Michigan's Bowl Game History
2008 Capital One Bowl
Michigan vs Florida
Orlando, Florida
Jan. 1, 2008
Attendance: 69,748
| Scoring by Quarter | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 7 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 35 |
| Michigan | 7 | 14 | 7 | 13 | 41 |
The University of Michigan football team sent its seniors and head coach Lloyd Carr into retirement with an emotional victory over ninth-ranked Florida in the 2008 Capital One Bowl, played New Year's Day from the Citrus Bowl. The Wolverines (9-4) concluded the game with 524 yards of total offense, including 373 through the air to seven different receivers. The game marked Lloyd Carr's 162nd and final game as Michigan head coach. He finishes his 13-year head coaching career with a 122-40 overall record and six bowl victories (6-7).
The Wolverines opened up the playbook and threw its entire offensive arsenal at the Gators, led by senior quarterback Chad Henne, the game's Most Valuable Player. He completed 25-of-39 passes for 373 yards and three touchdown passes. His primary receiver was senior Adrian Arrington who had career highs of nine receptions and 153 yards, and tied a career mark with two touchdowns. Senior tailback Mike Hart again led the ground game with 32 carries, 129 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Junior wide receiver Mario Manningham accounted for Henne's remaining touchdown pass and had five catches for 78 yards.
Defensively, the Wolverines held quarterback Tim Tebow in check for most of the contest, limiting the Heisman Trophy winner to 17-of-33 passing and 154 yards with three touchdown tosses. Senior safety Jamar Adams led the defense with nine tackles, including one sack, while senior Chris Graham and Brandon Harrison added seven tackles apiece.
Michigan took the opening kickoff after losing the toss and marched 93 yards in 12 plays for a 7-0 lead as Henne tossed a 21-yard touchdown pass to Manningham. The 4:01 drive started at the seven-yard line and saw the Wolverines gain six first downs. Henne completed all six passes for 63 yards, spreading balls around to four different receivers. Hart rushed four times for 41 yards, including a 23-yard run on the game's second play Arrington caught three passes for 29 yards.
Florida moved to the Wolverines'32-yard line before the drive was stopped on a pass breakup by freshman Donovan Warren on a third-and-five pass by Tebow. Kicker Joey Ijjas' 49-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right to preserve the touchdown advantage for the Wolverines.
After holding Michigan on its second possession, the Gators tied the score at seven apiece as Tebow floated a 1 0-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Percy Harvin at 2:37 of the first quarter. The seven-play, 59-yard scoring drive saw Harvin rush twice for 16 yards in addition to his TD catch. Tebow had a 19-yard run on the first play of the drive and completed two-of-three passes for 27 yards. The Gators scored an apparent touchdown on a five-yard pass from Tebow to Cornelius Ingram, but Florida was called for an illegal man down field.
UF took a 14-7 lead on the next series on a bubble screen from Tebow to Andre Caldwell that covered 18 yards for the touchdown. The three-play scoring drive covered 29 yards in 54 seconds. Tebow completed an 18-yard pass to Harvin who added a two-yard run prior to a series of penalties on both teams that preceded the scoring play.
Hart took the ball across the goal line on a three-yard TD run to tie the score at 14-14 with 9:51 remaining in the second quarter. The Wolverines used the abilities of Manningham on the drive, handing him the ball twice on a pair of four-yard runs and Henne tossed an 11-yard pass and a 24-yard third-down completion to him that provided a first-and-goal situation. The 12-play drive covered 56 yards in 4:57, and was capped by Hart's 40th career rushing touchdown.
The Michigan defense held firm after allowing a 66-yard run by Harvin at the outset of the following series. The Gators had a first-and-goal situation but a penalty for an illegal formation nullified a scoring pass. Jamar Adams sacked Tebow on third-and-goal from the nine-yard line to end the touchdown drive. ljjas' 35-yard field goal attempt was blocked by junior nose tackle Terrance Taylor and defensive end Tim Jamison returned the ball 16 yards.
The Wolverines were unable to gain the lead as Hart lost his first fumble in 1,005 touches, fumbling on first-and-goal from the four-yard line. U-M gained the first-and-goal opportunity on a backside screen from Henne to tight end Carson Butler that covered 65 yards. Manningharn started the three-play series with a seven-yard run.
After holding the Gators to a three-and-out, the Wolverines moved into Florida territory, but turned the ball over as Henne's pass on a trick play was intercepted at the goal line by safety Major Wright. Hart gained one yard on the first play and moved the Wolverines into Florida territory with a draw play that netted 15 yards on the following play.
Michigan gained a 21-14 lead on a one-yard touchdown pass from Henne to Arrington with eight seconds left in the half. Henne tossed a one-yard TD pass on an out pattern to Arrington in the right corner of the end zone to give the Wolverines the halftime advantage. Arrington caught an apparent touchdown on a diving pass at the goal line but the play was reversed and Michigan gained possession at the half-yard line. The 11-play, 62-yard scoring drive covered 2:3 1, with Henne completing three-of-six passes for 46 yards. Manningharn converted two third downs with a seven-yard catch and a 15 -yarder that kept the drive alive.
Michigan's pepsi kick to open the second half went un-fielded and special teams captain Anton Campbell recovered the miscue to give U-M possession at the Florida 37-yard line. Hart increased the Wolverines lead to 28-14 on a one-yard run behind the left side of the line. The key play on the seven-play, 37-yard scoring drive was a 20-yard slant to Arrington from Henne on a third-and-10 play that gave U-M first-and-goal at the two-yard line. Manningharn gained four yards on a run and Hart had an 11-yard carry on the drive.
