Mike Wolf, BTN volleyball announcer, November 19, 2011
(AP) Denard Robinson threw two touchdown passes and ran for two scores to help No. 20 Michigan rout No. 17 Nebraska 45-17 Saturday. The Wolverines (9-2, 5-2 Big Ten) moved into second place in the conference's Legends Division and kept its chances of playing in a BCS bowl for the first time since the 2006 season. The Cornhuskers (8-3, 4-3) lost any hope of playing in the Big Ten's first title game. Michigan State clinched its spot in the Dec. 3 game in Indianapolis with a win over Indiana and Michigan's victory against Nebraska. Read the full AP recap, see the box score and view our Big Ten scoreboard.
Check out our quarter-by-quarter recap, powered by Narrative Science:
FINAL: Denard Robinson broke out against No. 16 Nebraska, piling up 84 rushing yards and scoring two touchdowns to lead No. 18 Michigan to a 45-17 victory on Saturday at Michigan Stadium. Michigan's (9-2) ran away with things in the fourth quarter. The Wolverines scored 14 points in the quarter to turn a 14-point margin into a 28-point blowout. Home run plays keyed Michigan's scoring attack. Nebraska's (8-3) defense gave up four plays of at least 20 yards. With 10:35 to go in the fourth quarter, Robinson tossed a 38-yard touchdown to Martavious Odoms, the Wolverines' longest play on the day. The touchdown gave Michigan a 38-17 lead. The Wolverines' offense finished the game having gained 414 yards, including 179 passing yards on 11 completions. Michigan also moved the ball on the ground, earning 235 yards on 61 attempts. Robinson threw for 179 yards while completing 11 of 18 passes for the Wolverines. Robinson finished the game with two touchdowns and one interception. Taylor Martinez threw for 122 yards while going 9-23 for the Cornhuskers. He threw one touchdown and no interceptions. Martinez also ran for 51 yards on 16 attempts. Nebraska's offense finished the game having gained 256 yards. In addition to Martinez's efforts through the air, the Cornhuskers also rushed 30 times for 134 yards.
FOURTH QUARTER: Michigan finished off its blowout of Nebraska with a strong fourth quarter and won 45-17. The Wolverines ended the game on a 14-point run. Michigan expanded its lead to 38-17 thanks to a 10-play, 86-yard drive that ended when Denard Robinson threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Martavious Odoms. The Wolverines opened up the lead, 45-17, after marching down the field for a one-play, 31-yard drive that ended when Fitzgerald Toussaint pounded in a 31-yard touchdown run. A fumble recovery by Michigan set the Wolverines up to start the drive. Michigan's Toussaint topped 100 yards rushing for the game in the quarter, and finished his day with 134 yards on the ground.
THIRD QUARTER: Michigan's Fitzgerald Toussaint led the offense in the third quarter. He ran for 30 yards and one touchdown, and the Wolverines now lead 31-17. Michigan opened up the lead, 24-10, after Denard Robinson turned a quarterback sneak into a one-yard touchdown run to end a seven-play, 33-yard drive. The Wolverines began the drive with good field position after Michigan recovered a fumble. The Wolverines threw just one time during that series. Michigan made its lead 31-10 when Toussaint turned a handoff into a one-yard touchdown on the last play of a six-play, 50-yard drive. Nebraska capped a 31-yard drive when Ameer Abdullah ran three yards to paydirt to make the score 31-17. Abdullah's punt return set the Cornhuskers up to start the drive. The Wolverines have the ball on their own 19-yard line to begin the fourth quarter.
SECOND QUARTER: In the second quarter, Michigan's Denard Robinson stood out. He ran for 45 yards and one touchdown, and the Wolverines now lead 17-10. Nebraska got even after Brett Maher kicked a 50-yard field goal to end a four-play, one-yard drive that tied the score at 10. The Cornhuskers began the drive with good field position at the Michigan 34-yard line after Terrence Moore intercepted a Robinson pass. Robinson kept it himself for a 14-yard touchdown run to break the 10-10 standstill in favor of Michigan. The play polished off a 12-play, 74-yard scoring drive. The Wolverines threw just two times on that possession. Nebraska will start the second half with the ball.
FIRST QUARTER: In the first quarter, Brandon Kinnie fought back for No. 16 Nebraska. He caught a 54-yard touchdown pass, but the Cornhuskers trail 10-7 at the end of the first quarter. No. 18 Michigan scored when Denard Robinson and Jeremy Gallon combined for a six-yard touchdown to cap a seven-play, 80-yard drive, giving the Wolverines the game's first lead. Michigan added to its advantage when Brendan Gibbons kicked a 42-yard field goal, the final play on an eight-play, 30-yard drive to give the Wolverines the lead, 10-0. Michigan kept the ball on the ground during the drive, throwing only one pass. Nebraska made the score 10-7 after Taylor Martinez tossed a 54-yard touchdown to Kinnie to finish off a 65-yard drive. The Wolverines will start the second quarter with possession on their own 23-yard line.
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