Purdue 38, Michigan 36, your complete guide to Saturday's game
In what turned out to be a turning point in the game, Michigan running back Carlos Brown prepares to lateral the ball to lineman Mark Huyge as he is pulled down by Purdue's Torri Williams on a fourth and ten play during the fourth quarter Saturday.
Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com
Just when it looked like a double-digit lead would be enough to propel the Michigan football team into its first bowl game of the Rich Rodriguez era, problems all too familiar scuttled those plans.
As they did last week against Illinois, the Wolverines found themselves unable to counter a sudden shift in momentum during the third quarter. Purdue never relented after that, earning its first win in Ann Arbor since 1966 by a 38-36 score.
After the game, bad blood simmered between the two coaches.
AnnArbor.com has comprehensive coverage of the game.
STORIES
- Dave Birkett: Another meltdown from the Michigan football team.
- Pete Bigelow: Rich Rodriguez's rivalry with Purdue intensifies, team hits new low.
- Michael Rothstein: You can sum up Michigan's season with illegal forward pass.
- Despite a bad ankle, Brandon Minor played his best game of the year.
- Post-game handshake turns personal for Rich Rodriguez and Danny Hope.
- Notebook: Roy Roundtree shows why Purdue wanted him so badly.
- Grades: Offense passes, but the defense receives poor marks again.
- Michigan police arrest 2, cite 11 during Saturday's game.
- Official box score.
- Cumulative Michigan statistics.
- Week-by-week Michigan box scores.
- Cumulative Purdue statistics.
- Big Ten statistics.
- Big Ten standings and schedule.
- Staff photographers Lon Horwedel and Melanie Maxwell's photo slideshow.
- A round-up of our live chat, which brought in more than 1,900 readers this week.
- Northwestern knocks Iowa from ranks of unbeaten.
- In addition to the defeat, the Hawkeyes lose their quarterback.
- Buckeyes take a major step toward Rose Bowl by beating Penn State.
- With the win, Terrelle Pryor makes a triumphant return to Pennsylvania.
- Joe Paterno speaks about his team's tough loss.
- Ashton Leggett scores 4 TD's as Michigan State routs Western Michigan.
- Kirk Cousins says the Spartans are finding out who they really are.
- Defensive touchdown pushes Illinois past Minnesota.
Comments
A2lover
Mon, Nov 9, 2009 : 1:06 p.m.
Mary Sue and her cohort, Mr. Martin, purchased a boy to do a man's work in a clandestine meeting in a coffee shop in Ohio. So be it on their heads. RR is obviously out of his league here, the teams MI play against are (mostly) far superior to the teams RR is used to playing. And even though he's surrounded himself with his cronies and even a coach who has worked for the NFL, he doesn't have the skill or capability to be a leader. Also, these football coaches who have worked professionally don't seem capable of coaching/training these young players. Funny, I see many theatre, music and dance presentations at U of M, these students put on close to top notch professional performances because, for the most part, they are trained and coached by ex-professional faculty members, and it shows. If only our football coaches had the same passion, concern, skill and teaching ability.
amazenblue
Mon, Nov 9, 2009 : 4:09 a.m.
Jim Harbaugh for coach, good call. Get rid of Mr. I don't know anything about Michigan but I have a great system and here I am. Leave Michigan Stadium deserves so much better! Yost,Crisler,Schembechler and Carr created Michigan's winning ways.Teams used to fear coming to this stadium and facing M teams. Now it is just a rich payday for them.RR has got to go, can't stand the slop anymore! Amazenblue
GoblueinNE_PA
Sun, Nov 8, 2009 : 9:43 p.m.
Justblue, everything you mentioned as a problem is spot on. Also, everything you mentioned as a problem is a coaching issue. Those thing, proper tackling techniques, db footwork, etc., are correctable problems if the coaches do their job and teach proper technique. The fact is, they don't and while I'd like to blame the D Coord. for this, all of the assistants are Richie boy's buddies. He picked them all, he's responsible for their work, and he's ultimately responsible for the entire performance of the team. We need a change and we need it now.
justblue
Sun, Nov 8, 2009 : 7:07 p.m.
Watching all of the games this year I was really excited to see this football team progress. It's very hard to be patient when wins are so important. This team has impressed me but at the same time has shown they can't stop beating themselves. I believe we are leading the Big 10 in PPG offensively, but the turnovers and lack of defensive performance is killing this team. For all the criticism: In all the games, even the blowouts like Penn State, we have come up with big plays and big stops. I watch college football all day every Saturday at a bar that shows every game and I am happy that we have a team that can score on any play from any spot on the field. Watching them play, it is evident that the players have problems with fundementals. The players seem to stop on contact and arm tackle, defensive backs have some of the most horrible footwork I've seen which is half of being a defensive back. There are a lot and I mean a lot of little problems with this team. I don't think all blame needs to be on the coaches, however the clock management at the end of the Purdue game and some play calls need to be blamed on the coaches
Lemansblue
Sun, Nov 8, 2009 : 6:35 p.m.
