Final: Illinois dominates second half, beats Michigan, 38-13
Michigan's Mike Martin lifts Denard Robinson as they joke around before the start of today's game against Illinois at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill. (Photo: Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com)
Illinois 38, Michigan 13: Jason Ford completed the Illini's rout of Michigan with a 79-yard touchdown run. Illinois outscored Michigan 31-0 in the second half.
Illinois 31, Michigan 13: Matt Eller kicked a 23-yard field goal, the result of a 10-play, 74-yard drive that started when Illinois recovered a Tate Forcier fumble.
THIRD QUARTER
Illinois 28, Michigan 13: Juice Williams scored on a 3-yard keeper as the Illini scored for the third time in the third quarter. Illinois scored on a six-play, 45-yard drive that included a 36-yard pass to wide receiver Chris James.
Illinois 21, Michigan 13: Illinois' third-quarter surge continued as redshirt freshman tight end London Davis caught the first pass of his college career, a 2-yard touchdown from Williams. The four-play, 79-yard drive included a 35-yard pass to Jeff Cumberland and a 26-yard run by sophomore running back Mikel Leshoure.
Illinois 14, Michigan 13:Leshoure raced a career-long 70 yards six plays after Illinois' goal-line stand to give the Illini the lead again. Leshoure had a career-long 65-yard run last week against Purdue.
Illinois' goal-line stand: Brandon Minor came up short on a 1-yard run on a fourth-and-one play after fellow running back Carlos Brown was stopped on three consecutive goal-line carries. Michigan had the ball on the 1-yard line after Roy Roundtree was caught from behind on a 76-yard reception from Forcier.
SECOND QUARTER
Michigan 13, Illinois 7: Jason Olesnavage kicked his second field goal of the second quarter, connecting from 42 yards out.
Michigan 10, Illinois 7: Olesnavage kicked a 29-yard field goal as Michigan took its first lead of the day.
FIRST QUARTER
Illinois quarterback Juice Williams scrambles against Michigan on Saturday. (Photo: Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com)
Michigan 7, Illinois 7: Brown rushed seven times for 26 yards and capped a 13-play drive with a 2-yard touchdown run as the Wolverines tied the game on their opening possession. Brown entered the game leading Michigan with 371 yards rushing.
Illinois 7, Michigan 0: Junior wide receiver Arrelious Benn scored on a 3-yard run as Illinois drove 82 yards on the opening drive. Illinois quarterback Juice Williams rushed for 38 yards and passed for 29 yards on the drive.
Today: The Michigan (5-3 overall, 1-3 Big Ten) at Illinois (1-6, 0-5) game begins at 3:30 p.m. and will be on ABC/ESPN. We'll update this story throughout the game.
Have an opinion or a question? Join our live chat, led by staff writer Michael Rothstein and sports producer Pete Bigelow.
Pregame: Illinois, which hasn't won since a 45-17 victory Sept. 12 against Illinois State, is 1-7 in its last eight meetings with Michigan. That one? A 45-20 victory at Michigan Stadium last year.
More on last year: Illinois had 501 yards in total offense and the 45 points was the most the Illini ever scored against Michigan.
Comments
GettingBluer
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 9:13 p.m.
saginaw said "We probably have no chance against Wiscy or OSU. That makes us 2 - 6 in the Big Ten, two straight years. TERRIBLE!" I don't know...maybe a they'll forget to set their clocks back an hour tonight, show up an hour early, think we no-showed, and leave a half hour before game time. It's not much, but it is about the only hope we've got.
saginaw
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 8:47 p.m.
We probably have no chance against Wiscy or OSU. That makes us 2 - 6 in the Big Ten, two straight years. TERRIBLE! Just three weeks ago we played Iowa even on the road. What has changed?
GettingBluer
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 6:50 p.m.
