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Nordin shines as Michigan knocks off Air Force 29-13

Posted at 3:14 PM, Sep 16, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-16 15:14:50-04

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Rockford’s Quinn Nordin kicked five field goals to lead the seventh-ranked Michigan Wolverines past Air Force 29-13 in a battle of unbeatens at Michigan Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Michigan entered the contest as a 23-point favorite at game time and came right out with senior quarterback Wilton Speight throwing from the outset.

After a Wolverine drive stalled, the sophomore Nordin opened the scoring with a 35-yard field goal at the 10:51 juncture of the first quarter to give Michigan a 3-0 advantage.

But Air Force came back. With just :02 showing on the clock in the first frame, Luke Strebel booted a 37-yard field goal to knot the score at 3-all.

The two teams traded field goals in the second stanza, including a 26-yarder by Nordin followed by a 50-yarder by Strebel, once again deadlocking the count at 6-6.

Nordin then easily made a 49-yard field goal with only 4 seconds remaining in the second period to put Michigan up 9-6 at intermission.

Interestingly, Air Force did not attempt a single pass during the first half — either by quarterback Arion Worthman or anyone else.

The Wolverines came out of the locker room and immediately scored on a 79-yard punt return by freshman Donovan Peoples-Jones to take charge 16-6.

But Air Force quickly responded with a 64-yard TD aerial from Worthman to Ronald Cleveland to close to within 16-13.

Nordin was true on a 29-yard field goal with 2:59 to go in the third for a 19-13 bulge, which stood through the end of the period.

Nordin tied the Michigan school record with his fifth field goal — a 36-yarder with 14:15 remaining on the clock.

Karan Higdon tacked on the final score on a 36-yard run with 1:02 to go to set the 29-13 margin.

Michigan is now 3-0 on the season entering next Saturday’s trip to meet Purdue in the Big Ten Conference opener at 4 p.m. at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind.

With its initial setback Air Force fell even at 1-1 on the season. The Falcons will entertain San Diego State next Saturday night.