Michigan Drops Heartbreaker to No. 7 Spartans

Saturday, October 17

Ann Arbor, Mich.

3:30 PM

Michigan

5-2 , 2-1

Michigan State

7-0 , 3-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Michigan State

Michigan

Sione Houma

10/17/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score Postgame Notes Player Participation PDF Boxscore Photo Gallery

By: Dave Ablauf, Chad Shepard

» With 10 seconds left, Michigan State recovered a fumbled snap on a punt and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown as time expired.
» Michigan State held the edge in total yards (386-230) and first downs (20-10).
» Fullback Sione Houma had two rushing touchdowns, and kicker Kenny Allen had three field goals (21, 38, 38).

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Michigan Stadium)
Score: #7 Michigan State 27, #12 Michigan 23
Records: U-M (5-2, 2-1 Big Ten), MSU (7-0, 3-0 Big Ten)
Attendance: 111,740
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Oct. 31 -- at Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minn.), 6 p.m. CDT

• Kornacki Postgame Feature: 'Steel in the Spine' is Harbaugh's Desire after Improbable Loss

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan football team (No. 12 AP, No. 14 Coaches) saw a late lead slip away in the final seconds, falling to rival Michigan State in heartbreaking fashion, 27-23, on Saturday (Oct. 17) inside Michigan Stadium. The Wolverines held a two-point lead with 10 seconds left, but fifth-year senior punter Blake O'Neill fumbled the snap on the punt, and Michigan State recovered, returning it 38 yards for a touchdown as time expired.

Graduate student quarterback Jake Rudock had a solid performance, going 15-of-25 for 168 yards. Senior fullback Sione Houma had a pair of rushing touchdowns, and senior kicker Kenny Allen added a trio of field goals.

The Wolverines put up the game's first points, sparked by Houma. The senior got the drive going with a 27-yard run into Michigan State territory. Three players later, Rudock hit senior tight end A.J. Williams for a 21-yard grab on third down to keep the drive alive. After a series of short rushing plays to start the second quarter, Houma completed the series by pushing past the goal line, giving the Wolverines a 7-0 lead.

Michigan State responded with a quick drive to tie the game, as L.J. Scott punched it into the end zone from 11 yards out, tying the game at 7-7. The Wolverines began their next drive in Michigan State's end after a 49-yard kick return by sophomore safety Jabrill Peppers. Though Michigan was unable to close in on the end zone, Allen completed the drive with a 38-yard field goal, putting U-M up 10-7 entering halftime.

The first drive of the second half for the Spartans ended with fake punt that was stopped just short of the sticks by fifth-year senior linebacker Desmond Morgan. With a short field, the Michigan offense took advantage, as a 28-yard jet sweep by Peppers took the Wolverines all the way down to Michigan State's three-yard line. After two attempts into the end zone by junior running back De'Veon Smith ended in overturned reviews, Houma punched it in on third down in a play that was also reviewed to put U-M up, 17-7.

The Spartans responded on the next drive, as Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook found Macgarrett Kings Jr. for a 30-yard touchdown in the corner of the end zone to cut the lead back to three, 17-14. Michigan extended the lead back to six, 20-14, on a 21-yard field goal by Allen in the final minutes of the third quarter.

In the opening moments of the fourth quarter, the Spartans attempted to respond by going for it on a fourth-and-10 from Michigan's 32-yard line but came up short. Two series later, Allen added another field goal to make it a two-possession game at 23-14.

Michigan State quickly fired back, as Cook found Trevon Pendleton for a 74-yard reception and run along the sideline that went all the way down to Michigan's one-yard line. Scott ran it in on the next play to cut the lead to 23-21.

With 1:54 to play, the Spartans held possession of the ball facing a fourth-and-19 but well out of range for the go-ahead field goal. The U-M defense came up big, as junior safety Dymonte Thomas was credited with a huge pass break-up, turning the ball over to the offense.

Following next week's bye, the Wolverines will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 31, facing rival Minnesota for the Little Brown Jug in Minneapolis. The game will kick off at 6 p.m. CDT.