4 Page 8 - The Michigan Daily - Sugar not sweet for (Continued from Page 1) "It's hard to believe that we held them to three field goals and still didn't win," said Michigan defensive back Tony Gant. DEFENSIVE lineman Mike Ham- merstein also said it took a while before he realized that Michigan might lose. "It was frustrating," Hammerstein said. "I never thought we'd lose until that field goal. I thought we could stop them (on the final drive), but we didn't." Just as Hammerstein was confident that the stingy Michigan defense could pull out the win, Auburn noseguard Dowe Aughtman watched nervously from the sideline fearful that the Wolverine stop troops would find a way to divert Del Greco's short field goal. "I WAS pretty pessimistic about that field goal," Aughtman said. "So many things had gone wrong for us I knew there was some way that he wasn't going to make it, and it was agony stan- ding there and not being able to do anything about it." But make it Del Greco did, and it was the Wolverines who were left to agonize. Nonetheless, the team was able to take solace in the impressive performance by the defense. "The defense played outstanding," said Michigan head coach Bo Schem- bechler. "We got some kids to believe thay could slow this team down and to play as hard as they could. It was nothing revolutionary. The defense was under constant seige and it held up. ALTHOUGH Auburn running backs go Jackson. (the game's Most Valuable Player) Tommie Agee and Lionel James rushed for 130, 93 and 83 yards respectively, the Tigers were not able to crack the Wolverine end zone. "That was one of the best defensive games we've ever played," said Gary Moeller, Michigan defensive coor- dinator and assistant head coach. "Holding an offense like that ;to nine points is a feat." Said linebacker Rodney Lyles, "I feel we did a great job. We wanted to hold them to 13 points, that was our goal." It was an evening where defensive goals were to be reached and offensive pre-game hopes were not met. MICHIGAN quarterback Steve Smith capped a 63-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown run to give the Wolverines a 7-0 lead with 7:30 left in the first quar- ter, but from then on they let numerous opportunities slip through their fingers. Passes were dropped, penalties came at inopportune times and excellent field position was squandered. "We kept stopping ourselves with penalties and we didn't block well enough so we could run and slow down the pass rush," Schembechler said. A key point in the game came early in the second quarter when Michigan let a golden opportunity go by the wayside. The Wolverines led 7-0 when Auburn's James fumbled a punt and the Wolverines' Kerry Smith recovered at the Tigers' 13-yard line. On second and 17 after a Wolverine penalty, Smith went back to pass and was hit by Auburn's John Dailey causing a fumble which Aughtman recovered. Or was it a fumble? "I WAS definitely throwingthe ball," Smith said. "It wasn't a fumble." In addition to constant pressure from a ferocious Auburn pass rush, Smith was hampered by a swollen finger which he hurt in the first quarter. "I think it was a little bit of a factor," said Smith who completed nine of 25 passes for 125 yards and one intercep- tion. "I lost some of the feeling when it got hit in the first period. It didn't ef- fect me that much. We just didn't play well. But when you lose the feeling it has an effect. I couldn't throw a spiral to save my life." AFTER DEL Greco's field goal put Auburn ahead for the first time all game in the final seconds, Smith was able to make things rather exciting and a wee bit uncomfortable for the Tiger faithful. Evan Cooper returned the ensuing kickoff to the 15-yard line. Smith then completed a pass to Vince Bean to the 36. Then, with 10 seconds left to play, Smith hit Markray with a short pass and the receiver got all the way down to the Auburn 25-yard line where he step- ped out of bounds hoping to kill the clock with time left for a field goal at- tempt. But by the time he reached the sideline the clock showed 0:00 and a miracle Michigan win was not to be. "I looked up and hoped there was one second so we could kick it and win," Schembechler said. Schembechler's wish was not granted which was just fine with Auburn's Aughtman. "WHEN HE stepped out of bounds, I looked up at the clock," Aughtman said. "That 0:00 was the best thing I've ever seen on a football field." Auburn head coach Pat Dye was overjoyed just to escape with victory. "I'm really very humble right now," Dye said. "I'm not so sure I hadn't rather been playing Nebraska or Miami- than Michigan the way they were playing. Coach Schembechler had them ready. They played like we felt they wbuld