Appalachian State stuns No. 5 Michigan 34-32
By LARRY LAGE
AP Sports Writer
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) - What was supposed to be a tuneup turned into a stunner: Appalachian State 34, No. 5 Michigan 32.
Julian Rauch’s 24-yard field goal with 26 seconds put Appalachian State ahead of Michigan and Corey Lynch’s blocked field goal in the final seconds sealed one of college football’s biggest upsets.
The two-time defending champions from college football’s former Division I-AA were ahead of the nation’s winningest program 28-14 late in the second quarter, then their storybook afternoon seemed to unravel late in the fourth quarter.
Mike Hart’s 54-yard run put the Wolverines ahead _ for the first time since early in the second quarter _ with 4:46 left.
One snap after the go-ahead touchdown, Brandent Englemon intercepted an errant pass, but the Wolverines couldn’t capitalize and had their first of two field goals blocked.
Appalachian State drove 69 yards without a timeout to set up the go-ahead kick, but it still wasn’t over.
Chad Henne threw a 46-yard pass to Mario Manningham, giving Michigan the ball at Appalachian State’s 20 with 6 seconds left.
Lynch blocked the kick and returned it to the other end of the field as the final seconds ticked off, and his teammates rushed across the field to pile on Lynch as the coaching staff and cheerleaders jumped with joy.