Michigan falls to Wisconsin 23-20

By Darrell Laurant  |   Sunday, September 25, 2005  |  Comments( 0 )

College Football
Got something to say?

Sign Up and be the first to comment on this article!

It might have been a designed play, or it might have been an afterthought. For the University of Michigan Wolverines on Saturday night, it didn't matter.

Wisconsin Badgers QB John Stocco dropped back to pass with less than 30 seconds to play and his team down 20-16 in the Big Ten opener for both teams at Camp Randall Stadium, then pulled the ball down and sprinted up the middle and into the end zone from four yards out. Taylor Mehlhaff's extra point provided the final margin, 23-20.

Michigan had one last gasp, but QB Chad Henne slipped and fumbled as time expired on his own 34. Like vampires, the Wisconsin Badgers work best at night (16-1 under the lights in the past decade), and this game was a slow bleeding for the Wolverines, now 2-2.

Henne had given the visitors their last lead when he took a pitch back from RB Kevin Grady on a flea flicker and delivered a 49-yard strike to freshman WR Mario Manningham. The sophomore from West Lawn, PA finished with 251 passing yards in a losing cause, including a short touchdown pass to Jason Avant in the second quarter.

The Wolverines were forced to play once again without star tailback Mike Hart, still nursing a hamstring injury suffered in the Notre Dame game. Sophomore Max Martin and freshman Grady took his place and combined for 150 rushing yards, but Martin's costly fourth-quarter fumble set up a touchdown run by Wisconsin's Brian Calhoun that gave the home team a 16-13 lead. Stocco and Manningham then finished the scoring.

Both defenses were effective for most of the game, creating a game-within-a-game between Mehlhaff and Michigan kicker Garrett Rivas. Wisconsin won that battle, too, Mehlhaff kicking three field goals to Rivas' two. Michigan saw a 17-play, 96-yard drive in the third quarter come up empty when Grady was turned back at the goal line on fourth down.

Calhoun, a transfer from Colorado who went in as the nation's leading rusher, had 155 yards on the ground and 58 yards receiving.
Got something to say?

Sign Up and be the first to comment on this article! (0)

About Darrell Laurant

Sorry, Darrell Laurant's bio is currently not available. Please check back soon!
read more
Article Tools Share!   |  RSS  |  Bleacher Report About Bleacher Report