2012 Michigan 38 Northwestern 31 (OT) Game Photos
M-FOOTBALL 2012: MINNESOTA’S GOPHERS GO FER IT, BUT FALL WAY SHORT AS RESERVE QUARTERBACK DEVIN GARDNER EXCELS IN FIRST START: MICHIGAN 35; MINNESOTA 13.
INJURIES SIDELINE ROBINSON, BUT THE LITTLE BROWN JUG IS ON ITS WAY HOME BECAUSE OF THE WOLVERINE’S DEFENSE, AND DEVIN GARDNER AND FRIENDS.
The Michigan Wolverines football team traveled to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis St. Paul, to meet the Minnesota Gophers in their still new TCF Bank stadium on Saturday. The Wolverines were looking to improve their suddenly uncomfortably uncertain football prospects, and in so doing had to kill Gopher Coach Jerry Kill and Company’s dreams of improving their own bowl prospects with a signature win.
The Gophers must have yearned for the football respectability that a win over the University of Michigan would afford them. They were coming off their most solid win of the season, having destroyed Purdue 44-23 last Saturday. This improved their expectations and gave some probability, but not certainty, to obtaining the object of their quest. Sitting at 5 wins, and 3 Big Ten losses, they critically needed another win to go bowling.
Understandably, they wanted to lay their Gopher paws on our Little Brown Jug again. One of the most venerable and venerated “trophies” in the history of college football, it has dwelt most of its time in Ann Arbor, at home in the home of the Wolverines, and it is difficult to categorize any season that ends with its absence as a success.
Even though M leads the series 71-24-1, the Gophers have had their moments. Rickey Foggy laid a memorable loss on the number two ranked Wolverines in 1986, and for those of us in attendance, that was bitter. And there was that miserable playing surface at the Metro dome, where the fleet and shifty Tony Boles ran up the sideline for a nice gain, but twisted a knee, and lost his playing career, due it was said, to a miserable Metro dome rug. Among those 24 prior Wolverine losses there were some stunners.
The Wolverines set out, as they always do, to provide the Jug with a round trip ticket. But there were obstacles in the way, not the least of which were some aspects of the Wolverine’s team itself.
PREGAME KEYS:
When Denard Robinson fell on his elbow in the second quarter of last Saturday’s Nebraska loss, it illustrated like nothing else could how dependent the Wolverines offensive productivity is on his many athletic skills. Some had suspected that M’s offense was a one act pony, and the Nebraska game seemed to prove the point. This injury changed the course of Michigan’s offense, just as it made Nebraska change its very conservative, contain Robinson at all costs, defense. They went to a hell for leather blitzing scheme which took its toll on Denard’s replacement, Freshman Russell Bellomy.
Russell suffered the growing pains of inexperience, the slings and arrows of some fans, and too little help from his friends as catchable passes were dropped, blitzers were coming free, and nearly everything else that besets QBs in ineffective debuts, beset Russell. It was as intense a baptism and learning situation as it was dismal. Russell was 3 of 16 for 38-yards and three interceptions.
- Could Denard shake off his injured elbow, start and play at his usual high level of performance shaking off the injury? Actuality: No, the injury has persisted. Good luck trying to find out if Denard will be ready for next week until game time.
- If Denard was not available, would Devin Gardner or Russell Bellomy replace him? Prior to Nebraska, Coach Hoke said in a presser that Russell was the back up, and that he was taking most of the snaps. Now the scenario had changed a little and they were saying that Devin Gardner would get more snaps at QB, and that there was competition at the position. Actuality: Devin Gardner started and after a dismal first quarter, got going. The ice breaker was a third and seventeen pass play in which he rolled to his right, circled back left, and heaved a perfect pass to Drew Dileo waiting by himself in the end zone. Devin held the ball for nine seconds before the toss. That play set the Michigan offensive wheels in motion. Devin’s career day included 12 completions, 2 TDs, and one interception. He hit 67% of his passes, hitting 12 of 18, for 234-yards. He had a very athletic run down the sidelines.
