Page 2 - The Michigan Daily - Sunday, November 23, 1986 w w w w w w w w w w 7- lqw_ T w , w f 19W w MV , w Page 2 - The Michigan Daily - Sunday, November 23, 1986 JUNIOR TAILBACK RUNS FOR 210 YARDS Morris maims Buckeyes By MARK BOROWSKY Special to the Daily COLUMBUS - Promises are easier to keep when Jamie Morris is behind them. It was Michigan quarterback Jim Harbaugh who made the guarantee that Michigan would beat Ohio State, but in the end it was Morris that delivered the goods. The diminutive tailback ran for a career-high 210 yards on 29 carries and two touchdowns in yesterday's 26-24 win over the Buckeyes that sent the Wolverines to the Rose Bowl. He also caught three Harbaugh spirals for 22 yards. WHILE Harbaugh was no slouch with 261 yards on 19-of-29 passing, Morris was the offensive star of the game. "That's the best I've seen him play," said Michigan head coach Bo Schembechler. "In the second half, our offense line did a terrific job in opening holes for Jamie Morris. "But Morris did a great job. When do you remember any back getting more than 200 yards against Ohio State?" THERE'S probably no one old enough to remember that far back. In the second half -.Morris rushed for 150 yards on 19 carries after halftime - Morris often carried the team on his shoulders. And when you're 5-7 and 179 pounds, that's no easy task. "I visualized that this would be the game," Morris said. "I wanted to make it all come today. I reached down inside me." What he pulled out was often spectacular, certainly no one play more so than his third quarter, 52-yard run. Slipping off a tackle on the right side of the line, the junior from Ayer, Mass., scampered down the right sideline all the way to the Ohio State 24 before being pushed out of bounds by Buckeye safety Sonny Gordon. It was the longest longest run by a Michigan back this season. THE RUN set up a Morris eight- yard run three plays later that put Michigan ahead for good. "When I broke that run, it was Bob's (fullback Bob Perryman) block," -- -- - --- -- -- -- -- - - - -- -- -- Doily Photo by SCOTT LITUCHY who ran for 210 yards yesterday, is tackled in the Michigan's Jamie Morris, third quarter. Morris said. "That got me ready to play." "Everybody flows out the side and he cuts back," said Ohio State linebacker Chris Spielman. "It's just a basic play in football, but they executed it." EXECUTION on the ground was what rallied the Wolverines in the second half. Of Michigan's 268 rushing yards in the game, 181 came in the final two quarters. Morris's success on the ground helped Michigan open it in the air, and brought back the Wolverines from a 14-6 halftime deficit. "We came back in the second half knowing we had to rush the ball," Morris said. He now has 921 yards for the season, and 2524 yards in his career, putting him eighth for career yards at Michigan, passing Ron Johnson. Perhaps most surprising about Morris's performance was not what he did but what he didn't do: fumble. Morris has a reputation, however unfounded, for being giving, to the extent of qualifiying as a charity on his tax returns. That reputation wasn't helped by his costly fumble last week against Minnesota that led to a Gopher score. But Saturday Morris held on to the ball, perhaps aided by some heavenly intervention by way of his mom.. "I called my mother Thursday," Morris recalled, "and asked her to pray for me." How approprirate that was for the Wolverines. For it came to pass - on the ground and not in the air- that a child in the game of giants would lead them to the promised land. Pasadena. BARB'S [~BRBS BY I? rh Mc Quade .Harbaugh's prediction... ...spolw for the team COLUBUS. H ail to the Victors, damn it. Michigan's back-and-forth triumph over Ohio State yesterday was a heart stopper, but the Wolverines never had any doubt While fans were considering the climate in Dallas on New Year's Day, Bo Schembechler's players kept their sights set on beating the Buckeyes for a trip to Pasadena. "We knew we had the game won at halftime," said Michigan linebacker Andy Moeller. "We had the momentum. There was no doubt in my mind who was going to win." GOOD THING the Wolverines were sheltered in the locker room, because inside the stadium, Ohio State fans were basking in the glory of a 14-6 halftime lead. The game had more turning points than a maze, but confidence got the Wolverines around that final corner. The most poised of them all, quarterback Jim Harbaugh, appeared prophetic after last week's "guarantee" of victory. Some ridiculed his statement as cocky at the time. But Harbaugh stuffed cotton down their throats when his prediction came true. "I didn't say it to be cocky or arrogant or anything," Harbaugh said after the game. "I just said what I felt and what I wanted to happen on Saturday." No crisis of co fide'nce CONFIDENCE has been one of the main ingredients in Michigan's success this season. And Harbaugh typifies that attitude. His ability to scramble his way out of a jam and to think under the