The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
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GAME
STATISTICS
Five Things We Learned: Ohio State
Tam Stats
FistDowns
Passing Yards
Offensive Plays
Total Offense
Kickreturs/yds
Punts/Avg
Fumbles/Lost
Peatie/Yards
Time ofPossesso
Michigan
31
35/152
41
82
603
6/116
0/0
32/47/0
3/44.0
0-0
4-35
33:21
0
hio State
23
46/393
133
61
526
1/16
1/0
6/15/1
3/44.7
0-0
3-25
26:39
Int
0
0
0
M _ C H M IHG A N
PASSING
PAyeN C-A Yds TD
Gardner 32-45 451 4
TEAM 0-1 0 0
Galln 0- 0 0
RUSHING
Playe Att Yds Av8 Lg
SmlithR 2 10 5. 38
Green 12 47 3.9 13
Toussaint 5 33 6.6 16
Gardner 9 10 1.1 14
Funchess 2 5 2.5 6
Totals 35 178 4.3 38
Pl No. Yds Avg Lg
Gallon 9 175 19.4 84
Butt 5 85 17.0 37
Tossaint 4 4 120 9
Funchess 4 41 10.3 22
Kerridge 2 10 5.0 7
Ryod 1 13 130 1
Hayes 1 9 9.0 9
Totals 32 451 141 84
PUNTING
Player No. Yds Avg
Wile 3 132 44.0
Totals 3 132 440
KICKOFF RETURNS
Player No. Yds Avg Lg
No leet 6 16 93 2
PUNT RETURNS
Player No. Yds Avg Lg
TD
0
0
1
1
0
2
TD
1
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
4
L9
55
55
By ZACH HELFAND
Daily Sports Editor
1. This isn't Bo and Woody's
rivalry
Three years into the Ten Year
War, Bo Schembechler faced a
choice much like Brady Hoke's
on Saturday. This time, the script
was reversed. Schembechler's
team was undefeated. A tie would
send it to the Rose Bowl.
Late in the game, down three
points, Schembechler had two
consecutive plays from Ohio
State's 1-yard line. Earlier in the
game, Woody Hayes's Ohio State
defense stuffed Michigan on four
straight runs on the goal line.
But on third down, Schem-
bechier called another run up the
middle. No gain.
So on fourth down, he faced a
choice: a tie and the Rose Bowl
berth, or go for it for the win.
Schembechler went for it, another
run up the middle. No gain again.
It was a situation much like
Michigan's failed two-point
attempt on Saturday. That's
where the similarities end.
Schembechler and Hayes prob-
ably wouldn't have recognized
this weekend's iteration of The
Game. Michigan's 41 points were
the most ever scored by the los-
ing team in this rivalry. During
the Ten Year War, the most points
scored by the losing team was 14.
Michigan scored that many points
before the first quarter ended.
The modern version of The
Game is a high-scoring, offense-
dominated affair. Here's a sam-
pling of some of the many records
broken in Michigan's 42-41 loss
Saturday:
- The combined 1,129 total
yards are the most ever accumu-
lated in the rivalry. For Michi-
gan, it's the sixth-most combined
yards against any team.
- The combined score of 83
points is second only to Michi-
gan's 86-0 win over Ohio State in
1902.
ADAM GLANZMAN/Daily
Sophomore tight end Devin Funchess and the MiChigan football team's leaping,
high-scoringgame with Ohio State was unprecented in the history oftthe rivalry.
g TD
9 0
TD
- This was the rivalry's first
one-point game since 1926, when
Michigan won 17-16 in Columbus.
* Redshirt junior quarterback
Devin Gardner's 451 yards is the
highest passing total against the
Buckeyes in Michigan history,
breaking Tom Brady's record of
375 in 1998. Only Gardner's 503
passing yards against Indiana this
year surpasses Saturday's mark.
- Gardner's 32 completions is
Michigan's highest completion
total against Ohio State, again
breaking Brady's record of 31 in
1998. It's two completions shy of
the overall Michigan record.
" Gardner's four touchdown
passes are a Michigan record in
this rivalry.
- Fifth-year seniorwide receiv-
er Jeremy Gallon's 175 receiv-
ing yards are a Michigan record
in the rivalry, passing Braylon
Edwards's 172 yards in 2004.
- Gallon's 84-yard screen pass
and run is the longest Michigan
play against Ohio State ever.
- Ohio State's average of 8.6
yards per play is not only a Buck-
eye record forThe Game, it is also
the highest average of any Michi-
gan opponent ever.
* The Buckeyes' 393 rushing
yards is their highest total against
Michigan ever, breaking their
mark of 381in 1995.
- Ohio State's average of 8.5
yards per rush is the most in Ohio
State history.
