Michigan's Bowl Game History
2005 Alamo Bowl
Michigan vs Nebraska
December 28, 2005
San Antonio, Texas
Attendance: 62,016
| Scoring by Quarter | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
| Nebraska | 7 | 7 | 3 | 15 | 32 |
Michigan was unable to cap its season with an Alamo Bowl victory, losing 32-28 against Nebraska at the Alamodome. The Wolverines tried to gain the winning points but their final two possessions ended with an incomplete pass at the goal line and a last-ditch effort on a series of laterals that ended at the Cornhuskers' 13-yard line.
Sophomore quarterback Chad Henne completed 21-of-43 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns and scored a rushing touchdown on a seven-yard keeper. Senior wide receiver Jason Avant led the receiving effort with eight catches for 71 yards and cracked the 1,000-yard receiving barrier for the season for the first time in his career (1,007).
Senior wide receiver/kick returner Steve Breaston gained more than 200 all-purpose yards for the second straight bowl game. The game's Sportsmanship Award recipient, Breaston had 224 all-purpose yards on 13 touches. He set an Alamo Bowl record with 146 kickoff return yards on four attempts and added seven punt returns for 72 yards. He also collected an eight-yard reception.
Junior cornerback Leon Hall was named the Alamo Bowl Defensive MVP after gaining two interceptions and four tackles. Senior free safety Willis Barringer registered a career-best nine stops, with sophomore defensive tackle Alan Branch and senior inside linebacker David Harris adding eight tackles apiece. Branch set a U-M bowl record with five tackles for loss.
After trading series in the first quarter, Nebraska grabbed a 7-0 lead as wideout Terrance Nunn took a quick slant pass from quarterback Zac Taylor and went 52 yards for the score. The Cornhuskers' scoring drive covered 73 yards in four plays.
Michigan responded on the ensuing possession as Henne completed a 13-yard pass across the field to senior tight end Tyler Ecker for a touchdown. Breaston returned the kickoff an Alamo Bowl record 69 yards to provide the Wolverines with possession at Nebraska's 30-yard line. Henne kept the drive alive with a 14-yard keeper on third-and-12, and Hart added a five-yard carry prior to the second-down scoring play.
The Wolverines had an opportunity to take a lead, but junior kicker Garrett Rivas pushed his 25-yard field goal attempt off the left upright. Hall gave U-M possession inside Nebraska territory following an interception at the 39-yard line.
Hall collected his second pick on Nebraska's next possession, intercepting Taylor on the first play of the series. The Wolverines converted this time as Henne completed a 16-yard pass across the middle to sophomore tight end Mike Massey for the touchdown, giving U-M a 14-7 lead at 11:43 of the second quarter. Hart gained 12 yards on the first two plays prior to the scoring pass.
Nebraska tied the score, 14-14, at 2:37 of the second quarter as Taylor hit wide receiver Nate Swift on a crossing route for the 14-yard touchdown.
After halftime, the Cornhuskers scored an apparent touchdown at 8:58 of the third quarter as Taylor completed a three-yard scoring pass that Nunn caught along the ground on a third-and-goal play. The play was reviewed and the pass was ruled incomplete. Nebraska settled for a 20-yard field goal by Jordan Congdon at 8:54 to regain the lead, 17-14
Michigan answered the field goal and took the lead, 21-17, as Henne threw his Alamo Bowl record tying third TD of the game. Henne floated a 2 1 -yard touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver Mario Manningham in the back right comer of the end zone.
The Wolverines had another scoring chance late in the third quarter, but Henne's pass into the back o the end zone was intercepted by comerback Zachary Bowman. The play was originally ruled incomplete but was overturned by the replay booth.
Henne used his feet to increase the Wolverines lead to 28-17 with 11:40 remaining in the contest. Henne was unable to find an open receiver and took off up the middle for a seven-yard keeper and his first rushing touchdown of the season. Michigan started the drive at its 47-yard line after a 1-yard kick catch interference penalty was assessed against Nebraska. Henne completed a key 26-yard pass to Avant on third-and-four that gave U-M possession at 21-yard line and later converted a third-and-eight play from the 19-yard line on a 12-yard run.
Nebraska closed the gap to 28-2 as Ross scored on a 3 1-yard run around the left side of the formation and Taylor completed the two-point conversion pass to Todd Peterson.
Michigan gave Nebraska possession at its 48-yard line as Avant was stripped of the balI following a 17-yard completion on the first play following Nebraska's score. The Wolverine defense stiffened and did not allow a first down.
U-M turned the ball over for the second straight series and Nebraska gained possession at Michigan 's 17-yard line with :6 left in regulation. On a third-down pass play Henne had the ball knocked out of his hand by free safety Bruce Tiedtke, and defensive tackle Ola Dagunduro recovered for Nebraska and returned it 13 yards. The Cornhuskers grabbed the lead for good, 32-28 at 4:29, on a 13-yard TD pass from Taylor to Nunn across the middle.
Michigan was unable to gain the go-ahead points on its final two possessions.
| First Quarter | |
| UN | Nunn 52 yard pass from Taylor (Congdon kick) |
| U-M | Ecker 13 yard pass from Henne (Rivas kick) |
| Second Quarter | |
| U-M | Massey 16 yard pass from Henne (Rivas kick) |
| UN | Swift 14 yard pass from Taylor (Congdon kick) |
| Third Quarter | |
| UN | : Congdon 20 yard field goal |
| U-M | Manningham 21 yard pass from Henne (Rivas kick) |
| Fourth Quarter | |
| U-M | Henne 7 yard run (Rivas kick) |
| UN | Ross 31 yard run (Peterson pass from Taylor) |
| UN | Nunn 13 yard pass from Taylor (Congdon kick) |
| Wolverines | Cornhuskers | |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | First Downs | 16 |
| 42-130 | Net Yards Rushing | 37-151 |
| 270 | Net Yards Passing | 167 |
| 85 | Total Plays | 68 |
| 400 | Total Yards | 318 |
| 43-21-1 | PA/PC/Int | 31-14-2 |
| 4-22 | Sacked-Yards Losst | 5-27 |
| 7-34.9 | Punts/Avg. | 8-51.5 |
| 258 | Return Yards | 91 |
| 4-2 | Fumbles/Lost | 0-0 |
| 6-49 | Penalties/Yards | 9-76 |
| 5-17 | Third Downs | 4-16 |
| 31:21 | Time of Posession | 28:39 |
| Rushing-- (M): Hart 19-74, Henne 13-38, Grady 5-17, Bass 3-4, Team 1-(-1), Breaston 1-(-2). Neb.: Ross 28-161, Lucky 1-3, Team 1-(-3), Taylor 7-(-10), | ||
| Passing-- (M): Henne 43-21-1-270. Neb.: Taylor 31-14-2-167. | ||
| Receiving-- (M): Avant 8-7-1, Manningham 3-28, Bass 3-24, Hart 2-35, Massey 2-18, Ecker 1-71, Bradley 1-15, Breaston 1-8. Neb.: Nunn 4-9-1, Swift 3-3-1, Hardy 3-27, Ross 3-8, Phillips 1-10 | ||