Collegiate Sports

[BullNBear52]

Michigan's Outback Bowl collapse costs Big Ten perfect 2017 bowl record

https://sports.yahoo.com/michigans-outback-bowl-collapse-costs-big-ten-perfect-2017-bowl-record-212306036.html

I knew I should have picked SC.


The Wolverines led South Carolina 19-3 late in the third quarter of the Outback Bowl before the bottom fell out. The Gamecocks scored 20 points in a span of fewer than six minutes, flipping the 16-point deficit into a 23-19 lead with 11:33 to play.

Michigan regained possession on offense three more times but the South Carolina defense held strong, allowing the Gamecocks to emerge with a come-from-behind 26-19 win.

It was a brutal collapse for Jim Harbaugh’s team. The Wolverines led 9-3 at halftime and extended the lead to 19-3 on Quinn Nordin’s fourth field goal of the game. South Carolina scuffled offensively all afternoon to this point, but finally put a drive together, going 77 yards in six plays to cut the lead to 19-9 (a two-point try was no good).

But the Wolverines were still firmly in control — or so they thought.

On the third play of the ensuing drive, Michigan quarterback Brandon Peters fumbled and South Carolina recovered. On the next play, Jake Bentley hit Bryan Edwards for a 21-yard score. All of a sudden, South Carolina was within three.

With the momentum firmly on its side, the Gamecocks defense quickly forced a Michigan punt, allowing the offense to go back to work. Bentley quickly led the team to midfield before finding speedy Shi Smith behind the defense for a 53-yard, go-ahead score.

It proved to be the winning touchdown, but only after Michigan fell on its face a few more times.