Wolverines' Comeback Falls Short Against Michigan State

Saturday, October 31

Ann Arbor, Mich.

Noon

Michigan

1-1 , 1-1

Michigan State

1-1 , 1-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Michigan State

Michigan

Blake Corum (Michigan Photography)

Wolverines' Comeback Falls Short Against Michigan State

10/31/2020 4:48:00 PM | Football

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By: Dave Ablauf, Chad Shepard

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Michigan Stadium)
Score: Michigan State 27, #13 Michigan 24
Attendance: 615
Records: Michigan (1-1), Michigan State (1-1)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Nov. 7 -- at Indiana, Noon

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 13-ranked University of Michigan football team fell in its 2020 home opener against Michigan State, 27-24, on Saturday (Oct. 31) at Michigan Stadium.

The Wolverines' comeback attempt in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter came up short, in what was largely a back-and-forth affair aside for a single unanswered Michigan State field goal in the third quarter.

Michigan's offense narrowly outgained the Spartans, 452-449, behind quarterback Joe Milton who threw for 300 passing yards, spreading the ball around to 11 different receivers and compiled a team-leading 63 yards on the ground. Milton and running back Hassan Haskins (56 yards, touchdown) led a U-M rushing attack that outran MSU, 152-126, to go along with two more red zone touchdowns from running back Blake Corum.

However, The Spartans were more efficient offensively with 16 fewer plays on the day and averaged 19 yards per passing play.

Linebacker Josh Ross and defensive back Brad Hawkins led the Michigan defense with eight tackles apiece.

The Spartans found the end zone first to take an early 7-0 lead five minutes into the contest, but the Wolverines were quick to respond. A 38-yard kickoff return from wide receiver Giles Jackson set the table for the well-rounded Michigan offense, and running back Chris Evans burst into MSU territory with a 16-yard run up the middle of the field. From there, Milton spread the wealth to his talented receiving corps with first-down strikes to Jackson (12 yards on third down), wide receiver A.J. Henning (15 yards) and wide receiver Cornelius Johnson (11 yards) to drive the Wolverines to first-and-goal.

Corum sprinted wide around the right side for eight yards and his first career touchdown to finish off the drive and tie the game at 7 with seven minutes left in the first.

From there throughout much of the remainder of the half, the Wolverine defense by-and-large kept the Spartans contained in their own half of the field. Michigan State had just two drives in the entire first half that crossed into Michigan territory.

The subsequent drive for MSU was stymied by linebacker Michael Barrett and Ross, who tackled Spartan running back Jordon Simmons for a loss of four yards on a third-and-four situation just as MSU was threatening to cross into Wolverine territory.

On its next possession, Michigan State appeared to be gathering momentum for another drive toward the end zone, but what may have been a first-down run into Wolverine territory was negated by a 15-yard penalty to set up third-and-long. The Michigan defense stuffed a Spartan rush for no gain to force a punt.

The Spartans eventually broke through for their second score of the game, taking a 14-7 lead with 9:40 to go in the half after a drive-opening 53-yard heave into the red zone led to a two-yard touchdown pass five plays later.

The Wolverines cut the Spartan lead to 14-10 two drives later to as kicker Quinn Nordin connected on a 23-yard field goal for his first score of the year. The Wolverines were explosive en route to the red zone, with a 20-yard pass from Milton to Jackson and a pair of runs by Haskins, breaking tackles, hurdling would-be pursuers and stiff-arming his way to 19- and 16-yard scampers. Ultimately, the Wolverines were narrowly denied a touchdown as MSU tipped incomplete a third-and-goal Wildcat-formation pass attempt from Haskins to tight end Carter Selzer.

After allowing another long Michigan State pass into the red zone to start the second half, the Wolverine defense locked down to limit the Spartans to a 27-yard field goal. Two and a half minutes into the third quarter, the Wolverines remained within a touchdown, 17-10.

The MSU lead evaporated on the ensuing drive as Michigan marched 75 yards down the field in 11 plays for their second touchdown of the game. Milton connected with wide receiver Roman Wilson twice early in the drive for 11 and 17 yards -- the latter on third down -- to push into Michigan State territory. A screen pass wide out to Jackson for no gain ultimately yielded 15 more yards thanks to a Michigan State unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. A nine-yard rush from Henning to the MSU 16 set up a Milton-to-Ronnie Bell connection down the middle of the field that was grounded just inches shy of the goal line.

For the second time on the afternoon, Corum punched through for a one-yard score, drawing the Wolverines and Spartans even at 17 with 8:00 left in the third.

On the following drive, the Wolverine defense stalled out a Spartan drive, and Michigan State connected on a 51-yard field-goal to take a 20-17 lead with 4:23 left in the third quarter.

Though the Michigan offense did not answer the score, the special teams crew was able to pin the Spartans down on their own two yard line between a 39-yard punt from Brad Robbins and an athletic play from Jake McCurry at the goal line to prevent the touchback.

Michigan State looked poised to overcome the poor field position as the third quarter drew to a close, but the Michigan defense stepped up to start the fourth. Gemon Green nearly intercepted a trick-play pass in the end zone, and a pair of partial stops by Ross forced the Spartans into a 40-yard field goal attempt that hooked left, leaving the score at 20-17 with 13:21 left in the game.

Michigan got a spark on its next drive as Milton was flushed out of the pocket and turned around on third down, but was able to hit Bell on the run with a line-drive pass for a first down with a 12-yard connection to midfield. Though the drive did not go much farther, Robbins and the special teams were again able to pin the Spartans inside their own 10 yard line.

However, the Spartans overcame the field position disadvantage over the course of 11 plays to extend its advantage to 27-17 with just over five minutes left.

Looking to keep the Wolverines' chances alive, Milton converted on a clutch fourth-and-six situation, scrambling out of the pocket and up the right sideline before muscling his way through two Spartan defenders for the first down. A seven-yard loss was wiped away by an MSU penalty, setting the stage for another Milton first-down rush, this time for nine yards. Three straight completions to tight end Nick Eubanks, running back Zach Charbonnet and Wilson gave the Wolverines another first down at the MSU 41, from where Milton ripped off another long run of 11 yards.

Milton connected with tight end Erick All on back-to-back completions for another first down into the red zone at the MSU 17. Two plays later, Cornelius Johnson caught a Milton pass in the middle of the field, escaped a tackle and cut his way through the field 16 yards to the MSU one yard line. Haskins went around the right side of the defense for a two-yard scoring run, pulling Michigan to within three points, 27-24, with 37 seconds remaining in the game.

The ensuing onside kick was recovered by the Spartans, who closed out the game with a fourth-down conversion with 23 seconds remaining on the clock.

Michigan's next contest will see it take to the road for a battle with No. 17-ranked Indiana next Saturday (Nov. 7). The game is scheduled for noon and will be broadcast live on FS1.