Page 10-Sunday, September 21, 1980-The Michigan Daily
Nobody could teach them heartbreak
By STAN BRADBURY
Special to The Daily
SOUTH BEND-If you have ever
taken a course in statistics, you
probably know the ins and outs of such
concepts as expectations, probablility,
and chance. %
But there is certainly one totally
unrelated topic on which your instruc-i
tor never expounded-heartache.c
It's something the Michigan footballt
team learned experientially in the span4
of 41 seconds yesterday.
THE WOLVERINES absorbed one of
their toughest defeats in recent
memory in sun-drenched Notre Dame
Stadium as they fell 29-27 to a Notre
Dane team which gave new meaning to
the word "'persistance." Bo Schem-
bechler's crew had seemingly pulled off
a stunning victory before Harry
Oliver's 51-yard field goal squirmed
over the crossbar with no time left and
transformed a gleeful group of football
players into a horde of despondent,
heartbroken men.
Expectationsof victory were at their
peak following: tight end Craig
Dunaway's reception in the end zone of
a John Wangler pass. As the Michigan
secondary went into a prevent for-
mation following the score, the
probability of an Irish comeback was
very low. And the chance that Oliver
could sink his inexperienced foot into aI
sucessful 51-yard field goal looked
anything but good.
It was these three elements, then,j
that placed the Wolverines atop theI
world for those precious 41 seconds of;
the game's final minute, 41 second
during which they held a 27-26 lead. And;
Blue defeat came
against all odds
it was the enormous value and effort
contained within that lead that made
the fall twice as hard when referee
Gene Calhoun extended his arms ver-
- --.6"s -:::k:y 't'":i.,:%1" i ".t." # :r::2::"."i:;qf{:?:_. ,.::...'.".%
It would have been easier on them
had the score been 29-0.
Defensive back Brian Carpenter just
laid down in the middle of the field in
It was a great Michigan
effort. We have nothing to
be ashamed of. I'm very
proud of this team yet,
Schembechler's 12-year tenure as
coach. But in most cases the
Wolverines' failure to score late in the
game could be attributed to the losing
cause. This marked the first time during
his reign that an opponent came from
behind in the last minute to claim vic-
tory.
"We don't take any loss lightly. We
figured on winning this game-and we
didn't," said Schembechler. "It was a
great Michigan effort. We have nothing '
to be ashamed of. I'm very proud of this
team yet, I never think it's great when
we lose."
Statistically, the Wolverines had
nothing to be ashamed of. They beat
Notre Dame in every department ex-
cept score. The difference turned out to
be a 49-yard interception return by Joh
Krimm for a touchdown in the third
period and the 51-yard field goal.
IT'S HARD for Michigan to prepare a
defense against interception returns,
"Hail, Mary" field goals, and the luck
of the Irish. After the game, Notre
Dame coach Dan Devine said, "I've
never seen Oliver kick one that far, but
it went through today and that's all I
care about."
It was the first time in 19 years Notre
Dame has won a last-second fi'eld goal
like Oliver's. Make that a double "Hail,
Mary," at least.
John Wangler, the senior quarter-
back who led all four of Michigan's
scoring tries, said after the game,
"This probably would have been the
highlight of my career if we had won,
but we will just have to use it as a lear-
ning experience."
I never think
it's great
when we lose.'
-Bo Schembechler
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..k .o ... .. ?s: :. . .. .............. .
tically, indicating their fate had been
sealed.
WITHIN AN INSTANT, thousands of
rabid Notre Dame partisans spilled on-
to the field in mass hysteria. The
minority contingent among the crowd
of 59,075, the loyal band of Michigan
supporters, felt about two inches tall.
disbelief as the winning three points
registered on the board. Heartache,
plain and simple. The rest of the team
just lowered its heads and slowly trot-
ted off the field and into the tunnel to
avoid the masses.
MICHIGAN HAS LOST more than a
lion's share of close games during
Daily Photo by MAUREEN OMALLEY
Wolverine Fred Brockington (25) drops a pass as he is hit by a Notre Dame
defender, in yesterday's game at South Bend. The Fighting Irish defeated
Michigan in the final seconds with a field goal by a score of 29-27.
3-
. AND IN THIS
CORNER
,Mark Mihanovic a
If,,laif ...
