ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Philip Brabbs did everything he could not to look.

He trained his eyes squarely on the practice net on the Michigan sidelines as the clock ticked under a minute. His teammates were crushed after kicking partner and close friend Troy Nienberg had botched a 27-yarder to win. Can't look at them.

The scoreboard read Washington 29, Michigan 28. It also mistakenly (but appropriately) read 2nd Down and 47 to go from the 50. Can't look at that. He closed his eyes, breathed deep, took three steps and pummeled a football into the net.

	UM's Philip Brabbs's game-winner was a great ending to a classic game.

He had no idea if his team would get another chance at a game-winning field goal. He had no idea if he would be the man picked to try it.

"PHIL!" he heard.

Brabbs spun around. There was special teams coach Jim Boccher -- who, like Brabbs, came into Saturday's game against Washington with no prior experience at his position. Boccher glared at Brabbs and extended an index finger.

"PHIL!" Boccher screamed. "It's you."

Another deep breath. Another three steps. Another practice kick. Then Brabbs paced back and forth behind the front row of skittish Michigan players as a classic moment developed around him.

Brabbs had missed two field goal attempts (36- and 42-yards) in his first game as starter. Nienberg missed his shot from 27-yards. That's nine possible points right there. Now throw in the 10 points Washington scored off turnovers deep in Michigan territory. And still, because of all Washington's mistakes, Michigan had the ball and a shot to win.

What if Washington TE Kevin Ware had caught Cody Pickett's two-point conversion pass to give the Huskies a three-point lead late in the fourth?

What if Michigan WR Braylon Edwards' fourth-down catch-fumble-recovery had been ruled incomplete?

What if Washington's SS Greg Carothers had not cramped up at the worst possible moment, giving Michigan a chance to collect itself before that fourth-down play?

What if Washington substituted properly, and had the right number of players on the field for the game's most crucial play from scrimmage?

"If ifs and buts were candies," sputtered UW coach Rick Neuheisel after the game, "we'd all have a merry Christmas."

But this is August, and the biggest gift in the Big House went to Brabbs. With the help of an unthinkable combination of penalties, clutch receptions and questionable rulings, Michigan moved the ball to the Washington 27 with just seconds left. Brabbs slipped through a wall of teammates and onto the field. And with no time left on the clock, he split the uprights. "It felt good on my foot," Brabbs said outside the stadium, "and I knew it was good when I looked up."

Michigan players jumped around hysterically and screamed the exact same obscenities in victory that they had used moments before in frustration. Brabbs immediately found Nienberg to tell him, "We got it!"

Marlin Jackson, who had barely but effectively contained UW uber-receiver Reggie Williams, ran onto the field and blared, "We have faith in Phil!"

Despite all the mistakes, both teams played better then they did a year ago in Seattle.

Michigan effectively used a brand-new two-back set to spring Chris Perry free for the longest Michigan ground gain in two years -- a 59-yard run to go up 7-0. The same set produced a huge block that allowed John Navarre to find Edwards in the Washington end zone for Michigan's biggest pass of the day. On the other side of the ball, Cody Pickett threw for 318 yards and two scores to blow up the accusation that the Huskies couldn't play on the road.

All in all, the game featured seven lead changes and a breathtaking finish. The teams together piled up more than 800 yards of offense. But only one team is left to rue the mistakes.

Moments after the Wolverines had flooded the student section in sheer bliss, the Washington locker room door slowly opened. All the Huskies turned to look. And then their eyes went as Lloyd Carr entered.

Carr had never done this before. He had always stayed deep in Michigan's locker room after a win or a loss. His eyes were filled with tears. "I just want to say," he growled, "that was the best college football game I've ever been a part of." He paused to collect himself. "That was football at its purest."

Carr turned and left to congratulate his own team. Neuheisel stayed behind to console the Huskies. "Hey!" he shouted. "We may just see those boys down the road."

As Brabbs can tell you, sometimes you can get a second chance.

Eric Adelson is a staff writer for ESPN Magazine. E-mail him at eric.adelson@espn.com.