- Could the Wolverines run the ball with no Denard? Actuality: Late in the game, on fourth and one, Fitz broke up the middle late in the game for a 41-yard score. Almost collared, he put an arm down, regained balance and sped to six. He had 70-yards on 13 carries. Thomas Rawls ran 16 times for 43-yards, and played early in the game. Devin Gardner had 44-yards on 10 carries. Jeremy Gallon rushed twice for 21-yards. The total of 182-yards and a 3.9-yard average rush is nothing to write home about considering the struggle of the competition’s defense against the rush, but its better than some recent results. Could M throw it? Actuality: The passing was not effective in the first quarter. The offensive line did not hold its own in that quarter. The passing game was great the rest of the game. As mentioned Devin had some good runs. On his TD run, he ran as tough as any back and stretched for six . It was a remarkable play that was the game’s turning point. The receiver’s cooperated with Devin. Dileo, Roundtree, and Gallon all making outstanding catches. Gallon was a little inconsistent, fumbling a punt return, and getting a silly block in the back penalty, but he redeemed all by snaring a 47-yarder with a beautiful catch. Relatively short, Gallon showed remarkable elevation making that catch, as he has others. Gallon had four with a score. Drew Dileo had 69-yards on four catches and a TD. Roy Roundtree caught two for 64-yards with a long of 47-yards. This was a spectacular grab he as he wrestled with the defender. The catch was upheld on review. Michigan “won” all its reviews.
- Would the defense continue to improve? Get off the field and stop big plays? Actuality: The defense did well overall. They snuffed a critical fourth and ones and were great in the red zone, once backing short and goal back up to the twenty. They held Minnesota to 144-yds rushing and 147-yards passing, maintaining another 13 point effort. Jake Ryan had nine tackles, three of which were TFLs. Kenny Demens had 10-tackles with one of those being a TFL. The Gophers were limited to 49-yards offense in the second quarter. Outstanding. But with room for improvement per Coach Hoke. Probably he was thinking of third and long conversions, and that first drive.
- Would special teams again be special? Too often the Gophers had good field position on KO returns, and Will Hagerup was less spectacular punting than usual, hitting 3 for 88-yards. His 29.3 average was surprising. Gibbons missed an extra point but got a re-try on a Minnesota gift, keeping his made string intact.
- Penalties? Michigan made some stupid penalties, but Minnesota hurt themselves, once getting charged for two penalties on the same play, and an ill- advised fake kick was effectively snuffed out be the Wolverines.
BRIEF GAME AND SCORING RECAP:
The Wolverines received and it looked like a replay of last week’s troubles at Nebraska would materialize again as the offensive line and Devin struggled, tossing an early interception, but the defense proved solid and the quarter ended zip to zip. A short punt put the Gophers at the M 43 and they took full advantage of the good field position, driving 43-yards on a 6 play drive ending with a 6-yard TD pass. M-0, Minn.- 7.
The Wolverines put together a sweet 91-yard, 12-play drive featuring the 45-yard end zone reception by Drew Dileo that marked the emergence of Devin Gardner and the resurgence of the Wolverines offense. Dileo knows how to get open and he catches the ball reliably all the time, and spectacularly some of the time. The TD drought was over. M-7, Minn.-7.
The Wolverines showed they meant business by producing a 13-play, 90-yard drive. Roundtree, Funchess, and J. Robinson, caught passes and Gardner contributed a nice run. Thomas Rawls finished the drive with a two-yard TD run and it was 14-7 and halftime.
In the third quarter, Minnesota drove to the M 14, but turned the ball over on downs, and during a 7 play 86-yard drive, Gardner hit Jeremy Gallon for a 47-yard completion. M-21, Minn.-7.
In the 4th quarter Minnesota got 3 back on a 26-yard FG. The defense held them to a FG, after they had got to the M 3-yard line. A good example of the defense’s effectiveness when and opponent is in its red zone. M-21, Minn-10.
Soon Devin Gardner was at it again conducting an 8-play 70-yard scoring drive with Roy Roundtree gathering in a 47-yard reception at the Minnesota three. What a reception that was. Roy caught the ball as well as the arm of the defender, and replay verified that the call of a catch on the field was valid. M-28, Minn-10.
Minnesota produced another long drive of 13-plays and 69-yards, which ended at fourth and goal at the M 2. It was another great defensive stand. M-28, Minn-13.
Fitz Toussaint then ripped off the 41-yard TD jaunt described above and it was over. FINAL: M-35, Minn.-13.
In Coach Jerry Kill’s second season, the Gophers have been a much improved team over the one that the Wolverines destroyed in Ann Arbor last year 58-0. With five wins and three losses, they are hunting for a bowl berth in spite of playing musical chairs at QB and on the offensive line. That said, most teams have not had to pass much against them as rushing yardage has been readily available. The Wolverines rushing game again still struggled somewhat, but with Gardner’s contributions, it was enough for a very needed win.
