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Toussaint leads Michigan over Purdue

Oct 29, 2011 - 8:29 PM Ann Arbor, MI (Sports Network) - Fitzgerald Toussaint carried the ball 20 times for 170 yards and two touchdowns, as the 17th-ranked Michigan Wolverines cruised past the Purdue Boilermakers, 36-14.

Denard Robinson completed 9-of-14 passes for 170 yards and an interception for the Wolverines (7-1, 3-1 Big Ten), who have won eight of their last nine games following the bye week. Robinson also carried the ball 15 times for 63 yards and a score.

Michigan opened the season with six consecutive victories, and Brady Hoke, couldn't have asked for a better beginning to his tenure as head coach. The Wolverines, though, fell to rival Michigan State by a 28-14 final on the road two weeks ago.

"We want to be a two-back set when we can and we want to run the football, and I think it helps Denard (Robinson) a lot when we throw the ball with play action," Hoke said. "If you're running the ball well enough it's going to open up. I think our kids played well. I think our front, offensively, played well this week."

Caleb TerBush connected on 9-of-13 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown for the Boilermakers (4-4, 2-2), who were trying to put together back-to-back wins for the first time this season after beating Illinois last week. Robert Marve completed 8-of-14 passes for 66 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

Purdue got the ball to start the game and needed just five plays to score. Gary Bush caught a 48-yard TD pass to give the Boilermakers an early 7-0 lead.

But Michigan quickly took over the game, scoring 36 unanswered points. The Wolverines' first possession covered 70 yards in 12 plays. Faced with a 3rd- and-6 near midfield, Junior Hemingway caught a 10-yard pass. Jeremy Gallon's 23-yard catch put the ball in the red zone, and Robinson capped off the march with a two-yard TD run.

Purdue came up with a big defensive play early in the second quarter. Josh Johnson picked off Devin Gardner at the five-yard line of the Boilermakers. Michigan's defense responded with a safety for a 9-7 lead.

Brendan Gibbons added a 37-yard field goal a short time later for a 12-7 edge.

The Wolverines' defense came up big again on the ensuing Purdue possession. Courtney Avery picked off Marve at Michigan's 17. Toussaint had a pair of 16- yard runs before Gallon caught a 42-yard pass. Toussaint capped off the five- play drive with a two-yard TD run and a 19-7 margin with 5 1/2 minutes to go.

Gibbons made a 22-yarder before the half to make it a 22-7 game.

The Boilermakers had a chance to get some momentum back after stopping Michigan's offense at the goal line early in the third period.

Purdue did little on offense and was forced to punt the ball back to the Wolverines, who got a 59-yard TD run from Toussaint to make it 29-7.

Michael Shaw added a 37-yard TD run early in the fourth to give Michigan a 36-7 lead.

Marve threw a 19-yard TD pass to O.J. Ross with 15 seconds left to account for the final margin.

Game Notes

Michigan owns a 43-14 series advantage over Purdue, which includes a 27-16 decision over the Boilermakers last season...The Wolverines had 339 rushing yards, compared to 89 for Purdue...Toussaint set career highs for carries (20), rushing yards (170) and matched his career-high with two touchdown runs...Gallon three passes for a career-high 79 yards.