.'. Blue booted, again
SOUTH BEND
ICKING. BO SCHEMBECHLER must wish that the act of driving one's
foot into the football wasn't such a key factor in the game that he
coaches. Last season it was his own kicking game that beat the Wolverines
at least thrice.
But yesterday's 29-27 loss to Notre Dame had to hurt the worst. The vic-
tory was Michgan's. There were four seconds left, and it was desperation
time for Notre Dame, as it's kicker came out to try a 51-yard field goal.
Harry Oliver had never kicked a 51-yarder in a football game before and he
had only kicked one field goal, period, for the Fighting Irish. Harry Oliver
wouldn't even have been the kicker of choice had strong safety Steve Cichy
(who usually handles the long-range attempts) been healthy. But Harry
Oliver nailed the kick of his life, it cleared the crossbar, Notre Dame par-
tisans charged the field in incredulous joy, and Michigan had lost a very big
game. Again.
It was an incredible seesaw battle, and the cliche about both teams
deserving to win, fits it well.
Michigan deserved it, too
John Wangler certainly deserved to win. He came off the bench with
Michigan behind by two touchdowns and five minutes remaining in the first
half. As he has done so often over the last two seasons, he quickly erased the
deficit with scoring passes to Lawrence Ricks and tight end Norm Betts.
Wangler ended up completing 11 of 19 for three touchdowns. He also threw
one bad pass, and it ended up in the wrong team's endzone when Irish corner
back John Kimm picked it off and returned it 49 yards. But the positive, by
far, outweighed the negative. Yep, Wangler deserved to win.
Michigan tailbacks Ricks and Butch Woolfolk, who combined for 153
yards, deserved to win also. Ricks scored the Blue's first TD on an eight yard
pass reception, and Woolfolk set up the last one with a 37-yard jaunt to the
Notre Dame three on a third-and-ten draw call. Yep, Ricks and Woolfolk
sure did deserve to win.
As did Anthony Carter, who played only part of the game because of
bruised ribs and a sore knee, but still managed two passes and once again
showed moves that most players only dream about on a 67 yard kickoff
return.
And the Michigan offensive line, which opened up several gaping holes
in the Irish defensive front, deserved to win. So did Wolverine cornerback
Marion Body, who intercepted two of Notre Dame quaterback Mike Courey's
passes within 1:06 at the end of the opening half.
But they were all basically helpless, in the end. They watched the
pigskin drop between the uprights just the way Brian Virgil's last attempt
didn't one year ago vs. Notre Dame. And all they could do was get dressed
and head on back to Ann Arbor, 1-1. Cursing the luck of the Irish all the way.
Emotional win for ND
It is an understatment of the greatest degree to say that the mood was
different in the home team's lockerroom. Notre Dame coach Dan Devine, who
has coached in dozenls of big-game victories, and Oliver, who has kicked in
only two (if the 31-10 victory over Purde two weeks ago is included), received
the game balls and were equally elated.
"No win was more emotional than this one," Devine said. "Of coruse,
the last one is always the best. But this one will hang in there with the rest of
them. I'm just so proud of our team and our players and our coaching staff.
We beat a good football team and had to come from behind to do it."
Notre Dame's man of the hour nearly broke down with emotion when his
teammates presented him the pigskin.. "This is by far the greatest moment
of my life," Oliver cried. "Getting a scholarship to Notre Dame was a close
second. I love all you guys."
But Oliver didn't have the limelight all to himself. Freshman Blair Kiel
replaced starting quarterback Courey for the dramatic final series and
came out throwing. On first down from his own 20, Kiel dropped back into a
shotgun and heaved one high into the air in the direction of split end Tony
Hunter. Hunter leaped and came down without the ball but with something
just as good-an interference call on Michigan's 48-yard line which brought
a raging Schembechler onto the field. After two incomplete passes (one of
which Blue safety Jeff Reeves nearly intercepted), Kiel threw over the mid-
dle of ND tailback Phil Carter, who finished the contest with 103 yards on 30
carries, for nine. He then hit Hunter on the sideline at the Wolverine 34, and
out came Oliver.
