The Unbelievable Hail Mary: Biff Poggi Weighs in on Michigan’s Gritty Win Over Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. — It was a play you rarely see executed in football, let alone to close a first half. With the game clock reading zero on Saturday and No. 21 Michigan ready to hit the locker room with a touchdown lead, Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola let one last ball fly. The result was a stunning Hail Mary touchdown that tied the game and left fans and coaches alike scratching their heads.

The Wolverines ultimately hung on for a gritty 30-27 win, but the jaw-dropping play was the moment that defined the first half. After the game, Michigan’s interim head coach, Biff Poggi, weighed in on the bizarre sequence and his message to the team.

The Anatomy of a “Puzzling Hail Mary”

The play came with just one second left on the clock. Nebraska, after a timeout from head coach Matt Rhule, had one final shot from the Michigan 48-yard line. True freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola launched a high-arcing pass downfield. Despite a swarm of Michigan defenders, wide receiver Jacory Barney Jr. managed to outjump the coverage and haul in the 52-yard touchdown pass as the clock hit triple zeroes, sending the Nebraska crowd into a frenzy.

The play wiped away Michigan’s 17-10 lead and sent both teams to the locker room with the score tied. It was a brutal sequence for a Wolverines defense that had largely dominated the half.

What Biff Poggi Told His Team

Instead of panicking, Poggi, serving as the interim head coach, used the improbable play as a teaching moment. He revealed his message to the team at halftime, a rallying cry that refocused the players on the physical nature of the game.

“Sometimes those things happen,” Poggi said. “What’s most important is how do you respond from them? At halftime, I called them up before we went on the field and I told them, I said, ‘I know it’s 17-17, but physically, we’re beating the snot out of them, and we’re turning this into a heavyweight fight, and that’s going to be to our big advantage in the second half.’ And I think it was.”

Poggi’s message proved prophetic. While Nebraska’s Hail Mary gave them life, the Wolverines’ second-half grit was the deciding factor. The defense, despite the big play, put on a clinic, recording seven sacks on the day. The offense, meanwhile, capitalized on long touchdown runs to secure the win.

Michigan’s Defense and Offense Deliver

The Michigan vs. Nebraska game recap shows that the Wolverines’ victory was earned through physicality. Running backs Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall ripped off long scoring runs, while the defense continued to pressure Raiola all afternoon.

For Nebraska, the Hail Mary was a flash of brilliance in an otherwise tough afternoon. The loss extended the Cornhuskers’ long-running skid against Top 25 opponents, a streak that now stands at 28 games.

The puzzling Hail Mary TD will be a play that fans remember for years to come. But for Michigan and Biff Poggi, it’s just another lesson learned on the path to a hard-fought road victory.