Florida State 33, Michigan 32
Dalvin Cook lived up to his billing. [Bryan Fuller/MGoBlog]
Sometimes you make it a game despite yourself and the human lightning bolt that is Dalvin Cook and then a freshman receiver who looks like a tight end turns a dumb play into a game-swinging kickoff return and a 5'11" guy beats Jourdan Lewis for a touchdown because sure why not and a series of improbable events occur and a laugher turns into a heartbreaker.
For most of the game, Florida State showed why Michigan is on the wrong side of the playoff bubble. Michigan's offense couldn't overcome a shaky offensive line to put any sort of consistent attack together, mustering only 83 first-half yards. Florida State's couldn't either but for the notable exception of Cook. The future Pro Bowl running back had 141 yards and a score on 16 touches. Nyqwan Murray exploited a busted coverage for a 92-yard touchdown. The rest of the FSU offense had 22 yards on 17 plays. The Seminoles held a 20-6 lead at halftime.
Neither team did much of anything in the third quarter until Kenny Allen, for seemingly the umpteenth time, backed up FSU deep in their own territory with 1:12 left in the quarter. Facing second-and-ten from his own eight-yard line, quarterback Deondre Francois rolled right to escape pressure and threw a pass directly to Mike McCray, who ended his short trip down the sideline with a dive into the end zone to make it 20-15. Michigan had pulled within a score for the first time since the opening quarter, setting up one of the wildest finishes of this college football season.
Chris Evans, flying. [Fuller]
Cook once again pulled the game almost out of reach, breaking a 71-yard run on third-and-22 to set up a three-yard touchdown run by his backup, Jacques Patrick. After the teams traded punts, Wilton Speight capitalized on great field position with a third-and-goal touchdown pass to Khalid Hill. The Wolverines returned to the end zone less than four minutes later, forcing a three-and-out before Chris Evans juke-posterized an FSU safety on a 30-yard touchdown scamper. Before you could say "Captain America," Michigan had taken a 30-27 lead.
The ensuing kickoff looked as innocuous as could be. FSU freshman Keith Gavin fielded Allen's boot a couple yards deep in the end zone, surveyed the field, and paused. In football, when you pause on a kickoff return, you kneel for a touchback. That is the only play. Except for this play. This play, Gavin belatedly took off despite the protestations of fellow return man Kermit Whitfield, burst through a tackle, and was finally dragged down 66 yards later by Jourdan Lewis.
The winning touchdown. [Fuller]
Cook got the Seminoles to the 12-yard line on a screen pass. Two plays later, Murray rose over Lewis to haul in the go-ahead touchdown. As if this game wasn't frantic enough, Michigan blocked the extra point and Josh Metullus, filling in for an injured Jabrill Peppers, brought it all the way back for two points. With 36 seconds left, down a point, Michigan had the opportunity to give this meandering game one final twist.
Instead, the Seminoles held strong, intercepting a desperation fourth-and-ten heave by Speight forced by instant—perhaps too instant—pressure by DeMarcus Walker.
It may be coachspeak cliché, but it's true: Florida State made more plays. The better team, at least tonight, won the game. Cook showed Michigan what they lack: an offensive playmaker that makes opponents sigh with relief every time the ball goes elsewhere. That, or an elite quarterback, can overcome a porous offensive line. The Wolverines had neither.
Maybe next year.
December 31st, 2016 at 1:41 PM ^
Not sure what him expressing a political opinion has to do with yesterday's game.
December 31st, 2016 at 7:12 PM ^
He's a great football player and it is a free country, he can express his thoughts!
January 2nd, 2017 at 10:26 AM ^
SB Nation released a mock draft for the first two rounds, and Lewis wasn't on the board. I think the Orange Bowl hurt him.
December 31st, 2016 at 5:08 PM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 9:56 AM ^
I think Peppers comes back.
December 31st, 2016 at 10:10 AM ^
Maybe, but I still want to know why, if he couldn't play he was in the booth texting instead of being on the sideline rallying the players?
December 31st, 2016 at 10:11 AM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 10:13 AM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 1:46 PM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 7:15 PM ^
He will probably go into the draft. I don't blame him. If he stays that would be great as well.
December 31st, 2016 at 9:59 AM ^
We couldn't run the ball. We haven't had a stud running back since Michael Hart. Smith is a tough guy and a fighter, but not you star, main back. Toussaint was a disaster. Watched ESPN classic Rose Bowl the other day and saw Leroy Hoard and Tony Boles in same backfielld. Haven't had anyone like them in years. Hoard broke a tackle by Junior Seau - nowdays something like that would be as rare as a Bigfoot sighting. In the pre-Richrod era that's how we used to play ball and that kind of thing did happen. Harbaugh has to get that back.
December 31st, 2016 at 10:12 AM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 10:17 AM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 10:22 AM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 10:38 AM ^
Just read Harbaugh's comments about the game. What a class guy unlike the Florida State Dumbo Fisher. Great attitude and the guy knows the game; I'm not worried:
“Really the offense in the first half, it was tough sledding. Wilton (Speight) was able to make some plays out of the pocket, really coming up with some first-down throws, extending the play. Was very creative. That kept us moving, kept us getting some first downs, didn't turn the ball over, was really good with the ball all day. Our entire offense was. And our team did everything we asked of them today, starting coming out of the half. Second half, put together a drive, chipped away at the lead by three, and asked them to get a turnover, and thought that would change the momentum, and they did. When we needed the touchdown drives, we got them. So I was just really proud of the effort of our team and also give credit to Florida State. They played a heck of a ballgame, as well.”
