virginia. But those are good teams. And then here, [Michigan] was juiced up. They have a nice home crowd and they want to prove themselves after last year's season. They played together and that's what good teams do."