coming into the ballgame. They played good enough to deserve better." Daily Photo by BRIAN MASCK Steve Smith collides with Auburn linebacker Jim Bone. I ~ I Ron Pollack Who's number one?.. . ...One Bo cares, one doesn't Michigan football I NEW ORLEANS The Miami Hurricanes, who Michigan plays in its season opener next September, may be number one in the polls, but they most definitely aren't the coun- try's top team in the minds of the Auburn Tigers. As far as the Tigers' players and coaches are con- cerned, the fact that they entered the bowl season ranked third, coupled with losses by top-ranked Nebraska and number-two Texas, makes them the rightful national champions. That, and the fact that they excelled despite a devastating schedule. "I JUST happened to have some figures here, and they say that our opponents had a higher winning percentage than anybody else," said Auburn head coach Pat Dye. "Because of that, we should be the number-one team in the country. "It's cut and dried," Dye continued. "If they are going to have a number-one football team in America, and it's going to have any credability at all - if there is any credability in scheduling - then there's no way Auburn shouldn't be number one. "I don't know what you've got to do to win a Auburn played this year. We should be number one." AUBURN RUNNING back Bo Jackson, who was the game's Most Valuable Player, also feels his team was slighted by the polls. "Going into the game we were the number-three team in the nation," Jackson said. "The top two teams lost so we should be the number-one team in the nation." Al Del Greco, who kicked the game's winning field goal, conceded that Miami was worthy of con- sideration, but still felt that Auburn deserved to be national champions. "I SAY we're the best team in the nation," Del Greco said. "We played the toughest schedule in the nation, but if Miami beats Nebraska (which it did, 31- 30), they have a legitimate gripe." Not everyone in New Orleans felt that Auburn deserved to be national champions, though. Casting an unofficial vote for the Hurricanes was Michigan linebacker Rodney Lyles. "Auburn is a good team, but Miami seems to have done a number on Nebraska," Lyles said. MICHIGAN HEAD coach Bo Schembechler, meanwhile, sits on neither side of the fence. "As long as Michigan is not number one, which we're not, I don't care who's number one," he said. As well as the Michigan defense played against Auburn, it would probably have been even more im- pressive were it not for the offense. "THE PROBLEM is we left the defense on the field too long," Schembechler said. "You can't play defense the rest of your life without a break. The defense played well enough to win. The offense didn't quite." Said quarterback Steve Smith, "I think our defense played great. They shut them down. If we moved on offense, Auburn wouldn't even have gotten nine poin- ts. * * * The loss was an unhappy way for Smith to end a record-setting college career. "I'M A little disappointed," Smith said. "We had a great opportunity to win but didn't, basically because of the offense and I'm an integral part of the offense so I almost feel as though I lost the game." Smith, who injured his right index finger in the first quarter of the game, only completed nine of 25 passes, but had a number of his tosses dropped. national championship. But you can c history and nobody played a tougher s ------ ----- Dairi' Bar 250 off I Yogurt Nut he cS 1 I eck back in hedule than VIOLA TIONS FOUND IN INVESTIGA TIONS: NCAA to charge Illinois football fis ISeeI By LARRYMISHKIN Blue defense sweet .. Sbut 9-7 hard to swallow: "War 'Damn' Eagles!" That was the Auburn battle cry that constantly echoed off the walls of the French Quarter in New Orleans over the New Year's weekend much to the delight of the countless number of Auburn rooters who had made the trek from Toomer's Corner to Bourbon Street for the 50th annual Sugar Bowl. For the few Michigan fans though, who were lucky enough to escape the artic-like midwest winter for the coldest week in Louisiana history, the cry became as annoying as the daily news headlines pointing out the unusually inclement weather. There was nothing that could be done about the cold, but those War 'Damn' Eagles, or damn War Eagles, had to be stopped. That's what still hurts so much about Michigan's 9-7 loss Monday night. Not the defeat itself but the fact that those War Eagle,' or Tiger or Plain- smen fans still think their offense is the greatest thing to happen to the south since the saying"'Ya'll" was created. On the street of the French Quarter, in the courtyard of Pat O'Brien's and even in the fancy shmancy restaurants, normally known for their stuffy and quiet