Minor's Two Scores Not Enough in U-M Loss at No. 12 Iowa

Saturday, October 10

Iowa City, Iowa

7:12 PM CT

Michigan

4-2 , 1-2

Iowa

6-0 , 2-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Michigan	14	0	7	7	28
Iowa Hawkeyes	10	10	3	7	30

Brandon Minor (4)

Minor's Two Scores Not Enough in U-M Loss at No. 12 Iowa

10/10/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football

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By: David Ablauf

Site: Iowa City, Iowa (Kinnick Stadium)
Score: #12 Iowa 30, Michigan 28
Record: Michigan (4-2, 1-2 Big Ten), Iowa (6-0, 2-0 Big Ten)
Attendance: 70,585 (sellout)
Next U-M Game: Saturday, Oct. 17 -- vs. Delaware State (Michigan Stadium), 12:01 p.m.

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Iowa (No. 12 AP, No. 14 USA Today) remained unbeaten and eked out a 30-28 victory over the University of Michigan football team on Saturday night (Oct. 10) at Kinnick Stadium. The Hawkeyes extended the nation's second-longest winning streak to 10 games before a sold-out homecoming crowd against the Wolverines.

Senior superback Brandon Minor (Richmond, Va./Varina HS) carried the ball 22 times for 95 yards and two touchdowns. Freshman quarterback Tate Forcier (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch HS) completed eight-of-19 passes for 94 yards and rushed eight times for 26 yards. Freshman quarterback Denard Robinson (Deerfield Beach, Fla./Deerfield Beach HS) rushed nine times for 49 yards and one TD and completed three-of-four passes for 30 yards during the final two series of the game.

Redshirt freshman strong safety Jordan Kovacs (Curtice, Ohio/Clay HS) led the defensive effort with his second straight double-digit tackle performance. Kovacs posted 11 tackles and an assisted tackle for loss. Senior defensive end Brandon Graham (Detroit, Mich./Crockett Technical HS) posted a career-high nine tackle, 3.5 TFLs and two sacks.

Michigan gained an early 7-0 advantage as junior cornerback Donovan Warren (Long Beach, Calif./Polytechnic HS) intercepted quarterback Ricky Stanzi's first pass of the game, the second offensive play of the game, and returned it 40 yards for his first career touchdown. Warren corralled an interception for the third straight conference game.

Iowa caught Michigan in an all-out blitz and Stanzi tossed a short pass in the right flat to tight end Tony Moeaki, who raced 34 yards untouched for a touchdown and the 7-7 tie at 9:20 of the first quarter. The Hawkeyes scoring drive covered nine plays and 57 yards in 4:54. Iowa converted all three third-down plays, including the scoring play on third-and-12.

The Hawkeyes collected their first turnover of the game and converted it into three points as kicker Daniel Murray converted a 28-yard field goal for a 10-7 advantage. The Hawkeyes gained possession at the U-M 19-yard line after linebacker Jeremiha Hunter intercepted Forcier's first pass of the contest and returned it 16 yards. The Michigan defense halted the drive after four plays at the 12-yard line.

The Wolverines had a time-consuming 12-play, 72-yard drive that ended with a three-yard scoring run by Minor over left tackle. The rushing touchdown was the first yielded by the Hawkeyes in 33 quarters dating back to the Penn State game last year (Nov. 8, 2008). Minor had four carries for 20 yards on the drive, including his TD run. Forcier completed three passes for 35 yards and had a key nine-yard run on a fourth-and-four play from Iowa's 35-yard line.

Iowa took advantage of its second turnover of the game and cut the deficit to 14-13 as Murray split the uprights on a 41-yard field goal. The Hawkeyes moved 22 yards in five plays, but two incomplete passes ended the drive at Michigan's 24-yard line. Iowa gained excellent field position at U-M's 46-yard line after Forcier fumbled the ball and Hunter recovered.

Iowa then grabbed its first lead of the contest, 20-14, on a one-yard touchdown run by Brandon Wegher. The Hawkeyes had a pair of key third-down conversions on the drive, a 33-yard pass from Stanzi to Trey Stross and a 47-yard diving catch by Derrell Johnson-Koulianos that set up first-and-goal at the eight-yard line. Wegher capped the nine-play, 78-yard drive with the scoring run at 5:49 of the second stanza.

After forcing a three-and-out by the Wolverines on the opening possession of the second half, Iowa increased its lead to 23-14 on a 40-yard field goal by Murray. The Hawkeyes gained 52 rushing yards on four carries during the 63-yard, nine-play scoring drive. Tailback Adam Robinson carried three times with runs of 19, 15 and six yards.

Minor cut the deficit to 23-21 with his second rushing touchdown from one yard out. Nine of the 10 plays on the Wolverines' scoring drive came on the ground, with Minor carrying seven times for 43 yards. Sophomore superback Michael Shaw (Trotwood, Ohio/Trotwood-Madison HS) added a seven-yard run to the one-yard line to set up the Minor score.

Iowa gained its fourth turnover of the game, but Michigan's defense made a huge stop as senior linebacker Stevie Brown (Columbus, Ind./Columbus East HS) batted down a fourth-and-goal pass from Stanzi intended for Moeaki. The Wolverines muffed a Hawkeyes punt after a defensive stop and William Lowe recovered at the U-M 16.

The Hawkeyes pushed their lead to 30-21 as Stanzi found an open Moeaki for a 42-yard touchdown pass down the right hash. The one-play drive came after a 20-yard punt return from Colin Sandeman following a 61-yard punt by fifth-year senior Zoltan Mesko (Twinsburg, Ohio/Twinsburg HS) from the shadow of his end zone. Iowa held Michigan without a yard on its ensuing possession following the Wolverines' defensive stand.

Freshman quarterback Denard Robinson (Deerfield Beach, Fla./Deerfield Beach HS) scored on a three-yard run over right guard, trimming the deficit to 30-28 with 3:19 left in regulation. Robinson entered the game at the start of the drive and moved the Wolverines down the field for a touchdown on an 11-play, 59-yard drive. Robinson carried the ball eight times for 42 yards and completed both of his passes for 16 yards.

Michigan's defense stopped the Hawkeyes after missing on an onside kick attempt, but Iowa intercepted a Robinson pass with 46 seconds remaining to secure the victory.

Michigan looks to rebound from its current two-game losing streak, facing Delaware State next Saturday (Oct. 17) at Michigan Stadium. The game will be broadcast nationally by the Big Ten Network starting at 12:01 p.m. EDT.