The Michigan Daily -- michigandaily.com

October 5, 2009 - 3B

The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom October 5, 2009 - 3B

GAME STATISTICS

Team Stats
FirstDowns
Rush/Yds
Passing Yardts
Comp/Aft/int
Offensive Plays
Total Offense
Kick returns/ Yds
Punttreturns/ Yds
Punts/Avg
Fumbles/Lost
Penalties/Yards
Time of Poss

MICH
14
28/28.
223
17/32/1
60
251
3/60
t/t
5/41.6
3/1
2/15
20:14
MI CH I G A N
C-A Yds
17-32 223
1732 223

MSU
20
49/197
220
20/29/2
78
417
2/57
2/7
3/43.3
2/1
8/94
39:46
TO Int
2 1
2 i1

PASSING
Player
Forier
Tta
RUSHING
Player
Forder
Browr
Minor
Odourt
M~lesa
Rob-o
Tota
RECEVING
Player
Hemingway
Kogn
PUNTING
Player
Mesko
Totals
KCKOFF RETURNS
Mathews
Totals
Playa,
W~cIRI -
Kea
Playst
Wttt
Waren
Mout.n
**A
Ssayloot
Floyd
Graham
Henan
Martin
VnSyke
Leach
Roh
Heirr
PASSING
Playar
Totas
RUSHING
Winston
Caper
Martin
Tot&ls
RECEIVING
Pwayr r
White
licuhm
Martin
Winston
Hawk.n
Totas
PUNTING
Playr h
Bates
Totals
KICKOFF RETURNS
Player
Winst.n-
GTotals
PUNT RETURNS
Player
Martin
Tota
TACKLES
lone.
Anders.n
Jenrete
l. w
White
Dixon
We
Traic

Cousins
Norm~an
Rolf
*"tals

SPARTANS
From page 1B
Michigan's only real shot for
a touchdown drive in the first
half, he was sacked on third
down and called for intentional
grounding.
Even Michigan's Big Ten-
leading rushing game - which
had averaged over 240 yards per
game - failed them. Senior run-
ning backs Carlos Brown and
Brandon Minor combined for a
miserable 17 yards on 10 carries
Saturday, and the leading rusher
on both teams was Michigan
State's quarterback.
But if there was a game for
the offense to look lackluster,
a game against the mediocre-
at-best Spartans was it. The
Wolverines managed to keep it
close the whole game, thanks to
a flurry of Spartan penalties and
critical stops by the Michigan
defense.
"We just came out, you know,
and knew we had to step up,"
sophomore nose tackle Mike
Martin said. "The offense was
struggling a little bit, but we got
their back. Nobody's pointing
fingers after this game."
Instead of the offense bailing
out the defense, which happened

often last week against Indiana
in an ugly 36-33 Wolverine win,
the defense tried to give the
offense two critical chances to
showcase its flashiness.
But for the first time this sea-
son, the offense couldn't take
advantage of the opportunities.
One of those was on the first
Michigan State drive of the
game, on a Stevie Brown inter-
ception that gave Michigan the
ball deep in Spartan territory.
But instead of going ahead by
seven early, the Wolverines
managed to lose five total yards
on the drive before settling for a
field goal.
The other, a fumble recov-
ery by Obi Ezeh, was midway
through the fourth quarter, with
thegame at apivotalmomentand
the Wolverines getting desper-
ate. But two plays later, Darryl
Stonum fumbled the ball right
back to the Spartans inside the
Michigan State 20-yard line.
Instead, Michigan's first big
offensive play didn't come until
almost 56 minutes into the
game. Forcier chucked a 29-yard
pass to Stonum that the sopho-
more caught before juking past
two Spartan defenders, pushing
one away with his free hand and
running faster than two more en
route to a 60-yard score to pull
Michigan within seven.

In the end, even though
Michigan State was technically
favored in Vegas by a field goal,
the 1-3 Spartans played the part
of the spoiler well. They were
chippy and aggressive the whole
game, talking trash between
plays and garnering four per-
sonal foul penalties. Their post-
game celebration felt almost like
winning a bowl game instead of
an in-state rivalry contest, as
players raised Caper in the air
jubilantly as if he were the Paul
Bunyan Trophy himself.
And Dantonio's comments
about the importance of the
game-the Spartans' first back-
to-back wins against Michigan
since 1967 - seemed to elevate it
to instant-classic status.
"Amazingly - but facts are
facts - it hadn't been done for
42 years," Dantonio said. "We
did something today that hadn't
been done, and when you do
things like that, it has a way of
defining you."
But in a game where nearly
everything that has defined the
Wolverine offense failed them,
the only way the players could
define Saturday's game was
"disappointing."
"I'm not gonna talk," Michigan
linebackers coach Jay Hopson said
while walking to the team bus. "It
was atough one to swallow."

