Kornacki: Wolverines Ride Emotional Rollercoaster at Orange Bowl
12/31/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 31, 2016
By Steve Kornacki
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- The University of Michigan football team reminded me of a prize fighter everybody was waiting to see knocked out.
The Wolverines seemed to be just holding on, staying close enough to have hope. Then they collectively came off the ropes and took it to Florida State in the second half.
It was 20-6 for the Seminoles at halftime, 26-13 for Michigan after that, and 33-32 for Florida State when the final gun sounded.
Friday night's (Dec. 30) Orange Bowl sent the No. 6 Wolverines home with a 10-3 record identical to that of the Seminoles. And what we witnessed at Hard Rock Stadium might have been the two best teams not in the national semifinal playoff games.
Michigan lost Heisman Trophy finalist Jabrill Peppers to a hamstring injury suffered in Thursday's final practice, and then Mackey Award-winning tight end Jake Butt was lost on the first possession of the second quarter on what Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh described as either a medial collateral or anterior cruciate ligament injury to his right knee.
They had to go in this one with basically only one of the three consensus All-Americans who had carried them, and that was cornerback Jourdan Lewis. He made two big plays down the stretch but couldn't make a third to prevent the game-winning touchdown pass to Nyqwan Murray with 36 seconds left.
That was one of only a half dozen game-changing plays that occurred in the final two minutes of what might have been the craziest Orange Bowl since Michigan beat Alabama, 35-34 in overtime, behind Tom Brady on Jan. 2, 2000.
Chris Evans slithered, broke tackles and dove into the end zone for a 30-yard touchdown run with 1:57 to play, and then Wilton Speight fired a two-point conversion pass to Amara Darboh for an improbable 30-27 lead.
"I thought we had it in the bag," said Evans.
Florida State looked like a long-shot to come back when Keith Gavin made an ill-advised decision to return Kenny Allen's kickoff after stumbling at the goal line. But the Wolverines couldn't nail him inside his own 15-yard line despite chances, and he nearly took it 100 yards. Lewis saved that with a tackle that held him to 66 yards before Murray caught the game-winner behind him.
It looked like Michigan was going to have to score a touchdown with 36 seconds remaining, but then Chris Wormley blocked Ricky Aguayo's point-after kick up the middle, and Josh Metellus, playing for Peppers, picked it up and went 94 yards down the left sideline to score two points.
That had never happened in 82 previous Orange Bowls, and it gave Michigan hope to get in range for a game-tying Allen field goal. But the Wolverines couldn't pull one more rabbit out of the hat, and so college careers ended for a spirited group of seniors and possibly Peppers, who said he hasn't made up his mind on whether or not to enter the NFL Draft as a sure first-round pick.
Josh Metellus (14) returns the blocked PAT for two points
"Everything that happened will work into that decision, not just this game," said Peppers. "I still feel like I didn't do all that I set out to do as an individual and a team. We didn't make the playoffs. We didn't make the Rose Bowl. Coming and losing the Orange Bowl just sucks. We worked so hard for it. We worked too hard to come away with nothing."
Peppers tried to get loose in pregame practice, and he still hasn't played in a college bowl game. Peppers was injured for last year's Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl.
"It just is what it is, man," said Peppers. "I'm disappointed."
His eyes filled with tears when he talked about it all.
"I knew I couldn't be myself because I couldn't even run," he said. "I couldn't cut. Every time I tried to stretch my leg, I felt a sharp sensation. It sucks that I couldn't help the team."
Peppers, who plays a hybrid linebacker position, has lined up at 15 positions on defense, offense and special teams. Freshman Metellus replaced him and turned in a Xerox copy of Peppers' blocked kick return to score at Michigan State.
Butt was gone after catching a pass on an improvised play and rambling 16 yards to the Florida State six-yard line. He took a helmet to the right knee on the tackle and went down in obvious pain, putting his gloved hands over his eyes, writhing in agony.
It seemed so unfair for a player who passed on entering the NFL Draft last year to return to play with his "brothers," as he calls them.
He tweeted from @JBooty_88: "Xtremely proud of the way these guys competed 2nite. Left it all out there! Its been a great 4 years @ this univ & I wouldnt change anything
"Thank you for all of the prayers and well wishes. God has a plan for me and I know through him I can overcome anything!
"never once crossed my mind to sit this game out and I would never change that mindset. I play this game bc I love it, my teammates, coaches"
Butt managed to walk off the field but couldn't return to play.
The two-time All-American finished his career with tight end school records of 138 catches and 1,646 receiving yards along with 11 touchdowns.
Lewis, the lone All-American to go the distance, was rough on himself for getting beat on the game-winner, saying, "It was probably one of my worst games in my career."
But, truth be told, Lewis saw to it that Michigan could keep swinging as long as it did. He broke up a pass on a third-and-11 play to force the punt that resulted in the go-ahead scoring run by Evans, and he then caught Gavin from behind to initially save the touchdown.
It was a snapshot of the whole stretch run for the Wolverines, who came so very close to being undefeated.
Iowa beat them by one point on a game-ending field goal.
Ohio State beat them in double-overtime by three points.
Florida State also won by a whisker.
Five points were the difference between a truly great and truly good season.
"It's been an emotional rollercoaster," said defensive end Taco Charlton, who brought the heat on FSU quarterback Deondre Francois all night long, "and I'm not even an emotional guy."
Taco Charlton (33) with Maurice Hurst
I asked some seniors to put their thoughts and emotions into words in the postgame locker room as they said good-byes, dressed and packed for the flight home.
"Florida State is a fantastic team," said offensive tackle Ben Braden. "When two high-caliber teams play, this is what happens. It was great coaching, great players, and I'm so proud of my teammates. It's just the reality of football. Coach Harbaugh said he was proud of us and that we battled."
Tailback De'Veon Smith said, "The first half didn't go our way, but in the second half we came out to fight. We thought we had the bag sealed, but I'm not mad about it. What's hard is leaving my brothers. We all grew up from 18- to 22-year-olds and been around each other every day. I was so thankful for this opportunity."
Wide receiver Jehu Chesson added, "It was a test of our character and we bounced back. We made a lot of plays, but in the end things just didn't swing our way. It's tough. Words can't explain it. I won't forget this moment. I won't forget my guys. I thank God for every moment because in the beginning I didn't belong here. So, I'm here now."
Harbaugh loved these seniors. They bought into his vision and demands and produced back-to-back 10-win seasons to turn around the program's fortunes.
"I love them," Harbaugh said. "I love these guys. Great group of competitors, great group of workers, and a great group of guys that find a way. They've got a will to win -- not just they want to win. I mean, they must win. I love them for it."
Michigan scored an amazing 17 points in less than six minutes, but it was one point shy of overtime and two points away from victory. The Wolverines came up short after looking as if they were about to go down for the count early, and Harbaugh could find nothing to fault them for.
The scoreboard said they lost, and Florida State rocked the sounds of victory as the Wolverines walked to their postgame press conference.
Mike McCray, whose pick-six touchdown interception got it going, slapped his hands together in front of him as he walked.
Fullback Khalid Hill, who caught an eight-yard touchdown pass from Speight with 5:22 left to play to start the wild charge at the end, had grass stains all over his uniform and sweat dripping down his face.
"With the emotions of the game, when you play football you've got to expect this to happen," said Hill. "In the first half, we never thought this game was over. It was always the mindset we were going to come back and win this game.
"Coach Harbaugh had a great scheme, great plan for us to do that, and we had it in our grasp, but we had to finish."
