The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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10 THE WOLVERINE NOVEMBER 2020 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS FIVE YEARS AGO, 2015: Amara Darboh hauled in a 25-yard touchdown pass from Jake Rudock, allowing Michigan to escape Bloomington, Ind., with a wild 48-41 double-overtime win Nov. 14. The Wolverines and Hoosiers combined for more than 1,100 yards of total offense on the afternoon. Indiana appeared set to grab its first victory in the series since 1987, but U-M wasn't having it, in Jim Harbaugh's first season at the helm. Michigan tied the game, 34-34, with only two seconds remaining on the clock in regulation, on a five-yard Ru- dock to Jehu Chesson toss. That sent the contest to extra sessions, and Harbaugh's crew found a way to survive. Indiana took a 41-34 lead on Jordan Howard's one- yard touchdown run in the first overtime, but Michigan tied it when Rudock unloaded a 21-yard TD toss to tight end Jake Butt. Rudock then fired the game-winner to Darboh, moving Michigan to 8-2 on the season. Rudock threw for 440 yards and a Michigan single- game record six touchdowns on the afternoon. He also rushed for 64 more yards, accounting for 504 of the Wol- verines' 581 yards of total offense. "If Jake doesn't play the way he does, we don't have a chance," U-M head coach Jim Harbaugh said. "All those attributes — talk about his accuracy, talk about his arm strength, talk about his durability, his toughness, he's intelligent — but I still go back to that one, he is just unflappable. It does not matter what the situation is." 10 YEARS AGO, 2010: Michigan's all-out blitz foiled an Illinois two-point conversion attempt in triple over- time, preserving the Wolverines' 67-65 home victory over the Illini Nov. 6. Running back Michael Shaw crashed into the end zone to give the Wolverines the lead in the final over- time. Illinois matched the touchdown, but not the two- point conversion, Michigan's defense making the play it needed most. Denard Robinson and Roy Roundtree exploded on offense all day long for the Wolverines. Robinson threw for 305 yards and three touchdowns on the day, adding 62 yards on the ground. Roundtree hauled in nine passes for a Michigan-record (at the time) 246 yards and two scores, while Junior Hemingway caught six passes for 102 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Neither team led by more than a touchdown, with the score see-sawing back and forth all afternoon. Michigan needed a nine-yard pass from Tate Forcier — subbing after a late injury to Robinson — to Darryl Stonum with 3:59 remaining in the fourth quarter just to send the game to overtime. Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez noted Roundtree's career game made a huge difference. "We were on him all week because last year when we went down to Illinois he had a big one and got caught from behind, so we said you're developing in the weight room and in good condition," Rodriguez said. "He didn't get caught on the first one, but he did get caught on the second one. He battled pretty good." 25 YEARS AGO, 1995: Tshimanga Biakabutuka ran over, around and through Ohio State in Michigan's stunning 31-23 victory over the No. 2-ranked Buckeyes Nov. 25. Biakabutuka bolted away for 23 yards on the very first play, on his way to 313 rushing yards on the afternoon. He rushed 37 times, Michigan's offensive line abusing the OSU defense in what Ohio State safety Rob Kelley later described as "a disgrace." On the other side of the ball, freshman cornerback Charles Woodson secured a pair of interceptions, includ- ing the game-clincher off Ohio State quarterback Bobby Hoying. Hoying noted: "This is the toughest day I'll have to live with for the rest of my life." A week prior to the game, Ohio State wide receiver Terry Glenn spouted to reporters: "Michigan is noth- ing." The Wolverines were far from perfect in their first sea- son under new head coach Lloyd Carr. But an emotional Carr saw them rise up at the perfect moment. "It has been a long season," he said of a team that fin- ished 9-4. "But I can't think of a better way to end it than the way these kids did this afternoon." — John Borton THIS MONTH IN MICHIGAN ATHLETICS HISTORY Tshimanga Biakabutuka rushed for 313 yards — the second most ever in a game — during Michigan's 31-23 win over No. 2 Ohio State Nov. 25, 1995. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS