Game Week Countdown - Penn State #4

 For the #4 game between M and PSU, 'll go with the 2002 battle in Ann Arbor.

Both teams came into the game with 4-1 records. 

The game was a defensive battle, Penn State lead 13-7 going in to the 4th quarter.

Braylon Edwards scored early in the 4th on a pass from John Navarre and the PAT put Michigan ahead 14-13.

Penn State answered midway through the quarter and a 2-point conversion put the Nittany Lions up 21-14.

The Wolverines knotted it back up with just over 3 minutes remaining on another Navarre to Edwards pass.

Penn State made it midfield after a ridiculous "catch" that would in no way be a catch today, but could get no further and the two teams went to overtime. The first OT in Michigan Stadium History.

Penn State went first and M held them to a field goal to make it 24-21 PSU. Michigan had 2 chances to shut them out - Cato June jumped a pass and nearly intercepted on the goal line and then Robbie Gould missed the bad angle short field goal attempt, but M had jumped offside giving him a second chance.

Michigan got their chance and made the best of it - mostly on the ground with Chris Perry finally bullying his way in to the end zone for the 27-21 win.

Game Week Countdown - MSU #3

The #3 game vs. the Spartans is another road game. The 2005 match-up featured higher ranked MSU and 2-2 Michigan. 

It was a back and forth game. Mike Hart put M into the lead early in the 4th quarter 31-24. Late in the quarter M seemed to driving to the game sealing score when Domata Peko picked up a controversial "fumble" and rumbled 70+ yards for the tying score.

Michigan drove down for a short field goal attempt, but Garrett Rivas missed the 27 yarder and the game was headed for overtime.

The Spartans had the ball first and went 3 and out and then they missed their own field goal keeping the game tied.

Michigan only ran 2 plays then let Rivas redeem himself for the 34-31 win

Countdown to Kickoff - day 2

October 30, 2004

Michigan 45 - MSU 37; 3 OT

The second version of the "Legends Game" as my dad calls it was the 2004 M-MSU game. They again invited all the former players back to form a tunnel for the players as they reached for the M Club banner.

The weather was sunny and hot when the game began, but after the sun went down the temperature plunged. I actually went out and bought a long sleeve shirt later in the game.

Michigan had no answer for the MSU spread, especially draws to DeAndra Cobb. He started the scoring off with a 72 yard TD run, pretty much untouched. Mike Hart answered later in the quarter to tie it at 7. A Drew Stanton - totally unsurprising - QB draw put the Spartans back up by 7 before the end of the 1st.

The M defense finally had a bit of a stop, holding MSU to a field goal, making the score 17-7 at about the 9 minute mark of the 2nd. Late in the half, LaMarr Woodley sacked Stanton - separating his shoulder. Stanton's revisionist history has M fans cheering the injury - I remember the standard light applause for an injured player coming off. Stanton had been very good, M didn't have much more success against Damon Dowdell.

Garrett Rivas answered with a Michigan field goal just before the end of the half making it 17-10 Spartans.

Amazingly enough, the 3rd quarter was scoreless, and the teams entered the 4th at 17-10.

A Spartan field goal made it 20-10 early in the 4th. On their next possession, Cobb had his second long TD run - a 64 yard effort - making it 27-10 with under 9 minutes left. When Steve Breaston misplayed the squib kick forcing M to start the drive inside the 10, it looked like it wasn't going to be Michigan's day.

M made it almost 90 yards down inside the MSU 10, when the drive stalled. Carr sent out the field goal team, I couldn't believe they were settling for a field goal, down 17 with ~6:30 left. In retrospect Lloyd knew what he was doing... Rivas made it 27-13. Michigan sent out two kickers for ht kickoff - Rivas squibbed it toward the Michigan sideline a Spartan misplayed it and Brian Thompson recovered it for what might be the biggest play in the comeback.

From here Braylon Edwards took over. Michigan dodged a long field goal attempt at the end of regulation.

The overtimes were at the far end of the field. Michigan settled for a field goal on their first possession - giving M their first lead of the game - the D was able to hold MSU to the same.

MSU scored quickly on their second possession to go back up by 7. Henne hit Jason Avant in the back corner of the endzone, the PAT tied it back at 37.

M went first in the third overtime on the second play Henne hit Edwards on a crossing pattern he went in the rest of the way for the 24 yard score. Starting with the 3rd overtimes, the teams have to go for two. Henne hit Tim Massaquoi in the back of the endzone for the 2 points giving M the 45-37 lead.

Four incomplete passes from Dowdell and Michigan had completed comeback from a 17 point deficit late in the 4th quarter.