Michigan 29 Minnesota 26
A wall.
Michigan had their hands on it all game, and it kept slipping through their fingers. Peppers dropped a pick-six after jumping a WR screen. Dymonte Thomas and Jarrod Wilson both dropped interceptions they had two hands on (Dymonte’s was then caught by a Gopher). Jourdan Lewis and Jeremy Clark probably could have grabbed a pair of Leidner ducks they played with Connor Cook-level respect. Thomas also let a perfect Blake O’Neill punt bounce through his hands for a touchback. Each time the Gophers capitalized.
For its part, Minnesota held on like men who don’t know what they’d do with their lives if they couldn’t run around in goofy armor for a chance to win some painted old pottery. On 4th and 5 on Minnesota’s last drive, K.J. Maye had one inch to catch a slant against perhaps the best cornerback in the country, and didn’t drop it. Neither did his receiver mate Drew Wolitarsky, who on the ensuing 2nd down beat Channing Stribling with a double move and hauled in a pass at the 1 inch line.
With the clock running Mitch Leidner moved his pieces around to set up a winning TD, but the Michigan defense chased him out of his pocket. That left 2 seconds for either a field goal attempt to force overtime, or a play to win. An average team against an average defense should get that QB sneak 9 times out of 10. But Minnesota was no average offense; they had a true freshman at center and other replacements all around him. And Michigan was no average defense. For one, Ryan Glasgow was the guy right over the ball. For two, D.J. Durkin was making the calls.
Harbaugh says Durking called the QB sneak, team rolled the dice and built a wall.
— Zach Shaw (@_ZachShaw) November 1, 2015
Glasgow won the battle he’d won all game, the rest of Michigan’s goal line defense closed around him, and together they grasped the life out the old rival. For that they get to hold the Jug again.
While the Minnesotasphere will spend the next week replaying final scenarios (and the choice to play for a field goal at the end of the first half), Michigan fans will try to unpack all of the misfortunes and misplays that almost made the Little Brown Jug miss the flight home from its year abroad.
So much about Michigan has changed since then that it’s hard to remember this is still a team put together by Brady Hoke and held together by Harbaugh’s ingenuity. You can’t blame the old coach for everything, but Michigan’s recent history was all over this game.
Those weren’t all bad things. The interior defensive line was its magnificent self. Jourdan Lewis was. Chesson dropped one earlier but held onto his horizontal touchdown, and Darboh’s hands made sure it was 3 points, not 1, that Minnesota needed from our 1.
Hoke also left Jabrill Peppers, who, finally, was the answer one too many of Michigan’s questions. Need an athletic nickel to neutralize the spread? Peppers. Need a strong safety? Peppers. Cornerback. Kick returner. Punt returner. Running back. Slot receiver. Quarterback?
So yeah, this week we’re going to talk about the Morris-or-bust plan, because early in the third quarter Jake Rudock went to slide, and a defender tried to separate his head from his shoulders. It was the third time (the second was earlier in this game) this season he was clearly targeted with no call.
With Michigan down 23-21 at this point Harbaugh inserted Wilton Speight, whose play was about what you expect out of Wilton Speight. He did finally get his feet under him on the final drive, with his last two passes of the game the touchdown to Chesson and the two-point conversion to Darboh. Let that be the final word on wither Shane Morris.
(Rudock was on the sideline trying to throw after being examined and just about everyone noted Michigan informed the press it was a shoulder injury rather than, you know, making it a thing.)
Desmond Morgan did not have a good game, giving up a long run when he got out of his lane, getting caught too far inside on a long wheel route, letting Brandon Lingen sneak behind him for a long pass at the beginning of the 4th quarter, and letting Rodney Smith shuck him to give up a crucial 3rd and 17.
That and the dodgy score and the Halloween candy had Michigan perilously close to vomiting up a Hoke game in 2015. But they ultimately held it down, and the feeling will pass with time.
November 1st, 2015 at 1:12 PM ^
November 1st, 2015 at 12:21 AM ^
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November 1st, 2015 at 12:38 AM ^
Peppers is so good, and he learns rapidly from his mistakes, that I can see the NFL lobbyists urge a special Peppers Rule enabling the extraordinary to enter early. It gives me the night sweats.
November 1st, 2015 at 1:39 AM ^
If there wasn't a Clowney rule, there won't be a Peppers rule...
November 1st, 2015 at 4:27 AM ^
November 1st, 2015 at 12:43 AM ^
Well one piece of good news I'm elated to share with you is that Peppers will be back in '16 - book it!!!
November 1st, 2015 at 1:39 AM ^
How would he leave after this season? He's a true Sophomore....
November 1st, 2015 at 12:22 AM ^
I guess its only targeting....when OUR guys do it! Those F'ing Refs sucked.....oh, well....time to look up their home addresses.
I wouldn't want to be the Michigan defense in practice this week...they're gonna get whipped.
November 1st, 2015 at 12:25 AM ^
November 1st, 2015 at 12:26 AM ^
November 1st, 2015 at 12:32 AM ^
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November 1st, 2015 at 10:35 AM ^
November 1st, 2015 at 8:41 PM ^
I thought Michigan would be more mindful of Thieran Cochran (#55). He got one too many free releases to the QB this year as well.
