Wolverines Have X-Factor In B1G TNS W

#54 Illinois – 7
#11 Michigan – 14

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan’s offense squandered multiple opportunities to build a lead against the Illini, but their defense kept them in the game and came up with a goal-line stand allowing @Denard Robinson to connect with @Roy Roundtree for a 48-yard game-winning touchdown with 16 seconds remaining.

The Wolverines D didn’t get off to a good start though. On their first play from scrimmage, Illinois QB Nathan Scheelhaase found TE Justin Lattimore for a 60-yard catch and run giving the Illini an early 7-0 lead. But it would be their only points of the day as Michigan held them to just 85 yards of offense for the remainder of the contest.

Two red-zone turnovers, a Vincent Smith fumble and Robinson interception, had the Wolverines in a hole before Robinson was able to find TE Kevin Koger for a 16-yard TD after eluding the oncoming rush from a play-action fake.

Illinois looked to have regained the lead midway through the 4th on a second down Jason Ford touchdown, but the run was called back for a holding penalty on sociology major Hugh Thornton (they’re student-athletes, remember). Scheelhaase completed his third down pass, but the Michigan D held the Illini up at the 2 yard line. Rather than kick the go-ahead field goal, Green rolled the dice and went back to Ford on a toss to the left side but the play was blown up immediately in the backfield and the Wolverines took over on their 7 yard line with 2:19 remaining.

Robinson was clutch on the eventual game-winning drive, continually completing 3rd down throws (the Wolverines were an impressive 7 for 9 on 3rd down conversations throughout the game) and calmly advancing the offense down the field. Content with doing no worse than overtime, Red bled the clock and when Green finally brought pressure off the edge on a corner blitz was able to find the streaking Roundtree for a 48 yard catch & run up the sideline to paydirt.

Sugar Land, Texas' Troy Woolfork, son of former Michigan All-American tailback Butch Woolfolk (1978-81), sealed the game with an interception.

Michigan racked up 9 first downs on the way to 219 yards of offense. With the win, the Wolverines will move on to play the winner of #22 Clemson vs. #43 Cal.

Stats:
Michigan
Denard Robinson – 13/21 for 181 yards, 2 TDs, INT
Roy Roundtree – 5 rec, 78 yards, TD
Darryl Stonum – 3 rec
Kevin Koger – 3 rec
Troy Woolfork – INT