0od
EVANSTON -
lone on the sideline,
Brendan Gibbons kept
the same routine, the
same steps: Back, back, back,
back. Right, right. Then a pause.
Thump.
Around
him, Michi-
gan's game
with North-
western had
turned har-
ried. But here,
there was
peace in the ZACH
familiar steps HELFAND
and sounds.
Back, back,
back, back. Right, right. Pause.
Thump
Just 2:18 remained, and the
Michigan football teamtrailed
9-6 to Northwestern. The Wol-
verines took possession on their
own 22-yard line, desperately
trying to mount a final drive.
About even with the line of
scrimmage, on the sideline, Gib-
bons was kicking away.
Something seemed strange:
the net was positioned a few
yards in front of a patch cut out
of the Ryan Field grass. Each
time Gibbons stepped back, he
stepped into the divot, set below
the dirt and filled with slick arti-
ficial turf.
Back, back, back, back. Right,.
right. Pause.
Each time he started the kick,
he had to stride over the obstacle
to avoid it. It looked awkward.
Why make the kick more dif-
ficult? Why didn't he just move
the net?
Thump.
On the field, Drew Dileo was
slogging his way through a for-
gettable evening. At the start of
this final drive, Dileo had zero
receptions and had been targeted
only once.
To this point, the game had
been almost comically bad. For
59:48, it was miserable. Gardner
threw four would-be intercep-
tions, but Northwestern dropped
them all. On the other side of the
ball, theWildcats once punted
from their own three-yard line.
The kick went just seven yards.
Still, Michigan lost a yard and
could only manage a field goal.
It all seemed so meek. And so
meaningless.
Here were the Wolverines,
already eliminated from Big Ten
title contention. What was there
left to play for?
The team said its goal was 10
See KICKING, Page 3B
TOP: The Michigan footbalt team celebrates its win over Northwestern in three overtimes on Saturday.
BOTTOM: Fifth-year senior Brendan Gibbons kicks the game-tying field goal, with junior receiver Drew Dileo on the hold.
After 3 overtimes, Devin
Five Things We Learned:
Gardner makes final escape Michigan vs. Northwestern
By EVERETT COOK
Daily Sports Editor
EVANSTON - There was
one more pack of people for
Devin Gardner to weave
through, one more escape to
make before answering ques2
tions from the media about
one of the craziest, improb-
able wins of his career, a 27-19
triple-overtime victory over
Northwestern on Saturday.
After wading through a
throng of fans, the redshirt
junior quarterback hugged his
family, whispering into their
ears and smiling before walk-
ing further into the tunnel.
Before the media room, a
group of children - Michigan
fans - were the last obstacle
that remained for the Wolver-
ine that hadn't been able to
avoid any sort of contact the
last three weeks.
They swarmed, just like
Michigan State, Nebraska and
Northwestern had, and sur-
rounded' him. Smiling, Gard-
ner took a step back. He wasn't
going to get trapped again.
Last week, the same player
that had 584 total yards against
Indiana was struggling to get
off the turf after yet another
failed third-down conversion
that ended in a sack. For much
of Saturday, not much seemed
to have changed.
Gardner was sacked five
times on Saturday by the Wild-
cats. That makes 19 combined
in the last three games. He's
See ESCAPE, Page 3B
By ZACH HELFAND
Daily Sports Editor
1. The flaws remain, despite the
win.
Everything had fallen into
place for the Michigan football
team's offense. The execution,
the bounces, the luck - it had all
gone Michigan's way to set up
the best scoring opportunity of
the game.
Michigan trailed by six to
open the fourth quarter when
senior receiver Joe Reynolds
downed a punt from junior Matt
Wile on the 1-yard line. Reynolds
tiptoed the goal line before fall-
ing into the end zone.
The defense did its part, suffo-
cating the Northwestern offense
and allowing just two yards on
the drive. Even the Wildcats
pitched in with a miserable,
seven-yard punt that set up the
Wolverines on the 10-yard line.
If Michigan could score a touch-
down, it would take the lead.
But Michigan went backward.
After a stretch run to freshman
Derrick Green lost a yard, red-
shirt junior quarterback Devin
Gardner threw a badly under-
thrown pass to sophomore Devin
Funchess and then a badly over-
thrown pass to senior Jeremy
Gallon. Michigan settled for a
field goal.
Michigan won, ultimately,
and the 27-19 score betrayed
what was another anemic offen-
sive performance. In regulation,
Michigan scored just nine points.
It was 0-for-13 on third down
before overtime.
There were improvements.
The line opened up some of the
biggest holes it has in weeks.
Michigan didn't turn the ball
See FIVE, Page 3B
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Michigan regains a star but loses the game in road test at Iowa State
Cyclones spoil the of the Midwest, it was not. a The team and the atmosphere Hundreds of students lined up mium was placed on each pos- than three minutes remaining,
The No. 7 Michigan men's bas- in Hilton Coliseum became one outside Hilton Coliseum hours session Sunday. Turnovers led to forward Georges Niang drove the
return of Mitch ketball team's 77-70 loss to Iowa in the same as the clock struck before the gane. Ten minutes considerable momentum shifts, right side of the lane, drew the
State on Sunday exposed the zeros. Cyclone fans stormed before tipoff, there wasn't an and tipped passes and rebounds foul on McGary and converted
McGary with Wolverines to some new things. the court, intermixing with the unfilled seat. Johnny Orr, the wound up causing a swing of as the layup to give the Cyclones a
For one, players they had been yelling at winningest head coach in both many as six points. 69-63 lead, one they would not
comeback win they got MICHIGAN 70 earlier. Those booing, screaming the Wolverines' and Cyclones' Ultimately, the Cyclones (3-0) relinquish.
their pre- IOWA STATE 77 and chanting just minutes prior history was announced to the made more of their possessions. Clutch shooting kept the
By NEAL ROTHSCHILD season All- took over the hardwood, and the Cyclone band plafing "Here's Michigan held a lead for much of Cyclones in the game when the
Daily Sports Editor American back, as forward Mitch players were left to retreat to the Johnny." One fan said she couldn't the second half, but a 3-pointer by Wolverines (2-1) tried to break
McGary returned to action. For locker room. remember the arena like this. guard DeAndre Kane with seven away in the second half, and it
AMES, Iowa - A mild non- another, they played a close game. The adversarial relationship In a departure from the past minutes remaining drew Iowa was that shooting that put Michi-
conference mingling in the plains They also suffered their first loss. had swung in favor of the host. few weeks for Michigan, a pre- State to a tie. Then, with more See BASKETBALL, Page 4B
0
2 NOT BETTER THAN 1 UPSET IN AMES I
U The Michigan hockey team has two U The Michigan men's basketball team
capable goalies. That doesn't mean both couldn't capitalize late in a hostile envi-
of them should be starting, writes Greg ronment against Iowa State.
Garno. Page 2B Page 4B
It
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