November 1st, 2015 at 12:33 AM ^
November 1st, 2015 at 12:38 AM ^
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November 1st, 2015 at 12:44 AM ^
Tonight was an out-of-body experience for him. All the planets were aligned - it was a night game, halloween, Coach Kill retiring.
Next week he will be back to his old self.
November 1st, 2015 at 7:58 AM ^
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November 1st, 2015 at 9:39 AM ^
Yes, in another one of those night games against a big opponent.
DON'T TELL ME that night games against a big opponent are not a competitive advantage.
Hell our own record in night games should tell you that. We've won 3 night games that we probably would have lost as regular run-of-the-mill day games.
November 1st, 2015 at 12:44 AM ^
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November 1st, 2015 at 12:53 AM ^
November 1st, 2015 at 1:53 AM ^
November 1st, 2015 at 8:54 AM ^
November 1st, 2015 at 9:44 AM ^
Lewis is the unluckiest CB in history. Is there any other CB that has had more plays where he was in perfect position . . . and still had the pass completed against him by 2 inches?
I don't remember any Minny completitions against him where he was actually out of position.
November 1st, 2015 at 10:07 AM ^
November 1st, 2015 at 12:41 AM ^
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November 1st, 2015 at 12:45 AM ^
+1,000,000.
November 1st, 2015 at 12:49 AM ^
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November 1st, 2015 at 12:51 AM ^
What's the over/under on the age of posters mentioning it's Halloween as an excuse for uninspired play?
I got 24.5, but seriously it might be lower
November 1st, 2015 at 12:59 AM ^
November 1st, 2015 at 1:30 AM ^
Exactly my guess on your IQ, Friend-O
And correct me if I'm wrong, but it's Halloween for players on both teams,but Minnesota played inspired and impassioned.
In fact the only reason they lost is because their middle aged, over weight temp coach turtled when he had chances both to win and to tie.
Trick or Treat?!
November 1st, 2015 at 10:36 AM ^
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November 1st, 2015 at 1:26 PM ^
Friend-O, you go internet tuff guy and call people idiot, then completely ignore that using Halloween as an excuse for why our players might be distracted without explaining why theirs wouldn't - well, you're gonna get called on it.
See, for me I used at night/on the road as an excuse for Utah, and I'd accept that as a valid reason why this game would be tougher than expected.
Like I said - it was Halloween for U22 players on both sides...
All I ever asked in my original comment was the O/U on the age of people mentioning Halloween as relevant to the outcome
November 1st, 2015 at 12:44 AM ^
Much quality Meechigan Football on the road for a time. Consider the Maryland game as an example. Notre Dame played flat on the road against Temple tonight. Perhaps there's something in the way we prepare our football athletes for travel or there is something in the air here. Wish I knew, because if I did I would be on the phone with the AD tomorrow. But we too look flat on the road -- consistently.
November 1st, 2015 at 12:59 AM ^
Only in Bizarro World is that "playing well". IU will present a challenge because of their offense, but their defense is putrid and their special teams are not so special.
Both MSU and OSU struggled with other lesser teams besides IU so it's not a real surprise that they were competitive in both of those games.
November 1st, 2015 at 1:28 AM ^
Halloween candy, there is a lot of that going around apparently.
November 1st, 2015 at 4:31 AM ^
November 1st, 2015 at 12:50 AM ^
November 1st, 2015 at 12:59 AM ^
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November 1st, 2015 at 1:06 AM ^
Derrick Green has been overrated as a player. He is overhyped just like Kevin Grady Jr. Kevin Grady is just too slow to be a successful college RB and Green doesn't have the vision and balance to be a successful college RB.
November 1st, 2015 at 1:47 AM ^
November 1st, 2015 at 12:54 AM ^
November 1st, 2015 at 12:57 AM ^
November 1st, 2015 at 12:58 AM ^
Good summary, although I think this bit...
With Michigan down 23-21 at this point Harbaugh inserted Wilton Speight, whose play was about what you expect out of Wilton Speight.…isn't quite fair. Yes, Speight looked a bit overwhelmed at first, but he played the final drive like a seasoned vet - 3-3 passing plus a 2-point conversion. When we needed him he rose to the occasion.
November 1st, 2015 at 1:00 AM ^
but take the win, box up the Jug, and get the F out of MN. Jaysus -- two weeks in a row that just about everything that could go wrong did. Great to see that we went the full 60:00 this week -- good result.
November 1st, 2015 at 1:02 AM ^
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November 1st, 2015 at 1:02 AM ^
how close a play was that to Henne-Manningham in 2005? Looked quite close; developed a bit quicker. Did not look like there was a second option there.
November 1st, 2015 at 1:58 AM ^
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November 1st, 2015 at 10:38 AM ^
he means similarity of the play itself. Not the importance to the game.
And as far as that goes, I don't think there's another QB on the roster who makes that throw. I don't think Rudock gets the ball there on time for the TD and I don't think Rudock makes the 2pt conversion throw either. Rudock locks onto a guy and never takes his eyes off him if there is a throw coming no matter what, or if he does tuck it and run, he never makes it into the endzone there. So... I think those throws did win the game. Because, you know... theydid. We lose without two clutch throws on our last posession.
November 1st, 2015 at 11:09 AM ^
November 1st, 2015 at 1:10 AM ^
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