The Sports Xchange
Oct 14, 2017
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Junior running back Karan Higdon rushed for 200 yards and three touchdowns to lead the No. 17 Michigan Wolverines to a 27-20 overtime victory against Indiana on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
On the first play in overtime, Higdon ran 25 yards around left end for the touchdown. The Hoosiers earned a first down on the Michigan 1-yard-line but went backward before the Wolverines' Tyree Kinnel snagged an interception in the end zone on fourth-and-goal from the 4.
Indiana's Griffin Oakes hit a 46-yard field goal as time expired in regulation to tie the game at 20.
Clinging to a 13-10 lead early in the fourth quarter, Higdon broke loose for a 59-yard touchdown run to give the Wolverines a 20-10 lead with 10:25 to go.
J-Shun Harris' 53-yard punt return helped give the Hoosiers hope, putting the football on the Michigan 20. Indiana quarterback Peyton Ramsey connected with Whop Philyor for an 8-yard TD pass to cut the lead to 20-17 with 3:27 to go. Indiana nearly recovered the onside kick but officials ruled Simmie Cobbs Jr. was out of bounds when he pulled it in after a Michigan player touched it.
Indiana got its final possession in regulation after forcing Michigan to punt after a three-and-out.
Hoosiers' freshman running back Morgan Ellison's 8-yard TD run sliced Michigan's lead to 13-10 with 12:06 left in third quarter. Ellison had a 31-yard rush to help set up the score. Michigan had limited the Hoosiers to 22 rushing yards in the first half.
Michigan's biggest issue in the first half was its 11 penalties for 98 yards. The Wolverines accumulated 166 yards before halftime, with 113 coming on the ground.
The Wolverines scored first, driving 49 yards in 13 plays before the drive stalled and they had to settle for a 40-yard field goal by Quinn Nordin with 6:35 left in the first quarter.
Michigan's Maurice Hurst blocked Oakes' 51-yard field goal attempt and Lavert Hill returned it 35 yards to the IU 27. Hampered by penalties, Michigan settled for a 38-yard field goal by Nordin to take a 6-0 lead on the first play of the second quarter.
Higdon's 12-yard touchdown run pushed the Wolverines' lead to 13-0 with 10:19 left in the quarter. The drive was helped by a 15-yard personal foul penalty on IU cornerback Tegray Scales on quarterback John O'Korn. Scales was originally called for targeting, but that call was reversed.
O'Korn completed 10 of 20 passes for 58 yards.
NOTES: The Hoosiers' last victory over Michigan was 30 years ago (14-10 in Bloomington). Michigan now leads the all-time series 57-9 and has won 22 in a row. ... IU first-year running backs coach Mike Hart is Michigan's all-time leading rusher. ... This was Michigan's 500th victory in Big Ten play. Michigan's record is 500-203-18 in its 110th season in the conference.