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Freshman Mario Manningham catches a 10-yard touchdown pass from Chad Henne on the last play of the game to win it for Michigan.U-M 27, PSU 25: Henne hits for TD pass on last play.
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Wolverines' miracle win hands Nittany Lions 1st loss
Cornerback Charles Stewart (5) celebrates with fans in the student section at Michigan Stadium.Related links
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Michigan's defense closes in on Penn State quarterback Michael Robinson in the second quarter.
ANN ARBOR -- Again, Michigan has found its pulse.
Sometimes faint this season, the unranked Wolverines, teetering on the brink of a losing season, looked more energized, more determined and steely than ever.
Trailing with one second remaining against eighth-ranked and unbeaten Penn State, Michigan quarterback Chad Henne completed a 10-yard touchdown pass to freshman receiver Mario Manningham for a 27-25 victory before a boisterous Michigan Stadium crowd.
The players sprinted from the Michigan sideline to join their offense in the end zone and then took its celebration over to the student section to rejoice.
"We just wanted to get the play off and do what we had to do to come out with the win," Manningham said. "We didn't do anything different. We just executed the play. Chad just put it right there."
Michigan (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten) has won seven straight against Penn State (6-1, 3-`).
There were four lead changes in the fourth quarter, which Michigan entered leading with a 10-3 lead.
"That's as wild a game as I've ever been in," Michigan Coach Lloyd Carr said. "Just unbelievable."
Henne's touchdown pass culminated an edge-of-your-seat eight-play, 53-yard drive in the final 42 seconds.
Steve Breaston set the drive up on a stunning 41-yard kickoff return to give Michigan possession on its 47-yard line.
"I just wanted to get the ball downfield as far as I could," said Breaston, who had 169 all-purpose yards, including 156 on returns. "Everybody was just into the game and they kept telling me, 'Steve, make a play. Just go out there.' I just had to do my job, and everybody did their job (blocking) up front."
The Wolverines had 42 seconds left and were trailing 25-21 after Penn State's go-ahead touchdown. Starting tailback Mike Hart, who had 23 carries for 108 yards and a touchdown, said the final huddle was upbeat and positive.
"We just said it's going to be a great victory," Hart said.
Henne opened the series with a 17-yard completion to Jason Avant, who finished with eight catches for 75 yards. Two plays later, on third-and-1, Hart gained 11 yards.
Michigan reached the Penn State 10-yard line with one second left.
"They didn't bring any blitzes, so we just stuck with our regular protection," said Henne, who was 21-of-36 for 212 yards and two touchdowns. "They gave us the coverage we wanted for that play. They matched the inside receiver and were one-on-one with the outside. Mario made a great stick, and I just went after the throw and put there in front of him."
Breaston was the first read on the play and Manningham, who had two touchdown receptions, was the second. Michigan coach Lloyd Carr praised his sophomore quarterback.
"When it's one second on the clock and the game's on the line, and there's millions and millions of people watching on TV, and there's 111,000 people in the stadium, and you take the ball and throw it perfectly with people who are trying to sack you, I'd say that's a lot of poise," Carr said. "It isn't like there's going to be any second chances."
There were plenty of chances in the second half, particularly the fourth quarter.
Michigan built a 10-0 lead early in the second half after getting its first third-quarter touchdown of the season on a 2-yard run by Hart.
After Penn State and Michigan exchanged punts on the next two series, the Nittany Lions started their second possession of the quarter at their 29. On third-and-5, quarterback Michael Robinson fumbled the snap, picked up the ball, faced extreme pressure from Michigan's Alan Branch but managed to complete a pass to Terrell Golden for 56 yards. The Wolverines held Penn State to a 25-yard field goal by freshman Kevin Kelly, who missed two field-goal attempts in the first half.
Then came the topsy-turvy fourth quarter.
Penn State tied the score at 10 early in the quarter after Tony Hunt broke a 61-yard run to the Michigan 2. On third down, Robinson scored on a 4-yard quarterback option.
This was the first of three straight touchdowns scored within the first 5:28 of the fourth quarter.
On the first play of Michigan's ensuing drive, Henne scrambled with the football in his right arm and dropped his shoulder as he tried for extra yardage against cornerback Alan Zemaitis.
Zemaitis hit Henne hard and stripped him of the ball, running 35 yards for the touchdown, his second of the season.
"That was a stupid mistake (on) my part, thinking I'm bigger than what I am, trying to run over the corner," Henne said. "That's just one of my mistakes. You just have to forget about that and move on to the next play, and that's just what we did."
Penn State added two points on a broken play when the snap for the extra-point attempt was fumbled. Kelly took the football and ran in for the conversion, giving the Nittany Lions their first lead, 18-10, with 11:39 left.
"When that play happened and, then, they fumble the snap and end up with two points, I said to myself, 'This isn't fair. This is not fair,'" Carr said.
As Henne indicated, Michigan came right back, however, thanks in part to terrific field position provided by a 39-yard kickoff return by Breaston, giving U-M the football at its 45.
The Wolverines tied the score on a 33-yard touchdown pass from Henne to Manningham, whom he found deep in the left corner of the end zone. Hart ran in on the two-point conversion to tie the score at 18 with 9:32 left.
Garrett Rivas hit a 47-yard field goal, tying a career high, with 3:45 remaining to give Michigan a 21-18 lead.
Michigan's defense came through on Penn State's next possession when Leon Hall intercepted Robinson. But the Wolverines were assessed a 10-yard holding penalty on Grant Mason on Hall's return, which proved exceptionally costly.
Michigan began on its 40-yard line but was forced to punt, giving Penn State, which used all three of its timeouts during the drive, possession with 2:46 remaining in the game.
"If we had lost this game, I would have blamed myself," Carr said. "What I should have said, is, 'Let's throw the ball in the end zone.' We were so concerned with making Penn State use their timeouts ... Instead of being so concerned with them using all their timeouts and maybe kicking a field goal, we left them (the defense) out there."
Penn State marched back after starting on its 20-yard line. Robinson completed a key second-down pass to Jordan Norwood for 28 yards to the Michigan 42.
Michigan forced Penn State into fourth-and-7 after a replay review showed that Robinson's 8-yard pass to Deon Butler was incomplete.
Robinson converted on fourth down, running left after being forced out by linebacker David Harris for a 9-yard gain and a first down.
"We were in man coverage, we lost contain and he made a heck of a scramble and made a first down," said Harris, who had 10 tackles.
On third down, Michigan suffered a breakdown as Hall was called for pass interference, giving Penn State a first down at the Michigan 3. Robinson got the go-ahead score, an exclamation point to cap a 13-play drive that gave the Nittany Lions a 25-21 lead.
Hart said he had never experienced a victory like this.
"Never like this," Hart said. "Not with one second left on the clock and down by four, we can't kick a field goal, you've got to score. This is the best feeling I've had."
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