Hockey vs. Ohio State Tonight, 7 p.m. Yost Ice Arena S Women's Swimming and Diving vs. Penn State and Southern Illinois Today, 4 p.m. Canham Natatorium Tampa awaits the field y4 "a s s THE MATCHUPS By KEN SUGIURA -Michigan's passing attack is superior to" that of Ohio State. The Buckeyes can boast of receiver Joey Galloway (11 TD recep- tions), but not much else. On the other hand, Michigan has perhaps the best group of receivers in the country, led by elegant game-breaker Derrick Alexander. Todd Collins may becomedMichigan's greatest passer before he is done. A"' Av. .iOUIn A IA* This ought to be an interesting contest. Tyrone Wheatley alone gives Michigan the nod over the Buckeyes and counterpart Raymont Harris, a bully up the middle. His M backup, the many-apostrophed Butler By'not'e, has four touchdowns and has more speed than he knows what to do with. This game will be the many-syllabled Tshimanga Biakabutuka's biggest so far, end may show if he's the real deal. The Michigan front looked better against Minnesota, but Minnesota is not Ohio State. Marc Milla and Co. will have their hands full. The young Michigan line is still improving, but the Ohio State line is senior- dominated, and the youngest, soph Korey Stringer, is a mountain. Buckeye tight end Cedric Saunders is a keeper. Just like Wheatley does for the running backs, Dan "Big Daddy" Wilkinson (6-foot- 5, 310 pounds and one huge shadow) alone provides Ohio State the edge. Wilkinson has 38 tackles, 11 for loss. Michigan tackle Buster Stanley leads a 4nit that ranks close behind, but does not quite have the statistics that'the Buckeyes do. Middle linebackers Jarrett Irons (Michigan) and Lorenzo Styles (Ohio State) will terrorize the Big Ten for seasons to come. Irons, a freshman, and Styles, a sopho- more, both lead their team in tackles. The decimated Michigan linebackers have held their own, but Styles and fellow 'backer Craig Powell, another sophomore - second in tackles, including five for loss - are better. Walter Taylor, Ohio State's free safety, is a wonderful player. He has intercepted five passes and broken up six more. Michigan's secondary came of age last week against Minnesota, picking off four passes, including two by corner Ty Law. But the Buckeye secondary yields 35 fewer yards per game on average. BUCKEYES Continued from page 1. the Aloha Bowl (Dec. 25 in Hono- lulu) a possibility. "As far as I'm concerned our sea- son is not going to be over until the month of January," said senior center Marc Milia, who will be among those playing in his last Michigan Stadium game tomorrow. "I'm planning on winning on Saturday and playing in a bowl game on January 1st. "I cannot conceive of sitting home at Christmas time. It just doesn't go right in my mind." The game kicks off at 12:10 p.m., and is televised nationally by ABC. Michigan has won or tied the last five meetings between the schools, and Ohio State coach John Cooper has never beaten the Wolverines in his current role. As coach of Arizona State, Cooper defeated Michigan 22-15, in the 1987 Rose Bowl. "We haven't been able to beat Michigan since I've been here," Coo- per said. "That's a reality." So is this. The Buckeyes are good this year. They upended Washington, 21-12, early in the season when the Huskies were still on their "mission." They embarrassed Penn State, 24-6. And most impressively, they pulled a season-saving tie out of theproverbial jaws ofdefeat at Wisconsin, cruising 99 yards in four plays for the tying touch- down and blocking the Badgers' last- second field goal-attempt. Ohio State's personnel sparkles. On offense, junior split end Joey Gal- loway, a lock for All-Big Ten and an Engler bets on 'M' victory FROM STAFF REPORTS Michigan governor John Engler placed a friendly wager with Ohio Governor George Voinovich on the outcome of tomorrow's Michigan- Ohio State game. "I know what it's like to beat the odds," Engler said. "I'm proud to stand up for Michigan, and the Wol- verines." If the Wolverines win, Governor Voinocich will have to wear a U-M sweatshirt at the governor's confer- ence in Phoenix next week. If the Buckeyes prevail, Governor Engler will have to wear an Ohio State sweatshirt at the conference. All-America candidate, caught three of the four passes in the final drive at Madison and is a constant threat. Se- nior tailback Raymont "Quiet Storm" Harris has over 1,000 yards to his credit this year, as well as nine touch- downs. And apair of quarterbacks, sopho- more Bob Hoying - the frequent starter - and senior Bret Powers, platoon throughout the game, ala the Huskies of two years ago. "Their two quarterbacks are very different," freshman linebackerJarret Irons said. "Hoying is more of a roll- out quarterback. (Powers) throws long, he's got a strong arm." Defensively, experience and quickly developed talent combine to form a powerful combination for the Bucks. Seven defensive members are upperclassmen, but the top two tack- lers, linebackers Lorenzo Styles and Craig Powell, are sophomores. Put it this way: there's not too much of a chance Michigan will re- peat its 1902 performance when it blanked Ohio State, 86-0. But it probably won't be a Buckeye runaway, either. The Wolverines come into the game with renewed confidence from their 58-7 blowout of Minnesota, and with the knowledge that a win will likely send them to sunny climes to ring in the New Year. Tailback Tyrone Wheatley re- turned to the lineup last week in style, with three touchdowns. His compadres have come on strong as well. Sophomore Ed Davis continues to rush solidly, and, of particular in- terest, rookie Tshimanga Biakabutuka has rushed for two touchdowns in EVAN PETRIE/Daily put their bowl hopes on the line Ed Davis and the Michigan WolverinesI tomorrow against No. 5 Ohio State. each of the last two games. Additionally, the other units have finally shown signs of geling. The defense has only allowed 17 points since the Illinois loss, and the special teams are finally performing the way they are expected to. Surprising nobody, Michigan coach Gary Moeller said it all came down to the fundamentals. "We need to stop the run and we need to be able to run the football," Moeller said. " If we can do that, we can win the game." A D ANDY DE KORTE All trends point to an Ohio State victory. The last three times Ohio State beat the Wolverines, Michigan shared no part of the Big Ten title, just like this year. The Wolverines, one-point favorites, have had little luck when being favored this year, losing to the underdogs four times. However, there's no explaining this Wolverine team. MICHIGAN 31, OHIO STATE 23 I just don't know how to read this team anymore. If the Wolverines need more motivation than preventing OSU from going to the Rose Bowl, they shouldn't even show up. And I'd like to believe that Gary Moeller's rousing speeches explaining the significance of the Michigan- Ohio State game this week might have seeped in. I've got a feeling that we're going to see the best game of the year. Unfortunately, even the best game is going to be a loss. RYAN HERRINGTON OHIO STATE 24, MICHIGAN 20 Some say it's a fantasy for Michigan to think of beating Ohio State this year (excluding, of course, those in Las Vegas). You want fantasy? I'll give it to you. With the Buckeyes leading, 20-14, late in the fourth quarter, QB Bret Powers looks deep for Joey Galloway, but Shonte Peoples steps in front at the last minute and returns the ball 60 yards for the decisive score. Well, there's one fantasy for you. It could be the right one, so call it ... ADAM MILLER MICHIGAN 21, OHIO STATE 20 1 must warn you that looking to me for an accurate prediction is something akin to looking to a water buffalo, or for that matter, an Ohio State student, for a sonnet. Regardless, if it's a prediction you want, it's a prediction you'll get. Michigan is improving, but Ohio State is still better. Charged up, the Wolverines will put up some points in the first half but the Buckeyes will scrao their way back into the game for a trio to Pasadena. I hooe I'm wrong. ;Sports, sports, and more sports. DAILY m I