Irish field goal defeats
Michigan in final seconds
*
(Continued from Page 1)
to the Irish 27 with 1:30 remaining in the
half. The Irish defense stiffened and
Michigan was forced to settle for a field
goal on fourth and four at the 21 yard
line. However, on the attempt holder
Hewlett rolled out left and passed for 12
yards to Stanley Edwards for a first
down. Michigan tied the score with 31
seconds left on a nine-yard touchdown
toss from Wangler to tight end Norm
Betts and a successful conversion by
Haji-Sheikh.
"I wanted a tie score at halftime,"
explained Schembechler of why he
selected the fake field goal attempt.
Body intercepted his second pass of
the game on Notre Dame's next
possession, but Michigan selected to
run out the clock with the score tied and
the momentum.
MICHIGAN'S CARTER received the
second half kickoff at his one-yard line
and zig-zagged for 67 yards to the Notre
Dame 32 yard line. Running back
Ricks, who finished with 90 yards on 12
carries and Edwards did most of the
work, with Edwards dive up the middle
for the touchdown and Haji-Sheikh's
conversion, pushing Michigan in front,
21-14.
Both teams' defense dominated the
remainder of the third quarter and late
in the period, following an exchange of
punts, Notre Dame cornerback John
Krimm intercepted a Wangler pass in-
tended for Carter at Michigan's 49-yard
line and he returned it for a touchdown.
Oliver missed the conversion, leaving
Michigan with a slim one-point advan-
tage, 21-20..
"He misread the defense," said
Schembechler of Wangler, who finished
the game 11 of 19 for 98 yards and three
touchdown passes.
HEWLETT RETURNED to the
lineup after the interception but was
unable to move the offense on con-
secutive possessions.
Schembechler made the switch back
to Wangler once more and Michigan
quickly drove to the Notre Dame 24-
yard line when on third and one Butch
Woolfolk fumbled and Notre Dame's
Dave Duerson recovered.
Notre Dame struck quickly on an end-
around option to Hunter who-passed to
Holohan for 31 yards to the Michigan 43
yard line. Ten plays later; Phil Carter
dove off left tackle with 2:53 remaining
in the game, pulling Notre Dame back
in front, 26-21. The Irish failed on a two-
point conversion attempt.
MICHIGAN BROUGHT the kickoff
out to the 22 yard line and began its
fight back, primarily with the work of
Wangler and Woolfolk, who in a brief
appearance rushed for 72 yards in nine
carries.
Wangler hit Woolfolk on a swing pass
for 12 yards and Woolfolk took a
delayed draw for 20 yards to the Notre
Dame 39. After two incomplete passes,
Michigan caught the Irish off guard on
another draw play on third and ten with
Woolfolk twisting for 37 yards to the
#Notre Dame four yard line with only
1:07 left. After two successive plunges
by Woolfolk failed, Dunaway grabbed a
Wangler deflected pass in the back of
the endzone, putting Michigan back in
front, 27-26.
The Wolverines attempted the two-
point conversion but the attempt to
Dunaway fell incomplete. This set the
stage for the final 41 seconds of play
when Dan Devine removed the starting
quarterback, Courey for freshman
Kiel.
6
SCHEMBECHLER said his team had
several opportunities to win but injuries
to key players and an unlikely set of
circumstances hampered their
changces.
"We lost the effectiveness of Ricks
and Carter in the second half. Carter
had a contusion on his knee and some
bruised ribs. From the middle of the
third quarter on he was just a decoy.
But he still brought the second half
kickoff back for us. I know of no other
man who could do what he did on that
play," said Schembechler.
"There were so many sets of circum-
stances where we could have won the
game. If they don't get the pass inter-
ference, they are not going to score. If
we catch the interception, they're not
going to score. And finally if we keep
their out-cut in-bounds, they're not
going to score," said Schembechler.
Olive r'ss tory
First downs...............
Rushing (att/yds)...........
Passing (comp/att/int)........
Passing yds ...................
Fumbles (no/lost)..........
Punts (no/avg)............