Aft
13
6
4
1
1
3
28
No.
5
5
3
2
3
1
17

Yds
27
15
2
-3
-4
-9
28
Yds
97
40
28
8
41
9
223

Avg
2.1
2.s
05
-3.0
1
Avg
9.3
40
41.0

Ls
13
3
0
L9
11
5
41

TD
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
TD
i
0
0
0
0
1
2

No. Yds Avg Lg
5 215 43.0 56
5 215 43.0 56
No. Yds Avg Lg TD
3 60 20.0 26 0
3 60 20.0 26 0
No. Yds Avg Lg TD
1 -1 -1.0 -1 0
1 -1 -1.0 -1 0


Solo Asst
7 10
6 8
5 4
3 4
1 6
2 3
2 3
4 0
4 0
1 1
0 2
1 0
1 0
1 0
0 1
0 1
0 1
38 44
A i c h i g a n
t-A
15-21
5-8
20-24

Tot
17
14
9
7
7
5
S
4
4
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
82
State
Yds T[
152 1
68 1
220 1

24 47
13 39
2 30
2 8
49 197
No. Yds
6 49
s 73
1 22
1 9
1 6
1 6
20 220
No, Yds
3 129
3 129
No. Yds
2 s7
2 57

10
3.0
15.0
4.0
4.0


0 2
20 2
s 1
41 3
Lg TD
17 0
27 0
9 0
6 0
6 0
27 0
L9
s2
s2
Lg TD
36 0
36 0


TIME OF POSSESSION
From Page 1B
possession can be a difficult sta-
tistic to interpret, but Michigan's
significant disadvantage high-
lighted the Wolverines' issues on
both sides of the ball.
Offensively, two of Michi-
gan's three first-half drives were
three-and-outs. And Michigan
State stopped the Wolverines
in three plays or less five times.
in the second half. Forcing the
Wolverines' defense, a unit that
is ranked ninth in the Big Ten,
to stay on the field for so long
exposed what is likely now-un-
ranked Michigan's biggest weak-
ness.
Ironically, Wolverine defen-
sive coordinator Greg Robinson,
who often wears a "3 & out" shirt
during practice, was known
for having strong third-down
defenses when he won two Super

- Bowls with the Denver Broncos
in the late 90's.
Michigan State converted on
a third-and-18 in the first half,
and on five more third-and-longs
during the rest of the game,
including the game-winning
touchdown when running back
Larry Caper took the ball outside
and shed a couple of tackles.
The Spartan offense was also
able to overcome three 15-yard
penalties on its first scoring
drive, and Spartan quarterback
Kirk Cousins tallied more rush
yards (19) than either of Michi-
gan's senior running backs on
just one second-and-25 play.
"It was the third downs that
killed us," Michigan coach Rich
Rodriguez said. "It was third and
longs, a lot of third and longs cost
us. I don't know how many times
the quarterback scrambled and
got first downs, and that's very
frustrating when you play two
good snaps and the third snap,
they get a big first down."

But it's hard to determine the
exact cause of everything that
went wrong. The Spartans, who
entered Saturday's game with
the worst possession time in the
Big Ten, extended drives and
held onto the ball 13 minutes lon-
ger than their previous average
- even with Michigan turning
in its second-best pass-defense
performance.
One of the factors? "Our
assignment was just wrong,"
according to senior Brandon
Graham.
"It's just not getting off the
field defensively and not staying
on the field offensively," Rodri-
guez said, visibly frustrated.
"I've always said we've got to
make the other team play some
defense, and in the first half, they
didn't have to play any defense.
They did, but they didn't have to
play for extended periods of time
because we weren't getting first
downs and we weren't stopping
them."