Congratulations to Devin Gardner who had a spectacular first start, and bring on a good Northwestern team. And thanks to you for perusing these pages.
Go Blue!
M FOOTBALL 2012-SEA OF RED NO TSUNAMI, BUT ENOUGH TO DROWN WOLVERINE WINNING STREAK-MICHIGAN 9, NEBRASKA 23
OFFENSE AGAIN STRUGGLES TO SCORE TOUCHDOWNS
Michigan’s football team visited the unfriendly confines of Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium Saturday, carrying in a 3-0 Big Ten record, and intent on wresting control of the Big Ten’s Legends Division race from the grasping and capable hands of the Nebraska Cornhuskers. They had the same goal in mind. The evening belonged to the Huskers as the Wolverines played their worst offensive game of the year, lost the services of Denard Robinson during the second quarter, got some goofy calls, perpetrated some foolish penalties, and could not manage a TD for six consecutive quarters, even with Denard at the helm. Additionally, they went without TDs for two more quarters with a besieged redshirt Freshman Russell Bellomy at the helm. Bellomy threw 27 times for 43-yards, and was intercepted 3 times. He made a nice tackle after one of the interceptions which prevented a score.
TEAM COMPARABILITIES: The teams were comparable in many respects. Both are storied football powers. Both have hordes of dedicated and loyal fans. Both have won multiple National Championships the latest being shared in 1997 by both. Both have had storied Coaches such as Tom Osborne and Bo Schembechler, with Nebraska sporting a Bo of its own in current Coach Bo Pelini.
They both play in major stadiums with Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium holding over 81,000. They both had offenses directed by mobile quarterbacks, both with prolific offensive capabilities. It was Denard Robinson at the helm of the Wolverines and Taylor Martinez leading the Huskers. Denard’s accomplishments are well known and oft repeated to Wolverine fans, and Taylor Martinez has led the Nebraska offense to Big Ten leadership prior to this game, with a total offense of 512 -yards, a rushing offense of 279-yards, and a scoring offense 41.6 points. And at that point some divergence is evident.
SOME TEAM DIFFERENCES:
Michigan has primarily been a running team this season, with Denard’s legs the main weapon. Running back success has been scattered. They have not had an overly effective red zone offense. Their primary scoring device lately has been the field goal. Coach Borges stuck with a basic offense against Michigan State, one reason the Wolverine’s total offensive statistics were far less gaudy than the Huskers’. Nebraska’s was in 3rd place in the Big Ten, passing for 293-yards a game. Michigan’s 10th place in passing was far less spectacular, but sometime the passing game has been highly effective in winning. As when needed in last Saturday’s MSU contest. Nebraska had run back a punt for a TD, the Wolverines hadn’t. Michigan was undefeated in the Big Ten owning 3 victories and Nebraska 2-1, having endured a 63-38 pasting by Ohio. Now they are both 3-1 in the Big Ten, but Nebraska’s path to the Championship game now seems less foggy than that of the Wolverines.
WHAT WAS AT STAKE:
No less than the driver’s seat in the Legend’s Division. The winner has the tiebreaker, and thus if similar Legend’s records happen, the winner has a leg up toward the title game. All year Coach Hoke has preached that every game is a Championship game and this one was just that in all aspects. A win was a big step toward controlling one’s own championship destiny.
That edge now belongs to Nebraska. The road to the championship game now may include a must win in Columbus. Since Ohio scored 63 points on Nebraska and we scored 9, how do you expect that to go now? It seems its going to be tough, very tough, to sled through the rest of the schedule any way but downhill, but anything is possible, especially if Denard is soon serviceable again. We are still 3 and 1 in the Big Ten.
GAME KEYS:
- Would the Wolverines offense be able to take advantage of the defense of Nebraska to win in case this game turned into a shoot-out? Actuality: This game did not turn into a shootout as I expected. Again whether Denard was in or out, the only Wolverine scoring consisted of field goals. Russell Bellomy got a rough introduction to the big time. 3 interceptions and sacked twice. The offensive line did not help him by controlling the Husker blitz the Huskers had been careful not to throw at Denard, and the backs didn’t pick it up effectively. The receivers helped precious little on a number of occasions, dropping critical passes, although they made some nice catches. It was obvious that Russell and his teammates were not ready for a circumstance that was well anticipated to arrive sometime in a long, rough season, Denard’s injury. Denard did not get the ball into the end zone, but had 46-yards rushing and 55 yards passing. The game was effectively over when Denard left the field of play.
