ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Following Michigan's 13-12 win over Western Michigan in Week 1, there were several talking heads and fans questioning if Kyle Whittingham was in over his head. He coached Utah for 21 seasons as the Utes' head coach, and while he had success there — Michigan is a different breed. Following the Wolverines' Hail Mary win over the Broncos, he assured everyone that Michigan would improve and things would get better. There was plenty of doubt surrounding the Wolverines entering Week 2 against Oklahoma. Not many people gave Michigan a chance to win the game, but Vegas' spread was eye-opening. After seeing the Sooners crush UTEP, Michigan was less than a TD underdog against Oklahoma. That's because the chances of the Wolverines playing the same way two weeks in a row under Whittingham were slim. Kyle Whittingham earns a statement winUSA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectSlim or not, Michigan walked away with a 17-10 win over the Sooners. Not only did Michigan's defense prove to be too stifling for the Sooners' offense, but as Whittingham has been saying, his QB improved. The staff saw something in Underwood during the spring and fall, and Whittingham wasn't going to back down last week, saying Underwood did improve and that was a fact. On Saturday, Jason Beck's playcalling might have been questionable at times, but he did well by Underwood. The second-year gunslinger needs to be able to use his legs to flourish and that's what they did. Underwood ran the ball 18 times for 87 yards and a score, leading Michigan on the ground. The Wolverines also won the turnover battle, something they failed to do last weekend. Against the Sooners, Michigan forced two turnovers, while not turning it over once. Whittingham said Michigan needed to play with more physicality and that's what it did — especially on defense. The Wolverines' defense made life difficult for John Mateer. Michigan wasn't going to allow him to beat the Wolverines on both the ground and through the air. Instead, Michigan made him try to win through the air, but mistakes were made, including a late INT by Jyaire Hill. Whittingham wasn't happy with last week, as he shouldn't have been — and he made sure his program wasn't going to have another nightmare performance. A statement win while needing to improve more thingsUSA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectA win over a big-time opponent is always good. A win over a top-15 program while having areas to improve on is even better. It showed that, despite Michigan's struggles in certain areas, the Wolverines weren't going to back down to the Sooners. Michigan's offensive line doesn't appear to be a finished product. The Wolverines have little to no rushing attack, aside from Bryce Underwood, and that needs to change in a hurry. Holes need to be opened and then Whittingham needs to see his backs attack. Whittingham is also used to disciplined programs. That has been a staple under the long-time head coach, but Michigan has been far from that in each of the last two games. Against WMU, Michigan committed nine penalties, and then against Oklahoma, the Wolverines committed 11. Those two areas need to be squared up right away and a Week 3 game against UTEP could help. Jason Beck needs to get his offense humming on the ground, and continue to get Underwood comfortable through the air. But despite a few more areas that need cleaned up, Michigan showed on Saturday that it can compete with anyone and Whittingham knows a thing or two of how to get his team ready to play. Sign up for the Michigan Wolverines on SI newsletter for more free coverageAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow