Game Week Countdown - Penn State #1

 For my top Michigan - Penn State game, I choose the 2005 game. 

The Nittany Lions came in undefeated while M was coming of a homecoming loss to Minnesota and sitting at 3-3.

Michigan's defense met the challenge early, holding PSU scoreless in the first half. A Garrett Rivas field goal made it 3-0 at the break.

Mike Hart scored early in the 3rd making it 10-0 Wolverines. 

Penn State finally got on the scoreboard just before the the end of the quarter with a field goal to make it 10-3. This started 18 straight points for PSU over the next 5 minutes of game time.

Michael Robinson bullied in to tie the score at 10. Then the Penn State defense got on the board. Chad Henne scrambled for a short gain, Alan Zemaitis wrapped up Henne, took the ball away and ran it in for a touchdown. Confusion on the hold on the PAT turned into 2 points as the holder was able to run it in giving Penn State the 18-10 lead, with just over 11 minutes remaining.

Michigan answered quickly - Henne hit Mario Manningham on a perfect throw along the sideline and Mike Hart ran in the conversion to tie the score at 18.

Michigan's defense held and Rivas hit another field goal with ~3:30 left to give Michigan the 21-18 lead.

This time the defense couldn't make the stops. Robinson again scrambled into the end zone with under a minute left to make it 25-21 Penn State.

Henne was often at his best when his back was to the wall and he lead a perfect drive capped with a TD pass toe Manningham as time expired.

via GIFER

 

For the 27-25 win - Penn State's only loss on the season. 

Game Week Countdown - MSU #2

 I guess most of the close games against the Spartans have happened up in East Lansing, because we're back at Spartan Stadium again for the #2 game I've attended vs. MSU, November 3, 2007.

Michigan had suffered two humiliating defeats to start the season, but had won 7 straight, MSU was sitting at 5-4.

Michigan had the better of the action in the first half, leading 14-3 at the break. MSU dominated the 3rd and early 4th quarter, imposing their will on the Wolverines to take a 24-14 lead.

About half way through the 4th Chad Henne banged up his knee and had to come out. Freshman Ryan Mallet came in and was strip sacked - somehow, Mike Hart came up with the ball and scrambled for a first down and maybe some here-we-go-again doubts entered the Spartans heads..

Henne came back in and finished the drive, dropping a perfect pass into the waiting arms of Greg Mathews to cut the lead to 24-21, with just under 7 minutes to go.

The M defense held and gave the ball back to Henne with about 4:30 remaining. On 3rd and 12 from the Spartan 31 yard line, Henne found Mario Manningham in the back of the end zone to put M in front 28-24.

The infamous "Little Brother" quote from Mike Hart came up in the post game press conference.

Countdown to kickoff - day 4

October 15, 2005

Michigan 27 - Penn State 25

Undefeated Penn State came in to Michigan Stadium to take on the 3-3 Wolverines. Michigan had just found a way to lose to Minnesota, while to Gophers were playing for overtime. The Nittany Lions were ready to end 8 years of frustration against Michigan.

My cousin Mary Ann and her husband Kent had come to the game. Kent was on crutches from what we would later find out was a broken hip. But he hobbled the 9 blocks to the game.

The defenses were the story early. Michigan broke through for 10 2nd quarter points to lead at the half. PSU finally added a field goal just before the end of the 3rd to cut the lead to 10-3. The 4th quarter was very unlike the rest of the game.

Early in the 4th Penn State tied it up on a 3rd down Michael Robinson QB draw (I remember screaming to watch for just that!). On the next snap - Michigan gave up the lead. Chad Henne scrambled for good yardage and as he was being wrapped up - the ball ended up in Alan Zemaitis's hands - he ran it in 35 yards for the score. Henne sure seemed down to me, but the call stood. The PAT only made it worse. The Lions kicker, Kevin Kelly ended up with the ball and ran it in for 2 points. In 20 seconds M went from up 7 to down 8. The fans around us were booing lustily. Although I had been negative - especially with the obvious QB draw TD - I chose to reverse cheer. Whatever the idiots in front of us complained about - I cheered for. Michigan had played pretty well, and although this would become "the year of infinite pain" it wasn't going to be today.

Henne lead a beautiful drive back down the field culminating in a perfectly thrown ball to Mario Manningham for the TD. Mike Hart ran in the 2-point conversion to re-tie the game at 18 with 9:32 left.

Michigan's defense held and the offense produced a long Garrett Rivas field goal putting M back on top 21-18 with under 4 minutes left. Marcus Ray picked off a Robinson pass, but M couldn't do anything with it and Penn State was left with 2:46 on the clock and 81 yards to go.

This time the defense just couldn't stop Penn State and Robinson. His totally unsurprising QB draw put PSU back in front with under a minute left. Things looked bleak. Here's a tip to JoPa - don't kick it to Steve Breaston...

Michigan drove down to the 10. They faced a 4th and 4 with only one of Lloyd Carr's two seconds remaining. Henne found Manningham wide open and insanity reigned!


Mary Ann and Kent enjoyed the outcome very much as well. Someone was nice enough to switch seats so that Kent had a spot right behind a tunnel to be able to spread out a little. Although, IIRC this is the game where Mary Ann had to call someone a "fat ass" to keep enough room on the benches for both she and Kent. When they finally made it back to our place in the darkness, we got to enjoy another great Michigan win (and Penn State's only loss)!

Countdown to Kickoff - Catch-up days 9 - 7

Day 9

November 3, 2007

Michigan 28 - MSU 24

This was the 100th M-MSU match-up. We had great seats from my cousin Barry (who was up in the President's box). Michigan looked good early, then the defense began to fail. The Spartan ground game dominated from late in the 3rd to most of the 4th quarter. The Spartans lead 24-14 midway through the 4th. When Chad Henne hobbled off - it looked like it would be MSUs day. Ryan Mallet couldn't avoid the pressure and couldn't hold on to the ball, but somehow Mike Hart picked up the loose ball and ran for a first down.
Henne immediately came back in and a few plays later cut the lead to 24-21 hitting Greg Mathews with a perfect throw. The defense held again and M took over with about 4 minutes and 65 yards to go. With M on the edge of tying field goal range facing a long 3rd down, Henne went deep to Mario Manningham to retake the lead. The change in Spartan Stadium was dramatic. Hoot and I were almost embarrassed for the Spartan fans around us. They went from taunting to tearing... MSU got into Michigan territory before turning it over on downs - another great comeback for Henne and the Wolverines.
_______________________________________________________________

Day 8

January 1, 2000

Michigan 35 - Alabama 34

Twice Alabama had 14 point leads, twice Tom Brady led Michigan back to tie the score. David Terrell had perhaps his beast game at Michigan. An Anthony Thomas goal line fumble prevented M taking the lead and left the score tied at 28 early in the 4th. Hayden Epstein's attempt to win the game in regulation ended in a blocked field goal. Michigan had dominated the 4th quarter, but scored no points. Michigan's first overtime game would be on the first day of the 2000s (but not the first day of the new millennium (people always get that wrong). Their first OT possession lasted exactly on play as Brady hit Shawn Thompson on a crossing pattern, Thompson broke free and carried it into the endzone. Epstein's PAT made it 35-28. M's defense was twice as good it took two plays for Alabama to get their six points, but...
________________________________________________________________

Day 7

November 23, 1985

Michigan 27 - OSU 17

Jim Harbaugh was so good in this game - three TD passes and over 200 yards in the air (remember Bo was the coach!) First he found Gerald White after bobbling the snap to tie the game at 10 (love the post TD tissue paper in the clip). Then he scrambled to find Eric Kattus in the back of the endzone putting M up 20-10. After Chris Carter cut the lead back to 20-17, Harbaugh never saw the result of his 77-yard scoring strike to John Kolesar (and the live shot didn't show the TV audience much either). Mark Messner and Mike Hammerstein finished off the Buckeyes from there on out. We "rushed" the field after the game. jiMpossible managed to get near the downed goalpost when the security started hitting it with their night sticks - I think his head still rings today. I think there may have been some of the best waves in Michigan Stadium after that last TD pass.

Countdown to Kickoff - 16 days

September 16, 2006

Michigan 47, Notre Dame 21

Both teams entered undefeated. Notre Dame was ranked #2 in the country, Michigan was #11. Notre Dame has picked apart a decent Penn State team the week before and were favored against the Wolverines.

I got us tickets through some scalper site online. The asterisk next to one of the seat numbers made me a little nervous. I was worried, they were handicapped seating or something like that, but it turns out it meant it was an aisle seat.

The Irish tried to set the tone right off the bat, Brady Quinn went deep to Jeff Samardzija, but Morgan Trent (Trent Morgan?) broke it up. After an offside penalty Quinn went to the air again. This time he found Prescott Burgess, who took it back for a Michigan TD.

A few minutes later Chad Henne's pass was intercepted an taken back inside the Michigan 5, leading to the first ND TD, and the game was quickly tied at 7.

Late in the quarter Henne found Mario Manningham wide open for the second M TD. The teams traded special teams errors, but it was more costly for the Irish. Michigan's PAT failed, leaving the score 13-7. Then ND fumbled the kick off, giving the Wolverines the deep in ND territory. Mike Hart cashed it in, and Michigan lead 20-7 going into the 2nd quarter.

Early in the 2nd, Henne found Manningham again putting Michigan up 27-7. But Henne and Mannningham weren't done. A third TD pass put Michigan up 34-7 late in the half. The stadium was stunned. Even confident Michigan fans, couldn't have expected this thrashing. When the Irish cut right through Michigan's defense for a quick score right before the half, I admit to thinking, "That was too easy, they're going to come back in the 2nd half and it is going to be an embarrassing result." That was not the case.

Michigan's defense was just too strong for the Irish. Burgess almost had his second interception return for a TD, but was tackled inside the 5. Michigan settled for a Rivas field goal 37-14.

After that the M defense just began teeing off on Quinn. Michigan Left South Bend with a dominating 47-21 victory, and the Michigan fans left Notre Dame Stadium, like few visiting fans get to...