Michigan
9-0 , 6-0
Maryland
5-4 , 2-4
Butt, Speight Set Records in Blowout Win
11/5/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
» Wilton Speight had a career afternoon, throwing for 362 yards and scoring three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing).
» Jake Butt, who caught five passes for 76 yards, became the program's all-time leader in career receiving yards from a tight end (1,521).
» The Wolverines were strong on both sides of the ball, amassing 660 yards of total offense. On defense, it racked up 13 tackles-for-loss, including three sacks and a pair of interceptions from Delano Hill.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Michigan Stadium)
Score: #2 Michigan 59, Maryland 3
Records: U-M (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten), UM (5-4, 2-4 Big Ten)
Attendance: 110,626
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Nov. 12 -- at Iowa (Iowa City, Iowa), 7 p.m. CST (TV: ABC)
• Postgame Press Conference: Coach Harbaugh | Players
Postgame Features
• Kornacki: Speight's Strengths on Full Display Saturday
• Tight End Butt Re-Writes Record Book
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Junior quarterback Wilton Speight threw for a career-best 362 yards and accounted for three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) to lead the second-ranked University of Michigan football team to a 59-3 drubbing of Maryland on Saturday (Nov. 5) at Michigan Stadium.
The offense was sharp all afternoon, scoring touchdowns on its first five drives, averaging 10 yards per play and amassing 660 yards of total offense. Speight was efficient, completing 19-of-24 attempts, with 292 of his yards coming in the first half, a program record. His favorite targets were senior wide receiver Jehu Chesson (five receptions, 112 yards, 1 TD), fifth-year senior wide receiver Amara Darboh (four receptions, 77 yards, 1 TD) and senior tight end Jake Butt (five receptions, 76 yards), who became the program's all-time leader in career receiving yards from a tight end in the victory (1,521). Senior De'Veon Smith led the way on the ground, rushing 19 times for 114 yards and three scores.
The Wolverines were aggressive on the other side of the ball, as well. The unit racked up 13 tackles-for-loss -- its sixth game in double digits -- three sacks and two interceptions, both from senior Delano Hill. Senior Ben Gedeon led the team with 11 tackles, including three TFL.
The Wolverines trampled Maryland in the first half, flawlessly executing drive after drive en route to amassing a 35-0 halftime lead and 402 yards of total offense. On the first possession of the game, Speight took the offense down in 10 plays, connecting with Darboh on a 34-yard touchdown to open the scoring. After a Maryland punt, head coach Jim Harbaugh went into the playbook and called for some trickeration in the form of a Peppers-to-Speight lateral in the backfield, ending in a 40-yard pass to Chesson to put Michigan on the doorstep again. Two plays later, Speight kept it himself on a broken play, running up the middle for a 13-yard touchdown to make the score 14-0.
Maryland had an opportunity to stem the tide, taking the ball all the way down to the U-M one-yard line in the early stages of the second quarter. The defense held, eventually pushing the Terps out to the 11-yard line, where they attempted a 29-yard field goal attempt. But after the attempt hit the post, Michigan drove down the field and scored again -- a three-yard rush from Smith -- swinging momentum back and increasing the lead to 21-0.
Down three touchdowns and with a backup quarterback at the helm, Maryland elected to take a chance on fourth down near midfield, but came up short. With half of the field in front of them, Speight tried for a quick strike and connected with junior Drake Harris for a big gain that would have put Michigan inside the five-yard line. But an offensive pass interference call wiped that out, putting U-M at 2nd-and-34 from their own 43-yard line. They got it back (and then some) on a 56-yard screen pass from Speight to freshman Chris Evans, putting the ball on the one-yard line. Senior Khalid Hill punched it in on the next play. The Wolverines tacked on a fifth touchdown right before halftime on a 33-yard touchdown pass from Speight to Chesson.
The Terrapins got the ball to start the second half but did not get far, as backup quarterback Caleb Rowe was intercepted by Hill on the third play of the second half. That turnover led to a 29-yard field goal from fifth-year senior Kenny Allen. Smith added his second touchdown, a one-yarder, on the final play of the third quarter to extend the lead to 45-0.
Maryland broke the shutout in the fourth quarter on a 37-yard field goal from Adam Greene. The Wolverines needed only three plays (all rushes) to score following that, as Smith scored for the third time, this time from two yards out. U-M added an eighth touchdown on a nine-yard pass from senior John O'Korn to freshman Kekoa Crawford to cap the scoring at 59-3.
The Wolverines head back out on the road next Saturday (Nov. 12) for a date with Big Ten West foe Iowa. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. CST in Iowa City. The game will be shown on ABC.
Team Stats
UMD 0, MICH 7
MICH - Darboh, Amara 34 yd pass from Speight, Wilton (Allen, Kenny kick) 10 plays, 91 yards, TOP 5:10
UMD 0, MICH 14
MICH - Speight, Wilton 10 yd run (Allen, Kenny kick), 6 plays, 84 yards, TOP 3:01
UMD 0, MICH 21
MICH - Smith, De'Veon 3 yd run (Allen, Kenny kick), 7 plays, 80 yards, TOP 3:32
UMD 0, MICH 28
MICH - Hill, Khalid 1 yd run (Allen, Kenny kick), 6 plays, 51 yards, TOP 3:10
UMD 0, MICH 35
MICH - Chesson, Jehu 33 yd pass from Speight, Wilton (Allen, Kenny kick) 5 plays, 61 yards, TOP 1:51
UMD 0, MICH 38
MICH - Allen, Kenny 29 yd field goal 8 plays, 39 yards, TOP 3:56
UMD 0, MICH 45
MICH - Smith, De'Veon 1 yd run (Allen, Kenny kick), 8 plays, 52 yards, TOP 3:17
UMD 3, MICH 45
UMD - Greene, A. 37 yd field goal 10 plays, 55 yards, TOP 4:26
UMD 3, MICH 52
MICH - Smith, De'Veon 2 yd run (Allen, Kenny kick), 3 plays, 64 yards, TOP 1:27
UMD 3, MICH 59
MICH - Crawford, Kekoa 9 yd pass from O'Korn, John (Allen, Kenny kick) 8 plays, 83 yards, TOP 3:53
