Click here for more photos from Michigan's 63-6 win over Delaware State.

If the Michigan Stadium crowd wanted a glimpse into the future on Saturday, they found it in the form of true freshman Vincent Smith, redshirt freshman Michael Cox and sophomore Michael Shaw.

With seniors Carlos Brown and Brandon Minor out because of injury, Shaw, Smith and Cox provided Michigan's rushing ammunition in its 63-6 rout over Delaware State.

Smith led the Wolverines with 166 yards on 17 carries. Cox finished with two scores and 82 yards, and Shaw contributed a touchdown and 73 yards on the ground.

The trio of typical second-and-third stringers and other Wolverine backups looked like veterans against the Hornets’ slow and seemingly starstruck defense. Michigan (1-2 Big Ten, 5-2 overall) ended the first half with a 49-3 lead and set school records for first-half points and first-half total yards (442).

“Everybody but the freshmen we are planning to redshirt got a chance to go in there,” Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez said.

Shaw completed a two-yard touchdown run on Michigan’s first drive and Smith made his first career score on the subsequent drive, practically walking into the end zone ahead of the Hornets (1-2 MEAC, 1-4).

Freshman quarterback Tate Forcier started the game and completed two passes, but was limited because of a concussion suffered last week against Iowa. In Forcier’s place, fellow freshman Denard Robinson stepped in fluidly. Robinson finished 3-of-4 passing and ran for a touchdown.

Much of this season, Robinson has been typecast as a running back with a quarterback title. But midway through the first quarter, Robinson found a wide-open Kelvin Grady near the goal line. Robinson hit Grady for the score, marking it the first career touchdown pass for Robinson and the first touchdown for Grady. Robinson also connected with tight end Martell Webb in the second quarter, which gave the freshman two touchdown passes.

Redshirt junior Nick Sheridan relieved Robinson before the half, finishing 7-of-9 for 88 yards.

As Smith, Shaw, Cox and Robinson gave fans a look into the future, some old names had career days of their own.

Fifth-year senior fullback Kevin Grady carried eight times for 73 yards. Grady has had a quiet role much of this season, providing key blocks for tailbacks like Minor and Brown, but Saturday, he used that prowess to break the Hornets’ tackles. Grady had a score of his own, plowing through Delaware State for a seven-yard touchdown run.

Among the flurry of first-half touchdowns, few were more exciting than Brandon Graham’s. After Brandon Smith blocked the Hornets’ punt, Graham found the ball sitting on the ground and raced into the end zone with the ball held high in his right hand for the score.

One of the Wolverines’ best defenders the last three games, Graham tallied two sacks against the Hornets. His career sack total now stands at 24 and he needs just one more to reach second place on the all-time sacks list.

Overall, five Wolverines had their first career touchdown score against the Hornets — Smith, Graham, Cox, Kelvin Grady and Webb.

“These guys work so hard,” Rodriguez said. “They had a chance to get on the field for just one play. It’s something they will think about and remember forever.”

With fall break underway and no classes Monday and Tuesday, the student section was about 60 percent full at kickoff and slowly filled out throughout the afternoon. But with an overall attendance of 106,304, plenty were around to see the start to what fifth-year senior center David Moosman referred to as Michigan’s “second season.”

Penn State travels to Ann Arbor next week, and after Big Ten juggernaut Ohio State fell today at Purdue, the conference is shaping up in an interesting and unconventional way. Despite their two conference losses, the Wolverines could find themselves in the middle of a conference race.

“It’s wide open,” Rodriguez said of the Big Ten play. “Obviously, we stubbed our toe twice. We’re behind it so we got to try and catch up. All we’re going to do is try and get better, not just weekly but every day. If we do that, we will be okay.”