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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) -- Michigan and Illinois traded places.
|  | | Michigan's Anthony Thomas rushed for 228 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner, to lift the Wolverines past Illinois. |
Anthony Thomas, injured and helpless as Michigan blew a 20-point
lead to Illinois last year, scored on a 3-yard run with 2:30 left
as No. 10 Michigan beat the Illini (No. 17 ESPN/USA Today, No. 19 AP) 35-31 on Saturday.
Rocky Harvey, who scored Illinois' last two touchdowns last
year, was forced to watch from the sideline knowing that his late
fumble gave Thomas his chance to be the hero.
"Any game you lose, you take it personal," Thomas said.
Michigan took advantage of two late Illinois fumbles and rallied
from a 21-7 third-quarter deficit behind the comeback of injured
quarterback Drew Henson.
"Drew was a tremendous lift for everybody," Michigan coach
Lloyd Carr said. "I've never been prouder of a group of kids.
These kids fought and fought."
On the play before the winning touchdown, Thomas dropped the
ball near the goal line, but officials ruled he was down. A replay
appeared to show otherwise.
But Illinois lost two of its three fumbles, including one on its
last drive.
"There are a lot of things we could have done better so I'm not
going to put it on that (fumbles)," Illinois coach Ron Turner
said. "Obviously, protecting the football is one of them."
After missing the first three games with a broken right foot,
Henson replaced an ineffective John Navarre late in the second
quarter.
Thomas rushed for 228 yards and two touchdowns to help the
Wolverines (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten) avoid a repeat of last week's close
loss at UCLA.
"After last week, we didn't want that feeling again," said Thomas, who returned to Michigan for his senior season instead of entering the NFL draft. "I didn't come back to lose games."
Illinois' final drive ended when Jameel Cook fumbled near
midfield. The Illini (3-1, 0-1) missed a chance at the program's
best start since 1951.
Illinois stopped Michigan's first drive, but was fooled by a fake punt. Cross ran 41 yards before the stunned Illini caught him at the 18. Four plays later, Thomas scored on a 2-yard draw.
The early momentum swung on two punts. Illinois' Steve Fitts
pinned Michigan at its own 2. When the Wolverines' drive faltered,
punter Hayden Epstein bobbled a low snap in the end zone.
He scrambled and tried to kick, but instead sent the ball
floating sideways and Illinois batted it out of bounds at the 3.
Antoineo Harris ran it in on the next play.
Late in the half, Aaron Moorehead broke free and caught
quarterback Kurt Kittner's pass for a 58-yard touchdown play.
With Illinois leading 14-7 and 1:42 left, Carr switched quarterbacks, replacing Navarre with Henson.
Henson exploited Illinois' prevent defense to move the Wolverines into field-goal range with 14 seconds to go in the half.
Epstein, who missed a late 24-yard field goal last week in
Michigan's 23-20 loss at UCLA, missed the 32-yarder wide left.
Kittner drove the Illini 65 yards on the opening series of the second half, hitting tight end Josh Whitman with a 15-yard TD pass for a 21-7 Illinois lead.
Henson and David Terrell, held to two catches for 12 yards in
the first half, teamed up on the next drive.
On fourth-and-inches near midfield, Henson dove for a first
down. Then he went deep to Terrell, who jumped so high to make the
catch that he landed flat on his back at the Illinois 11. Henson
scored on an 8-yard scramble.
Kittner answered with a 76-yard drive that ended with a 24-yard
field goal by Fitts that put Illinois up 24-14 with 22 seconds left
in the third quarter.
On the second play of the fourth quarter, Henson hit Terrell
with a 57-yard touchdown pass to get Michigan within three. Kittner
responded with a 17-yard touchdown to Eric McGoey to go up 31-21.
Chris Perry scored on a 15-yard run to bring Michigan close
again, 31-28, with 9:29 to go.
Illinois could not hang on. On a third-and-6, Harvey tried for
extra yardage and fumbled at the Illinois 26.
Two plays later, Thomas ran for 17 yards but appeared to fumble near the goal line. Illinois recovered, but the officials ruled Thomas was down. Thomas then scored the game-winner.
"We were up and we didn't come out and do what we needed to do
in the fourth quarter," Kittner said.
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ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
Michigan Clubhouse
Illinois Clubhouse
Michigan's Carr miffed by Big Ten's apology to Illinois
Big Ten admits late fumble calls cost Illinois
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Drew Henson dives for the score following a spectacular catch by David Terrell.
avi: 1580 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Punter Hayden Epstein fumbles the snap and sets Illinois up for the easy score.
avi: 1780 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Drew Henson hits David Terrell with a 57-yard touchdown pass.
avi: 1230 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Eric McGoey tried sealing the game for the Illini with this 17-yard touchdown reception.
avi: 1780 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Chris Perry scores on a 15-yard run to put Michigan within 3.
avi: 1850 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Kurt Kittner connects with Aaron Moorehead for a 58-yard reception, leading to another Illinois TD.
avi: 1920 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 Coach Lloyd Carr was proud of Michigan's will to fight.
wav: 124 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
QB Drew Henson talks with ESPN's Adrian Karsten about his second half heroics against Illinois.
wav: 221 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Coach Lloyd Carr can't say enough about QB Drew Henson.
wav: 91 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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