The Rich Rod fanboys are getting quieter and quieter. Unfortunately, the winningest program in college football is becoming totally irrelevant. Rebuilding? Don't have the talent? Compare three RR recruiting classes with what Bo did the first year. RR doesn't understand the rivalries and cannot hire defensive coordinator talent to save his job. Add to that, what appears to be ethical breakdowns, and he really should be leaving, SOON, REAL SOON. He doesn't even do a good job calling timeouts.
Duston
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 6:35 p.m.
I respectfully disagree with fresh121. These players are good athletes. They are just not being coached well. If you tell a kid, HOLD ONTO THE BALL, and he doesn't..sit him down. This is a coaching staff problem. I see these defensive players sitting back on their heels...the coaches are not telling them to be agressive enough. This may sound a bit contradictory to my previous statement, but the big ten is obviously much harder to navigate than Rich Rod thought. His speed teams are not the key...this is tough physical football. Michigan had a beautiful program, but there was a few things that needed to be tweaked for a national title caliber team. Not a total bombing of the program. Rich Rod is a scheme coach, not a football coach. His scheme is not working, now he is having trouble adapting to Big Ten ball. This is almost like the scenario I have long wished for. Having a team that runs a speed based game having to play in the big ten for an entire season rather than just one bowl game. I knew they would get whacked; I just didn't think it was going to be Michigan that was the team.
UMfan2001
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 6:33 p.m.
Very disappointing. After Ill leads 21-13 and pushing their way to the UM goal line, I have to switch off my TV before I have a heart attack. This is the best that Rich Rod can conjure up?
Duston
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 6:17 p.m.
This team is seriously lacking fundamentals...has nobody noticed this very important fact? How many laps did kids do in highschool after losing a fumble? How many up downs? Where is the actual coaching? Sure, these kids are suppose to be past this phase...obviously they are a bunch of showboats!! I don't blame them though. Coaching is at fault. The coach should be telling them to put the ball away. Does anyone remember Kevin Grady's first two fumbles inside the red zone his frshman year? He hardly played at all after that. That's why braylon edwards was benched and taught a lesson...no one person is better than this team. Too many kids that are just as good are in line for your job. Thats what kept them and their game tight. That is LONG GONE with Carr and his staff. Sad sad days ahead.
Fresh121
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 6:13 p.m.
Its time to be real after a 3-9 season what was our hope this year.500 and a bowl game that is still possible Rich has showed progress in his 2nd year Its hard as a fan to have a crappy qb last year and a freshmen this year tates been makin alot of poor decsions and we have no leaders no one to step up for this team..WE ARE MICHIGAN we do not fire our coach after AYEAR and a half let RR have 2-3 more years if we still sux fire him..you can only polish a turd so much and our players are big turds!! Coaches coach Players play it goes both ways for RR and the players..
BtheBall
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 6:12 p.m.
And there is nothing to be done about it!!!! How many more years will we have to tolerate this type of performance? you realize that NO quality recruit will come to Michigan after this type of loss.
maizenbluedoc
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 6:09 p.m.
I have been a proponent of RR, but he has not shown that he can get a team ready to play, nor has he managed a game properly. He needs to explain to the AD for this abysmal showing today against the Illini. This team is regressing.
John Galt
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 6:02 p.m.
Hail to Victors, valiant.....oh, wait....
BtheBall
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 6 p.m.
I am actually hoping the NCAA finds violations so we have an excuse to get rid of RR.............How bad is that?
Detroitrocks
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 5:58 p.m.
Tater still thinks they are going 9-3 this year.
wondering
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 5:57 p.m.
Amen to the comments below. No excuses for Rod!! It is over. If went to a bowl, will we lose or win?
WolverinePride
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 5:54 p.m.
God we suck. I feel bad for the freshmen QBs, every player is playing with fear and not just playing. Coach needs to motivate them!
KeepingItReal
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 5:52 p.m.