SCORING
MICH
17
47/221
12/24/1
109
2/1
5/44.2
ND
14
42/127
9/18/2
107
0/0
6/43.5
6-27
9-29
Michigan ..................0 14
Notre Dame................. 0 14
SCORING PLAYS
ND-Caarter 6yd. run (oliver kick)
7
6
ND-Holohan 10 yd. pass from Courey (Oliver kick)
MICH-Ricks 8yd. pass from Wangler
(Ha ji-Sheikh kick)
MICH-Betts 10 yd. pass from Wangler
(Ha jl-Sheikh kick)
MICH-Edwards 3 yd. run (Haji-Sheikh kick)
ND-Kamm 49 yd. interception return (kick failed)
ND)-Carter 4 yd. run (pass failed)
MICH-Dunaway 1 yd. pass from Wangler
(pass failed)
ND-Oliver, 51 yd. FG
NOTRE DAME
Carter ..................... 30
Sweeney .................. 2
Buchanan.................3
J. Stone ................... 2
Courey .................... 6
Totals.................. 43
PASSING
MICHIGAN
attc
Hewlett...................5
Wangler..................1
Totals................... 24
NOTRE DAME
Courey ............. .. 13
Hunter .................... I
Ki .....................4
Totals .................... 18
RECEIVING
MICHIGAN
Carter ...........................
Edwards ........................
Betts............................
Ricks . .. ......................
Ingram ........... ....
Woolfolk.....................
Dunaway ...................
Totals ...........................
NOTRE DAME
Hunter............ E........
M asztak .....s...................
Holohan .........................
Carter .......................
comp
11
1
6
1
2
9
no.
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
12
103
11
6
4
13
127
int
0
1
1
2
0
0
yds
30
22
17
17
10
12
1
109
3.4
5.5
2.0
2.0
0.5
yds
11
98
109
62
31
14
107
TD
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
0
1
Tide rolls over,
'01 Miss, 59-35.
RUSHING
MICHIGAN
att
Ricks ..................... 14
Woolfolk -................ 9
Edwards................12
Hewlett ................... 9
Ingram................... 1
Wangler.................. 2
Powers................... 0
Totals .................... 47
yd
83
70
40
2
-9
221
avg
5.9
'1.8
3.3
3.1
2.0
-4.5
(fumble
re'vrv)
1 3 32
3 25
2 41
1 9
9 107
Totals...........
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)-Top-ranked
Alabama left little doubt yesterday
about its ability to win what could have
been described as a track meet.
Alabama handed Coach Bear Bryant
his 298th victory with an awesome
display of offense and some rather
loose defense as it romped 59-35 over
Southeastern Conference foe Mississip-
pi. It was the 23rd consecutive victory
for the two-time defending national
champions.
ALABAMA RUNNING backs Billy
Jackson and Linnie Patrick each
gained more than 100 yards and scored
a touchdown, and Major Ogilvie added
two scores. The Tide wasted no time
NCAA
Roundup
asserting itself, grabbing a 21-0 after
just nineoffensive plays.
The Alabama defenders were kept
busy by Ole Miss quarterback John
Fourcade who completed 21 of 43 passes
for 296 yards and four touchdowns. His
passing enabled the Rebels to get back
into the game at 28-14 by halftime.
"It was a mighty long afternoon. I've
never sen a cnlok on sn low." said
Marino's two touchdown passes
enabled mistake-prone No. 5 Pittsburgh
to overcome wind gusts of 45 mph and
defeat Kansas 18-3 Saturday in non-
conference college football.
Pittsburgh, which committed nine
turnovers in beating Boston College 14-6
in its opener, spent most of the after-
noon dropping passes, missing assign-
ments and committing mental
mistakes that let the obviously out-
manned Jayhawks stay close.
eorgia 20, Clemson 16
ATHENS, Ga. (AP)-Georgia's
defensive back Scott Woerner returned
a punt 67 yards for a touchdown and
made a leaping end zone interception
and raced 98 yards to set up another
score to lead the punchless 10th-ranked
Georgia Bulldogs to a 20-16 college
football victory over the Clemson
Tigers yesterday.
Clemson threatened to pull out the con-
test in the closing minutes when Woer-
ner almost turned into the goat by
picking up a pass interference penalty
on the Bulldogs' 10 with only 2:42
remaining. But 42 seconds later a bat-
ted pass by Clemson quarterback Mike
Gasque was intercepted at the 1-yard
line by Jeff Hipp to seal the victory.
Army 26, California 19
AJ