Avg
8.2
14.6
220
9.0
6.0
.6.0
10.0
Avg
43.0
43.0
Avg
28.s
28.5


ZCHARY MISE/DaiA
Senior Zoltan Mesko is the 17th-best punter in the nation but madea HAajr mistake.
Meskomakes
wrong read on
fake punt
Senior punter's could get it. But we played it safe."
RUSHING WOES: Michigan
decision to run definitely didn't look like the best
rushing offense in the Big Ten on
inside the 20-yard Saturday
TheWolverinesipostedameasly
line proves costly 28 yards rushing, and struggled
through the first three quarters
ByANDY REID with negative rushing yards. In
Daily Sports Editor fact, Michigan State quarterback
Kirk Cousins, who is known much
EAST LANSING - There's no more for his passing abilities than
question that Zoltan Mesko is an his legs, was the game's leading
integral part of the Michigan foot- rusher, with 84 yards on seven
ball team's success this season. carries.
With his 44.0-yards per punt "We couldn't run the ball,"
average, which Rodriguez said. "Some of it was
currently ranks NOTEBOOK that we couldn'tget into arhythm.
17th in the We didn't have the ball and when
country, Mesko has pushed the we did they kept us to three and
field-position battle in favor of the outs. I'll have to watch the film
Wolverines every game, and has and see where our blocking was."
made a case for himself as a legiti- Senior running backs Carlos
mate contender for the Ray Guy Brown, who ranks fifth in the Big
Award. Ten with 67yards agame, andBran-
But in Saturday's 26-20 over- don Minor combined for just10 car-
time loss to Michigan State, ries for17yards and never broke one
Mesko made one of the biggest for more than seven yards.
mistakes a punter could possibly With center David Molk still
make. Midway through the third sidelined with a broken bone in
quarter, with his team down four his foot, the Wolverines are still
points and inside its own 20-yard trying to find a comfort zone in
line, Mesko .tucked the football the run game. But the Spartans
and tried to run forthe first down. made that quite a difficult task.
He was taken down three yards "We were so focused making
behind the line of scrimmage. adjustments and coaches were
The play came just moments telling us what they are running,"
after a potentially game-changing Michigan State linebacker Eric
interception by junior cornerback Gordon. "Our rushing defense did
Donovan Warren and led to a an amazing job. Really, our num-
Spartan field goal. ber one thing is to stop the run
"He was supposed to kick it," and that's what we did."
Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez CORNERBACK BATTLE: J.T.
said."ItwasareadandZoltan,who Floyd recorded his first career
has made that decision very, very start on Saturday, and although
well a number of times, thought it took him a while to get into the
he saw a crease. Our defense did swing of things, he was pleased
a good job and held them to three, with his performance.
that wasn't the turning point in "I think I did good," the red-
the game." shirt freshman said. "I think I
Mesko had made that read well played pretty well. I competed
in last season's 35-17 loss at Notre hard. I watched a lot of film this
Dame, when he easily converted week, and I knew my assign-
on a fake punt. Then, he took the ments, but I can always get better
ball, scooted outside the defense, each and every game. I'll get more
where there was no contain man and more experience. Hopefully
to stop him, and found the yard next week, I'll come out and give
marker to keep the drive alive. a better effort."
"I don't know, I don't know Early in the game, Floyd gave
what I saw," Mesko said about the the Michigan State receivers a
botched attempt on Saturday. "I 10-yard cushion, allowing many
saw like, the same thing happened dump passes to the flats for five or
at the Notre Dame game last year, six yards. But he tightened up in
where I cut inside the block and it the second half, slowing down the
was more open, but this gap closed dangerous Spartan pass attack.
very quickly, so I don't know." Floyd said that the Wolverines
But Mesko wasn't the only one have been trying to find three or
who remembered the play from four cornerbacks who are ready
that Notre Dame game. With to play at any given time since
fourth-and-inches coming up and spring practice, including junior
the Michigan offense struggling, Donovan Warren, sophomore
the Spartans weren't taking any Boubacar Cissoko and Floyd.
chances on a fake punt - even That competition will continue
with the Wolverines pinned so far through the rest of this season.
back in the own end. When asked ifhe'llstartagainst
"Obviously, it didn't surprise Iowa or if Cissoko, the former
us," Michigan State coach Mark starter opposite Warren, will step
Dantonio said. "But he had done in next week at Iowa, Floyd said,
that last year against Notre Dame "I have no idea."
early in the season and gotten the "Boubacar, that's like one of my
first down. I'm not sure if it was a best friends on the team, so we're
called fake or if he just did it, I'm goingto always battle,"Floyd said,
not sure on that. So I wouldn't be "We're both great competitors,
too critical. They had an inch to go, and the ultimate decision will be
and probably had to take it if you up to the coaching staff."

