The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1412876
16 THE WOLVERINE OCTOBER 2021 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS FIVE YEARS AGO, 2016: Michi- gan quieted the crowd in East Lan- sing, hanging a 32-23 loss on Michigan State Oct. 29. The Wolverines built up a 30-10 lead before the Spartans man- aged an ill-fated fourth-quarter rally to make the game appear closer than it was. Michigan State actually took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a five-yard run by LJ Scott. The Wolverines an- swered by scoring 30 of the next 33 points. Jabrill Peppers tied the score on a three-yard touchdown run with 4:30 left in the first period. Running back De'Veon Smith then scored a pair of second-quar ter touchdowns, with placekicker Kenny Allen hammering home two 23-yard field goals to put Michigan up at the half, 27-10. After a scoreless third period, Allen hit a 45-yarder just eight seconds into the fourth quarter, keeping U-M firmly in control. Two four th-quar ter touchdowns saved some pride for MSU, the last coming with only one second remain- ing. When the Spartans attempted a two-point conversion, they fumbled, Peppers scooped it up and ran it back 98 yards for the final two U-M points. The MSU crowd audibly F-bombed Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh during one timeout. "Yeah, I heard it," Harbaugh said later, on his radio show. "I thought it was great and classy. I thought they were saying, 'Love Jim Harbaugh.' They kept repeating it: 'Love Jim Harbaugh! Love Jim Harbaugh!' I thought that's awful great sportsmanship by the Michigan State Spartans." 10 YEARS AGO, 2011: Brady Hoke's crew cruised to a 58-0 win over Minnesota, in front of a Maize Out crowd at The Big House Oct. 1. The Wolverines led 38-0 at halftime and continued to roll. Tailback Vincent Smith opened the scoring on a three- yard touchdown run, and later hauled in a 28-yard touchdown pass from Denard Robinson. Defensive back Courtney Avery capped the rout by going 83 yards for a touchdown with a fumble recovery. The win boosted the Wolverines to 5-0 on the season and 1-0 in the Big Ten. Robinson threw for 169 yards and a pair of TDs, while running back Fitzgerald Toussaint rumbled for 108 yards and a touchdown on only 11 carries. The Michigan defense obviously did its job, limiting Minnesota to only eight first downs and 177 total yards. "The pride that guys like [Ryan] Van Bergen and [Mike] Martin have in how they play is a big part of it," Hoke said. "This whole thing is a process, what the kids are going through in how you do things." 25 YEARS AGO, 1996: The Wol- verines won a nail-biter, 27-20, over In- diana at home Oct. 19. They improved to 5-1 coming off a devastating one- point loss a week earlier at Northwest- ern, a game they led 16-0 in the fourth quarter. Against the Hoosiers, Charles Wood- son scored on a 48-yard reverse while making four receptions for 55 yards. Fullback John Anes scored a rushing TD on a one-yard plunge, while Scott Dreisbach completed 17 of 35 passing attempts for 218 yards, including a touchdown pass to tight end Jerame Tuman. Clarence Williams rushed for 93 yards on 22 carries, and Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr breathed a sigh of relief. — John Borton THIS MONTH IN MICHIGAN ATHLETICS HISTORY Jabrill Peppers had an all-around performance in the 2016 win at Michigan State. He scored a touchdown on offense, picked up a two-point conversion attempt and returned it 98 yards for two, and notched seven stops with two behind the line of scrimmage, includ- ing a sack. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN