The Wolverine Now

BY JOHN BORTON P at Fitzgerald had experienced enough of los- ing to Michigan in overtime. He's felt that misery two straight seasons and wasn't going there again. "Three yards, one play, try to go win a football game," Fitzgerald said of not kicking a last-ditch extra point to see yet another overtime. "Being aggressive." Unfortunately for Northwestern's beleaguered head coach, he — along with Michigan senior defensive end Frank Clark — only hastened the woe. Clark came barreling in on Wildcats quar- terback Trevor Siemian on a two-point conver- sion attempt that could have won the game, and Siemian slipped helplessly to the turf, preserving an ugly, wild, 10-9 win for the road team at Ryan Field. On a day when neither offense could get it in gear, the Wildcats endured the final reversal. "I wasn't thinking," Clark insisted. "I knew what play was coming." That play, with three seconds remaining on the scoreboard, sent the Wildcats from ecstasy to disbelief in a scant few seconds. After failing to get in the end zone all day long, they'd driven 74 yards in the closing three minutes to pull within 10-9 on Siemian's three-yard touchdown toss to wideout Tony Jones. The follow-up for the win never got off the ground, with Siemian looking for room to roll but finding only slippery sod. "Thank God for the defense," redshirt junior center Jack Miller said. "They played awesome tonight and bailed us out." The Wolverines (5-5 overall, 3-3 Big Ten) turned back the Wildcats (3-6, 2-4) despite whiff- ing on more offensive opportunities than a blind fox in a coop of one-legged chickens. They out- rushed Northwestern, 147 to minus-nine yards, but repeatedly squandered chances with great field position, going 1-of-12 on third-down sit- uations. Fifth-year senior quarterback Devin Gardner struggled, pitching a pair of interceptions while connecting on 11 of 24 passes for 109 yards. Siemian threw for 273 yards on a 32-of-49 effort, 10 9 TOP FIVE PLAYERS OF THE GAME 1. Fifth-year senior linebacker Jake Ryan — Ryan was the force in Michigan's defensive effort, picking off a pass, making 11 tackles and recording half a tackle for loss. He was, like the position requires, in the middle of everything. 2. Senior defensive end Frank Clark — Clark not only put on the heavy pressure during the game's deciding play, he was around the ball all night long, tipping passes and bringing the heat. He recorded seven stops, including a sack and a pair of tackles for loss. 3. Sophomore running back De'Veon Smith — Smith got the tough yards, and then some, rushing for 121 on 18 tries, and scoring Michigan's only touchdown. He answered the call when the Wolverines needed to move the chains late. 4. Northwestern cornerback Matthew Harris — Harris topped Northwestern's defen- sive effort with eight tackles, plus picked off a pass that stopped U-M deep in Northwestern territory. 5. Northwestern wide receiver Kyle Prater — Prater secured seven catches for 81 yards, providing what little offense the Wildcats managed early. — John Borton

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