No. Yds Avg Lg Ta
2 7 3.5 7 0
2 7 3.s 7 0

Solo
5
0
0
2
1
3
1
1
0
2
1
1
1
1
i
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
22

Asst
3
e
5
2
3
0
.2
2
3
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
36

Tot
8
8
5
4
4
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
t
l
i
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
1
58

SAID ALSALAH/Daily
Senior Amy Kippert scored on of the Wolverines' two goals in yesterday's 2-2 tie against Northwestern.
Wolverines tie Wildcats
after double overtime

BIG TEN STANDINGS

Team
Wisconsin
Iowa
Ohio State
Michigan
Penn State
Minnesota
Northwestern
Michigan State
Purdue
Indiana
Illinois

_Big Ton
2-0
1-0
2-0
1-1
1-1
1-1
1-1
1-1
0-1
0-2
0-2

Overall
5-0
5-0
4-1
4-1
4-1
3-2
3-2
2-3
1-4
3-2
1-3

Blue gives up a
two-goal advantage
and ties in OT
By CAITLIN SMITH
For the Daily
The intensity during Yester-
day's game between the Michi-
gan women's soccer team and
Northwestern fluctuated just as
much asthe stormy weather, pro-
viding edge-of-your-seat action
for all spectators willing to brave
the elements.
After 110 minutes of play, the
Wolverines left with a 2-2 tie.
Michigan dominated most of
the play throughout the match,
but a 10-minute lapse in effort
seemed to be all the time that the
Wildcats needed to change the
end result.
Senior midfielder Amy Klip-
pert started off strong by scoring
just 16 minutes into regulation.
Sophomore midfielder Court-
ney Mercier set Klippert up for
a breakaway by chipping the ball
from midfield over the heads of
the Wildcat defense.
Klippert calmly finished the
ball past Northwestern's goal-
keeper into the middle of the
net, tallying her third goal of the
season and giving Michigan a 1-0
lead at the half.

Just minutes into the second
half of the game, Klippert was at
it again. With the ball at her feet,
Klippert stormed down the right
side of the field, and the referee
gave Klippert the advantage after
she was fouled near the end line.
Although she was tripped up, she
still came away with the ball and
looked to have a scoring oppor-
tunity.
Klippert dribbled across the
field and into the six-yard box,
where she passed the ball to
sophomore midfielder Meaghan
Hennessy. Hennessy blasted the
ball past the goalie to net her first
career goal.
"I saw Amy going down the
side and she played it in," Hen-
nessy said. "I thought that
Northwestern was going to get
it, but the defender whiffed the
ball and it was right in front of
me, so I took the shot. After I hit
it, I was just saying, 'Please go in
the goalt' After it went in, I was
shocked that it happened."
But, the 2-0 lead gave Michi-
gan (0-1-1 Big Ten, 5-6-1 over-
all) a little too much comfort in
their play. Just as the Wolverines
decided they could take it easy for
the rest ofthehalf, Northwestern
decided it was time to pick up the
intensity.
Just 30 seconds after Hen-
nessy's goal, the Wildcats slipped
the ball past the Michigan
defense and Northwestern's Sam

Greene was there to finish from
15 yards out.
Five minutes later, a North-
western (1-1-1, 5-6-2) free kick
was awarded near the middle of
the field. The Wildcats sent the
ball into the 18-yard box, caus-
ing a chaotic scramble. Wildcat
forward Jessica Palo found the
ball at her feet and kicked it into
the net over a sliding Michigan
defender.
Both teams fought aggressive-
ly to the end of regulation time
and couldn't finish during either
of the two sudden-death over-
time rounds.
Despite the inclement weath-
er, Michigan coach Greg Ryan
said he believes the team played
some of the best soccer they have
all year.
"I was really pleased," Ryan
said. "We possessed the ball bet-
ter, we connected better, we were
calmer."
Ryan also was proud of the
fact that the Wolverines scored
both of their goals in the run of
the play. Michigan is strong with
its set plays but has struggled
with finishing goals during live
action.
"This is only our third and
fourth goals in the run of play
(this season), so that is a big
improvement," Ryan said.
The Wolverines will next take
on Michigan State on Oct. 11lin
East Lansing.

big Ten Results
Mich. St. 26, Michigan 20
Penn State 35, Illinois 17
Iowa 24, Arkansas State 21
Northwestern 27, Purdue 21
Wisconsin 31, Minnesota 28
Ohio St. 33, Indiana 14

Follow
@michdailysports.