Michigan Survives Dramatic Shootout Against Indiana, 63-47

“Could they stop scoring on each other?”

That is the reaction of many who watched the University of Michigan/Indiana Hoosiers game. Michigan beat the Hoosiers 63-47, but only after recovering two turnovers at the end of the fourth quarter.

Michigan set many new records while Indiana was so close to beating them at the Big House for the first time since 1967. Michigan scored nine touchdowns. Quarterback Devin Gardner ended the game 21/29 passing for 503 yards and five touchdowns (two passing, three rushing). He rushed for 81 yards and averaged 17.3 yards per pass. He set the records with 584 yards of offense and 503 yards passing. He also did not throw an interception! Wide receiver Jeremy Gallon had two touchdowns and set a Big 10 record with 369 receiving yards. It was a school record of 711 total yards on offense.

However, Michigan also set the record for giving up 572 yards on defense. The defense on both sides was mostly absent during the game. Both played well in the first quarter, but faded as the game went on. Quarterback Tre Roberson finished 16/23, 288 yards, four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) and averaged 12.4 yards per pass. Indiana had a total of six touchdowns.

Then Indiana tried to tie the game at the end of the third quarter, but the two-point conversion failed. It was 40-42. They got close again halfway through the fourth quarter to make it 47-49, but the Michigan defense finally showed up. The Hoosiers were at their own 35-yard line when quarterback Nate Sudfeld threw an interception to Thomas Gordon, who returned it 30 yards to the five-yard line. Gardner rushed for a touchdown to go up 47-56. On their next drive, Indiana made it to the Michigan 30, but Roberson’s pass was intercepted by Gordon at the Michigan 6 and returned it to the Michigan 17. 

The next Michigan drive went 85 yards and ended in a 27 yard rushing touchdown by Fitzgerald Toussaint. He had 45 yards on that drive. In total, he had 32 carries for 151 yards and four touchdowns.

Both teams are idle next week, but Michigan has won 19 home games in a row, which is the longest streak by a BCS team. They play in-state rival Michigan State on November 2nd. Indiana hosts Minnesota on that day.