- Michigan's 99-yard touch-
down drive, of course, is a rivalry
record, a program record and a
national record, tied with many.
This is not an exhaustive list.
Michigan and Ohio State have
met 110 times since 1897. The
game Saturday is simply unprec-
edented.
2. But the rivalry is as strong as
ever.
Let's talk about the fight. Three
ejections, multiple punches, four
flags on the ground. Then there
was Hoke running onto the field,
Marcus Hall's double-middle-
finger salute to the Michigan
Stadium crowd and Royce Jen-
kins-Stone's helmet throw.
It's nice to know that these
teams still hate each other.
"It's always a war," Gallon said
after the game. "It's not even a
game, it's awar."
So the hate is still there, and
the games are as good as ever.
One byproduct of the offensive
explosion in the modern era of
The Game is that the play is more
exciting. Ignoring the stakes, the
2013 version of the rivalry was
the most thrilling game ever. The
1969 game was an improbable
upset, but the 24-12 game was
lackluster in comparison. The
2006 game was high-scoring and
had national title implications,
but Michigan couldn't get the ball
to attempt a final drive.
Ohio State has owned the
series, recently, but it has also
been symmetrically even. By
John Cooper's final game, Ohio
State had only won two of the last
13 meetings. Now, since Cooper,
there have been 13 games. This
time, Michigan has won only two.
Ohio State claims a slight edge in
that 26-year span, at 11-2 to Mich-
igan's 10-2-1.
And since Hoke has taken over?
Ohio State has won two out of
three, but the overall score is tied
102-102.
3. It's official, Gardner is hurt.
Gardner had a gutsy, efficient
performance against Ohio State.
He also did it on one leg. After the
game, he hobbled into his press
conference wearing a boot on his
left foot.
Last week, Gardner appeared
to hurt his right shoulder. Still,
Gardner hasn't missed a snap
because of injury. (He sat out late
against Michigan State but likely
would have gone if the game was
in reach.)
"He's beat up like everybody
is," Hoke said. "And when he was
limping a little bit, I said, 'I don't
want to see you limp. Every guy
out here can limp. We got to go
play.' He did that, and I'm proud
of him."
4. Pint-sized Gallon still has bar-
rels of talent.
Gallon had another typical day
against the Buckeyes. He caught
an 84-yard screen pass early in
the game. Later, he made a char-
acteristic leaping touchdown
grab to put Michigan ahead 21-14.
He finished with nine receptions.
When the offensive line has
given Gardner time, Gallon has
been one of the most proficient
Michigan receivers ever. He tied
a Michigan record with a recep-
tion in 38 straight games. He now
has 1,284yards this season, which
is second in program history and
just 46 yards behind Edwards's
record of 1,330. He is also fourth
on Michigan's all-time receptions
list with 164.
5. Bowl-d prediction: Still B-Dubs
bound.
The bold prediction in this
same columnwas a spot for Mich-
igan in the Buffalo Wild Wings
Bowl. Now that the regular sea-
son is over, it's staying the same.
Assuming Ohio State and
Michigan State go to BCS bowls,
that puts Wisconsin in the Capital
One Bowl and likely Iowa in the
Outback Bowl.
The Buffalo Wild Wings
Bowl picks next, and it will like-
ly choose between Michigan,
Nebraska and Minnesota. A week
ago, the choice would've probably
been Nebraska. But Michigan's
strong showing in a loss this week
could change things.
Michigan beat Minnesota and
travels well, so the Wolverines
have the edge. Nebraska beat
Michigan and finished two games
ahead in the Legends Division,
but the Cornhuskers finished a
disappointing season with some
calling for a coaching change.
Michigan's game against the
Buckeyes could convince some
fans to head to Arizona, maybe
enough to win over the bowl com-
mittee.
TACKLES
Gordon
Tay'or
Morgan
Gordon
Heny
Beyer
Avery
Black
Clark
Norfleet
" Chalton
AshI
Totals
Solo
5
5
4
3
4
2
3
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
37
Asst
1
1
2
2
0
2
3
0
0
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
16
Tot
6
6
6
5
4
4
4
3
3
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
7
53
0 h io 5 t at e
2 LITTLE
From Page 1B
The game appeared to be get-
ting out of reach on the second
drive of the second half, when
Gardner fumbled on a third-
down run and Ohio State recov-
ered the ball near midfield.
Buckeye quarterback Braxton
Miller scored his fourth touch-
down of the day five plays later
to give the Buckeyes a 28-21 lead.
The Buckeyes ripping off huge
chunks of yards on the ground
was a theme of the day. Run-
ning back Carlos Hyde bullied
his way through the middle of
the defense for 226 yards on 27
carries, good for 8.4 yards per
carry. Miller underthrew three
receivers in the first quarter and
finished the game with just 133
passing yards, but ran for 153
yards and was responsible for
five touchdowns.
