Tuesday, 2 a.m.
Too many turnovers. Too many field goals. Too much Jake Bentley.
All of it taxed the Michigan Wolverines Monday afternoon at the Outback Bowl, helping South Carolina win a 26-19 game.
The Wolverines had a 16-point lead in the second half, but South Carolina scored the game's final 19 points. Bentley hit 19 of 32 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns.
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Michigan, however, will feel as if it let a 19-3 lead slip away by having to settle for four field goals and had five turnovers. The Wolverines kept the ball almost nine minutes more than South Carolina.
Michigan, however, converted just two of 17 third down situations and one of three fourth-down attempts.
"Huge win for our football program," said South Carolina coach Will Muschamp." We don’t have all the trophies and history and tradition, but we do have some grit. Our players understand how to win close games.”
Michigan dropped its final three games and finished 8-5.
"They got better as the game went on, no doubt, and made plays to win the football game," said Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. "We didn’t get the knockout punch when we needed it. Didn’t take advantage of the opportunities that were there."
Michigan quarterback Brandon Peters threw three picks and the team fumbled twice.
"We kinda let ’em hang around, and they took advantage of it."
Harbaugh said a late fumble by Sean McKeon wasn't his fault.
“Yeah, they executed well, really well, and then our errors, really starting with the fumble by McKeon, which was not McKeon's fault," Harbaugh said." That was our fault. That was a coaching error. We had the wrong personnel in there, and I should have called timeout.”
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