The Wolverine Now

Jan. 2, 2013 Big (Play) Letdown The Gamecocks Slip Out Back For A Bomb To Beat U-M M punch to the bloomin��� onions on the final, failed defensive stand. Despite 214 passing yards and three touchdowns by junior quarterback Devin Gardner, and 100 rushing yards on 23 carries by senior multipurpose performer Denard Robinson in his final game, it wasn���t enough. Gardner���s 17-yard touchdown toss to redshirt junior wide receiver Jeremy Gallon (nine catches, 145 yards, two touchdowns) with 3:29 remaining put the Wolverines up By John Borton ichigan preaches no big plays like a recovered alcoholic preaching abstinence. One too many, on Jan. 1, thrust the Wolverines down under in the Outback Bowl. South Carolina quarterback Dylan Thompson���s 32-yard heave to open wideout Bruce Ellington with 11 seconds remaining lifted the Gamecocks to a 33-28 win. The final dagger plunged deep for a Michigan team that controlled the ball for 37:59 of the game and rallied twice from 11 down to take a lead in the final moments. Starting QB Connor Shaw (18-of-26, 224 yards, two TDs) and Thompson (7-of-10, 117, two TDs) burned the nation���s No 2 pass defense for touchdown bombs of 56, 31 and 32 yards, while bowl MVP Ace Sanders (nine catches, 92 yards) made two touchdown grabs and a crushing 63-yard punt return for a touchdown. ���Number one, you can���t give up big plays,��� U-M head coach Brady Hoke said. ���We had four really big plays in the throw game that you can���t allow to happen. You give them a lot of credit, but at the same time, we had some opportunities. ���Another thing was, we gave up a big punt return for a touchdown. Those things hurt your football team, obviously. It hurts the momentum, the morale, what you want to do.��� Michigan���s morale took a last-gasp 33 South Carolina wideout Bruce Ellington hauled in the game-winning touchdown with just 11 seconds remaining in the Outback Bowl. PHOTO BY Brian Blanco 28 by a point, 28-27. That left everything in the hands of Michigan���s defense. The last of the big-play barrage sealed the 8-5 Wolverines��� fate. ���I put that on us up front for not getting home,��� noted senior defensive tackle Will Campbell. ���He had too much time to throw the ball. We just needed to get home more often through this game.��� Redshirt junior defensive tackle Quinton Washington came up with a huge play at the 10-minute mark of the fourth-quarter, storming in to block a 42-yard Gamecocks field goal attempt with Michigan clinging to a 22-21 lead. The South Carolina native put a big paw up to swat the boot down. That merely marked the opening shot of a wild fourth quarter, featuring huge plays and calls both ways. Moments after Washington���s monumental spike, Michigan earned a controversial first down on a punt fake in their own territory. On fourth-and-four inside their own 30, U-M direct snapped to freshman fullback

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