No Offense, No Defense and no real concept of play. I thought this Matt Barwic was suppose to be some type of strength and conditioning Guru. Michigan defense looked tired, they couldn't tackle and was simply outplayed. Matt Barwic has done a good job of selling himself as some type of Guru. That stuff worked in the eastern conference that RR and his buddies coached in but its not going to work in the Big Ten. We need bigger, stronger and quicker players. M has three (3) games left and the only one which I see them winning is possibly Purdue but I'm hesitant to predict that one.
bleedblue96
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 5:50 p.m.
PATHETIC PATHETIC PATHETIC! Tate can not lead a team when he drops the ball 3 times. The O line cant push for a 1yd TD. Theres no leader on the team firing up anybody and they definately have no Heart. Truelly not a well coached team on either side of the ball. The D allows over 30 every big ten game are you serious how do you win games this way! Why do you not spy a running QB. You see it in practice everyday
sfblue
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 5:48 p.m.
Tate seems to have regressed under Rich Rod's tutelage. This was just humiliating. Even if we make it to a bowl likely we will not be able to beat a team of Central Michigan's caliber and therefore will just add further embarassment. With 2 and 3 star freshman coming in next year hard to say the future looks bright. Atleast Beilein had a plan and his team improved significantly from year 1 to year 2. Rich Rod is clueless and stubborn and needs to be run out of AA.
BtheBall
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 5:48 p.m.
52 years old and have NEVER seen MICHIGAN present a team like this. Until now I have supported RR and never said a bad word against him. But he needs to go, the experiment didn't work. This is the lowest day of UM football.
Detroitrocks
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 5:47 p.m.
Last place teams should not go to bowl games.
wondering
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 5:43 p.m.
hole? Yeh bad for the big ten. They beat us fair and square. Once again Michigan beat themselves> This is not a good team
barnz378
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 5:39 p.m.
Too small on defensive. Too slow on O-line. Too stupid in the d-backffield. Keep bringing in 150 lb players. Big Ten will need a 11th team. RR will be replaced by a Michigan Man. I cannot stand to see our dumb undersized corners move up to play speedy linebackers? Who are we fooling? Anyone? I am sick of this.
townie54
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 5:39 p.m.
there is no week to week improvement.They are regressing to last year and that is coaching.After next year when rich gets fired it will take the new coach two years to get his own players so it will have been five years until Michigan is competitive again.Nice hire Bill Martin.No wonder your retiring.Plus Lloyd didnt want Les Miles here so its part his fault too.
sandokan
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 5:39 p.m.
Tater said : Michigan is ALREADY bowl eligible. There are too many stupes out there who just don't get it!!! Michigan 37 Z00K 20
wondering
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 5:33 p.m.
38-13 any more discussion, it is time to take it to Martin and Rod!!
voiceofreason
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 5:31 p.m.
A combination of bad defense, and just terrible terrible luck.
wondering
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 5:30 p.m.
What should we do as fans? Although after today I have no faith?
wondering
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 5:22 p.m.
we just suck, you are so right. RR sucks also. Terrible, terrible football. The kids on my block play a lot better. They are between 7and 11.
sfblue
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 5:18 p.m.
Wow we just suck. The first four games and the victory against Notre Dame was just hid how bad we were. Rather than playing the worst team in the Big 10 we are playing and probably are the worst team in the Big 10. Rich Rod the big offensive genius ran the same four plays on the fourth down that changed the momentum of the game. We have no defense. I am not sure when people's patience with Rich Rod will run out maybe when our non bowl streak is extended to 0-3. Hopefully the new AD will make the right change for Michigan.
81wolverine
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 3:55 p.m.
After a shaky start, Michigan's D is getting it done against Juice, Benn, & Co. However, the offense has wasted some opportunities to score TD's. At least we got the field goals, but 6 points isn't much of a lead. Huyge has been getting his butt beat on a number of plays. Other than that, the O-line has been doing OK. I didn't understand Michigan's NOT taking a timeout to stop the clock at the end of the half. I thought they could have had almost a minute or 50 seconds to work with after the punt. Oh well. Go Blue!