Michigan certainly had their chances but a controversial call at the end prevented Michigan from completing a comeback as they fall to the Iowa Hawkeyes 24-18 from Kinnick.
Things got interesting for Michigan at the end of the game as Michigan drove down to the Iowa 3-yard line with 16 seconds to play in the game and down by 8 points due to a botched extra point earlier in the game.
Michigan wide receiver Junior Hemingway appeared to make an amazing one-handed catch at the back of the end zone to get the Wolverines within two. However the player was ruled incomplete and after a booth review the call stood.
“I don’t have a great seat,” Hoke said with regard to his opinion on the Hemingway ruling. “I know one (official) in the back thought (it was in bounds) and the other guy thought (it wasn’t.”
Hemingway also took to Twitter saying, “I caught that 1 no If ands or buts about it!!!! #GoBlue all day.”
Despite the official ruling, Michigan had a few more chances to get the ball into the end zone. From here Robinson threw an incompletion to Smith before having the final pass of the game to Roy Roundtree broken up by Iowa defender B.J. Lowery.
It was on that final play that most of the controversy arose.
When the play was broken up, it appeared that Lowery had his arms around Roundtree before the pass got to him something that should warrant a flag for defensive pass interference. The officials kept the flags in their pockets and Iowa got the win.
Denard Robinson finished the game completing only 17 of 37 passes for 194 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception.
Fitz Toussaint also continued to have a strong game before he left the game due to injury. He finished the game with 16 carries for 58 yards including a one yard touchdown reception.
Now despite the controversial calls at the end of the game, Michigan still would’ve had to get the 2-point conversion and then try to win the game in overtime. And given the way they played inside the Iowa five with plenty of chances to get the ball into the end zone, there’s not guarantees that Michigan would’ve even tied the game.
With today’s loss Michigan drops to 7-2 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten.
Ref: AnnArbor.com, YouTube, Facebook (photo), AP (photo)