SOUTH BEND, Ind. – As the Michigan football team marched down the field in Saturday’s final minute trailing 24-21, there was one question reverberating through Notre Dame Stadium.

Would the Wolverines have to make a field goal to tie the game?

After all, redshirt freshman kicker Brendan Gibbons had just missed two consecutive field goals (a 39-yarder in the middle of the third quarter and a 40-yarder early in the fourth).

Would Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez send Gibbons out there with the game on the line? Or would he go to Gibbons’ backup, Seth Broekhuizen?

Fortunately for Rodriguez, those questions never needed answers. His sophomore sensation quarterback Denard Robinson methodically moved the Wolverines down the field, completing a huge third-down pass to Roy Roundtree that set up a short rushing touchdown.

“I can tell you this: I’m glad we didn’t have to try a field goal at the end,” Rodriguez said after the game. “Not that I didn’t have confidence we (could) make it. But after you miss two in a row, psychologically you may not be ready to go out there at the end. So we tried to call a play to get a first down and move forward.”

After Michigan scored the go-ahead touchdown with 27 seconds left in the game, Rodriguez sent redshirt freshman Broekhuizen, listed as second on the depth chart, to kick the extra point – which was good.

Rodriguez said he was disappointed in the kicking game’s performance on Saturday, but seemed optimistic about its future no matter who plays next week.

“Those guys can kick,” Rodriguez said. “Brendan’s a lot better than he showed today. And Seth Broekhuizen, I think he’ll compete. And I don’t know who will be the starter next week.”

While the kicking game garnered the most negative attention after Saturday's game, special teams on the whole was a concern.

True freshman Will Hagerup punted five times in the game, averaging 40.6 yards, but didn’t pin the Notre Dame offense inside its own 20-yard line at any point. One of his punts missed so badly that it sailed into the stands.

Again, Rodriguez didn’t appear too concerned.

“Will Hagerup is the first one back there in that room, probably disappointed in some of his punts, but he’s a true freshman,” Rodriguez said. “He’s got a great future. I’m not worried about him at all. He’s going to be fantastic.”

BACKFIELD WOES: While Michigan fans spent the weekend salivating over Robinson’s 502 total yards of offense, one group of players might be concerned about this number: 30.

That’s the total number of rushing yards from Wolverines who tie their shoes. In other words, the running backs and anyone not named Robinson.

Sophomore Vincent Smith and junior Mike Shaw both averaged exactly 2.4 yards per carry, and together, they had 12 rushing attempts. Freshman Stephen Hopkins had a 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter on his first collegiate carry.

All in all, their performance was less than impressive – especially for a running-back-by-committee system that’s expected to take some of the load off Robinson’s back. The running backs know they need to contribute more.

"I think we're going to have to,” Shaw said. “It's great that (Robinson) can do this, but sooner or later we're going to step up and make big plays. We're working to get better and the coaches are looking forward to what we can do. But right now it's Denard's show."

RECORD-SETTING DAY: Not only did Robinson dazzle fans on Saturday, but he also broke some records with his performance.

He set Michigan’s single-game individual record for total offense with his 502 yards (breaking his own record of 383 from last week against Connecticut).

He set the Big Ten quarterback single-game rushing record with 258 yards.

He also became the ninth quarterback in NCAA history to rush and pass for 200 yards or more in a game. The last player to accomplish the feat? Rodriguez’s own Pat White at West Virginia, who did it against Pittsburgh in 2006.

For all this, Robinson became the first player ever to earn the Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week honor for two consecutive weeks.

For Robinson, who Rodriguez has said is very humble, these records and statistics don’t mean much. At the postgame press conference on Saturday, he wasn’t even aware of his numbers.

"I'm a team player, and I don't worry about the stats,” Robinson said.