Florida trimmed the deficit in half, 28-21, on a one-yard touchdown run by Tebow. The Gators' longest drive of the game, a 10-play series that covered 56 yards in 4:55, was all Tebow and Harvin Tebow carried four times for 19 yards and completed two-of-three passes for 14 yards. Harvin caught a 10-yard pass to convert a fourth-and-five play and added a 17-yard run and two-yard scamper.
Michigan lost another scoring chance at the goal line as Hart fumbled while stretching the ball out and the ball was recovered for a touchback by Major Wright. The Wolverines moved into Gator territory on a 25-yard pass from Henne to Arrington and gained first-and-goal from the five-yard line on a 19-yard pass from Henne to sophomore wide receiver Greg Mathews. Hart took the carry on the ensuing play and gained four yards to the one-yard line where he stretched for the end zone, but Wright put his helmet on the ball.
Florida took over at the 20-yard line and moved 80 yards in eight plays to tie the game at 28 as Tebow tossed a 14-yard touchdown pass to Andre Caldwell. The key play on the drive was a fake punt by the Gators, a 15-yard pass from punter Chas Henry to reserve tight end Aaron Hernandez from the UF 23-yard line. With new life, Harvin had a five-yard run and added a 44-yard run to Michigan's 13-yard line on the first two plays after the fake.
Michigan regained the lead, 31-28, on a 37-yard field goal by senior kicker K.C. Lopata with 12:16 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Wolverines moved 50 yards in 10 plays, with Hart gaining 26 yards on four carries and Mathews catching passes of six and 10 yards from Henne.
Florida took the lead, 35-31, on a 10-yard reverse by Harvin at 5:49 of the final stanza. The Gators gained possession at the U-M 34-yard line after defensive end Jermaine Cunningham tipped a screen pass from Henne and tackle Mike Pouncey intercepted the ball and gained nine yards. Florida used the short field to its advantage, moving 34 yards in five plays, with Tebow rushing twice for 12 yards and completing two passes for 12 yards prior to Harvin's second touchdown of the game.
The Wolverines took over at their own 33-yard line and quickly moved to the Florida 24 with a 37-yard completion to Arrington that bounced off a Gator defender. In just four total plays, the Wolverines regained the lead, 38-35, on an 18-yard completion from Henne to Arrington, with the pair accounting for 55 of the 67 yards in the scoring drive which consumed just 1:37.
The Gators were held to four-and-out on their ensuing possession, turning the ball over to Michigan at the Florida 24-yard line with 2:42 remaining. Michigan was also held on downs and on fourth-and-10 from the 24, Lopata connected on a 41-yard field goal to extend U-M's lead to 41-35 with 2:21 on the clock.
On Florida's final possession, the Wolverine defense again held the Gators on fourth down with four straight incompletions by Tebow, turning the ball over to Michigan at the Florida 23. The Wolverines ran the clock out against the defending national champions, sending Lloyd Carr and the seniors out with an upset and their first bowl victory since
| First Quarter | |
| UM | Manningham, 21-yard pass from Henne (Lopata kick) |
| UF | Harvin, 10-yard pass form Tebow (Ijjas kick) |
| Second Quarter | |
| UF | Caldwell, A., 18-yard pass from Tebow (Ijjas kick) |
| UM | Hart, 3 yard run (Lopata kick) |
| UM | Arrington, 1 yard pass from Henne (Lopata kick) |
| Second Quarter | |
| UM | Hart, 1 yard run (Lopata kick) |
| UF | Tebow, 1 yard run (Ijjas kick) |
| UF | Caldwell, 14 yard pass form Tebow, (Ijjas kick) |
| Fourth Quarter | |
| UM | Lopata, 37 yard field goal |
| UF | Harvin, 10 yard run (Ijjas kick) |
| UM | Arrington, 18 yard pass from Henne (Lopata kick) |
| UM | Lopata, 41 yard field goal |
| Wolverines | Gators | |
|---|---|---|
| 28 | First Downs | 18 |
| 151 | Net Yards Rushing | 230 |
| 373 | Net Yards Passing | 169 |
| 86 | Total Plays | 66 |
| 524 | Total Yards | 399 |
| 25-39-2 | PA/PC/Int | 18-34-0 |
| 2-89-44.5 | Punts/Avg. | 3-118-49.3.. |
| 7-356 | Kick-off Return Yards | 6-348 |
| 0-0 | Punt Return Yards | 2-41 |
| 4-2 | Fumbles/Lost | 1-0 |
| 8-65 | Penalties/Yards | 9-49 |
| 1-8 | Sacked-Yards | 8-15 |
| 10-15 | Third-Down Conversions | 2-11 |
| 0-0 | Fourth-Down Conversions | 2-4 |
| 31:18 | Time of Possession | 27:42 |
| Rushing-- (M): Hart 31-136-(-7); Manningham 7-53 ; Minor 1-0-(-2); Henne 4-0-(-24). (UF): Harvin 13-176-(11); Tebow 16-68-(-11); Moore 2-9 | ||
| Passing-- (M): Henne 39-25-373, 3 TD, 2 Int. (UF): Tebow 33-17-154, 3 TD, 0 Int. | ||
| Receiving-- (M): Arrington 9-153, 2 TD; Mathews 7-62; Manningham 5-78, 1 TD; Butler 1-65; Hart 1-7; Hemingway 1-4; Moundros 1-4. (UF): Harvin 13-176, 1 TD; Caldwell 4-40, 2 TD; Hernandez 3-31; Ingram 1-17; Murphy 1-4 | ||