RR out. Coach Jim Harbaugh in. Do not wait Harbaugh would be great here. He will also be in high demand after the job he is doing at Stanford at the end of the season we need to get permission to talk to him and hire him...Do not wait. Harbaugh knows the Big Ten he would be great here!!!
Jaxon5
Sun, Nov 8, 2009 : 6:24 p.m.
Danny Hope beat both OSU and Michigan in his first year as head coach. Ours beat Indiana this year, his second year.
Furious in MI
Sun, Nov 8, 2009 : 5:05 p.m.
oh my god. somebody stop the pain already. if only games ended after the first half, UM would be a great team. ready for 5-7?
BlueInBama
Sun, Nov 8, 2009 : 3:23 p.m.
We keep hearing the excuse of how RRod doesn't have the players to fit "his system." He has the players now, although the qbs are young. This offensive scheme is NOT flexible by any means. RRod rolled into Ann Arbor and forced this system on Steven Threet and Nick Sheridan, who had no business running these plays. He wouldn't even mix it up for the sake of winning! He chose to put Michigan through its worst season in years because it's "RRod's spread system." Oh, but give it time... give it time... right? Fast forward to this year where the 5 wins this year are over 3 terrible teams, 1 mediocre Big 10 team, and 1 decent ND team. Now, RRod defenders will naturally rush to say, "But it's the defense... the defense... the defense!!!" Ok, this the worst defense in Michigan in over half a century. Yet, isn't RRod ultimately responsible for the defense as well? Last time I checked, he is the HEAD COACH, right? Did Michigan hire an offensive coordinator only? This is the disconnect that many fans don't see or refuse to see. RRod is so consumed by "his system" that he pays ZERO attention to defense. Bo, Mo, and Lloyd would address defensive issues when they needed to be escalated beyond the defensive coordinator's control. You'd see them on the sidelines getting involved, and you'd hear the press conferences with their critique on the defensive side of the ball. RRod is an impotent statue on the sideline when the defense is out there... it's as if "Elvis has left the building." During press conferences, the only thing RRod can say after another dismal defensive performance is, "I don't know... we'll have to go back and look at the tape..." And we all know he won't look at the tape... he'll just say, "G-Rob, buddy, fix it." Bottom line - Bill Martin hired a coordinator, not a Head Coach. It's time for RRod to go back to a school like Tulane where "his system" worked. It's time for Michigan to be serious about recruiting a HEAD COACH and rebuilding this once great program!
GoblueinNE_PA
Sun, Nov 8, 2009 : 2:51 p.m.
What the RR koolaid drinkers fail to understand is that its possible to still support the kids and love our university, while simulataneously calling out the idiot leading the team. I will ALWAYS support my alma mater, but I will not blindly stand by while this absolute moron destroys our program. Blame Carr all you want, but this is RR's team and its performing in his image. I see no reason to be optimistic for next season and this more than any other reason is why he should go. Why stay with this loser when we could find a coach that we could respect, win or lose.
chosen1
Sun, Nov 8, 2009 : 2:08 p.m.
Yeah. I would like to see Gardner be the qb next year. He has great passing skills as he has proven in the elite 11 camps and so forth. He also is 6'4" and is used to playing in the cold, rainy michigan weather. He will be a force. He will be in the same mold as Clark, Pryor, and Juice. All 3 are way better than Tate and D-Rob.
Macabre Sunset
Sun, Nov 8, 2009 : 12:43 p.m.
I have faith in Michigan. I do not have faith in Rich Rodriguez. This was a game that never should have been lost. And it wasn't lost because Purdue had better players. It was lost because Michigan is a poorly coached team and the Purdue players wanted the victory more than the Michigan players. Fire Coach Gimmick and the No-Defense Bunch right now.
michboy40
Sun, Nov 8, 2009 : 12:41 p.m.
We stink. I am still behind the players and coaches, because I know they are trying their best, but we stink. I will be watching from afar the rest of the year, which will be over in 13 days. Then I will focus on pro football and hockey to get me though! Please dear God, get past the NCAA unscathed and start building something already. One side note: Tate is one tough cookie. I looked like he hyper-extended his knee on the TD run, but did not miss a snap. Incredible!
