Wolverines top 'Cardiac Cats' - Remain in Hunt for Rose Bowl

Players celebrate with the student section after the overtime victory

Once more, and against all odds, Michigan wins a thriller at the Big House.

Brady Hoke is now 13-0 in Ann Arbor since taking over the head coaching role in 2011. Five of those wins being decided by seven points or less. Saturday's overtime win against Northwestern becoming the most improbable victory for Hoke since the Notre Dame game under the lights last season.

Down three points with 18 seconds remaining in regulation, zero timeouts, and 62-yards of field in front of them, nothing short of a miraculous play was going to keep the Wolverines out of the losing column. And of course, the prayers of 112,000 fans were answered on the following play. 

Devin Gardner hurled a 55-yard bomb to receiver Roy Roundtree, who found himself in single coverage. As the pass showed great arm strength from Gardner, all credit goes to Roundtree on the catch. Seen below in the video, the ball is initially just out of Roundtree's reach, but the defender behind him tips it. Displaying an amazing amount of concentration, Roundtree locates the ball and brings it in for what is now being called one of the plays of the year.

Brandon Gibbons would notch things up at 31 with a 26-yard field goal, sending the game to overtime . Michigan would go on to win after a one-yard touchdown run by Gardner, followed by a huge defensive stop by linebacker Kenny Demens on a 4th and short to end the game. Final score 38-31.

With this win Michigan improves to 7-3 (5-1 in conference play). Nebraska however, remains resilient on their road to Indy. Behind quarterback Taylor Martinez, they managed to pull out another close win; this time a comeback victory against Penn State in which they were down 20-6 at halftime.

As it is not entirely impossible for Michigan to reach the B1G Championship, and potentially the Rose Bowl, it is improbable. They would need win out, and also need Nebraska to lose one game. The remaining two games for Nebraska are against weak opponents in Minnesota and Iowa. Both tied for last in the Legends Division with Michigan State, touting a 2-4 record in conference play.

But if Saturday's wild win is any indication, don't rule the Wolverines out of anything just yet.