- The book on the Huskers was that they were vulnerable to pressure defensively. Acuality: The defense did make a number of stops, sacked the Husker QB, but the offense was so inept a win kept moving just out of reach. ould the Wolverine defense create turn overs? Actuality: they did create some turnovers but one was fumbled back, and M’s drives stalled. Wolverine Keith Heitzman recovered a fumble near the end of the second quarter to stop a Husker threat. Desmond Morgan deflected a Martinez pass into the hands of Mario Ojemudia on a great play by both. But the Huskers balanced this, owning three interceptions.
- Nebraska had a great fleet of receivers, and Martinez owned an astounding completion percentage, really improving from last year. Actuality: The Wolverines had one interception, but Taylor Martinez didn’t do anything to hurt his completion percentage Saturday night. Taylor was the most effective QB on the field throwing 24, and completing 14 for 166-yards, and an interception. Jake Ryan sacked him once.
- Which team would stop big plays? Or produce them. Actuality: Both teams limited long scoring plays fairly effectively.
- Would the offense be able to produce enough points to stay in the game, and adjust to a more open game without turnovers or penalties blunting the effort? Actuality: No. Denard’s injury did not help.
- Could special teams contribute by effectively stopping punt returns and KOs, and produce some significant yardage of their own. Actuality: They did OK. Jeremy Gallon let a 1st half punt, a low liner slip through his hands inside the M 10, but Denard and the offense recovered from it. Could Norfleet contribute? Actuality: He did not break one, but made respectable yardage returning.. Would Denard again hang out some on special teams? Actuality: Injury probably prevented any of that. Could the FG kickers hit their attempts in front of a hostile crowd? Actuality: Matt Wile missed one, but Brendan Gibbons hit three, with a long one of 52-yards among them.
- Could M get ahead early and hold the lead against a team that had recently produced come-back victories against Wisconsin and Northwestern? Actuality: M went up three, but they were held to another three late, before the half, and by that time the Husker had 7 points to the Wolverine’s 6.
- The biggest question of all was whether M could finally produce a win over a good team on foreign territory, with the same kind of winning elan and effort they have produced under Hoke at home? Actuality: They played their worst offensive game of year in a very high stakes game, and that included the time that Denard was in the game as they scored no TDs. That is the most obvious problem an offense can have. They have now gone 8 quarters without a TD. Four quarters against a great defense and four quarters against an ordinary Big Ten defense. The onus belongs to the Offensive Coordinator to fix this situation. He has vast experience, so maybe he can. I have to wonder whether or not this hyper conservative offense is a function of the hurts Denard has piled up over the course of the season. The hand has been an issue before. Russell Bellomy was not ready, and one wonders why he did not get more seasoning against the likes of Massachusetts etc. The whole world knows what the Wolverines are going to do on first down, and even if it has failed the last 15 times, here it comes again. As a result they are often in the position of third and long, facing a blitz. The OL and backs can’t handle blitzers. All that falls into the lap of Offensive Coordinator Borges.
BRIEF SCORING RECAP:
It is easy to recap the 1st quarter. M received, punted, and then M and N traded punches with N held to around 34 yards, and a first down. Not a fast start, but the defense looked solid. The quarter was not without dramatics. A Matt Wile FG was missed after a replay reversed a stunning 55-yard apparent catch by Roy Roundtree.
Nebraska’s offense showed life in the passing game to begin the second quarter producing a 6-play, 72-yard drive for six, and M was playing from behind. M- 0, N-7. Coach did not let the defense off the hook in his after game comments.
The Wolverines answered with two Bandon Gibbons FGs, one for 52-yards, and one for 24-yards, and the half ended 6-7.
Nebraska received to open the third quarter. Mario Ojemudia spoiled the drive by intercepting a tipped pass at the Michigan 46. But Russell Bellomy returned the favor tossing a pass intercepted at the Michigan 43, and returned 53-yards to the Michigan 4. The defense held, but N converted a 19-yard FG. M-6, N 10.
The Wolverines offense was stagnant, and a 15-yard personal foul penalty enabled a 51-yard Big Red field goal. Now hopes are descending faster than a hot air balloon with a hole in the top, and it seems over. M-6, N-13. Then came a 31-yarder and it was M-6 ,N 16.
Finally the Wolverine offense showed a little life. Bellomy drove them
58-yards on 8 plays. With an assist from Husker penalties. A 15-yard Nebraska personal foul and a 15-yard unsportsmanlike were the big plays. Naturally a field goal resulted, but Russell completed some passes. One passing 1st down, 3 TO’s, and 0 for 4 third down attempts, tells the Wolverine story for the quarter. M-9, N-16.
Nebraska put the game away early in the 4th quarter with a final drive for 6 over the tiring M defense. 3 plays and 47-yards capped a victory in a game with a strange feel to it. M-9, N-23.
WHERE DOES IT GO FROM HERE?
The Wolverines are still in the Big Ten race, but Nebraska rightfully will be considered the front runner, having disposed of Michigan. They are a decent, but not a great team, and I think that they will probably lose another game, as they play away form home. It is notable that they lost their poise for thirty yards of penalties. That could hurt in a competitive game.
The down side is that now the Wolverines might have to win out. Perhaps they could beat emerging Minnesota without Denard, perhaps not, but from there on, if they do not have his full services, they certainly could lose to Iowa, Northwestern, and Ohio.
It will be interesting to see how they approach next week if Denard is in dry dock. Bellomy or Gardner? I think it will be Russell. At a recent press conference I asked Coach Hoke how many snaps Gardner was getting, and he said some, and made it very clear that Russell, not Devin was the backup. I think Denard will probably play next Saturday, but who knows.
The Wolverines can suffer fisherman’s remorse for a little while as a big one got away, but it will soon be back to business for them. They won’t quit, but they will have to deal with adversity, as it is at the door. Hopefully, there will be some coaching innovation.
Whatever the situation next Saturday, they will be journeying up to Minnesota, to harass the pesky Gophers, while keeping an eye on that Little Brown Jug.
Go Blue!
Game Day- Michigan Wolverines vs The Nebraska Cornhuskers
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#20 Michigan at Nebraska
Date: Saturday, Oct. 27, 2012 | Time: 7 p.m. CT |
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Nebraska Game Preview (UMGoBlog)
| Michigan (5-2, 3-0 Big Ten) MGoBlue.com Roster | Schedule/Results Releases/Features Game Notes  | Depth Chart |
All-Time Series U-M leads, 4-2-1Last Meeting Michigan 45, Nebraska 17 (11/19/11 – Ann Arbor, Mich.) |
Nebraska (5-2, 2-1 Big Ten) www.huskers.com Roster Schedule/Results |
M FOOTBALL 2012-WAS LAST SATURDAY’S SLUGFEST AT MICHIGAN STADIUM MSU’S BOWL GAME?-WOLVERINES 12, MSU 10
M’s 900th WIN, AND BRADY HOKE’S FIRST WIN OVER MSU IN TWO ATTEMPTS, WAS A DEFENSIVE STRUGGLE RESULTING IN A SATISFYING, EVEN IF NAIL BITING, LAST SECONDS WIN.
The Green and White played somewhat like this was their Bowl Game, and a year- end Bowl for them may now be beyond reach, even if, as Lansing newspapers said, it was their best game of the year. Their options are becoming more limited with every loss.
After rolling into Michigan Stadium expecting to teach the Wolverine’s Football team another lesson in humility as they had the last four years, they got a loss.
Humiliation of the Wolverines had become a Spartan expectation, with Coach D’Antonio tactlessly pointing out early this year that: “We’ve beat Michigan the last four years so what is the threat?”
Spartan players recently ripped Denard for his lack of success against them using Twitter as their club. Denard has breached 10,000-yards of total career offensive production, but he has had little success against the Spartans, with an average of 3.3-yards gained against them prior to Saturday. Not much for Denard to crow about there, and he hasn’t. In contrast, consistently, the Spartans do not need much ammunition to crow, and they have.
The Wolverines were able to restore some of that concern Saturday in the friendly confines of an energized Michigan Stadium. Seeking a spot representing the Legends Division in the Big Ten title game in Indianapolis, this was a game with bigger meaning than just Michigan/Michigan State bragging rights. It left Michigan’s title quest intact, and destroyed that of an arch competitor by giving the Spartans another Big Ten loss, bringing them to three Big Ten losses, while the Wolverines remain undefeated in the B1G.
STILL A SPECIAL GAME
The pregame hype out of East Lansing this year has been at an unexpected low in comparison to some prior years. Possibly because early season hype regarding visiting the Rose Bowl etc., has evaporated along with MSU’s national ranking as unexpected losses were acquired-Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Iowa. This lack of yak is not the usual pregame stance for Michigan State as on many occasions they have had a tendency to laud their team (talk smack) as much before the game as afterward. When they were usually losing, the smack was always pregame.
Rest assured hard feelings by fans remain on both sides of the ball, and they go back quite a ways and are sincere. It goes back long before this happened, but MSU fans felt spurned and aggravated by Michigan who opposed their entry into the Big Ten in their Biggie Munn era. Michigan fans hated MSU Athletic Director Smith who voted for Ohio State to go to the Rose Bowl after the M/OSU 10-10 tie in the Bo era. Bo threw a magnificent rage that M fans considered righteous indignation. The Spartan’s 1990 tripping of Desmond Howard in the end zone as he attempted to score a late game winning TD facilitated a 27-28 victory over a highly ranked M team, thus igniting M fans in the Moeller era. The 2001 “clockgate” game at Spartan Stadium, enabled another late MSU victory (24-26) in the Carr era that was enabled by homer timer Spartan Bob, who displayed official timekeeper’s deceit.
This competition has been a monument to hotly contested football as much as founded and unfounded billingsgate, but there has been as much bilge as attends some nasty political campaigns, and it is every year, not every four.
Michigan State usually plays well and aggressively in this contest regardless of prior season performances, and they always play hard. Very hard. Sometimes they are a little overly enthusiastic as harmful penalties hurt them. Some consistently rough play results in suspensions. An example was Sparty Gohlston’s week’s suspension last year for punching Wolverine Lewan. His twisting of Denard’s helmet did not draw official wrath, but certainly was not unnoticed by the TV cameras.
Once in a while a Michigan player has gone awry in this game, too. I remember our DE Cecil Pryor kicking a State player who was on the ground at the end of a play many years ago. They correctly threw him out. But the recent stuff has had more Spartan ownership than Wolverine.
No Michigan player or Coach was critical of the style or intensity of Spartan play this year before the game. They just said football was a rough game and said that is why they like to play it.
It is amazing that both the Spartan defensive coach Narduzzi, who lauded the rough play after the game last year, and their head coach, recently publically challenged this year’s officials to stop the rough stuff. Say what? To a Michigan fan this is like Al Capone challenging the Chicago cops to enforce prohibition.
In spite of all these things, or maybe because of them, this is always a special game. Its not Ohio, but its close in intensity. Players and fans often know each other. Coaches are recruiting the same schools and players. Everybody lives with the results for an entire year.
PREGAME KEYS:
- Would the Wolverines be physically over matched again this year? Actuality: The Wolverines at least matched the Spartan intensity.
- Could the Wolverines keep their cool, and not make jittery mistakes, especially early, as has happened from time to time in Denard’s career? Actuality: For the most part the Wolverines were poised, and they never gave up. In crunch time, they crunched. Denard did toss up a late 2nd Quarter interception.
- Taking an early lead would be of immense value to the Wolverines. Actuality: While they did lead 6 zip at the half, they did not take a significant lead until the last 5 seconds of the game.
- Could they establish an other than Denard running game? Would it be Toussaint or Rawls? Fitz has not been as productive as he was last year. Actuality: As usual, DRob was the leading ground gainer with 96 net yards on 10 carries, and a long of 44. Vincent Smith had one carry. Thomas Rawls did not carry. Fitz Toussaint had 52 net yards on 10 lugs, with a long of 38. M had 52 carries for a net yardage of 163-yards with a 5.1 average.
- Could they stop the run and would the ground game belong to the winner? Actuality: Yes, MSU gained only 112 net yards on 31 carries. L. Bell had 26 for 68 net yards.
- Would the Wolverines have a successful passing game? Actuality: Drew Dileo was outstanding. He made the tough catches when they were needed including the one that enabled the winning field goal. He snagged 4 for 92-yards. This was his most significant game as a Wolverine, and it made Wes Welker comparisons live on. The rest of the receivers caught one or two, including a 22-yarder by Jeremy Gallon. The receivers totaled 14 for 163-yards.
