ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Fourth-ranked Michigan finally received the test of a close game that many college football fans wanted to see.
Consider that test passed, despite several self-inflicted errors.
Junior quarterback Wilton Speight hit senior wideout Amara Darboh for the game-winning touchdown pass with 7:56 remaining and Michigan’s defense dominated throughout in a 14-7 win over No. 8 Wisconsin in a Big Ten battle Saturday at Michigan Stadium.
The result was far different than the lopsided margins of victory Michigan enjoyed in its first four games, but it ended up enhancing the team’s playoff resume as the season nears its halfway point.
“We can learn from it and it’s a good feeling to have that type of a game and come out victorious,” Speight said.
Michigan (5-0 overall, 2-0 Big Ten) dominated the game statistically, outgaining Wisconsin 349-159 and outrushing the run-heavy Badgers 130-71.
Michigan also possessed the football for 35 minutes, 41 seconds against a Wisconsin team that was third nationally in time of possession average (37:01).
But because of six costly penalties and three missed field goals, Wisconsin managed to hang around until Speight hit Darboh in stride down the field for a 46-yard touchdown pass that made it 14-7. Darboh got behind the Wisconsin defense on a fly pattern near the sideline and hauled in his fifth touchdown catch of the season.
“You kind of hold your breath during the last split-seconds of the play and hope it doesn’t get deflected,” Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said. “I really felt good when the ball was in the air. Wilton has been extremely good throwing the deep balls. Extremely accurate and we have a lot of confidence with him throwing it. It was a tremendous play.”
Also tremendous was Michigan’s defense, which intercepted Wisconsin redshirt freshman quarterback Alex Hornibrook three times while holding him to 9-for-25 passing for just 88 yards.
Michigan also held Wisconsin senior running back Corey Clement to 68 yards on 17 carries.
“I thought our defense was the shining star of the game,” Harbaugh said. “I thought that phase of the game was outstanding. Awesome with a capital ‘A.’ ”
Speight went 20-for-32 passing for 219 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
“I thought we were challenged differently than last week,” Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst said. “There are a couple of balls when you look back at this thing, (Hornibrook’s) going to want back. There were a couple that had a chance to be a big hit for us and swing the field for us. How he saw the field and all that, I didn’t see anything there negatively. It was just the finishing of plays. I think he’ll learn from it.”
MICHIGAN 14 WISCONSIN 7
Wisconsin 0 0 7 0- 7
Michigan 0 7 0 7- 14
Second Quarter
MICH-Kh.Hill 1 yard rush (Ke.Allen kick), 14:56.
Third Quarter
WIS-Ogunbowale 17 yard pass from Hornibrook (Endicott kick), 8:03.
Fourth Quarter
MICH-Darboh 46 yard pass from Speight (R.Tice kick), 7:56.
TEAM STATISTICS
WIS MICH
First Downs 7 22
Rushes-Yards 28-71 44-130
Passing 88 219
Sacked-Yds Lost 2-13 4-32
Comp-Att-Int 9-25-3 20-32-1
Return Yards 85 42
Punts 9-35.7 7-46.6
Fumbles-Lost 1-0 0-0
Penalties-Yards 3-30 6-45
Time of Possession 24:19 35:41
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING-WIS, C.Clement 17-68, J.Peavy 2-23, Ramesh 2-4, Ogunbowale 2-3, Ingold 1-2, Hornibrook 3-(minus 16). MICH, Dv.Smith 17-66, T.Isaac 8-48, Ch.Evans 8-34, Chesson 2-8, Kh.Hill 2-2, S.Morris 1-2, K.Crawford 1-0, Speight 5-(minus 30).
PASSING-WIS, Hornibrook 9-25-3-88. MICH, Speight 20-32-1-219.
RECEIVING-WIS, Wheelwright 3-46, Ogunbowale 3-23, Fumagalli 2-12, J.Peavy 1-7. MICH, Darboh 6-87, Chesson 5-52, Butt 3-31, G.Perry 2-26, Dv.Smith 2-9, Ch.Evans 1-9, Poggi 1-5.
