Michigan Football: 3 takeaways from shocking loss to Michigan State
2. The game came down to the battle of the offensive lines
In this history of this rivalry, the team to lead in rushing yards has won the last 45 of 50 games, so needless to say a strong rushing game is important, however, there has to be an opening in the defensive line to rush the ball. At the end of the first half, Michigan led in rushing yards 83-78.
The Spartans got on the board first in their second drive of the game when Rocky Lombardi connected with Ricky White for a 30-yard touchdown score and the momentum they needed playing in Michigan Stadium. albeit it not near full capacity.
Despite the Spartans’ defensive line’s best efforts to keep the Wolverines from reaching the end zone, they did just that in their next drive after Blake Corum finished the play with an eight-yard rushing touchdown. The score was tied 7-7 and remained unchanged throughout the remainder of the first quarter.
The Spartans put the first touchdown of the second quarter up when Lombardi connected with Connor Heyward for the two-yard score. 14-7 with 9:40 left in the second quarter.
Michigan didn’t end the half without putting up any more points, they put a 23-yard field goal up with less than three minutes to go in the half. The Spartans were on top going into halftime 14-10. Michigan led with total yards, 233, compared to the Spartans’174 total yards in the first half, but the score didn’t reflect this advantage.
The Spartans put the first points of the second half up in their opening drive with a 27-yard field goal kick by Matt Coghlin and extended the lead by three more, 17-10. Michigan struck back in the next drive when Corum rushed the ball into the end zone for the one-yard score, and just like that with eight minutes left in the third quarter, the game was tied.
The Spartans answered in the next drive with another field goal kick and took the lead once again. 20-17 with nearly four and a half minutes left in the third quarter.
They had the opportunity to score first in the fourth quarter, but missed the field goal attempt, from 40 yards out. In the next Spartans’ possession, Lombardi connected with Connor Heyward for a 13-yard touchdown score and extending the lead to ten points, 27-17 with just over four minutes to play in the game.
The last drive of the game lasted for 17 plays and four and a half minutes off the clock before Hassan Haskins took in two yards into the end zone for the touchdown score.