Sports Monday Trivia
What is the largest
margin of victory in a
Rose Bowl?
(For the answer,
turn to the bottom of page 2)
Inside Sports Monday
'M' Sports Calendar 2
'M' Sports Calendar 2
AP Top 25 2
Athlete of the Week 2
Men's Swimming 2
Rose Bowl 3-5
Ice Hockey 6
Men's Basketball 7
Women's Basketball 8
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The Michigan Daily - Sports Wednesday January 8, 1992
'Huskies
turn
Blue
to
mush
No scapegoat
in Rose Bowl
mismatch
PASADENA, Calif. - Losing the Rose Bowl has
become almost as big a Michigan tradition as the
winged helmets and "The Victors." In fact, most
Wolverine fans have a rougher hangover from New
Year's Day than they do from the night before.
True to form, Michigan lost to Washington, 34-14,
in the 1992 edition of the game. However, this some-
how was different. This time, Michigan didn't have a
scapegoat.
No phantom touchdowns. No
Matt quarterback injuries. No controver-
Rennie sial penalties.
When the Wolverines looked for
scapegoats after this game, they had
to look at themselves. After all,
this was not a game that could have
gone either way. The only two pos-
sible outcomes for this game were:
(1) a Washington victory, or (2) an
earthquake.
Instead of being left asking,
"What if?" Michigan fans were in-
stead asking "Are we punting
Lnagain?"
Ah, punting. Michigan couldn't even win this battle
of offensive concessions. Eddie Azcona often looked
like he was kicking a water balloon rather than a foot-
ball. Azcona's performance undoubtedly had dozens of
club soccer players drooling over his scholarship.
But blaming this loss on Azcona or any other single
player is like blaming the Johnstown Flood on a leaky
faucet in Altoona.
This year, the Wolverines had to resign themselves
to the fact that they just weren't as good as their oppo-
nents. This was a new experience.
Even after the 20-point beating Florida State handed
Michigan earlier this season, the Wolverines could re-
mind themselves that two of the Seminoles' touch-
downs were scored by their defense.
This game offered no such consolation.
Sure, Michigan went into halftime trailing only -13-
7, but nobody honestly believed the score to be an accu-
rate assessment of the first half. And even though the
Wolverines did have three possessions with a chance to
take the lead, they could do nothing with any of them.
The Huskies took away the Wolverines' primary of-
fensive weapon, Heisman Trophy winner Desmond
Howard, and still managed to contain the Michigan
running game, which usually benefitted from the op-
ponents' double coverage of Howard.
No passing. No running. No chance.
See RENNIE, Page 3
Wolverines
save worst
for last,
lose 34-14
by Jeff Sheran
Daily Football Writer
PASADENA, Calif. - The
polls weren't out yet, but Michigan
coach Gary Moeller already knew.
He knew that Washington,
which had just completed a thor-
ough 34-14 thrashing of his Wolver-
ines, was the best team in the nation
- regardless of what Miami did in
the Orange Bowl later that New
Year's night.
The Associated Press writers ap-
parently didn't agree, voting Miami
as the nation's No. 1 team. Washing-
ton topped both the USA To-
day/CNN and the UPI polls. But
for Moeller, whose team finished
sixth in all three polls, even this
was an underestimate of the
Huskies.
"We lost to as good a football
team as I've ever seen," Michigan
coach Gary Moeller said. "We're a
better team than we showed, but I
can't envision a better football team
than Washington."
The Huskies (12-0) dominated
Michigan (10-2) from start to fin-
ish. Their formidable defense
recorded six sacks, two in the first
Wolverine possession, and held top-
rated quarterback Elvis Grbac to 13-
of-26 passing for 130 yards.
Linebacker Donald Jones sacked
Grbac, who worked out of the shot-
gun for much of the game, on
Michigan's third and fifth plays
from scrimmage.
"When you start off in a situa-
tion in the Rose Bowl for the first
time and you get sacked, it doesn't
start your day off properly. But
you've got to come back from that,"
Moeller said. "I've seen (Grbac)
play a lot better."
In addition, Washington limited
Heisman Trophy winner Desmond
Howard to one catch and no touch-
downs.
But Michigan kept pace early
See HUSKIES, Page 4
KENNE IH MULLEM/)aiiy
The Washington Huskies hold up wide receiver Mario Bailey after his 38-yard touchdown reception from Mark Brunell in the
fourth quarter of the Rose Bowl. The Huskies went on to win, 34-14, and claim a share of the national championship.
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Washington splats
crown with Miami
by Phil Green
Daily Football Writer
PASADENA, Calif. -' For the
first time in years, the "we're num-
ber one!" chants echoing through
the Rose Bowl New Year's Day
meant exactly that; the Washington
Huskies were truly number one.
After soundly defeating
Michigan, 34-14, the Rose Bowl vic-
tors weren't only Champions of the
West as has been the case in recent
contests. This year, the Huskies be-
came national champions... sort of.
Washington (12-0) finished the
season ranked as the nation's top
team in three of the five major
polls: USA Today/CNN Coaches',
UPI, and the Jeff Sagarin Computer
Ratings. But the Miami Hurricanes,
who finished second in those three
lists, topped the AP Poll and New
York Times Computer Rankings
with Washington placing second in
those.
Thus, for the second consecutive
season, there's a split national
champion. Last season, Colorado and
Georgia Tech shared the top spots as
co-national champs.
Michigan dropped from third
(US AT/CNN) and fourth (AP) to
sixth in both polls. Penn State,
"It's hard to say yes or no be-
cause I have not prepared for or
played against Miami," Michigan
coach Gary Moeller said. "I haven't
seen Miami, but I can't imagine
them being a better football team
than Washington."
Washington and Miami had en-
tered their respective bowl games
holding the nation's top two spots.
Whomever performed better New
Year's Day would walk away with
the national crown.
Following the Huskies thrash-
ing over Michigan, the Hurricanes
needed to be equally impressive to
retain their share of the title. They
were, thoroughly dominating
Nebraska in the Orange Bowl, 22-0.
"I just feel like we proved that
we're the best football team in the
country," Washington linebacker
Dave Hoffmann said following the
Rose Bowl. "It's tough for me to
comprehend this. I'm just hugging
the guys, we're on cloud nine."
Husky quarterback Billy Joe
Hobert, the Rose Bowl Co-MVP,
added: "We won, the national title
is ours. I think people across the