Michigan 27 Northwestern 19

This game was both beautiful...and very ugly. But most of all, it was a win. Make no mistake, at this point, I'll take it. I'm going to sleep fine tonight!

At a time when the Michigan football program was in free fall after two very disappointing division losses in a row, a win was desperately needed. Not for a chance to play for the B1G title...that's gone. But this game was simply for respect...to show that there's still some fight left in the tank.

Once again, Brendan Gibbons and the field goal unit provided Michigan maybe their signature play of the season. A simply incredible series of events that led to Michigan getting the snap off, the hold down, and the kick through the uprights to send the game into overtime, and eventually the win, with only 1 second left on a ticking clock.

Major kudos to the refs for getting the ball spotted quickly, and also Drew Dileo for sprinting over from the other side of the field and sliding into place in the slippery field to get there in time to make the hold.

It was clear that Hoke and company were not going to let this overtime go down like the Penn State overtime did. Derrick Green had a great game by Michigan standards with his 19 carries for 79 yards. He and De'Veon Smith, 9 carries for 39 yards provided just enough running game to give Michigan something to build from. The 2-for-18 on 3rd downs was the ugly stat of the game for Michigan, but again, scoreboard.

Nice to see Gardner get the winning touchdown with his feet after Gallon dropped the sure-thing in the 2nd overtime. For Gardner, has to feel great to put this team on his back for the final score and the clutch 2-point conversion.

This season will never be considered a success by any real standard. There's major work to do to get Michigan football back to where it needs to be, but you don't get there by losing games like this. I think you might be amazed what a shot of confidence can do for a team like this.