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Posted on Sat, Sep 26, 2009 : 8:45 p.m.

Michigan 36, Indiana 33: Your guide to our coverage of today's game

By Pete Bigelow

Martavious.jpg

Martavious Odoms, right, celebrates his game-winning 26-yard touchdown catch against Indiana with right tackle Perry Dorrestein.

Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com

Saturday's game wasn't the cakewalk pundits and fans alike expected. At times, it was messy. At times, it was cringe-worthy.

But the University of Michigan football team nonetheless found a way to escape with a 36-33 victory against Indiana at Michigan Stadium. Once Michigan found a rhythm, they had just enough moxie -- and time on the clock -- to pull out the win.

Tate Forcier threw a game-winning 26-yard touchdown pass to Martavious Odoms with 2:29 left in the game, then cornerback Donovan Warren intercepted a pass from Indiana's Ben Chappell to clinch it.

The talk for unbeaten Michigan (4-0) immediately shifted to next week's showdown with Michigan State. But first, take a look back at the victory over Indiana. Here's a complete recap of our coverage from today's game:

STORIES

  • AnnArbor.com beat reporter Dave Birkett leads off our coverage with his game story, detailing another big day for running back Carlos Brown and more late heroics from freshman quarterback Tate Forcier. 
  • Pete Bigelow says the Wolverines may be a perfect 4-0, but they've got some serious holes, not to mention questions to answer heading into East Lansing. 
  • Meanwhile, Michael Rothstein caught up with a battered-and-bruised Tate Forcier. He may have looked like a freshman Saturday, but hey, did you see his last pass?
  • Michigan's bend-but-don't-break defense gave up 467 offensive yards. Nonetheless, the D made the clutch plays when it counted most, writes James Briggs.
  • Donovan Warren agrees with the controversial call that awarded him a big-time INT Saturday, David Moosman talks about the botched QB-center exchanges and more in this notebook from the locker room.
  • Thirty years later, QB John Wangler's touchdown pass to Anthony Carter lifted Michigan past Indiana as time expired. It's still a big deal, writes Jeff Arnold, whose also got video of short ceremony that honored those two, plus Butch Woolfolk.
  • Jim Knight offers some insight from the press box during the game, including some coverage of Indiana's longest run from scrimmage since 1977.
  • No bags allowed? No big deal, says James Dickson, who reported that entry and exit into the stadium went smoothly as Michigan cranked up its security for Saturday's game.
  • Making the grade: Michigan gets its best marks on offense, as Dave Birkett grades the Wolverines on Saturday's performance.
  • And the band played on, despite the piped-in music, writes Michael Rothstein, who checks in on the debate regarding Michigan Stadium music this season.
PHOTOS
  • AnnArbor.com photojournalists Melanie Maxwell and Angela Cesere snapped some nice shots of the game, especially the one of Martavious Odoms celebrating his game-winning touchdown grab in the student section. Check out their slideshow.
  • Feeling blue: A look into the stands at one hard-core Wolverines fan.
STATISTICS AND STUFF
VIDEO
INTERACTIVE
  • Miss part of the game? You can read through our live chat, which provided play-by-play and commentary throughout the game. We had 1,450 readers along for the ride Saturday, and hope you'll join us next week as the Wolverines face the Spartans.
AROUND THE BIG TEN
  • Michigan State made it interesting at the end, but still lost at Wisconsin, 38-30. The Spartans ride a three-game losing streak into next week's matchup against Michigan.
  • Don't blame the MSU quarterbacks. This week, the defense got taken to the woodshed by the Badgers, writes Howie Beardsley of The Grand Rapids Press.
  • Michigan State's season is fading fast, writes Joe Rexrode of the Lansing State Journal.
  • In a battle of the Big Ten's other undefeated teams, Iowa shocked Penn State with a 21-10 victory. Read the game story from the Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Gazette.
  • Ohio State throttled Illinois, 30-0. It's the first time since 1996 that the Buckeyes have posted back-to-back shutouts, according to the Columbus Dispatch.
  • Minnesota won its conference opener for the first time in four years, this time beating Northwestern 35-24. The St. Paul Pioneer Press has the story.
  • The Big Ten Conference's official web site has recaps of today's games.

Comments

Mstrmind

Sun, Sep 27, 2009 : 3:56 p.m.

Heck of a game. Thought some ref calls were questionable early, but we may have benefitted from blown call on the INT by Warren. Hope Tate is healthy for Spartans next week in the battle of the bad defenses. If UM defense is no worse than theirs and the Wolverine offense continues to roll, it will be a "W" for the UM Go Blue

goblue112

Sat, Sep 26, 2009 : 11:14 p.m.

it might been best game for them to go in hungry vs state not just blowing ind out and have big heads with close win now the they should focus in practice this week and be ready to go to 5-0 got to say going to be shootout tho are d and there look's bad so far but we got TATE THE GREAT AND THERE SPARTY...........

jimb

Sat, Sep 26, 2009 : 7:50 p.m.

Is Forcier hurt? Is he expected to play next week? There is a lack of information about his injury.