Denard Robinson Looked Like His Old, Efficient Self Saturday
WEST LAFAYETTE, IND (AP) - The Michigan quarterback rushed 24 times for 235 yards, threw for one touchdown and helped lead the Wolverines to a 44-13 rout at Purdue on Saturday afternoon.
It was a stark contrast to the frustrated quarterback who wound up apologizing for his sub-par performance at Notre Dame two weeks ago.
But with two weeks to prepare for the game, Robinson atoned for any mistakes he made against the Fighting Irish. The senior was 8 of 15 through the air and did not throw an interception for the first time this season. He also had three runs of 35 yards or longer and consistently moved the Wolverines (3-2, 1-0 Big Ten) into scoring position on another milestone day.
Robinson became the Big Ten's career rushing leader among quarterbacks, passing Indiana's Antwaan Randle El (3,895) midway through the fourth quarter. Robinson now has 3,905 yards and broke a tie with Kent State's Josh Cribbs to move into fifth place in NCAA history for yards rushing among quarterbacks. Robinson also moved up to fifth on the school's career rushing list, passing Chris Perry and Butch Woolfolk, and fourth on Michigan's career passing list, passing Todd Collins.
And he never even give Purdue (3-2, 0-1) a chance.
Instead, Robinson and the Wolverines made it look easy.
After forcing a three-and-out to open the game, Michigan ran 17 plays and took nearly nine minutes off the clock ending with Fitzgerald Toussaint's first 1-yard TD run.
Four plays after that, the ball was back in Robinson's hands, and this time, his 38-yard run put the Wolverines in scoring position. Toussaint finished this one off, too, scoring again on a 1-yard plunge to make it 14-0 before Purdue even had a first down.
Not enough?
On fourth-and-1 from the Michigan 44, Caleb TerBush's throw to O.J. Ross was too high, and Michigan's Raymon Taylor picked off the pass and sprinted 63 yards for a 21-0 lead.
The Boilermakers then fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Michigan recovered at the Purdue 26, but the Boilermakers finally got a break when Brendan Gibbon's 44-yard field goal attempt bounced off the crossbar.
Purdue took advantage, driving for a 40-yard field goal midway through the second quarter.
Robinson wasn't finished. He hooked up with Devin Gardner on a 23-yard TD pass before halftime but then made his only big mistake of the game - a botched handoff that gave Purdue the ball at the Michigan 36 with 1:40 left in the half.
TerBush capitalized on the mistake by throwing a 4-yard strike to Ross for a TD to make it 28-10 with 10 seconds left in the half.
But the Wolverines never let the Boilermakers get close in the second half.
Gibbons made three field goals in the second half and Michigan closed it out with a late touchdown run.
TerBush was 15 of 25 for 105 yards with one TD and one interception. Backup quarterback Robert Marve also returned in the second half, going 5 of 8 for 43 yards with one interception. He came back after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee Sept. 8.
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