toledoblade.com --

ANN ARBOR — Michigan blew its best remaining chance to achieve bowl eligibility in another hard-to-stomach loss, this time to Purdue 38-36.

Like last week's loss to Illinois, the third quarter was severely unpleasant for the Wolverines, who saw their 17-game home win streak to Purdue snapped. Over its last three games UM has been outscored 75-12 after halftime, including 28-6 Saturrday.

After scoring a touchdown but missing the extra point to go ahead 30-17, the Wolverines' next offensive possession began with them trailing 31-30.

The Wolverines have yet to match last year's Big Ten win total of two and have dropped three Big Ten games by a combined 10 points — six of which came in an overtime loss.

The Boilermakers scored 21-unanswered points in the third quarter, 14 of which were bridged by some well-timed trickery.

After a Ralph Bolden 10-yard rushing score, Purdue stunned UM by executing an onside kick. The Wolverines, still seemingly shocked by the events, then allowed a 54-yard score on the following play when Joey Elliott found Cortez Smith flying past Troy Woolfolk and Jordan Kovacs, giving the Boilermakers first leads since 10-7.

Instead the home team ran three plays and then punted. Coach Rich Rodriguez said there is no excuse for his return team to be unprepared for an onside kick as they are repeatedly instructed to watch the ball being kicked and then to not commit a penalty

“That's the first reminder and the last reminder,” Rodriguez said.

One could debate whether it was the most detrimental miscue made by UM's special teams. Jason Olesnavage, who had already set a career-high with a 51-yard field goal, missed his first extra point of the year after a Tate Forcier 6-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

Olesnavage also missed a 48-yard field goal early in the fourth. UM could not reconcile for the failed PAT as Forcier was sacked by Ryan Kerrigan on a two-point conversion trying to tie the game with 2:10 remaining

“We were playing off the Mike linebacker,” said Forcier, who was sacked four times. “I made my reads, was about to throw the ball, and I got sacked. I wasn't expecting it.”

The conversion attempt was preceded by Brandon Minor's third touchdown run. But alas, his best game of the season — 154 yards on 19 carries — was wasted.

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