In the midst of No. 2 Michigan’s rout of Nebraska, Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy appeared to already have his mind set on the post-game celebration as Saturday’s game concluded.
A 35–0 lead midway through the third quarter afforded McCarthy and Michigan’s starters an opportunity to watch the rest of the eventual 45–7 win from the bench. Shortly after exiting the game, however, Fox cameras spotted McCarthy on the sidelines looking enamored not by the huge deficit but by his girlfriend and high school sweetheart, Katya.
Yes, you read that correctly: the Wolverines, in front of a hostile crowd on the road, were up so comfortably against the Cornhuskers that McCarthy felt comfortable enough to engage in a little PDA with a whole quarter to play. Take a look:
Things are so out of hand in Lincoln that JJ McCarthy brought his girlfriend down to the sideline. 😂 pic.twitter.com/NxiT9HibxN
— Jim Weber (@JimMWeber) September 30, 2023
On a day where everything came up in favor of Michigan (5–0), McCarthy, amid another steady effort, seemed to have all the extra motivation he needed en route to finishing 12-of-16 for 156 yards and two touchdowns with two carries for 30 yards and another TD.
Still, as wholesome as the interaction was, there’s certainly something that can be said about the opponent when a player has time to share a moment with one of his biggest fans mid-game, even if a comeback may have been all but impossible.