As a team, Ohio State ran for
393 yards on 46 carries - 8.5
yards per carry.
Still, it was Hyde that gave
Michigan a new chance when
he fumbled near midfield half-
way through the fourth quarter
with the Wolverines down seven.
Gardner then led a 13-play drive
capped off by a touchdown pass
to freshman tight end Jake Butt.
But Ohio State's offense con-
tinued to blast through the Mich-
igan defense, going on a six play,
65-yard drive to regain the lead
with just more than two minutes
left in the game. Michigan scored
on another Gardner touchdown
pass, but the interception on the
conversion sealed the game.
"This is a special game," Hoke
said. "It's the greatest rivalry
there is in any sport. They know
the importance of it. I liked their
demeanor all week.... They were
trying to get better and know
their opponent. I was pleased
with that and had a good feeling
they were going to play they way
they did today."
With the loss, Michigan's
record drops to 7-5 - the same
record that former coach Rich
Rodriguez finished with in his
last season at Michigan before
getting fired and the worst of
Hoke's three-year tenure in Ann
Arbor.
PASSING
Player
Mller
Totals
RUSHING
Player
Hyde
Mller
Brown
Hall
TEAM
Toas
RECEIVING
Player
Smith
Fields
Toas
PUNTING
Johnston
Totas
C-A , Yds
6-15 133
6-15 133
TD Int
2 1
2 1
Aft
27
16
1
1
1
46
No.
2
1
1
1
1
6
Yds
226
153
12
4
-2
343
Avg
8.4
9.6
12.0
4.0
-2.0
a.5
2Avg
53.0
12.0
22
Lg
33
53
12
4
0
53
Lg
37
53
12
6
3
53
TD
1
3
0
0
0
4
TD
1
1
0
0
0
2
Yds
53
12
133
No. Yds Avg Lg
3 143 44.7 55
3 143 44.7 s5
KICKOFF RETURNS
Player No. Yds Avg Lg
TACKLES
Player Solo Asst To
Bamnett 5 6 11
Roby 5 3 8
Perry 2 5 7
Powell 2 2 4
Brown 5 0 s5
Bosa 3 2 5
Bennett 1 4 s5
Washington 2 1 3
Reevs 1 0
Hale 1 0 1
Marcus 1 0 1
Hall 1 0 1
Ball 1 0 1
Basi 1
Total 46 36 82
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DIZZYING
From Page 1B
Michigan's tunne
was raw and ende
real.
It didn't ease th
Hoke, whose eyes
as the thousandsc
fans in the Big Ho
had come expecti
snatching tickets
gan fans who had
abandoned hope.
It didn't ease th
Taylor Lewan, the
senior offensive to
nearly choked up<
press confer-
"I love
every single
one of these
guys," said
Lewan, whose
last play at
Michigan
Stadium was
the most
wrenching.
His voiced
wavered. He turn(
Ryan and tapped I
with his fist. "He':
friend."
Hoke went for i
"we wanted to go
ball game," he sai
for him. The walls
closing in during t
mare of a month.'
underperformed -
even - and some f
for Hoke's job, ort
offensive coordina
of his offensive lin
Michigan Athletic
Dave Brandon had
a statement of sup
Hoke on Wednesd
recruit chose thec
and another said b
reconsider Michig
I. His pain
aring and
le pain for
were as red
of Buckeye
-use. They
ng a rout,
from Michi-
long ago
e pain for
fifth-year
ackle, who
during his
He's worried about Hoke's job.
But Hoke went for it.
It was a rub route, the same
one they practiced this week.
Gardner in the shotgun, with
Devin Funchess, Jeremy Gal-
lon and Drew Dileo stacked
to his right. Funchess ran a
post, Gallon an out. It was
supposed to create space for
Dileo, the little, sure-handed
receiver who always seems to
be forgotten until the biggest
moments. Dileo would surely
make the catch, because he
always does.
But Tyvis Powell jumped
the route. Dileo never had a
chance.
"I threw an
interception to
lose the game,"
"I threw an said Gardner,
who put his
interception chin on his fist
in his press
to lose the conference. He
,, hardly spoke
game. above a mum-
ble. "There's not
really much else
I can say."
ed to Jake After the pass, Gardner
Ryan's arm crumpled to the ground, spent.
s my best He stayed there, his arms
and legs extended out. That's
t, because what you'll remember, because
win the foot- that's the image that will last.
d, and good This one hurts just like the loss
have been last year, maybe even more. A
his night- win wouldn't have cured the
The team has offensive line or erased any
- regressed losses. But it would've helped
have called a lot. It would've erased some
the job of his of the sting from a disappoint-
ator or that ing season. It would've put to
ie coach. rest any coaching rumors. So,
Director yes, you'll remember Gardner
Ito issue on the ground, because that's
port for what matters, but don't forget
ay. The star the rest. Don't forget how it
other team made you believe, and Hoke
he might too. It was a painful end, but
an. Why? Michigan lived it well.