December 31st, 2016 at 10:43 AM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 2:14 PM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 11:09 AM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 11:07 AM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 11:08 AM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 11:15 AM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 11:33 AM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 11:43 AM ^
They never shook the Hoke mentality. They still hear mindless clapping in their heads.
December 31st, 2016 at 12:01 PM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 1:27 PM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 1:39 PM ^
Yes, I liked what I saw too. Pencil him in for '07.
December 31st, 2016 at 12:22 PM ^
If Sp8 is our starting QB for the next two years, we're in for many more disappiointments. His only consistency is that he is inconsistent. He can't accurately throw the long ball and his constant throws behind his intended targets should place him no better than the number three QB in spring ball.
December 31st, 2016 at 12:51 PM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 1:21 PM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 12:44 PM ^
2nd down at our own 25 yard line, 31 seconds remaining. We need to drive a minimum 45 yards for a field goal attempt...
And our call is a screen pass to our slowest player against a defense full of speedy, sure-tackling players? Look, even if Smith was a "safety valve" third or fourth progression read, that is still ridiculous. How about roll the pocket away from the guy who was pressuring Speight or have Asiasi or Wheatley in the game helping double team that guy? How about a screen pass to Evans or McDoom, who can make a player miss? By the way, where was Asiasi all game long? He was a stud blocker all year for us in the two-tight end set but I barely recall seeing him last night. Was he in the doghouse? Even Panda was limited until the second half. Just sucks that we went vanilla featuring Smith most of that effing game...so disappointing.
The last four games of the year, offensively we played a conservative style of football NOT TO LOSE rather than continuing to innovate with the unique set of players we have. That's on the coaches, who were afraid to take chances with the schemes until the clocks ran out. Don Brown was the guy who took risks, and yes, when the players made mistakes we got burned, but at least he stuck to his game plan. Drevno/Fisch (who?) playcalling was disappointing; and the player personnel choices were very questionable, too (starting with, way too much Smith).
You can say that Speight's injury limited us over the last three games. Fine. But after seeing how underwhelming O'Korn was against Indiana, let's get busy preparing Peters and McCaffrey and open up O'Korn's schollie slot. Thanks for your service, but we need to be looking to the future.
December 31st, 2016 at 12:57 PM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 1:07 PM ^
with that patchy, please-let-us-be-average-today OL that seems assembled by MacGyver with duct tape, toothpicks, and used condoms is nothing short of a miracle. But we're stuck at this elevation until the OL becomes elite-ish.
No QB is going to give us downfield accuracy without a cleaner pocket. No RB is going to put the offense on his back until the holes open up. Does that happen next year? I don't know, but that's the rate limiting step. 2018 seems like a reasonable guess, but next year's team may surprise after some early-season growing pains.
Remarkable that with such a minor break here or there and we'd be looking at an undefeated team, but that's what life on the bubble is like. Clemson needed a choke by the NC State kicker to get there. OSU needed Buckeye fans officiating The Game. We've gotten some breaks, like the fumbled punt to set up 1st and G at the one, but OL is just too much of a drag on our engine to take advantage.
December 31st, 2016 at 3:28 PM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 1:46 PM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 2:49 PM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 4:16 PM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 4:45 PM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 6:25 PM ^
For a while this year it looked like Harbaugh had found a sleeper in Karan Higdon, who appeared to be blossoming into a top back. But after his second 100 yd game, he disappeared. Can hardly get back to the line of scrimmage. Pulling a Toussaint.
Next year Evans looks like he'll be the only experienced back that's any good. And that won't be enough. Hopefully Walker will do something. If not, it'll be a long year, and, once again, we won't be able to put a first down or two together in crunch time to protect a lead. We've lost too many games because of that. It's more than the same old same old annoying inability to run when you need it. It's going on 10 years of this.
December 31st, 2016 at 6:39 PM ^
and got passed up on the depth chart. Hopefully he will turn it around next season.
December 31st, 2016 at 6:33 PM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 6:33 PM ^
and we are already complaining about 10 win seasons. Give him a few years to build a good OL. Wilton is an average QB and could improve but I think in a couple seasons Peters will be a great QB.
December 31st, 2016 at 7:19 PM ^
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December 31st, 2016 at 8:43 PM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 9:07 PM ^
December 31st, 2016 at 9:45 PM ^
Ohio State is getting their ass handed to them by Clemson. It looks like the ACC, believe it or not, is the best conference in the country.
January 1st, 2017 at 10:20 AM ^
if you use, e.g., average S&P team ranking. The bowl performances are consistent with the S&P data. Too bad the ACC doesn't have as much $$$ as the B1G & SEC.... yet. It's a hell of a recuriting pitch that the ACC has now that the B1G and SEC have had in the recent past, i.e., "we have our own TV network and we're the best conference in FBS".
December 31st, 2016 at 11:14 PM ^
January 1st, 2017 at 1:23 PM ^
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January 1st, 2017 at 12:17 AM ^
January 1st, 2017 at 4:50 AM ^
Can anyone explain why we run the same doomed plays over and over? We kept giving it to Smith behind the line and he would get stuffed over and over. Anyone who is a former player that can explain this? This is the same stuff I saw in the Hoke era and it drove me insane. OL gets blown up and a horrible 3 yard pass on 1st down, then Smith gets stuffed behind the line on 2nd down while trying to be cute, then the 3rd down is when we try something a little smarter and come up short then on 4th down we punt. We punt the ball away so darn fast that our offense would be better served running down the play clock every single time and not let the defense get so gassed... holy crap.
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