The Michigan Wolverines' football team leads Indiana this afternoon, 21-14, at halftime in Bloomington in what has been a tightly-fought battle.
Here's how the first two quarters unfolded:
First Quarter
Michigan's defense got off to a rough start today, with Indiana getting the ball first and marching right down the field on the Wolverines.
They advanced 75 yards in 11 plays, capping their drive off with a one-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Stevie Scott at the 10:07 mark of the first quarter.
Michigan's offense answered beautifully, however, stringing together an eight-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a six-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Shea Patterson to sophomore receiver Ronnie Bell at the 5:45 mark, tying the game at 7-7.
The score was the first of the season for Bell.
The Maize and Blue's defense stepped up and made an outstanding play on the Hoosiers' ensuing possession, with freshman safety Daxton Hill — who started in place of injured junior safety Brad Hawkins — intercepting redshirt junior quarterback Peyton Ramsey at the U-M 31-yard line.
Michigan couldn't capitalize off the turnover, however, with the offense going three-and-out and punting at the 2:04 mark of the quarter.
Second Quarter
IU regained the lead to start the second quarter, with Ramsey sneaking it in from a yard out to give his club a 14-7 lead. The redshirt junior's score capped off a seven-play, 52-yard drive.
Michigan's offense answered once again, however, with Patterson finding junior receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones in the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 14-14 with 11:01 remaining in the half.
Patterson was 9-of-12 through the air at that point.
The Maize and Blue's defense finally stepped up and forced a Hoosier three-and-out, but Michigan's offense was forced to punt as well at the 8:01 mark of the quarter.
U-M's defense continued its stellar play by forcing another IU punt at 7:03, and then took over at its own 20-yard line.
The Wolverines finally grabbed the lead when Patterson found junior wideout Nico Collins in the end zone on a beautifully-thrown 24-yard touchdown pass with 5:37 to go in the half, putting U-M up 21-14.
The half concluded with two straight punts (one by each team), and the Hoosiers then ran out the clock to end the half.
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