Michigan
0-1
Utah
1-0
U-M Rally Falls Short in Season-Opening Loss to Utah
8/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Michigan Stadium)
Score: Utah 25, Michigan 23
Records: U-M (0-1), Utah (1-0)
Attendance: 108,421
Next U-M Game: Saturday, Sept. 6 -- vs. Miami (Ohio) (Michigan Stadium), Noon
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Despite rallying from a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter to pull within two with over six minutes remaining, the University of Michigan football team fell to Utah 25-23 Saturday (Aug. 30) in the 2008 season opener at Michigan Stadium.
Michigan trailed 25-10 in the fourth quarter before turning a blocked punt and a forced fumble into 13 points to cut the deficit to two points with 6:26 remaining. The Wolverines had two full offensive possessions to try for the win, but Utah's defense stiffened and the Utes hung on for the victory.
Michigan's rally began when junior/sophomore Mark Moundros (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington) blocked a Utah punt that led to sophomore/freshman Steven Threet's (Adrian, Mich./Adrian/Georgia Tech) touchdown pass to sophomore Junior Hemingway (Conway, S.C./Conway) that cut the deficit to 25-17. Less than two minutes later, junior defensive end Adam Patterson's (Columbia, S.C./Richland Northeast) forced fumble led to freshman Sam McGuffie's (Cypress, Texas/Cy-Fair) touchdown run, making it 25-23. However, U-M was unable to convert the two-point conversion.
Michigan's defense -- which held the Utes to just 48 total yards in the second half, recorded four sacks, a forced fumble and an interception -- gave the U-M offense two more full possessions, but the Maize and Blue went three-and-out and turned the ball over on downs with under two minutes to play to seal the contest.
Michigan built a 10-6 lead early in the second quarter thanks to a forced fumble, a blocked extra point and fifth/senior K.C. Lopata's (Farmington, Mich./Farmington) career-long 50-yard field goal, but Utah responded with 19 unanswered points, scoring on five of its first six drives, with four field goals from All-America kicker Louie Sakoda to establish its 25-10 advantage in the fourth quarter.
Junior/sophomore Nick Sheridan (Saline, Mich./Saline) earned the start at quarterback, splitting time behind center with Threet, who took over in the second half. Sheridan connected on 11-of-19 passes for 98 yards, a touchdown and an interception, while Threet was 8-for-19 with a touchdown pass.
On defense, junior/sophomore Obi Ezeh (Grand Rapids, Mich./Catholic Central) led the way with a career-high 15 tackles and a fourth-quarter interception, and the defense combined for six sacks, led by a pair from fifth/senior Tim Jamison (Riverdale, Ill./Harvey Thornton).
Utah quarterback Brian Johnson passed for 305 yards, including 253 in the first half, while Sakoda connected on field goals from 28, 41, 43 and a career-best 53 yards.
After a three-and-out drive on Michigan's first possession to open the game, senior/junior Tim North (Linden, Mich./Linden) stripped Ute return man Jereme Brooks and sophomore/freshman Kevin Leach (Kentwood, Mich./Grand Rapids Central Catholic) recovered to give the Wolverines the ball at the Utah 26. A Utah pass-interference penalty gave U-M a first and goal on the nine-yard line, and two plays later Sheridan connected with freshman Michael Shaw (Trotwood, Ohio/Trotwood-Madison) for the first touchdowns of their collegiate careers to give the Wolverines a 7-0 lead.
Brooks made amends in Utah's next offensive series, catching a 55-yard pass that led to a Utah six, but senior Terrance Taylor (Muskegon, Mich./Muskegon) blocked the point-after try to keep the Wolverines ahead, 7-6.
Lopata hit a career-long 50 yard field goal at 7:38 of the first quarter, making it 10-6, but Utah responded with three field goals in three straight possessions to take the lead, 15-10. A Sheridan interception set up a Utah touchdown pass with 13 seconds left in the half, making it 22-10 at halftime
Utah extended its lead to 25-10 on its second possession of the second half with Sakoda's fourth field goal of the day, a career-long 53 yarder. With less than nine minutes left in the game, Moundros blocked Sakoda's punt, and on the next play, Threet hooked up with Hemingway in the back of the end zone, cutting the deficit to 25-17 with 8:42 remaining.
On Utah's next possession, Patterson stripped Utah's Johnson and senior Austin Panter (Athol, Kan./Kensington/Butler CC) recovered at the Utah 31, giving Michigan the ball with 7:40 on the clock. A Utah facemask penalty and a defensive pass-interference call moved the ball to the Utah three yard line where, two plays later, McGuffie ran for his first collegiate touchdown. Michigan's two-point conversion failed, keeping Utah ahead by two, 25-23, with 6:26 remaining.
Michigan had two final drives to try for a score, but Utah held the Wolverines to just four yards on seven plays, holding on for the victory.
Michigan hosts Miami (Ohio) next Saturday (Sept. 6) at Michigan Stadium with kickoff set for noon.
Team Stats
UU 0, MICH 7
MICH - Shaw, Michael 8 yd pass from Sheridan, Nick (Lopata, K.C. kick) 4 plays, 26 yards, TOP 2:08
UU 6, MICH 7
UU - LOUKS, Corbin 8 yd run (SAKODA, Louie kickblocked), 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:42
UU 6, MICH 10
MICH - Lopata, K.C. 50 yd field goal 6 plays, 17 yards, TOP 2:20
UU 9, MICH 10
UU - SAKODA, Louie 28 yd field goal 14 plays, 66 yards, TOP 6:14
UU 12, MICH 10
UU - SAKODA, Louie 43 yd field goal 7 plays, 47 yards, TOP 2:07
UU 15, MICH 10
UU - SAKODA, Louie 41 yd field goal 8 plays, 58 yards, TOP 3:21
UU 22, MICH 10
UU - GODFREY, Bradon 19 yd pass from JOHNSON, Brian (SAKODA, Louie kick) 5 plays, 37 yards, TOP 0:38
UU 25, MICH 10
UU - SAKODA, Louie 53 yd field goal 4 plays, 4 yards, TOP 2:20
UU 25, MICH 17
MICH - Hemingway, J 33 yd pass from Threet, Steven (Lopata, K.C. kick) 1 plays, 33 yards, TOP 0:08
UU 25, MICH 23
MICH - McGuffie, Sam 3 yd run (Threet, Steven passfailed), 4 plays, 31 yards, TOP 1:14
