Michigan 10, Northwestern 9
De'Veon Smith broke the scoreless tie with 6:49 left in the third on a three-yard plunge, ruining the aesthetic, but this will forever be known as The M00N Game:
#M00N pic.twitter.com/GQcd88rr9a
— MGoShoe (@MGoShoe) November 8, 2014
If it involved futility, this game had it. Northwestern lost on a failed two-point conversion with three seconds left when quarterback Trevor Siemian rolled out, saw Frank Clark, and fell over. That was just the final pratfall in this slapstick, however.
It started right away, with Northwestern taking an illegal formation penalty to negate a third-and-one conversion on the game's first drive. Devin Funchess returned the favor by dropping a third-down pass on Michigan's opening salvo.
The two teams proceeded in such fashion for the duration of the game. Michigan's final three possessions of the first half started inside Northwestern territory. They netted 29 yards and zero points, failing in three different ways: a punt, a pick, and a blocked field goal as the half mercifully expired.
The Wildcats pulled the same trick in the second half, missing a field goal, turning it over on downs, and punting on a negative-28-yard drive on their three possessions beginning on the Wolverines end of the field. The teams finished with a combined 504 yards; 256 for Northwestern, 248 for Michigan.
Somewhere in the middle of all that, Devin Gardner threw a second interception when he stared down Jake Butt, Michigan lost a fumble when Jack Miller's snap bounced off a motioning Devin Funchess, and defensive tackle Matt Godin picked off Siemian after Clark tipped a pass.
Bryan Fuller/MGoBlog
We should all be thanking Pat Fitzgerald for his fourth-quarter decision-making. After punter Will Hagerup pinned Northwestern just outside their goal line, Siemian engineered a 19-play drive that covered 95 yards, only for Fitzgerald to call for the field goal unit on fourth-and-goal from the four. The field goal cut Michigan's lead to 7-3. The Wildcats had literally just doubled their yardage total in one drive. Under seven minutes remained on the clock. He kicked anyway.
Michigan nearly managed to ice the game on the next drive, chewing up 4:16 and all three Northwestern timeouts on a 54-yard drive that ended with a Matt Wile field goal.
The Wildcats marched right back down the field, cutting the M lead to 10-9 on a three-yard throw from Siemian to Tony Jones. Fitzgerald, slightly more bold than before—or perhaps just wanting the game to end—sent the offense back on the field. Michigan's pass rush had landed home all night, sacking Siemian six times, and they anticipated the Northwestern call to roll the pocket right; Clark shot past two blockers and Siemian slipped in an effective but fruitless attempt to avoid him.
One kneel later, the game ended. Nobody was sad to see it go.
November 9th, 2014 at 3:00 AM ^
November 9th, 2014 at 11:27 AM ^
Gallon was very good and, for all his faults, Borges ran an offense where the WRs stretched the field deep. We now have an inaccurate and very likely injured QB in a passing game where virtually all of the throws happen within 10 yards of the LoS. There's no reason for CBs not to squat on routes at 10 yards, because we're incapable, whether by design or because of circumstance, of pushing the ball down the field.
Add in that our #1 receiver drops 1/3 of the accurate balls thrown to him, and you have this mess of a passing game.
November 9th, 2014 at 7:24 AM ^
Is Devin the worst QB in FBS? He is not a threat to run as he is way too hesitant, he WILL throw at least two picks and have a few more that could have been and half his completions are shit that look like like a freakin derp is throwing ...hell, you never know if he'll throw it 90mph at you from 5 yards or try to lop it over the moon for 5 yards. Our recievers must be amazed when they actully see a decent ball.
I know Shane gets hammered, but really? He has got to get PT.
...and I like how I get neg'd for expressing thoughts. But the final two games, Yeah, we don't have a chance. Maryland will put up 30+ and OSU 40+. Our soft secondary will get exposed again. We'll be lucky to break 20.
November 9th, 2014 at 9:53 AM ^
November 10th, 2014 at 8:34 AM ^
He can't play the position.
November 9th, 2014 at 9:56 AM ^
no, that's Shane's MO.
November 9th, 2014 at 10:30 AM ^
in Columbus when it is 40-6 at the end of the 3rd quarter.
I hate to say it but that NU game was a tire fire. Like someone above said, I got to the point where I was just laughing at our horrible play. I swear I saw the players laughing too.
November 9th, 2014 at 2:07 PM ^
agreed. the entire game was so bad, but I could not stop watching it. I kept thinking to myself: "this is funny, but its not funny".
NW played us worse than Indiana played us last week (and we beat Indiana by 24pts). yesterday we beat NW by one point. bc they failed on the 2pt conversion.
how can this happen?
November 9th, 2014 at 11:53 AM ^
November 9th, 2014 at 1:56 PM ^
stoned.
November 9th, 2014 at 8:17 AM ^
Seemed pretty much like a microcosm of the game to me.
November 9th, 2014 at 10:59 AM ^
shitty than last year's game at NU. But, we exceeded that low point this year. I'm speechless and dumbfounded how we could muster only 251 yards, no TD passes, and 1 of 12 3rd down conversions against a defense that bad. Gardner looked like a true freshman playing against a top 10 defense.
November 9th, 2014 at 11:02 AM ^
incomprehensible that this team is so bad if you step back and consider, with perhaps the exception of the D, how ill-prepared and sloppy this team is.
Further, when you look at Hoke and listen to him try to formulate thoughtful sentences to make some irrelevant point during a useless pressor or interview and all you get are sentence fragments, you can then understand why this team is regressive, disjointed and ill-prepared. Half the time, writers have to fill in the blanks in hs thought process in order for their pieces to make sense for the reader. So you can imagine what it must be like if you play for this guy.
Hoke and staff are the epitomy of the classic definition insanity repeating the same thing over and over (to paraphrase his shop-worn phrase(s) - we have to go back to work, or we did have a great practice this week) and expecting a diiferent outcome.
In his case, the different outcome for this team is further consistent regression of talented players - a fireable offense. To keep Hoke and staff, even winning out, will only serve to continue the current environment of incrreasing loses and lack of player development.
That said, I am totally impressed by how hard these kids play - there is no quit in them, despite being poorly prepared and developed. Baumgardner in today's piece (11/9) is spot on - no team in America has had to put up with more garbage ahtletically and administratively than this one.
November 9th, 2014 at 12:57 PM ^
what a contrast to the M-NW game. Last night in EL two well coached teams played a very entertaining game that was won by a team that will probably win the BgTn and possibly get to play for the NC. For their part sparty has nothing to be ashamed of and I am sure the MSU kids had a really good practice this week too. I mention this not to aggrevate everybody with the details but it is significant to note the path the buckeyes took to get where they are now. They lost to VT and their potential heisman trophy starting QB was lost for the season and they had 4 new OL that didnt look good in their loss. At that time everybody wrote them off. Last night the buckeye OL and redshirt frosh QB looked like a seasoned well oiled machine against a nationally ranked defense. Urban Meyer had headphones on and was animated, focused and intensely involved with the offensive play calling and defensive adjustments. I would have to give him a thumbs up as a head coach. But how was he as a cheerleader you ask - not so good, he didn't clap on the sidelines or slap anybody on the back until the game was over. In the postgame interview while still on the field Meyer showed due respect to the opponent and then stated yup proud of my QB and team, the future is bright for Ohio State. Hard to dispute his assessment of that program.
If nothing changes where do you think Michigan's future stands? Think about the prospect of another season with Hoke as HC. You have to agree that the future is not so bright for the maize and blue if the current state of affairs continues. Change is needed as soon as possible. Actually I believe the humiliation thats coming in C-bus in 3 weeks will end any further gibberish about retaining Hoke.
November 9th, 2014 at 5:40 PM ^
...Ohio State just wins and Urbs is one of the top 3 in the game. Give credit where credit is due. I'm hoping UM comes back big but a top coach is definately what it will take and then it will still be 10 years before anyone could say we're back....but I'm willing to wait.
November 9th, 2014 at 1:10 PM ^
November 9th, 2014 at 2:07 PM ^
The backs continue to not follow their blockers and hit the holes.
It is long past time coach Jackson retires.
November 9th, 2014 at 4:22 PM ^
Don't get me wrong, I understand that is his specialty. But What might be Hoke's biggest failure is not being a true "head coach". The defensive line has played pretty well am year and has developed talent while the rest of the team, especially the offense, has struggled mightily.
I like the guy but he's gotta go.
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November 10th, 2014 at 8:32 AM ^
The faster this season ends the better. Al Borges looks like a genius compared to Nuss.
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