The Wolverine Now

NOV. 25, 2012 SECOND-HALF STONEWALL E Michigan's Offense Grinds To A Halt In 26-21 Loss BY JOHN BORTON verything seemed to be going accord- ing to plan, for 30 minutes in Colum- bus. Nobody could plan, or even imagine, a second-half death spiral like this. Michigan (8-4 overall, 6-2 Big Ten) ac- counted for 60 total yards in the second half of its mind-numbing 26-21 loss to Ohio State (12-0, 8-0). The Wolverines went backwards four yards on the ground over the final 30 minutes, managing four first downs and turning the ball over three times in that same shattering span. Just when it seemed like the visitors could survive a shootout they led 21-20 at the break, they skidded to earth like a hawk strapped to a refrigerator. "It's hard to win football games when you turn the ball over four times, don't convert on short-yardage situations," of- fered an obviously disappointed Michigan head coach Brady Hoke. "We didn't do that in the second half. When you don't do those things, you put a little more stress on your team from an offensive and defensive standpoint." When the Wolverines got shut out over the final 30, the stress turned into inertia- assisted suicide. The Buckeyes controlled the second half, and needed only a pair of Drew Basil field goals (among his four on the afternoon) to crush Michigan's hopes. The Wolverines lingered one score away throughout the second half, needing a sin- gle touchdown drive — following three in the first half — to walk away from Ohio Stadium a winner. Instead, they couldn't run, couldn't pass and couldn't hang onto the football, forming a toxic trio in the de- feat. "The reason we lost the game is that we had three turnovers in the second half," noted senior quarterback Denard Robinson (10 carries, 122 yards, one touchdown). "That's not acceptable." 26 21 When junior QB Devin Gardner (11- of-20, 171 yards, one TD) committed the second of his three turnovers — fumbling a ball recovered by OSU at the Michigan 10 with 8:19 remaining — the Wolverines appeared doomed. But like it did all second half, Michigan's defense dug in and held Basil to a 25-yard field goal. The Buckeyes then led, 26-21, but Michi- gan had 6:19 to still make something hap- pen. Instead, Gardner threw one to midfield that OSU's C.J. Barnett picked off, locking down the Buckeyes' 12-0 season in exile. Ohio State sophomore quarterback Braxton Miller (14-of-18, 189 yards, one touchdown) proved efficient enough, and running back Carlos Hyde (26 carries, 146 yards, one touchdown) injected some bruis- ing poison into the mix. The second half started disastrously for Junior quarterback Devin Gardner went 11-of-20 passing for 171 yards and one touchdown, but he could not direct the U-M offense to any points in the second half. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL the Wolverines, who leaned on their de- fense to dodge bullet after bullet. Michigan handed Ohio State three points early in the second half, going for it on

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