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SPORTS
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e Michigan Daily
Saturday, September 22, 1984
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M' tries to bounce back against Badgers
By MIKE MCGRAW
The Big Ten is wasting no time in get-
ing down to the big games this football
eason.
. While conference co-favorites Ohio
tate and Iowa lock helmets in Colum-
us this afternoon, sub-favorites
isconsin and Michigan will battle at
:00 in Michigan Stadium. We'll all
know who the teams to beat in the Big
Ten will be before the sun goes down
tonight.
THE BADGERS, along with Ohio
State, are one of only two Big Ten
teams' to go undefeated in non-
conference play and enter the con-
ference schedule with perhaps their
best squad since the Rose Bowl team of
1962.
"Their offense is about the same as a
year ago, but they have a new quarter-
back," said Michigan coach Bo Schem-
bechler. "The defense is a veteran
defense. This team, you've got to un-
derstand, has more veterans than any
other Big Ten team this year and were
a good team a year ago. So they're a
definite strong contender for the title."
If momentum from the previous
game means anything, Wisconsin has a
tremendous advantage. While the
Wolverines were giving their worst per-
formance in several years against
Washington, the Badgers recorded the
greatest fourth quarter in the school's
history to defeat Missouri, 35-34.
IN THAT GAME, Wisconsin trailed
28-7 after three periods but rallied for
four fourth-quarter touchdowns and
then stopped the Tigers on a two-point
Howard
... coming off big quarter
conversion try to clinch the comeback
victory.
The Badger defense produced most of
the heroics in that fourth quarter. Fir-
st, senior cornerback Richard Johnson
recovered a blocked punt in the endzone
for a score, then Johnson himself
deflected a punt to set up another
touchdown. Later, a pass interception
by linebacker Michael Reid led to
Wisconsin's final points.
"We needed something to happen to
give us instant touchdowns and that's
exactly what happened," said Wiscon-
sin coach Dave McClain, a former
assistant to Schembechler at Miami of
Ohio. "That gave us great momentum.
"IF YOU HAVE to drive to get three
touchdowns, it's pretty hard to do it.
We were able to get some big plays and
that's the only reason we were able to
come back and win the game. We're
elated to be 2-0."
The big plays that the Badgers used
last week are exactly what the
Wolverine defense couldn't come up
with. Michigan caused no turnovers
against Washington and gave up a 73-
yard touchdown pass on its way to a 20-
11 loss. Schembechler, speaking Mon-
day at his press conference, wasn't sure
what went wrong in that game.
"I saw nothing that made me happy
(against Washington),' said the coach,
who is 12-1 against Wisconsin. "I will
say that it's not a completely lost cause.
But I'm very, very puzzled as to why
our approach to the game was so poor
and I've got to find out what's going on
there."~
When asked if the problems could be
corrected in one week, Schembechler
replied, "They'll be corrected in one
week's time or they won't be correc-
ted."
IN ORDER TO do the correcting,
Schembechler has put his team through
some long and tough practice sessions
this week.
"The practices have been hard, but
everyone's looking forward to opening
the Big Ten season," said quarterback
Jim Harbaugh.
Today's game should answer some
major questions about both teams. Are
the Wolverines as bad as they appeared
last week and are the Badgers the Big
Ten title contenders they think they can
be?
One similarity between the two teams
is that each has a quarterback who will
be starting his first Big Ten game.
WISCONSIN'S Mike Howard, had
some tough times in his first two games
at the Badgers' helm, but it all came
together for the junior from
Springfield, Ill. in the second half of the
Missouri game. Howard was only 19-
for-38 on the day, but during two fourth-
quarter scoring drives, he hit on six
straight passes, including touchdowns
of nine and 24 yards to All-Big Ten
receiver Al Toon.
"In the first half I wasn't making all
-mm.
Doily Photo by CAROL L. FRANCAVILLA
Wolverine tight end Sim Nelson makes a reception against Miami in Michigan's 1984 opener. Coach Bo Schembechler is
hoping that his team returns to the form displayed while beating the defending national champs today against Wiscon-
sin.
my reads really good and was trying to
force it and a couple times the protec-
tion broke down," said Howard. "I did
have a better fourth quarter. I'm not
really sure what made the difference.
Our intensity was really up in the fourth
quarter and a lot of things went our
way. That might have been it."
Howard and his teammates will be
trying to recreate their intensity level of
last week in Ann Arbor today as they
face a stiff first test in their quest for a
place near the top of the conference.