atmosphere, one was always being treated to a round of "Hey, yall from Miiichigan? Well our ol' War 'Damn' Eagles and good ole boy Bo Jackson are gonna thrash your hides in that there Sugar Bowl game." However, the Auburn fans, although full of football spirit, as well as some other spirits, didn't know not/tin about football tradition or else they might have heard of a more famous Bo and his reputation for stopping running of- fenses. This game was tailor-made for a Schembechler defense. He knew Auburn was going to run, Auburn knew Auburn was going to run, and all 77,893 fans in the Superdome knewAuburn was going to run. No need to worry about the pass, just butt heads and grind it out in the trenches. And as far as the trenches were concerned Michigan won the game, at least defensively. Sure Auburn rushed for 301 yards and Jackson had 130 yards, but boy did the Wolverine defensive corps do a number on those War Eagles. Auburn was heldwithout a touchdown for the first time all year and won the game because its defense was just as aggressive as Michigan's. Unfortunately for the Wolverines, some key penalties, numerous dropped . passes, and a dog-tired defense that was on the field fifteen minutes longer than Auburn's, all contributed to the final score that showed the War Eagles as the winners. But in the hearts of the Michigan fans and the Wolverine defensive players, the score was as phony as the supposedly neutral Superdome an- nouncer who announced each Auburn play as though he were right there in the stands with his War 'Damn' Eagles button on. When asked what his team's defensive strategy was going into the game, Michigan defensive back Brad Cochran, who had an interception and a fum- ble recovery, replied, "To try and stop them." And then in a lower, more emotional voice, with an ice pack held to his injured jaw he said, "and we did stop them." One could sense the sadness in Cochran's voice as he realized that what was perhaps Michigan's finest defensive effort in a few years would go un- noticed. And he was right. The sportswriters, having already heralded Jackson as the next Herschel Walker, voted him the game's MVP to save face despite his inauspicious performance. But even worse, all those damn War 'Damn' Eagle fans headed over to the French Quarter to celebrate and to wait for the final polls that they felt should proclaim their team the new national champion. Oh well, things could have been worse. just ask any Illinois fan. 4 Parfait coupon valid after 2 pm while supplies last offer expires 1-12-84 UNION- Ground Floor CHAMPAIGN (AP)-Following a wide-ranging investigation into recruiting practices at Illinois, the NCAA is expected to charge the football program with violating its guidelines, university officials acknowledged yesterday. The NCAA charges would be directed to UI Chancellor John Cribbet. His receipt of that letter would mean the NCAA's case leaves the preliminary inquiry stage-where it has been for two years-and any charges become of- ficial. UI Athletic Director Neale Stoner in- dicated the investigation originated following the well publicized campus visit of two prospective junior college transfer students from California. MSU 73, Iowa 72 EAST LANSING (UPI) - Freshman guard Darryl Johnson hit a 12-foot tur- naround jump shot with seven seconds remaining to give Michigan State a 73- 72 victory over 17th-ranked Iowa last night. The game, which matched the pre- season favorites for the Big Ten cham- pionship, was the 1984 conference opener. Both Michigan Stae and Iowa are 7-3 overall. Grapplers fall Lock Haven State stormed passed the Michigan wrestling team last night 28- 12, losing only three matches in the process. Michigan wrestler Joe McFarland turned in a superior decision on a 24-6 score over Lock Haven's Matt Avery, and 190 pounder Kirk Trost earned a 16- 8 major decision for the Wolverines over Ty Hall. Ray Yerkes was the other Michigan victor, winning his first var- sity match 9-4 over Greg Wykoff of Lock Haven. -Steve Hunter Indiana names football coach BLOOMINGTON (AP)-Bill Mallory of Northern Illinois University was named football coach at Indiana University yesterday, Athletic Director Ralph Floyd announced. Mallory, 48, compiled a 99-50-1 record in 14 years as coach at Miami of Ohio, Colorado and Northern Illinois. Panthers grab 9 ''Fgridders Nine Wolverines were selected by the Michigan Panthers in the USFL territorial draft yesterday. Among the draftees were quarter- back Steve Smith, wide receiver Vince Bean, linebackers Mike Boren, Tom Hassel, and Rodney Lyles, punter Don Bracken, tight end Milt Carthens, and defensive backs Evan Cooper and John Lott. 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