Instant Recap: Michigan Takes Down MSU, 44-10, In The Big House
The Michigan Wolverines' football team blew out Michigan State this afternoon in The Big House, 44-10, under beautiful sunny skies and highs in the low 30s.
Here's how the entire contest unfolded:
First Half
Michigan got the ball first to start the game today, but punted on its opening series of the afternoon.
Michigan State scored the first points of the contest when they strung together a nine-play, 60-yard drive that was capped off with a one-yard touchdown pass from fifth-year senior quarterback Brian Lewerke to redshirt sophomore fullback Max Rosenthal at the 1:48 mark of the first quarter, putting MSU up 7-0.
The Maize and Blue answered immediately, however, compiling a touchdown series of their own.
Redshirt freshman running back Hassan Haskins found the end zone from a yard out out of the wildcat formation at 14:29 of the second quarter, knotting the game at 7-7.
U-M's defense forced a Spartan punt at 10:02 of the second frame, and its offense continued the momentum with a 12-play, 98-yard drive that ended with a five-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Shea Patterson to redshirt junior tight end Nick Eubanks with 4:18 remaining in the half, putting the Wolverines on top 14-7.
Michigan tacked onto its lead right before halftime when redshirt junior kicker Quinn Nordin nailed a 28-yard field goal with only 15 seconds left before the break, extending U-M's advantage to 17-7.
The Spartans decided to take a knee on their final possession of the half, and the Wolverines took their 17-7 edge into the break.
Second Half
Michigan continued its momentous play to open the second half, with junior cornerback Ambry Thomas picking off Lewerke at the U-M 43-yard line on MSU's initial series of the third quarter.
The Maize and Blue capitalized off the turnover by accumulating a four-play, 57-yard drive that concluded with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Patterson to junior wideout Donovan Peoples-Jones to put Michigan up 24-7 at the 12:40 mark of the third quarter.
Michigan State responded with a 35-yard field goal from Matt Coghlin at 6:43 of the frame to trim U-M's lead to 24-10, before Nordin added his second of the afternoon — this time from 49 yards out — with 2:13 left in the quarter to extend the Wolverine edge to 27-10.
The kill-shot (if you will) occurred to start the fourth quarter, when senior viper Khaleke Hudson blocked Michigan State's punt on the first play of the game's final frame, and U-M recovered at the Spartan 22-yard line.
The Wolverines went for the jugular on the first play of the series, with Patterson hitting junior receiver Nico Collins in the end zone for a 22-yard score, ballooning Michigan's lead to 34-10.
The onslaught continued when senior cornerback Lavert Hill intercepted Lewerke and returned it three yards to the Spartan 44-yard line with 14:14 left in the game, setting up U-M's offense with outstanding field position.
Hill's pick led to a 33-yard field goal from Nordin — his third of the day — with 10:12 remaining, extending Michigan's lead to 37-10.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh showed no mercy as Patterson tossed his fourth touchdown pass of the day with only 2:33 remaining, a 39-yarder to a wide open freshman receiver Cornelius Johnson to give the Maize and Blue a 44-10 lead.
That wound up being the final score of the day, as Patterson remained on the field for Michigan's final series to take the victorious knee, clinching the 44-10 victory.
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