- Most importantly of all, could the Wolverines possess the ball and avoid interceptions, and fumbles? Are they now vaccinated against turn overs? Actuality: Probably not, but the most significant TO of the game was owned by the Spartans as Jordan Kovacs picked one off just as it appeared the Spartans were driving to seal a victory.
- Would special teams contribute? Actuality: When four field goals provide all the scoring in the game and the winning margin special teams have done something right. Will Hagerup hit punts for 218-yards averaging 43.6-yards. Matt Wile had 2 for 77-yards.
- Would the seemingly effective Michigan secondary be able to cover effectively? Actuality: State caught 21 passes for 192-yards, and one TD.
- Could they stop big plays and Sparty trickeration? Actuality: They did not and it almost bit them. Sparty significantly advanced its cause with a gem of fake punt run for 26-yards. At the time it seemed to seal the Wolverines fate, enabling a 90-yard drive.
- Would one of the least loved trophies, the Paul Bunyan, finally return to the warmth of his Ann Arbor home? He is home, and intends to stay awhile.
GAME AND SCORING SUMMARY
The 1st quarter was a defensive standoff and a boring quarter if one was ever invented. The offenses moved with the alacrity of refrigerated molasses.
The second quarter did not yield the expected Wolverine TDs, but fortunately the Wolverines collared a pair of field goals by Gibbons and Wile. Gibbons for 24-yards and Wile (Coach Hoke said he has the stronger leg) for 48-yards.
The half ended M 6-MSU 0, and there was a reasonable expectation that since the Wolverines received to start the half, half time adjustments would get the offense moving and keep the defense effective. Didn’t happen.
The offense stalled and the defense allowed the aggressive Spartans to produce an 80-yard, 10-play drive culminating in a two-yard TD pass. M-6, MSU 7.
The teams traded punches for most of the third quarter with little result.
Suddenly with a couple of minutes left in the third, a dull ball game got interesting, as Michigan began to drive. Jordan Kovacs intercepted an MSU pass to stop what could have been a game winning MSU drive. Instead M got an opportunity. Robinson ran, Roundtree caught a 15-yard pass, and the drive continued into the 4th quarter, finally stalled and Brandon Gibbons hit a 21-yarder and Michigan held a precarious lead 9 to 7.
MSU produced a drive of 8-plays and 90-yards, enabled by the fake field goal, and hit a FG of 21-yards. M-9, MSU 10.
Denard than skittered for 44-yards, and it looked like a score was in the bag. A holding call and an inability to convert a third down attempt added to the drama as M punted at about 3:07.
I thought it was likely over, but the defense forced a three and out. Jake Ryan caused a fumble that MSU recovered, but it stopped their drive.
At the 2:00 mark, M had the ball and began a drive. Vincent Smith had a 12-yard run, MSU contributed a 5-yard off side penalty, Denard ran for a short 1st down, and pass to Fitz Toussaint was completed but he was thrown for a loss, and the drive was stalled, but suddenly the Wolverines had a field goal chance. Brendan Gibbons struck a 38-yarder which angled a little to his right. I wondered at the time if it would be wide right. I had a good look at it as I was standing by the left upright. It was a happy moment when that baby sailed through. After the goal, 5 seconds remained on the clock.
Coach Hoke on execution of the final drive … “You teach those situations, you talk about those situations. I really thought that Denard (Robinson) handled it well. He ran the offense, the other guys hurried back to the line of scrimmage. As far as Drew (Dileo) goes, he isn’t the biggest guy in the world, he’s not the fastest, but I can tell you one thing. Drew Dileo is a football player and he is a tough, little football player.”
I was standing next to former Wolverine center Steve Everett, who was also elated, and I got quite a celebratory bear hug and back slapping there. Like the rest of us Steve was mighty happy to see his Wolverines prevail, but probably more so.
It was a wild finish to what for most of three quarters had been among the dullest offensive games I have seen.
What a beautiful and impressive scene it is from ground level in M Stadium. There are bands blaring on either side, scoreboards loud, activity everywhere, at times it seems to border on bedlam, and a collision sporting competition is in progress. I did not think the old bowl could be improved, but it has been. Even the lights enhance the ambiance.
But the Wolverines have to leave all that behind and travel to Lincoln, Nebraska to try to husk the Huskers. They may not face again this year defense on the level of Alabama, Notre Dame, and Michigan State but all their remaining schedule can bite the Wolverines. Stopping that productive Husker offense will be the next challenge.
Go Blue!