Northwestern 38, Iowa 31
Northwestern (2-3, 1-1) jumped out to a 17-7 lead it took into the second quarter when momentum began to shift back in Iowa’s favor. A 22-yard reception by sophomore receiver Jay Scheel set up a 6-yard touchdown run by junior running back Akrum Wadley, who had two rushing scores in the game.
The Hawkeyes took a 21-17 lead when senior quarterback C.J. Beathard connected with senior receiver Riley McCarron on a 15-yard touchdown pass.
Iowa (3-2, 1-1) tacked on a field goal by freshman kicker Keith Duncan to extend the lead to seven points, but the pendulum swung back in Northwestern’s favor.
The Wildcats responded with a 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that ended with sophomore quarterback Clayton Thorson finding senior wideout Austin Carr for a 16-yard touchdown pass to tie the game.
Northwestern took the lead later in the third quarter when junior running back Justin Jackson broke off a 58-yard touchdown run up the middle.
No. 2 Ohio State 58, Rutgers 0
Junior J.T. Barrett set the school record for career touchdown passes, Mike Weber rushed for 144 yards and the Buckeyes breezed to victory in their conference opener in Columbus, Ohio.
Barrett threw four touchdown passes - all in the first half - including a 5-yard strike to H-back Curtis Samuel with 11 seconds to go before halftime for a 30-0 lead. Barrett, who left late in the third quarter after completing 21 of 29 passes for 238 yards, has 59 career touchdown passes - breaking Bobby Hoying’s record of 57.
Maryland 50, Purdue 7
The Terrapins churned out 400 yards rushing and cruised to over the Boilermakers in the Big Ten Conference opener for both teams in College Park, Md.
Sophomore Ty Johnson rushed for a career-best 204 yards and two touchdowns on just seven carries.
While the Terrapins’ ground attack couldn’t be stopped, Purdue could muster only 10 yards rushing in falling to 2-2.
Nebraska 31, Illinois 16
The Cornhuskers stormed from behind with three touchdowns in the final quarter to beat the Illini before 90,374 fans on homecoming in Lincoln, Neb.
The No. 15 Cornhuskers (5-0, 2-0), trailed 16-10 heading in the final 15 minutes, but went ahead to stay on a 3-yard touchdown run by Terrell Newby, who finished with 27 carries for 140 yards and two touchdowns.
TOP 10
No. 1 Alabama 34, Kentucky 6
Sophomore wide receiver Calvin Ridley caught 11 passes for 174 yards and two second-half touchdowns as the Crimson Tide took care of business with an easy Southeastern Conference victory in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Freshman running back Joshua Jacobs, starting in place of the injured Damien Harris, rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown while freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts was 20-for-33 passing for 262 yards and two scores for the Crimson Tide (5-0, 2-0 SEC).
No. 9 Texas A&M 24,
South Carolina 13
Trayveon Williams and James White each rushed for a touchdown during the second half as the Aggies remained undefeated with the Southeastern Conference win at Columbia, S.C.
Texas A&M (5-0, 3-0) didn’t put the game away until Cullen Gillaspia recovered a fumble on a punt return by the Gamecocks with 3:20 remaining in the fourth quarter.
No. 10 Washington 44,
No. 7 Stanford 6
Washington has displayed signs of being a program on the rise and delivered a major statement Friday night in Seattle.
Sophomore quarterback Jake Browning passed for 210 yards and three touchdowns as the Huskies scored the game’s first 30 points to cruise to the Pac-12 win.
Sophomore tailback Myles Gaskins rushed for 100 yards and two touchdowns for Washington (5-0, 2-0), which has won eight consecutive games dating to last season. Junior receivers John Ross and Dante Pettis and true freshman Aaron Fuller each had a scoring reception.
Washington also bottled up Cardinal star running back Christian McCaffrey. The junior All-American had just 79 yards from scrimmage (49 rushing, 30 receiving) as Stanford (3-1, 2-1) had a seven-game winning streak halted.
