ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan played one of its better football games in years.
The 20th-ranked Wolverines hope they’ve saved their best for the last game of the regular season against Ohio State.
Denard Robinson threw two touchdown passes and ran for two touchdowns, helping Michigan pound No. 17 Nebraska 45-17 on Saturday.
“We have to celebrate this one first. Then we’ll be all Ohio,” Robinson said.
The Robinson-led offense did whatever it wanted, the Wolverines were stingy on defense and outplayed the Big Ten newcomers on special teams.
“It’s probably as well as we’ve played in all three phases,” Michigan coach Brady Hoke said.
The Wolverines (9-2, 5-2 Big Ten) moved into second place in the conference’s Legends Division and kept their chances of playing in a BCS game for the first time since the 2006 season.
The Cornhuskers (8-3, 4-3) lost any hope of playing in the Big Ten’s first title game.
Michigan State clinched its slot in the Dec. 3 title game in Indianapolis with a win over Indiana and Michigan’s victory against Nebraska.
The Wolverines, who lost to the Spartans this year, can’t win their division.
The Wolverines didn’t waste many chances against Nebraska, turning a close game into a rout with 21 straight points after it was tied at 10 and with two more TDs in the fourth quarter.
Robinson, a stingy defense and Nebraska miscues — including four turnovers — had a lot to do with that.
“You can’t play that way on the road and hope to win,” said Nebraska coach Bo Pelini.
Robinson was 11-of-18 passing for 180 yards, two TDs and one interception. He rushed for 83 yards and two TDs in three-plus quarters.
“He’s a good player,” Pelini said. “He made us miss a few times, but we made him a better passer.”
Devin Gardner finished the game at quarterback after Fitzgerald Toussaint’s second touchdown put Michigan ahead 45-17. Toussaint had a game-high 138 yards rushing and two TDs on 29 carries.
Robinson ran for his second touchdown early in the third quarter to make it 24-10 after Nebraska freshman Kenny Bell lost a fumble on the kickoff.
“I thought our guys were ready to play,” Pelini said. “I don’t have an answer why we put the ball on the ground twice in the second half. We gave away two possessions.”
