SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 8, 2014
Michigan 10, Northwestern 9: De’Veon Smith rushed for a career-best 121 yards and the visiting Wolverines slipped past the Wildcats when Northwestern failed to convert a two-point conversion with three seconds left.
Jake Ryan and Matthew Godin each recorded interceptions as Michigan (5-5, 3-3 Big Ten) forced three turnovers and recorded six sacks. Devin Gardner was intercepted twice and passed for just 109 yards.
Trevor Siemian passed for 273 yards but tossed two interceptions for Northwestern (3-6, 2-4), which lost its fourth straight game. The Wildcats pulled within a point on Siemian’s 3-yard pass to Tony Jones in the final seconds and Siemian rolled to his right on the two-point conversion and slipped to the ground under duress.
Jones muffed a punt in the third quarter and the Wolverines took over at the Wildcats’ 21-yard line. Gardner hit Devin Funchess for 18 yards and Smith scampered in from the 3 for the game’s first points with 6:49 left in the third quarter.
The Wildcats got on the board with 7:26 left in the contest when Jack Mitchell kicked a 21-yard field goal. Michigan’s Matt Wile booted a 37-yarder with 3:10 remaining to restore the seven-point margin before Northwestern navigated 74 yards on 14 plays for its lone touchdown.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Northwestern S Ibraheim Campbell intercepted his 10th career pass in third quarter to become the seventh player in school history with 10 or more. … Smith’s previous best effort was 115 yards in the season opener against Appalachian State. … Wildcats CB Nick VanHoose blocked a 41-yard field-goal attempt by Wile just 21 seconds prior to halftime.