November 18th, 2006 #1 Ohio State versus #2 Michigan both teams unbeaten, winner gets the Big Ten championship and a trip to the national title game. We knew that this game was big but who knew a loss could of been so devastating to a program. The game starts out with Michigan driving the ball down Ohio States throat going 80 yards scoring a touchdown on 1-yard run my Mike Hart. Ohio State would answer though with a long 69 yard drive that took well over six minutes finishing with soon to be heisman trophy winner Troy Smith connecting with Roy Hall with a one yard touchdown.
The second quarter was all Ohio State, Chris "Beanie" Wells, Ted Ginn Jr., and Anthony Gonzalez all scored touchdowns, while Michigan was able to squeeze in one touchdown pass with Chad Henne connecting to Adrian Arrington. Ohio State had control going into half up two touchdowns 28-14.
Michigan would stop Ohio State on their first drive and then score on run by Mike Hart cutting the deficite down to 21-28 and then add a field goal by Garrett Rivas cutting it again 24-28. But just before the fourth quarter started Antonio Pittman snapped off a 56 yard run to make the game 35-24 going into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth Mike Hart scored his third touchdown of the game making it 31-35. That is when history happens, a historic play that triggerd a downward spiral for Michigan football. After a delay of game penalty against the the Buckeyes it was 3rd and 15 and Michigan looked like they were going to force Ohio State to settle for a field goal making it a touchdown difference. Michigan got Troy Smith under pressure and forced to scramble Smith took off, we had him we stopped I thought! I thought, till Shawn Crable blasted Smith out-of-bounds with a helmet-to-helmet shot. Ohio State went on to score another touchdown making the score 31-42.
Michigan wouldn't go away though 4th and 16 on their own 44 yard line with 2:55 left Chad Henne throws an incompletion, but there is a flag, pass inerference on Ohio State and Michigan gets the ball on Ohio States 41 and a fresh set of downs. Henne would throw a touchdown pass with 2:13 left and then connect on a 2-point conversion.
They wouldn't recover the onside kick and Ohio State wins a classic 42-39.
Had Crable gone low or even just pushed Smith out-of-bounds Ohio State would have settled for the field goal around Michigan's 30 yard line. If he makes the kick its only a seven point game 31-38. But we can't take back history and Michigan would settle for beatdown by USC in the Rose Bowl...again, while Ohio State would suffer the same fate against Florida in the National Championship game.
The lose triggered contraversy as to if Llyod Carr could even beat Jim Tressel and Ohio State, he had only beaten the sweatervest wearing coach once in 2003. But the start of the 2007 would show signs of worse to come Michigan lost to Appalachian State a FCS team that in their case have won many national titles but still and FCS team...Central Michigan was a D-2 national champion back in the day that is where App. State is today, a FCS powerhouse.
The loss killed coach Carr's reputation and he later in the season decided to retire after their bowl game. Which they won the Gator Bowl agianst...FLORIDA, yes defending national champions Florida, with heisman title winner Tim Tebow. Yes the great Tim Tebow does have a losing record against one team...Michigan he is 0-1 against Michigan.
What could of been, our defense is strong and maybe we slow down Florida in the 2006 title game like we did in 2007. Maybe we actually beat Florida like we did in 2007 and we are national champions. Maybe Llyod is still here at UofM and we get big name recruits because who doesn't want to play for the winningest program in college football history (which we still are today) and defending national champion for the 12 time. We never go through Rich Rod, maybe we get a good head coach in waiting or Llyod becomes a Joe Pa type figurehead and we are fine.
With Shawn Crable's hit UofM recieved much worse then a 15-yard penalty, they recieved a at least a five year curse, hopefull Hoke and his staff has the cure for the Crable Curse.
I remember that game. It was tough to swallow as a fan. The call hurt but it was warranted. Don't forget that Bo died the day before the game, which added to the rivalry. I wouldn't say that that was the game that killed Carr's reputation though. UM had been 7-5 the year before and they were playing better than expected. It was clear Carr had to go after the beginning of 2007 when he had a loaded team of Henne, Hart (though often injured), Manningham, Long, et. al. The problem with Lloyd was that he relied too much on out-performing the competition instead of out-scheming them (See Mike Debord's offense: zone left, zone left, pass, punt). He consistently lost to Tressel because Tressel is a great game-planner and Lloyd would either not make in-game adjustments or would make them too late. They won the game against Florida in large part because he broke out of his conservative offense (maybe because he had nothing to lose).
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