Michigan Handed First Conference Defeat at Wisconsin

Saturday, November 10

Madison, Wis.

11:00 AM CT

Michigan

8-3 , 6-1

Wisconsin

8-3 , 4-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Michigan

Wisconsin

11/10/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score

Site: Madison, Wis. (Camp Randall Stadium)
Score: Wisconsin 37, #13 Michigan 21
Records: U-M (8-3, 6-1 Big Ten), Wisconsin (8-3, 4-3 Big Ten)
Attendance: 82,352
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Nov. 17 -- vs. Ohio State (Michigan Stadium), noon

Boxscore | Player Participation | Postgame Notes

MADISON, Wis. -- The No. 13-ranked University of Michigan football team was unable to remain unbeaten in Big Ten play, suffering a 37-21 loss at Wisconsin Saturday (Nov. 10) before 82,352 fans at Camp Randall Stadium. The Wolverines (8-3, 6-1 Big Ten) played without the services of senior tailback Mike Hart(Syracuse, N.Y./Onondaga Central HS), and senior quarterback Chad Henne(Wyomissing, Pa./Wilson HS) left after the first two offensive possessions.

Junior wide receiver Mario Manningham(Warren, Ohio/Warren G. Harding HS) led the offense with his NCAA-leading sixth consecutive 100-yard receiving game, catching three passes for 113 yards and two touchdowns. He has scored receiving touchdowns in six straight games, and his 97-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter is the longest offensive play in school history.

Freshman quarterback Ryan Mallett(Texarkana, Ark./Texarkana [Texas] HS) completed 11-of-36 passes for 245 yards and matched his career high with three passing touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Adrian Arrington(Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Washington HS) caught a team-best seven passes for 101 yards and one touchdown.

Junior nose tackle Terrance Taylor(Muskegon, Mich./Muskegon HS) led the defense with a career-high nine tackles. Senior safety Jamar Adams(Charlotte, N.C./Butler HS) also chipped in nine stops in the game.

The Badgers took a 7-0 lead on a 10-yard pass from Tyler Donovan to tight end Travis Beckum at 3:49 of the first quarter. Wisconsin gained possession at its 45-yard line following an interception of Henne by safety Shane Carter. The Badgers moved 55 yards in five plays and were aided by a pair of personal foul penalties against the Wolverines.

Wisconsin tacked three points onto its lead, making the score 10-0 on a 27-yard field goal by Taylor Mehlhaff, at 12:46 of the second quarter. The Badgers moved into scoring territory following a 34-yard pass from Donovan to Beckum. Donovan ran 11 yards to set up a first down at U-M 19-yard line, but the Wolverine defense held and forced the field goal try. The scoring drive covered 65 yards in eight plays and consumed 3:35.

The Badgers pushed their advantage to 17-0 on a two-yard dive by Donovan on a rollout to the right. UW moved down the field behind the passing and running of Donovan, who added an 18-yard run and tossed a 24-yard pass to Beckum that set up first-and-goal from the five-yard line. The seven-play, 59-yard scoring drive consumed 3:07.

Trailing by double digits for the fourth straight game, Michigan scored its first points of the contest on a 12-yard touchdown pass on a quick screen to Manningham. Mallett completed 4-of-5 passes for 73 yards on the eight-play, 80-yard drive that chipped into the deficit at 4:30 of the second quarter. Mallett completed a pair of key third-down passes to sophomore wide receiver Greg Mathews(Orlando, Fla./Edgewater HS) that kept the drive alive.

Mehlhaff converted a 40-yard field goal with 15 seconds left in the first half to take a 20-7 lead into the locker room. The 10-play, 43-yard scoring drive was kept alive on a 26-yard pass from Donovan to Beckum on third-and-eight from the UW 37-yard line. The remainder of the scoring drive came on the ground, with Zach Brown carrying four times for 22 yards and Lance Smith adding 17 yards on two attempts.

After U-M was forced to punt on its initial possession of the second half, Zoltan Mesko's (Twinsburg, Ohio/Twinsburg HS) 38-yard punt hit a Wisconsin player and was recovered by sophomore Stevie Brown(Columbus, Ind./Columbus East HS) at the Badgers' 38-yard line. Michigan was unable to take advantage of the turnover and punted to the Badgers.

Wisconsin used the momentum from the defensive stop following the botched punt and marched 79 yards before Michigan's defense forced a field goal following a goal line stop by senior linebacker Chris Graham(Indianapolis, Ind./Warren Central HS) on third down. The Badgers' drive covered 79 yards in 16 plays and consumed 8:11 to increase their lead to 23-7.

Michigan trimmed the deficit to 23-14 on a 97-yard touchdown pass from Mallett to Manningham. The scoring play is the longest offensive play in school history, surpassing the 92-yard touchdown run by Butch Woolfolk against Wisconsin in 1979. The longest touchdown reception prior to Manningham's score was a 90-yard TD pass from Todd Collins to Derrick Alexander against Illinois in 1993.

The Wolverines continued to mount a comeback as Mallett tossed a 26-yard touchdown pass to a diving Arrington at 7:31 of the fourth quarter. The Wolverines moved 86 yards in 11 plays and used just 1:41 on the drive to pull within two points, 23-21. The key play on the drive was a 16-yard run by junior tight end Carson Butler(Detroit, Mich./Renaissance HS) on third down. Mallett was being sacked and tossed the ball to Butler, who ran down the right sideline for the first down to keep the drive alive and give U-M possession at midfield.

The defense got the ball back for the offense, but Mallett's pass was intercepted by cornerback Jack Ikegwuonu at Michigan's 31-yard line on a third-and-29 play with 4:37 left in the fourth quarter. The Badgers proceeded to secure the victory with a six-yard touchdown run by Brown. Brown added a two-yard scamper with 2:15 remaining after the Wolverines went for it on a fourth-down play at their two-yard line.

Michigan plays its final game of the regular season against top-ranked Ohio State next Saturday (Nov. 17) at Michigan Stadium. The Wolverines will host the Buckeyes in a nationally televised game on ABC starting at noon EST.

Media Contact: David Ablauf (734) 763-4423