Michigan’s Robinson gets last scoring punch to lead No. 19 Wolverines past Indiana 42-35

Robinson leads No. 19 Michigan past Indiana 42-35

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Denard Robinson delivered another knockout punch.

Michigan’s sophomore quarterback tossed a 42-yard pass to get No. 19 Michigan into scoring position in the final minute Saturday, then scored on a 4-yard TD run with 17 seconds left to give the Wolverines a 42-35 victory against Indiana.

For Robinson, it was yet another remarkable chapter in an already amazing season.

He had 19 carries for 217 yards and the Wolverines’ first and last scores. He also completed 10-of-16 passes for 277 yards and three scores — and he did all that on a gimpy left knee. And after leaving briefly in the third quarter with an injury.

It didn’t slow him down one bit.

The Wolverines (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten) have won 17 straight in this series, dating to 1987, few more exciting.

Indiana (3-1, 0-1) put on an entertaining show for its first sellout crowd since Memorial Stadium renovation was completed last year, but it wasn’t quite enough.

Ben Chappell was 45 of 64 for 480 yards, all school records, and three TDs. Tandon Doss caught 15 passes for 221 yards, and Damarlo Belcher had 10 catches for 91 yards and one score, getting the Hoosiers were within a stop of forcing overtime Saturday.

Robinson wouldn’t let it happen.

Indiana tied the score at 35 with 1:15 to go when Chappell, on fourth-and-5 from the 19, connected with Darius Willis on a screen pass. Willis caught the ball near the left sideline, sidestepped safety Jordan Kovacs and jogged into the end zone.

Robinson wasted no time in making his statement.

With 21 seconds to go, he didn’t flinch in the face of a pass rusher and found Junior Hemingway, who made a leaping grab down the right sideline and spun his way down to the Indiana 4. On the next play, Robinson kept the ball and scooted into the end zone to give Michigan the 42-35 lead.

It was that kind of day in Bloomington.

Robinson scored on a 72-yard run on the Wolverines’ second play of the game and hooked up with Hemingway on a 70-yard TD pass on the second play of the second half.

Yet Indiana still had enough to nearly matched Michigan point-for-point.

Indiana opened the game with a 5-yard TD pass from Chappell to Duwyce Wilson, and Willis tied the score at 14 with a 22-yard sprint up the middle early in the second quarter.

Michigan broke a 21-21 tie with Hemingway’s big play to open the second half before the frantic finish.

Hemingway finished with three receptions for 129 yards, while Roy Roundtree had five receptions for 126 yards for Michigan