pressure of a heavy pass rush has sparked the Wolverine offense all season. It makes him a winner and a leader. Moeller said that when he heard about the prediction, his only thought was that he was glad Harbaugh is on his side. "You've got to have that kind of confidence," Moeller said. "If anybody on Ohio State doesn't have that kind of confidence it's not going to be much of a game. If both teams don't go in feeling that they're going to win the game, then it's not the classic that it is, and that's what makes it a classic." How confident were Harbaugh and Moeller? The co-captains collected money from the players and bought a plaque to commemorate, Schembechler's 166th coaching victory at Michigan. The mark puts him ahead of Fielding Yost as the all-time leader. They brought the plaque to Columbus with them, and presented it to the 18th-year head coach after the game. BUT YOU have to get the feeling that these two don't have a monopoly on the commodity. After the game, many players were speaking of confidence. It's an investment that can be difficult to hold on to, especially after an unexpected loss like last week's to Minnesota. Harbaugh's quote may have been the kick this team needed to put that game behind it and to remember its goals. "This victory sends us to the Rose Bowl, but I have to be so proud of the way we came back after getting beat last week (against) Minnesota," Schembechler said. "They responded well. They were confident and played with emotion." Bo proud of rebound And while Harbaugh may be the one tagged as cocky, the rest of the team is just as confident. At. Michigan, players are taught to win simply because they are Michigan. "Jimmy was talking for all of us when he said that," stated Wolverine tailback Jamie Morris, who gained 216 yards yesterday. "We all felt it," addedfree safety Tony Gant. "Harbaugh just said it." The Wolverine seniors have waited four years for a Big Ten crown, but their confidence hasn't faltered. After the victory, senior linebacker Andree McIntyre quoted the sign over Schembecher's office. "Those who stay will be champions - we're champions. Yeah, we're champions." They knew it all along. Roses are Blue; losing Buckeyes feel pain , r Of unexpect By ADAM MARTIN The greatest thing about the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry is that neither team expects to lose. Wait. Make that both teams expect to win. This fact alone makes losing especially painful. Just ask Ohio State quarterback Jim Karsatos, a' Fullerton, Ca. native who expected yesterday's roses to be red - scarlet' red. "I WAS planning on going home," Karsatos said. And now? "I'm thinking about getting dressed, going home, nothing." Karsatos and the rest of the Buckeyes had only pain in their faces after OSU failed to kick the winning field goal. They were hurting inside. Despite a share of the Big Ten Championship (Michigan and Ohio State finsished. tied at 8-1), the Buckeyes will have to settle for a New Year's Day trip to Dallas and a berth in the Cotton Bowl. I N S T E A D of everything coming up roses, OSU came up empty. TheCottonSBowl is no substitute for the Granddaddy of them all. Sure, the Buckeyes will be glad to play Jan. 1, but the past, Michigan 26, Ohio State 24, Nov. 22, 1986, will be particularly hard to forget. "This is the worst feeling I've ever had," said a teary-eyed Chris Spielman, OSU's all-everything linebacker. "It's gonna take me awhile to get over it, but what are you gonna do? We fell short." Against Michigan, Spielman, one of the toughest characters around, led his club with 29 tackles, but his performance meant little to him. He wanted only one The Michigan Daily - Sunc S is Isc ed defeat thing; his tears showed how painful it was not to get it. "I wanted to go to the Rose Bowl so bad I could taste it," he said. THE TASTE in coach Earle Bruce's mouth was just as sour. Bruce, who hasn't one rosy ring despite two trips to Pasadena, saw his team come unbearably close to earning the Big Ten's Rose Bowl invitation. Without emotion he complimented Michigan, lamented OSU's two-missed field goals, and finally vented his frustrations on Wolverine quarterback Jim Harbaugh, who unfairly emasculated the crowd, according to the eight year Ohio State coach. "The officials took the crowd out of the game. No, let me correct that," said Bruce. "Mr. Harbaugh took the crowd out. He was the official." BRUCE was peeved because the officials charged a timeout to OSU for excessive crowd noise when one official said he and the Wolverines could not hear Harbaugh's signals during Michigan's second drive of the fourth quarter. The timeout quieted 90,000 OSU faithful and gave Michigan a chance to run off three valuable minutes before being stopped. Bruce wasn't blaming Harbaugh. He was simply heartbroken, as were many other Buckeyes. "It's gonna take me a little while to get over it," said placekicker Steve Frantz, whose 45-yard last- chance, missed field goal attempt will be remembered for a