Michigan
2-1
San Diego State
1-1
Wolverines Pull Out Narrow Win Over San Diego State
9/18/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The 17th-ranked University of Michigan football team defeated San Diego State 24-21 in a down-to-the-wire battle Saturday afternoon (Sept. 17) at Michigan Stadium. The contest was ultimately decided with special teams, as the Aztecs missed their final two field goal attempts to uphold the Wolverines' three-point lead. Freshman quarterback Chad Henne (Wyomissing, Pa./Wilson HS) made the start for U-M, completing 11-of-24 passes for 162 yards along with two touchdown passes. Freshman running back Michael Hart (Syracuse, N.Y./Onondaga Central HS) made his first start for the Wolverines and became the first freshman since Chris Perry (2000-03) to rush for over 100 yards. Hart had 25 carries for 121 yards, playing a vital role in the Michigan offense.
The Wolverines wasted no time in putting up a score, converting a touchdown on their first drive. After holding San Diego State to three and out, the Wolverines capitalized on a shanked San Diego punt that reached Michigans 46-yard-line. On the first and only play of the drive, true-freshman quarterback Henne connected with senior receiver Braylon Edwards (Detroit, Mich./Bishop Gallagher HS) for a 54-yard bomb to the endzone. Michigan kicker Garrett Rivas (Tampa, Fla./Jesuit HS) split the uprights for the extra point to give Michigan a fast 7-0 lead just 1:40 into the first quarter.
It looked as if the Wolverines were going to gain even more ground after senior safety Ernest Shazor (Detroit, Mich./ Martin Luther King HS) intercepted a wide pass from SDSU quarterback Matt Dlugolecki, running it back four yards to the San Diego State 21. But U-M's excitement was short-lived, as a hard hit to Henne resulted in an interception to San Diego State junior defensive end Kurt Kahui. Kahui took the ball to the endzone, but an Aztec personal foul moved them back to the Michigan 17. Two plays later, junior running back Michael Franklin ran the ball four yards for a touchdown. The successful extra point attempt matched the scores at seven with 10:37 left in the first quarter.
Possession changed hands twice more before Michigan took control again on their own 27 with 7:28 remaining in the first. The Wolverines stayed steady on the ground, rushing for all 51 of their yards in the nine-play drive. A quarterback sack followed by an incomplete pass put Michigan at fourth-and-11 on the San Diego 22. The Wolverines put three on the board thanks to a successful field goal from Rivas, giving U-M a 10-7 advantage with 3:45 remaining in the opening quarter.
A 62-yard kick from Michigan punter Troy Nienberg (Glandorf, Ohio/Ottawa Glandorf/Dayton HS) coupled with a nine-yard SDSU holding penalty put the Aztecs on their own nine-yard-line to begin the next drive. On the Aztecs' third-and-nine on their own 10, Wolverine linebacker Roy Manning (Saginaw, Mich./Saginaw HS) came through with a sack on Dlugolecki. The hit forced a fumble recovered by linebacker Lawrence Reid (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington HS) who ran the ball back five yards for a touchdown. Rivas made the extra point, giving the Wolverines a 17-7 lead with 2:51 remaining in the quarter.
San Diego State was quick to respond with a three-play touchdown drive lasting 1:21. The Aztecs used back-to-back trick plays to ward off the Michigan defense, first using a shovel pass to wide receiver Robert Ortiz for 61 yards. They followed that with a 12-yard touchdown pass from halfback Michael Franklin to receiver Jeff Webb, narrowing Michigan's lead to four. San Diego State's successful extra point attempt put the Aztecs within three, down 17-14.
San Diego State struck again midway through the second quarter after a Michigan fumble put the Aztecs at first-and-10 on the U-M 39. After three plays and 25 yards, Dlugolecki completed a 14-yard pass to wide receiver Robert Ortiz for SDSUs third touchdown of the afternoon. The extra point gave the Aztecs the lead for the first time in the contest, 21-17 with 7:57 remaining in the half.
Momentum shifted back and forth for the remainder of the second quarter, as Henne turned the ball over after his receiver fell down to leave Aztec defensive back Marcus Demps open for the interception. The Aztecs marched down the field, gaining 31 yards on six plays to put them on Michigan's 25. But a sack by U-M senior cornerback Marlin Jackson (Sharon, Pa./Sharon HS) forced a fumble recovered by Michigan senior defensive tackle Alex Ofili (Ypsilanti, Mich./Ypsilanti HS) on the Michigan 33-yard-line.
The Michigan drive, starting with 39 seconds remaining in the half, lasted five plays and went 35 yards before an incomplete pass intended for Edwards forced the Wolverines to try for three. The field goal attempt fell short and to the left, leaving Michigan trailing 21-17 at halftime.
The Wolverines came out of the locker room in good form, scoring on their first drive of the half for the second time in the contest. After returning San Diego's punt to their own 21, the Maize and Blue covered 79 yards on 10 plays for their third touchdown of the afternoon. The Michigan offense was tested seven plays into the drive after a third-and-one play was unsuccessful and head coach Lloyd Carr made the call to go for the first down. On fourth-and-one on the San Diego 11, Henne dove over the top of the line to gain two yards for the first down. The young quarterback then came back three plays later to complete a seven-yard touchdown pass to Edwards to take back the Wolverine lead. Rivas made the extra point attempt to give U-M a 24-21 advantage with 10:35 remaining in the third.
After holding San Diego State to three-and-out on the following drive, junior receiver Steve Breaston (North Braddock, Pa./Woodland Hills HS) returned Hughes' punt 37 yards, eluding numerous tackles before being taken down on the SDSU 22-yard-line. U-M had itself first and goal on the 10, but a 10-yard clipping penalty on 2nd down broke the Wolverines' stride. The Maize and Blue were unable to convert the touchdown, and then missed a 20-yard field goal to leave Michigan up, 24-21, with 5:36 left in the third quarter.
Neither team was able to put anything together for the remainder of the third quarter as San Diego State held possession as the final seconds ticked down. The Aztecs reached the Michigan 29 on six plays before attempting a field goal on fourth-and-six. Their field goal try was no good as the kick went wide with 13:12 remaining in the contest.
The Wolverines were unable to capitalize on the missed field goal, as an interception turned the ball back to the Aztecs on their own 48-yard-line. San Diego State rattled off nine plays for 29 yards before an intentional grounding penalty on Dlugolecki put the Aztecs on the Michigan 32-yard-line to attempt the field goal. With just under seven minutes to play, SDSU missed its second straight field-goal attempt to uphold Michigan's three-point lead once again.
The two missed attempts would turn out to be the deciding factor in the contest, as the Wolverines were able to hold San Diego State at bay and maintain the 24-21 score for the win.
The Wolverines remain at home for their next game, hosting Iowa in their Big Ten Conference opener next Saturday (Sept.25). Kickoff is 3:30 p.m. EDT.
Media Contacts: David Ablauf, Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
Team Stats
SD 0, MICH 7
MICH - Edwards, B. 54 yd pass from Henne, Chad (Rivas, Garrett kick) 1 plays, 54 yards, TOP 0:10
SD 7, MICH 7
SD - FRANKLIN,Michae 4 yd run (PALMER,Garrett kick), 3 plays, 17 yards, TOP 1:02
SD 7, MICH 10
MICH - Rivas, Garrett 39 yd field goal 9 plays, 51 yards, TOP 3:43
SD 7, MICH 17
MICH - Reid, Lawrence 5 yd fumble recovery (Rivas, Garrett kick)
SD 14, MICH 17
SD - WEBB,Jeff 12 yd pass from FRANKLIN,Michae (PALMER,Garrett kick) 3 plays, 81 yards, TOP 1:21
SD 21, MICH 17
SD - ORTIZ,Robert 14 yd pass from DLUGOLECKI,Matt (PALMER,Garrett kick) 4 plays, 39 yards, TOP 0:59
SD 21, MICH 24
MICH - Edwards, B. 7 yd pass from Henne, Chad (Rivas, Garrett kick) 10 plays, 79 yards, TOP 4:25
