What can be done successfully at a quick pace in just around six seconds? Tying a shoe perhaps? Not much else, unless you’re the Michigan Wolverines and need to tie a football game.
Considering everything that has happened to the Wolverines in 2013, who could have seen a last second fast field goal on a slick field in the rain successfully playing out? After Devin Gardner was sacked and time was running helplessly off the clock, it appeared Michigan was headed for another embarassing, dreadful loss. Instead, a miracle happened.
After a short pass failed to find the sideline, it was up to everyone to get into the right place in a hurry. Holder Drew Dileo slid down on the turf, looking like he was partaking in a muddy Slip n’ Slide contest. Then, after the ball was snapped, Brendan Gibbons, a kicker who hasn’t been able to hit field goals standing still much of 2013, abruptly nailed the tying kick as time expired in a driving rainstorm.
Michigan would go on to win the game in overtime, thus preventing them from having to answer further questions about another heartbreaking loss. Considering there is likely little momentum that can be taken from scoring such a road win, the Wolverines’ path to late season redemption doesn’t get any easier. Next up is a trip to take on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Later, a date with undefeated Ohio State looms. Both games will provide a tough finish for the Wolverines.
For a minute, though, let’s forget about what’s ahead and simply applaud a great play from a fun finish. Fast field goals are perhaps the toughest football play to execute other than the Hail Mary pass. How impossible and disastrous can they be? Just ask any fan of the Michigan State Spartans, who watched John L. Smith and company botch the job against the Buckeyes in 2005. That was an experiment in how everything can go wrong during crunch time in even the most perfect of conditions.
So instead of worrying or wondering about the potential momentum aftermath of the Wolverines’ improbable fast field goal, just appreciate the play for the well-timed miracle it was. Michigan pulled off something few teams are able to, much less teams playing in the middle of a driving rainstorm. Though the play itself won’t help them with a tough finish to the season, salute the fact that execution was good enough in the final seconds to tie a game and eventually secure a win.
Rarely has Michigan come through late in a big spot during the 2013 season. On Saturday, for once, they finally did and won a game which looked like a lost cause in impressive fashion.
Laugh Of The Week: How about Mark Dantonio, trick play master? Needing a touchdown to help his Spartans put away Nebraska, Dantonio shockingly called for the fake field goal late in the game and it worked to great success. A few plays later, Keith Mumphery found the end zone and the Cornhuskers were done. The name of the trick play? Charlie Brown, which follows up “Hey Diddle Diddle” before it. Expect the unexpected with Dantonio at the helm. The hilarious cherry on top? Watching Jim Schwartz try and emulate Dantonio and fail on Sunday afternoon.
Local Big Ten This Week:
Michigan State at Northwestern
Michigan at Iowa
Players To Watch:
Michigan State: Jeremy Langford, RB. Against Nebraska’s resurgent defense, Langford rumbled for 151 yards and two touchdowns and carried the load quite effectively. Northwestern’s run defense is allowing 172 yards per-game on the ground, so watch for Michigan State to ride their horse again on the road and try to control the clock. Another big ground game from Langford with a few scores and the Wildcats will likely be bled dry much like Nebraska was.
Michigan: Jake Ryan, OLB. Iowa’s Jake Rudock doesn’t move well and can be had in the pocket. Knowing this, Michigan’s defense will have to get after him with blitzes in order to have success on defense on Saturday. Ryan will be a big factor in this. If he can flush the pocket and make a few impact plays on Rudock while blowing up plays on the outside, the Wolverines can easily slow Iowa’s attack, which periodically struggles to move the ball for stretches.
Standings Update:
#13/#13/#13 (BCS) Michigan State 9-1 (6-0 Big Ten Legends)
Michigan 7-3 (3-3 Big Ten Legends)
Max DeMara is a senior editor at The Detroit Sports Site. You can find him on Twitter @SportsGuyTheMax