Week 13 - Game Report
#12 Michigan Wolverines (9-2) (5-2) at Ohio State Buckeyes (6-5) (4-3)
A Squib Kick Turned Into A Nightmare
Michigan Still Has No Idea What Happened
#12 Michigan Wolverines (9-2) (5-2) at Ohio State Buckeyes (6-5) (4-3)
A Squib Kick Turned Into A Nightmare
Michigan Still Has No Idea What Happened
Ann Arbor, MI (AP) - Coming off a tough loss against #2 Nebraska last week essentially ending the Wolverines chances at the inaugural Big Ten Championship, Michigan has no time to reflect on their loss as they face off in arguably the greatest rivalry in all of sports. The Ohio State Buckeyes come to town in front of a sold out crowd in Ann Arbor, MI at the Big House to face off against the #12 Michigan Wolverines. The Wolverines have lost the last 7 matchups against the Buckeyes, but a struggling (although hot recently) Ohio State team that's just 6-5 this season gives many fans around Ann Arbor high hopes that this will be the year the streak is broken.
A back and forth battle started things off, but middle of the 1st quarter stellar redshirt Senior HB Dan Herron busted off a 93 yard run getting pushed out at the 3 yard line already having over 100 yards in just 2 attempts! The huge running play set up a 3 yard walk in on a toss play for Herron putting the Buckeyes up 7-0 in the 1st quarter. After stopping the Wolverines offense once again, the Buckeyes ripped off another play with Herron as he caught a pass in the flights with daylight ahead of him before being stopped 37 yards down the field. 2 plays later Michigan caught a HUGE break as it looked like the Buckeyes were about to go up by 2 touchdowns before true Freshman QB Braxton Miller scrambled 15 yards before attempting to dive into the endzone and getting the ball literally kneed out of his hands by redshirt Senior CB Troy Woolfolk with Junior DE Craig Roh falling on it in the endzone to give Michigan's offense the ball back on their own 20 late in the 1st quarter. On the very first play of the following drive Senior HB Michael Shaw did his best Herron impression by running up the gut and down the sidelines 80 yards stiff arming a defender on the way for the touchdown to tie the game all up again!
Not to be outdone however, Herron busted yet another huge run, this time finishing it off in the endzone 71 yards later. 14-7 Buckeyes in the 1st with Herron already at 179 yards on 4 attempts! That's a 44.7 carry average! The #1 defense in the country is getting exposed greatly early on in this game. You think that's ridiculous? How about Michigan's offense coming back on the field and calling a counter play to Shaw who finds a lane himself down the sidelines for the 76 yard touchdown putting him over 100 yards! Unreal as both defenses look baffled with the game 14-14 at the end of the 1st quarter.
The Buckeyes would score another touchdown early in the 2nd quarter, although this time it would be a quick 3 yard flats pass to redshirt Junior TE Jake Stoneburner to put Ohio State up 21-14. After another stop and decent drive OSU Sophomore K Drew Basil connected on a 53 yard field goal as it barely went over the crossbar to now give the Buckeyes a little cushion at 24-14. Very late towards the end of the 2nd half Denard Robinson led his offense down the field and scored on a nice corner pass to the endzone to redshirt Senior WR Kelvin Grady for 17 yards with only 10 seconds remaining to bring Michigan right back into the game at the end of the half 24-21.
The 2nd half of the game featured more big plays for scores as both defenses just couldn't get it together the entire game. Big play after big play for both offenses and it just seemed like whoever had the ball last would come out with the victory. Skipping ahead to late in the 4th quarter with Michigan down by a field goal, Denard drove his team down the field and scored what appeared to be the game winning scrambling touchdown, but was called back on a holding penalty with 23 seconds remaining. Next play a deep out by Senior WR Junior Hemingway, resulted in a tippy toe catch for 13 yards for a touchdown as the Big House went nuts with the Wolverines leading 45-42! With 10 seconds left surely Michigan's special teams would squib kick it and they did, it happened to bounce right in the hands of redshirt Sophomore HB/KR Jaamal Berry who caught it mid sprint as he went straight up the middle breaking three arm tackles including the kickers as he was off to the races with the clock striking zero...touchdown Buckeyes. The entire Big House went silent as the play appeared before their eyes, then began booing ferociously as the camera panned to Coach Kleinbauer who appeared to be frozen just staring onto the field not knowing what happened, hoping for a block in the back or some kind of penalty. Nothing. His Wolverines special teams had collapsed.
The Buckeyes extended their win streak to 8 games over Michigan and had won 5 straight to give them a final regular season record of 7-5 and ensure them of a bowl game as the Wolverines once again completely collapsed in the last minutes of a game for two straight weeks. Devastating loss for the Wolverines as they end their regular season as well. Ohio State wins, 48-45.
Play of the Game
Box Score
- 14 - 7 - 10 - 14 - 45
- 14 - 10 - 7 - 17 - 48
Players Of The Game
- HB #20
Michael Shaw - 23 ATT, 249 Yds, 3 TD, 10.8 AVG, 1 REC, -1 Yd
- HB #1
Dan Herron - 20 ATT, 147 Yds, 1 TD, 7.3 AVG, 1 REC, 6 Yds, 6 YAC
Player Stats
QB#16 Denard Robinson - 146.3 QB Rating, 12/28, 227 Yds, 3 TD, 14 ATT, 72 Yds, 5.1 AVG
HB#20 Michael Shaw - 23 ATT, 249 Yds, 3 TD, 10.8 AVG, 1 REC, -1 Yd
WR#22 Darryl Stonum - 2 REC, 78 Yds, 1 TD, 39.0 AVG, 23 YAC, 7 KR, 172 Yds, 24.5 AVG, 3 PR, 13 Yds, 4.3 AVG
WR#21 Junior Hemingway - 3 REC, 50 Yds, 1 TD, 16.6 AVG, 1 YAC, 1 KR, 19 Yds
WR#19 Kelvin Grady - 1 REC, 17 Yds, 1 TD
DT#68 Mike Martin - 3 TAK, 2 TFL, 1 Sack
CB#29 Troy Woolfolk - 4 TAK, 1 INT, 1 FF, 3 DEF
FS#13 Carvin Johnson - 6 TAK, 1 TFL, 1 INT, 1 DEF
DE#88 Craig Roh - 1 TAK, 1 TFL, 1 FR
CB#5 Courtney Avery - 3 TAK, 1 FF
K#45 Matt Wile - 1/1 FG, 6/6 XP, 19 Long
QB#5 Braxton Miller - 125.0 QB Rating, 10/26, 237 Yds, 2 TD, 2 INT, 9 ATT, 32 Yds, 3.5 AVG, 2 FUM
HB#1 Dan Herron - 20 ATT, 237 Yds, 1 TD, 11.8 AVG, 3 REC, 52 Yds, 17.3 AVG, 55 YAC
HB#4 Jaamal Berry - 4 ATT, 17 Yds, 2 TD, 4.2 AVG, 3 KR, 126 Yds, 1 TD, 42.0 AVG
WR#8 Devier Posey - 1 REC, 37 Yds, 1 TD, 8 YAC
TE#11 Jake Stoneburner - 2 REC, 19 Yds, 1 TD, 11 YAC
DT#93 Adam Bellamy - 7 TAK, 2 TFL, 1.5 Sacks
K#25 Drew Basil - 2/3 FG, 6/6 XP, 53 Long
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