Michigan Wolverines vs Virginia Tech Hokies Match Player Stats On Jan 03, 2012

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Jan 4, 2012

Brendan Gibbons kicked a 37-yard field goal to lift Michigan to a 23-20 overtime victory against Virginia Tech at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.

The Wolverines (11-2) let a 17-6 lead slip away in the second half but gave themselves an opportunity to steal the win by opening the extra period with a defensive stop.

Justin Myer, who had helped the Hokies (11-3) force overtime by kicking a 25-yard field goal with two seconds left in regulation, missed from 37 yards in overtime after a diving touchdown catch by Danny Coale was nullified by replay review.

Virginia Tech, which rallied to tie the game twice in the fourth quarter, dug itself a hole with some uncharacteristic special teams mistakes. A roughing-the-punter penalty set up Michigan's first touchdown with 49 seconds remaining in the second quarter, and a fumble on the ensuing kickoff enabled Gibbons to end the half with the first of his three field goals.

Junior Hemingway caught touchdown passes of 45 and 18 yards to highlight an otherwise lackluster offensive performance by quarterback Denard Robinson (9-for-21, 117 yards) and the Wolverines, who finished with just 184 total yards.

Virginia Tech tied it at 17 on a 1-yard touchdown run by Logan Thomas and two-point conversion pass from Thomas to Marcus Davis early in the fourth. Coale paced the Hokies with eight receptions for 117 yards, while Myer was 4-for-4 on field goals in regulation.