long time. "It's not something you want to dwell on, but I hope I won't be Ohio State freshman kicker Matt Frantz (12) is Freshman holder Scott Powell (13) consoles his thinking about it when we take the E field in Dallas." -Mi "We'll still play to win at the contes Cotton Bowl," said cornerback night William White, "but nothing undel compares to the Rose Bowl, and we Libels just missed it by two." Ohio' Now the Buckeyes have to miss annus the pomp, the glory, the classi sunshine... the Granddaddy. It's Boro Michigan's turn, but that doesn't inter make it any easier. Libel "It's such a tough game to lose," Th said Bruce. "You don't like to lose p1 e n to Michigan, especially in Ohio oppo Stadium. You.don't get over it for push t awhile." The I shaken after missing the p teammate. Blue Banter Michigan didn't win every st this weekend. Friday t the previously feated Michigan Daily s football team lost to the State Lantern, 7-0, in the al student newspaper c. ayer-coach Mark "Bo" wsky snatched an eption to lead a tough defense. he Daily offense had ty of scoring rtunities, but couldn't the ball into the endzone. Libels's last drive, set up icers bust Broncos in final i Arizona tops Sun Devils, 34-17 TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - David Adams, Art Greathouse and Chris McLemore scored on short runs, while Chuck Cecil returned an interception a -school record 100 yards for another touchdown as 14th-ranked Arizona beat number-four Arizona State 34-17 yesterday. The loss ended the Sun Devils' shot at a national championship and undefeated football season. They will face Michigan in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1. The victory was the fifth straight by the Wildcats over their arch-rival and earned them a berth in a Dec. 27 Aloha Bowl. Penn St. 34, Pitt 14 STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP)- Second ranked Penn State conditionally accepted a bid Saturday to meet top-ranked Miami in the Fiesta Bowl Jan. 2 for the national college championship, two hours after the Nittany LIons scored a 34-14 victory over Pitt. Blair Thomas' 91 yard touchdown kick off return and D.J. Dozier's 26- yard scoring run in the first half helped carry Penn State, 11-0, over Pitt. The condition was that Miami must defeat East Carolina, 2-9, Thanksgiving night to complete an unbeaten season. Oklahoma 20, Nebraska 17 LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Tight end Keith Jackson caught a 17-yard touchdown pass with 1:22 remaining and made a one handed 41-yard catch to set up Tim Lashar's 31-yard field goal with six seconds left as third-ranked Oklahoma stunned No. 5 Nebraska 20- 17 yesterday. The Sooners won the Big Eight championship and third straight trip to the Orange Bowl. Nebraska, 9-2, settled for a trip to the Sugar Bowl against either LSU or Alabama. By ADAM SCHEFTER Special to the Daily KALAMAZOO - It was deja vu of last Friday night's last-minute loss to Michigan State. Except this time the Wolverines came out on top, 4-3. With 27 seconds left, Western Michigan goaltender Bill Horn, who made few mistakes all night, made a crucial mistake. He was caught out of position behind the net. Brad Jones capitalized on his error and got the puck to a wide open Jeff Norton in front of the goal. Norton netted the winning goal, his second of the evening. "I DUMPED the puck in and (Brad) Jones beat the goalie to it," said Norton. "Somehow the goalie didn't get it. Brad McCaughey took a swipe at it and fanned on it. I turned around, and it was right there.... Thank God I was in the right place at the right time." It was the first road victory this year for the young Wolverine squad, and the club's first road win since January 10 when they toppled Bowling Green 7-4. "It wasn't just a win on the road. We needed a win, period," said Michigan head coach Red Berenson. "We made up our minds we were going to work no matter what the score or how much time was left. At the end, just look up at the scoreboard." AT THE 10:25 mark of the third period, Western's Paul Polillo tied the score from an impossible angle on the side of the net. The score stood that way until the final 27 seconds. Wolverine defenseman Todd Copeland circled around the net to the left of the circle and fired a shot in front that deflected off the skates of a Bronco defender to tie the score at 6:19 of the second period. Then with the teams skating four-on-four, Myles O'Connor picked up a loose puck at center ice, skated around three Bronco defenders and notched his sixth goal of the season with just 12 seconds remaining in the period to put the Wolverines in front, 3-2. THE TWO . teams and their captains traded goals during the first period. At 7:19, Bronco Wayne Gagne, the All-American defensenman, fired a shot from the right circle that eluded Michigan goalie Warren S harple: Michiga extende< season 1986. Nortc at 1-1, Jones sI with Bra for interf The N the lead. on-three cross ic< on to ti alone in puck in 1 16:17 of