Michigan beats Illinois 67-65 in 3 OTs

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- When the game's first play from scrimmage went for an easy 75-yard touchdown, something seemed amiss at Michigan Stadium.

When Illinois and Michigan teamed up for 49 points and 471 total yards in the second quarter alone clearly the craziness was well under way.

But the full scope of Saturday's majestic offensive display couldn't be grasped until 111,441 fans roared for the last of many, many times.

With Illinois needing a 2-point conversion to push matters into a fourth overtime for the first time in Big Ten history, Michigan blitzed and forced quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase to fling a desperate incomplete pass with his left hand while being tripped to the turf.

As Scheelhaase lay at the 20-yard line, he nearly was trampled by Michigan players celebrating their 67-65 victory that served as the highest-scoring game in the nation this year and the most points in a game between two Big Ten teams.

Only Minnesota's 146-0 skunking of Grinnell in 1904 topped the Wolverines and Illini.

“Yeah, 65 points,” said Illinois running back Mikel Leshoure, who scored 2 touchdowns in the fourth quarter and 3 in overtime. “You usually think you win that game.”

Indeed, that's the one souvenir from the day that Illinois gets for itself: most points by a Football Bowl Subdivision team in a loss.

But if Scheelhaase had received just one more second to let the 2-point conversion develop, who knows whether both teams would have kept punching until they hit triple digits?

Freshman slot receiver Ryan Lankford broke clear on a drag over the middle, but there wasn't a chance to get him the ball.

“It was open,” Illinois coach Ron Zook said. “They just blitzed and we didn't pick it up. It was there.”

But to focus on one 2-point conversion when the teams split 62 first-half points and 90 in regulation might be missing the point.

Including the overtimes, Illinois (5-4, 3-3) and Michigan (6-3, 2-3) each had the ball 20 times.

In those 40 possessions and 194 snaps from scrimmage, they teamed up for 1,237 total yards, 17 touchdowns, 4 field goals, 6 turnovers and just 8 punts.

Wondrous Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson piled up 305 passing yards and 62 rushing yards as Illinois stacked the box and dared him to win with his arm. Robinson completed just 7 first-half passes, but they went for 262 yards and 3 scores.

“We didn't do a very good job executing,” said Illinois defensive coordinator Vic Koenning. “We didn't tackle. We didn't cover. We didn't look like we were motivated. All those things are my responsibility.”

But Robinson left after three quarters with concussion-like symptoms and didn't return. Middle linebacker Martez Wilson (11 tackles) drilled him on a scramble.

Robinson's departure coincided with Illinois' big second-half move. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Scheelhaase hit Leshoure for a 27-yard touchdown pass on an uncovered wheel route to make it 38-38.

Michigan backup Tate Forcier came in and immediately fumbled away his first play. Clay Nurse's recovery led to Leshoure's 1-yard blast and a 45-38 edge with 11:35 to go.

It would be Forcier's only mistake.

He led Michigan 80 yards and sent the game into overtime when he sidestepped the rush and hit a diving Darryl Stonum with 1:47 to go.

In overtime, Illinois and Michigan took turns scoring. Leshoure plunged on fourth-and-goal from the 1-foot line to force the second session. Leshoure then caught another uncovered wheel route for a 25-yard score and a 59-52 lead.

Illinois forced Michigan into a third-and-8, which had Illinois' players on the sideline chanting “DE-FENSE!” loudly enough to hear above the Michigan din.

Forcier tried to force a slant into Junior Hemingway and cornerback Terry Hawthorne got his hands on it, but the ball popped in the air and Hemingway came down with it for the score.

Michigan's Michael Shaw plunged in for a 1-yard score, then Hemingway beat Hawthorne for the 2-point conversion pass.

Leshoure's fifth touchdown in seven Illinois possessions cut the margin to 67-65, but the game didn't make it to a fourth overtime or a fifth hour.

“I think absolutely it's deflating,” Zook said. “But if it's not deflating, I told them they didn't need to get on the airplane … but we still have an awful lot to play for.

“I don't think we have to be ashamed of anything, you know?”