Maryland comes back to beat Michigan
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Wes Brown's 1-yard touchdown run with 5:59 remaining lifted Maryland to a 23-16 victory over Michigan, leaving the Wolverines' postseason hopes in dire shape with one game remaining in the regular season.
The Terrapins (7-4, 4-3) scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and guaranteed themselves at least a .500 record in conference play in their inaugural Big Ten season. Michigan (5-6, 3-4) had won three of four to keep its bowl hopes in decent shape, but now the Wolverines need a monumental upset at Ohio State next weekend to prolong their season.
The loss on a chilly, dreary day at Michigan Stadium was a fitting conclusion to the Wolverines' home schedule. This dismal season has put coach Brady Hoke's job in jeopardy.
Michigan led 16-9 in the fourth quarter when a roughing the kicker penalty on Jourdan Lewis kept a Maryland drive going. C.J. Brown's 8-yard touchdown run tied it, and after Matt Wile missed a 39-yard field goal for Michigan, the Terrapins drove 78 yards in 10 plays for the winning score.
The Wolverines had already used two of their timeouts earlier in the half, and they never got the ball back after turning it over on downs with 4:16 remaining.
Devin Gardner scored Michigan's only touchdown on a 15-yard scramble in the third quarter, but he threw for only 106 yards in his final home game.
The announced crowd of 101,717 was Michigan's 258th consecutive game at the Big House with at least 100,000 fans, but it was also the smallest home crowd since 1995.
Each team kicked three field goals in the first half. Maryland wasted a great opportunity late in the second quarter when Will Likely intercepted Gardner and returned it 29 yards to the Michigan 8. The Terrapins had to settle for a field goal that gave them a short-lived 9-6 lead.
The early highlight for Michigan was a 52-yard run by Joe Kerridge on a fake punt in the first quarter, but the Wolverines had to settle for a short field goal.
Dennis Norfleet appeared to have returned a punt for a touchdown in the third quarter, and that would have put Michigan up by 14, but the play was called back for a penalty, the first of two huge infractions on the Wolverines that helped swing the game in Maryland's favor.
C.J. Brown's touchdown was the 54th he has accounted for in his career - 31 passing, 23 rushing. He broke a tie with Scott Milanovich for the school record.