Game #5 - Michigan (2-2) at Northwestern (2-2) - Open Thread

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LIVE GAME UPDATES:

3:35: Michigan has run out the clock and leaves Evanston with a 28-16 win. It didn't come easy, but at least they won. More tomorrow.

3:26: Big hit on the NW QB and the ball comes loose. Terrance Taylor recovers and Michigan now is going to start running the clock.

3:22: Hart makes a cut to the other side of the field and runs down to the 1-yard line. Next play and Hart is into the endzone for a Michigan touchdown! U-M now leads 28-16 (PAT is good).

3:20: Northwestern pass is deflected and intercepted by Obi Ezeh. He returned it to the NW 26-yard line. Please DeBord, stop running it on first down. We need a TD to put this game away.

3:15: Henne just barely overthrows Adrian Arrington on third down. Gingell comes out and guess what? He misses. Why in the hell is he still our kicker. He is horrible and the coaches don't make a change? Come on.

3:13: Tim Jamison gets an interception as NW was driving into Michigan territory. Brandon Harrison helped get the ball up in the air on a blitz to get Jamison the INT, and now it's Michigan ball on the NW 20.

3:05: Check that, Michigan is going for a PAT instead and it is good. 21-16 is the score with U-M on top with 9:53 to go in the game.

3:03: Touchdown Michigan!!!!! Henne completes a pass to Adrian Arrington for the TD. Michigan now leads 20-16. Looks like they are going for two.

3:02: Fumble by Northwestern is recovered inside the Wildcat 20. Time to get the points now and take the lead!

2:30: TD!!!!!!!!! Henne hits Carson Butler in the endzone for the score, the lead is now 16-14 as the extra point kick is good.

2:25: Mike Hart just tied Jamie Morris as Michigan's all-time leading rusher.

2:22: Second offensive possession coming up in the third quarter for Michigan and Henne is staying out there. The coaches open up the offense more for Henne, so he should stay in there.

2:12: Zoltan Mesko is our MVP right now. That should tell you how things are going.

2:07: Radio guys are talking about Artis Chambers, a true freshman who has seen limited play this year (mostly special teams). They're saying he is an ineligible player due to Big Ten requirements being more strict or something, and Michigan now will probably receive a penalty for it. What that penalty will be I'm not sure, but the worst punishment is forfeiting the games. I don't know if that would happen since Chambers didn't really affect the game, but keep an eye on this story.

1:44: NW kicks a 27-yard field goal to end the first half, giving the 'Cats a 17-6 lead. WAKE UP MICHIGAN! The coaches are doing everything in their power to lose this game. They better make half-time adjustments, otherwise this team will be 2-3.

1:32: Jason Gingell should not be our kicker. He just missed a 26-yarder. Good God this is sad.

1:30: As I've said before, no matter how bad this game is, at least we're not Notre Dame. They just got a field goal blocked, meaning Purdue still leads 23-0.

1:28: Mallett got away from a defender and was scrambling before completing a pass to Arrington for the first down. Whew, that was important to keep the drive going.

1:27: Mallett fumbled the snap but picked it up and completed a 7 or so yard pass anyways. Next play is a negative rush by Hart.

1:25: Long pass to Manningham is under review. Michigan tried to snap it quickly to prevent that from happening but the Wolverines weren't allowed to snap the football. Play stands, big catch by Mario.

1:22: Morgan Trent picks off a pass! We really needed that.

1:21: This game really is getting embarrassing. Another U-M drive goes nowhere and NW is already moving the ball.

1:16: At least there is some good news coming from this afternoon. Kenny Demens has chosen to play college football at Michigan! More on him next week.

1:04: Another drive goes nowhere. This offense is pathetic also. They might as well put Henne in because they're going to end up losing at this rate.

12:57: Northwestern hits a 50-yard field goal, now leads 13-7.

12:52: First quarter is over and Michigan is losing 10-7. I've seen too many games like this before. Michigan has to step up and get things going in the right direction otherwise it'll be another upset. This team lost to Duke for crying out loud. Come on blue.

12:48: Anyone want to chip in to buy Mike DeBord a plane ticket out of here by tomorrow? This play-calling is ridiculous. Michigan goes three and out again. It's too damn predictable. Run on first down. Pass on second. Then on third you have to pass long down the field and it isn't working. Give me a break.

12:43: Great. 49-yard TD run by Northwestern. They now lead 10-7. This could be a long day if both sides of the ball don't start getting things together.

12:37: Something I just remembered... Henne broke the all-time Michigan TD pass record with that TD to Manningham on the game's first drive.

12:27: Michigan just went up 7-3 on a TD pass to Mario Manningham. Henne looked left and then went to Manningham, something that didn't happen too often in the first two games he played in. Michigan was lucky to even have this drive continue as they went for it on 4th & 2 and didn't convert, but there was a 15-yard facemask to keep the drive going. So far, the running game is struggling with NW putting so many guys in the box, so the passing game obviously is opening up. Also, the first drive for NW ended up resulting in a field goal after a 64-yard pass that happened because the NW player looked down but kept going. He actually wasn't ever down, so the play stood after a review.

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Date & Time: Saturday, September 29, 2007, 12:00 p.m. ET
Teams: Michigan Wolverines (2-2) at Northwestern Wildcats (2-2)
Location: Evanston, Illinois, Ryan Field
Television: Big Ten Network
Radio: 104.3 WOMC-FM
Weather: 71°F, Mostly Sunny, 10% Chance of Rain, 15 mph wind from SSE
Spread: Michigan favored by 17.0; Over/Under 49.0

UPDATE: Click here for a link to audio to listen to the game. It's from MGoBlue.com, so it should work.

UPDATE II: Chad Henne has been cleared to play and there is a chance he'll start. If that is the case, he probably wouldn't play for more than a series or two, but getting him back in a game would be nice. Also, John Thompson isn't on the dress list. Why exactly? I'm not sure, but look for Obi Ezeh to step in as starter at MLB.

UPDATE III: Lloyd Carr said on the pregame radio show that Henne will start the opening series of the game and then come out for the third quarter's first series. Other than that, Ryan Mallett will be the QB. It'll be interesting to see if that plan sticks, but it does get Henne back.