Wilton Speight gives Michigan a boost, but makes costly miscues

COLUMBUS, OHIO – Wilton Speight gave his team a boost and played well in the first half. But he also made some costly mistakes and in the end his play wasn’t enough to lead Michigan to a win over rival Ohio State.

Speight completed 7 of 9 passes for 85 yards in the first quarter and 15 of 20 passes for 141 yards and an interception in the first half. He finished 23 of 36 passing for 219 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in a 30-27 double-overtime loss in front of 110,045 at Ohio Stadium on Saturday.

“Yeah, that was pretty disappointing,” Speight said after the controversial loss, as Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh complained about the officiating. “Game of this magnitude and the amount of fight that we’ve put in together since January after the bowl game, it all came down to this game. The way it played out, incredible game but came up short.”

►Seidel: Officiating worse than Michigan's mistakes, turnovers
►Related: Jim Harbaugh 'bitterly disappointed' with 'outrageous' officiating​

With a 3-0 lead, Speight threw an interception from his own end zone that Malik Hooker returned 16 yards for a touchdown at 4:03 of the second quarter.

Michigan led 10-7 in the third quarter and had 2nd-and-goal from OSU’s one-yard line when Speight fumbled a snap. OSU’s Davon Hamilton recovered, costing U-M points.

Speight did come back to throw an eight-yard touchdown pass to Khalid Hill and Michigan took a 17-7 lead at 6:37 of the third quarter.

On 2nd-and-14 late in the third quarter, Speight threw his second interception of the game, which Jeome Backer returned 22 yards to the U-M 13.

Ohio State, helped by a couple penalties by U-M’s defense, went on to score on a Mike Weber one-yard touchdown and pulled to within 17-14 with 1:06 left in the third.

“I made a couple mistakes in the game,” Speight said. “Unfortunate to get my hand hit when I was throwing out of my end zone, which resulted in a pick-six. Tried to force another ball into too tight of a window. Yeah.”

►U-M report card: Wolverines' offense only half-good at OSU

Asked how his injured shoulder affected him as the game went on, Speight declined to say: “Coach has a strict policy about not talking about injuries. Trainers and doctors and everyone did their part to get me ready to go for this game.”

Speight wouldn’t put a percentage on how healthy he was for the game.

Speight threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Amara Darboh on fourth down in the first overtime .

Speight said he thought about U-M going for two, but Harbaugh decided to kick the PAT instead. Michigan tied Ohio State, 24-24, sending the game to the second overtime.

Michigan got the ball first. Speight’s only pass attempt in the second overtime was incomplete, on 3rd-and-4 at OSU’s 19. Michigan settled for a 37-yard field goal.

“We just need to do that again in the second overtime,” Speight said of what he was thinking going into the second OT. “We were not able to do that. Kenny made a good field goal and pretty sure the defense made a stop but they didn’t according to replay. Just came up a little short.”

Michigan thought it had stopped J.T. Barrett on 4th-and-1, but replay let the ruling on the field stand for a first down. Curtis Samuel then scored the game-winning touchdown to give Ohio State the win.

►Related: Michigan players make case to be in CFP

“It’s a bummer,” Speight said. “Feel like I let the defense down for the game that they played. It stings. But we had opportunities throughout the rest of the game and we were able to capitalize in the first overtime. Second overtime, I’m not going to get into the calls the refs were making. Just leave it there.”

Asked if Ohio State and Michigan are the two best teams in the Big Ten, Speight said: “Yeah, no doubt. Along with Alabama, we are arguably one of the best teams in the country. I think the chance at the playoff is slim to none now. It stinks that that will be our last shot to play these guys.”

Contact George Sipple: gsipple@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @georgesipple.

Download our Wolverines Xtra app for free on Apple and Android devices!