"The team we have this year has a lot
of talent," added Howard. "We can be
a good team. If we beat Michigan on
Saturday, I think we can definitely be
up there for the Big Ten title."
BLUE BANTER: Wolverine quarter-
back Jim Harbaugh's father is good
friends with McClain and the Wisconsin
coach used to babysit Jim when he was
little. If fact, Wisconsin was Har-
baugh's second choice after Michigan
when he entered college... Nose guard
Al Sincich is listed as doubtful for
today's game due to a back problem.. .
The Badgers sport the Big Ten's
leading punt returner in Thad McFad-
den. The senior from Flint is averaging
12.7 yards on eight returns ... Wiscon-
sin is tied with Brigham Young and
Oklahoma State for the Division-IA
lead in interceptions with eight.
Michigan's Monte Robbins leads the
conference in punting with a 46.0
average. His 64 yarder against
Washington was the team's longest sin-
ce Don Bracken's 73-yard blast in the
1981 Rose Bowl ... Harbaugh's 37 pass
attempts last week were the second
most ever by a Wolverine quarterback
in one game. Dick Vidmer set the
record in 1966 with 47 against Michigan
State.
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Monday, September 24 9AM-6PM
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Ohio State vs. Iowa
Game time: 1:40 p.m. EDT
d the Big Ten
WHAT TO WATCH: These two teams could be going in dif-
feidit directions. The Buckeyes looked invincible in last
wiek's 44-0 blowout of Washington State whereas the
wkeyes were toppled by Penn State in a very physical
ame. The Buckeyes get quarterback Mike Tomczak back.
He is fully recovered from a leg fracture suffered in spring
practice and will start. Hawkeye quarterback Chuck Long
has been effective in his first two games but the young
buckeye defense looks to be blossoming. They will be fired
up looking to avenge the 20-14 loss incurred at Iowa City last
year. Watch out for Buckeye tailback Keith Byars. An early
favorite for the Heisman Trophy, Byars has averaged 163.5
yards rushing in his first two games.
Indiana at Northwestern
ame Time: 2:30 pm EDT
WHAT TO WATCH: This may be the only chance for either
of these teams to notch a victory this season. Today's battle
will be hard-pressed to match last season's as far as ineptitude
is concerned. The Wildcats squeaked out a 10-8 win at
Bloomington in that contest. The Hoosiers may have fooled a
few people by taking Duke into the final minutes before suc-
cumbing, but they reverted to true form with a 48-14 drubbing
dealt to them by Kentucky. First-year coach Bill Mallory,
father of M's Doug and captain Mike, has the pasing game in
fine form. Led by quarterback Steve Bradley, who threw for
3 yards against Kentucky, Indiana is second in the con-
ference in passing and ninth nationally.
Michigan State at Illinois
Game Time: 8:10 p.m. EDT
WHAT-TO WATCH: Both teams are trying to rebound from
disheartening losses last week. The Fighting Illini were
trounced by Stanford 34-14 as Cardinal signalcaller John
Paye picked apart the Illinois secondary. Michigan State.
on the contrary, played a fine ballgame as they la'id in on
Notre Dame for tnree periods. The Spartans then folded their
tent in the final quarter and lost 24-20. Illinois has the
league's top-rated offense with an average of more than 400
yards per game while the Spartan defense tops the conferen-
ce, allowing just over 300 yards per game.
Minnesota at Purdue
Game Time: 1:30 PM EST
WHAT TO WATCH: In his inaugural Big Ten conference
game, Gopher's coach Lou Holtz will learn that the Big Ten can
be a tough place to earn a living. Purdue quarterback
Jim Everett is ranked seventh nationally in total offense. He
will be teaming up with wide receiver Steve Griffin, who
hauled in seven passes for 102 yards in last week's 24-14 loss
at the hands of Miami. The Minnesota defensive secondary is
pitifully weak, thus Everett and company could very well
roll up some big numbers this afternoon.
'Around the Big Ten' was compiled by Daily spor-
tswriter Steve Herz.
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Yankees walk over Tigers, 5-3
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By KATIE BLACKWELL
AND CAROL ALLIS
- Special to the Daily.
Wilcox got the Yankees to surrender in
order. His teammates helped him out
in the bottom of the inning, showing
error sent Wynegar home and
Tagliarulo to third.
The Yankees came to life again in the