Maybe you allowed yourself
to think this will be a game
after all, after the screen to
Gallon on the first drive. The
fight, Hoke running out to sep-
arate his players, the punches
and the double middle fingers
made it personal.
Hoke went for it because he
wanted it as bad as his players.
He wanted it as bad as Gard-
ner, who threw a touchdown
pass to Dileo down 14 in the
fourth quarter. Afterward,
Gardner tried to run off the
field, limping so badly he
nearly fell over on the sideline.
Taylor Lewan came off limp-
ing after that play too, and
bloody again. Most of these
players are playing through
injury because they don't care
how many losses they have.
They just want to beat Ohio
State.
By the time Carlos Hyde
fumbled, and the clock showed
plenty of time, and Gardner
was fighting with everything
he had left and the breaks
started turning Michigan's
way, a ripple went through the
stadium.
Then Jake Butt scored and
then Funchess, and then the
timeout and it seemed like
destiny.
It was a hell of a death, but it
was a hell of a game too, right
up until the end. For the best
three hours of the year, 7-4
Michigan was on top of the
world.
So Hoke went for it. It was
ballsy, and it was risky, and
it didn't work out. But that's
what you do when what you
want is right there to take.
You go for it. You go for it
every damn time.
Helfand can be reached
at zhelfand@umich.edu and
on Twitter @zhelfand
DEFENSE
From Page 1B
ing decision in the final minute
included.
In fact, the decision wasn't even
Hoke's alone.
Fifth-year senior offensive line-
man Taylor Lewan, who also said
he regretted nothing about his
decision to return for another sea-
son, mentioned that Hoke asked
the seniors on the sideline during a
timeout if they wanted to attempt
the two-point conversion. And
according to Lewan, the decision
was unanimous.
"I don't think there was one guy
that said no," an extremely emo-
tional Lewan said. "Every single
person said yes. We're behind
these coaches 100 percent. We
fight for them and our brothers."
In the back of their minds, or in
Hoke's case, the front, was Michi-
gan's inability to stop the run all
afternoon. Buckeye running back
Carlos Hyde set a program record
for rushing yards against the Wol-
verines with 229. Hyde consistent-
ly found holes to run through up
the middle. Quarterback Braxton
Miller was equally untouchable,
running for three touchdowns and
an average of 9.6 yards per carry.
Hoke knew that, should the
game go into overtime, his team's
chances of suddenly figuring out
how to stop the Ohio State ground
game were likely slim. He liked
the rejuvenated offense's chances
of picking up the necessary three
yards better.
Not to mention, the team was
without fifth-year senior kicker
Brendan Gibbons, who tweaked
something in practice Tuesday,
according to Hoke. Filling in was
junior Matt Wile, who was per-
fect on five extra-point attempts,
though a couple of them were
shaky.
By now you know the rest of the
story: the redshirt junior Gard-
ner's pass, intended for senior
wide receiver Drew Dileo, was
intercepted, and the game was lost
in regulation.
And even though a reporter
informed Hoke that, in an infor-
mal poll, 75 percent of fans agreed
with his decision to go for two
("Great, now I'm really screwed,"
Hoke deadpanned back), had
the defense shown an ability to
get a stop, the game would have
continued into overtime. Half of
the Buckeyes' possessions ended
in the end zone, all but two of
those touchdowns coming on the
ground.
"We need to definitely improve
our running game," said redshirt
junior linebacker Jake Ryan. "That
was one thing that stuck out."
The Buckeyes had difficultly
completing passes, going 6-for-15
through the air, but went uncon-
tested on the ground, consistently
entering the second level en route
to 393 total rushing yards.
But the decision to go for two
wasn't solely made because Hoke
lacked confidence in the defense's
ability to stop, or at least slow
downy the Ohio State backfield
threats.
"We play the game to .win,"
Hoke said. "I thought about it, and
we (decided to)."
Added Gardner: "We felt like we
could win the game rightthere."
To the surprise of most every-
body, they could have. And so, in
some ways, it felt like the Wol-
verines were playing with house
money.
In 1968, after scoring a mean-
ingless two-point conversion after
a rout of Michigan, former Ohio
State coach Woody Hayes, asked
about the decision, famously said
he made it "because I couldn't go
for three."
Unlike with Hayes's, though,
Hoke's bold decision had nothing
to lose and everything to gain.