Gibbons’ FG in OT lifts Wolverines

SUGAR BOWL: MICHIGAN 23, VIRGINIA TECH 20 (OT)

NEW ORLEANS — Brendan Gibbons drilled a 37-yard field goal down the middle in overtime to lift No. 13 Michigan to a 23-20 victory over 17th-ranked Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl on Tuesday night.

The victory capped an impressive debut season for head coach Brady Hoke, who has led the Wolverines (11-2) back to prominence with a BCS bowl victory.

Denard Robinson highlighted an otherwise un- spectacular night with touchdown passes of 45 and 18 yards to Junior Hemingway.

Virginia Tech (11-3) had more than double Michigan’s total yards, 377-184, and had 22 first downs to Michigan’s 12 but settled for four field goals in regulation by third-string kicker Justin Myer.

However, Myer was unable to connect on his fifth try from 37 yards away in the opening possession of overtime.

Robinson finished 9 for 21 for 117 yards passing and threw an interception. He rushed 13 times for a season-low 13 yards.

Virginia Tech first-year start Logan Thomas was 19 of 28 of 214 yards with one interception.

Thomas scored Tech’s only touchdown on a 1yard keeper that tied the game at 17 — after a 2point conversion — early in the fourth quarter.

Virginia Tech senior receiver Danny Coale, who ranks second all-time for the Hokies in catches and yards receiving, had eight catches for 117 yards, and nearly made a spectacular diving catch for a touch- down in overtime. Coale held on to the ball for what was initially ruled a score, but the play was overturned on video review, which showed the receiver narrowly landed on the sideline.

The result of that thirddown play forced Tech to try for Myer’s failed field goal.

Michigan then ran three conservative runs to set up Gibbons in the middle of the field. As his kick sailed through, Gibbons sprinted toward the Michigan sidelined and was mobbed by teammates.