Ignatz
Sun, Nov 8, 2009 : 11:14 a.m.
Kepp the faith, folks. Remember, this is RR's 2nd year and his 1st with his recruits. Lots of freshmen and walk ons fill the ranks and they need time to get going. This is also the first year for our Defensive Coordinator and I think that the defense needs the most work. I concur with Valtski and DenimAA. Elliot looked fantastic yesterday, so give him and his team credit. They did beat Columbus Community College this year.
azwolverine
Sun, Nov 8, 2009 : 11:11 a.m.
Vitaski, How did we look better yesterday? In the first half? We were outscored 28-12 in the second half by a 3-6 team that was beaten 37-0 last week, with a FIRST YEAR COACH, at OUR HOUSE! That team hadn't beaten us in OUR HOUSE since 1966. Negative play deserves negative comments. Should we all just sit here with flowers behind our ears, mindless smiles on our faces, and love in our hearts while Michigan Football disintegrates around us? That's what the KoolAid does. I'm not drinking it.
Valtski
Sun, Nov 8, 2009 : 10:47 a.m.
I never realized what soar losers my fellow wolverine fans were until I started reading this stuff. All you negative folks were probably the same people calling for a rose bowl birth or national championship after we started 4-0. Other than Penn State and Illinois, Michigan has looked overwhelmingly better than last year. We are a very young team, with a true freshmen quarterback, and a third defensive coordinator in three years. You all need to chillaxe, stay positive, and see the big picture.
Stephenb1707
Sun, Nov 8, 2009 : 10:04 a.m.
Only two years and its already time for a change. Even RR looked lost and confused in his post game interview. He has no idea what to do or what direction. Get Lloyd and his crew back for the remainder of the year before the fans start jumping off the new stadium. I will be happy to donate money to pay off his contract.
DeminAA
Sun, Nov 8, 2009 : 9:41 a.m.
Just maybe the other teams are better teams. For years Michigan dominated by beating sub par teams and rising to the top. Give the other teams credit for being the better team, players and coach wise, for once
KeepingItReal
Sun, Nov 8, 2009 : 5:20 a.m.
HeatbreakM: You talk of Shoelace Deficiencies. Don't forget, Forcier was bread to be a QB. His father hired private tudors to coach him. His brother,the quiter, is living with him to "guide" him. Too bad Daddy ain't here to help him now. All that hype against clearly inferior opponents at the beginning the season was misguided. You talk about deficiencies, Forcier is not the man to lead M.
Point_Given
Sun, Nov 8, 2009 : 2:15 a.m.
I have never been a fan of firing a coach before he has a chance to bring in a class from start to finish... in DickRod's case, I'm willing to make an exception. This team is getting thoroughly thrashed, week-in and week-out, and it is all about coaching, mentality, preparation, and making adjustments. Out-scored in the second half 75-12 by Illinois, Penn State, and Purdue. Clearly, this offense is easy to adjust to and we can't make the counter-adjustments necessary to win. Either get the games shortened to 30 minutes or fire this entire staff. More damage is being done every second that this guy controls the once proud Maize and Blue.
UofMbeWorser
Sun, Nov 8, 2009 : 12:26 a.m.
heartbreakM, chosen1 The problem with Rodrigueses "System" is you either have a Pat White or you fail. Either the quarterback is so good that he covers for Rodrigueses PissPoor coaching or you get what we got here for the last 2 years. The problem in finding the next pat White is that pat was a 3 star receiver coming out of HS.
Old West Sider
Sun, Nov 8, 2009 : 12:14 a.m.
The turning point was the on side kick and the TD thatfollowed
heartbreakM
Sat, Nov 7, 2009 : 11:13 p.m.
hey chosen--So, you are calling for yet another frosh in D-gard? Well, I expect next year you will be calling for the next great high school senior. That's the best thing about the backup--everybody loves you. Tate is shell-shocked right now, not used to the college speed, the B10 strength, the cold. He will be better next year, no matter who his coach is. Denard probably will be too, though he has clear deficiencies compared to Forcier.
chosen1
Sat, Nov 7, 2009 : 9:47 p.m.
Tate made a couple good plays, but overall Tate has really regressed from his start. D-Gardner I hope you enroll early and take the job from the 2 jokes we have at qb this year
st.julian
Sat, Nov 7, 2009 : 9:39 p.m.
He move to MI started at Tulane and he is coaching like he is sitll at Tulane. Tulane was beat last week 42-0 by LSU. Maybe he can get his old job back. As an LSU friend mentioned he's out of his league in the big 10 trying to use a ballet offense in a league build on corn fed big men, not pansies