When was the last time the Michigan football team lost eight regular-season games in two seasons? (Answer, page 2) AP Top 25 WMEB Hockey Poll Athlete of the Week Swimming Q&A Bach's Score Football Hockey Men's Volleyball Women's Basketball 2 2 2 2 3 3 4-5 6 7 7 go ucks sen Biue onunwanted Holiday By RACHEL BACHMAN Daily Football Writer COLUMBUS - Ohio Stadium's victory *bell clanged for 15 solid minutes Saturday, exorcising a six-year demon. The source of its football team's sorrow? An 0-5-1 streak against Michigan. The salvation? A 22-6 dredging of the No. 15 Wolverines. "To finally get this off my back...," said Ohio State's Eddie George, who led his team with 71 rushing yards, "I feel lighter now." The victory rejuvenated the Buckeyes (6-2 Big Ten, 9-3 overall), who will head to Or- ando for the Citrus Bowl Jan. 2. It also may have resurrected John Cooper's Buckeye coaching career, which some thought would end with another loss to Michigan. "People have been talking about his job this year, but we finished second in the Big Ten and nobody expected us to do that," re- ceiver Joey Galloway said. On the other side of the horseshoe, expec- tations for Michigan (5-3,7-4) remained unmet. "I'm not happy with the season at all," coach Gary Moeller said. Moeller will take third-place Michigan to San Diego for the Holiday Bowl Dec. 30, to face Colorado State. Dropping the season finale gives the Wolver- ines their second four-loss year in a row. From 1988 to 1992, Michigan won five Big Ten titles and frequented the Rose Bowl. "There isn't a lot to say when you get beat like that," Moeller said. His team lost despite Ohio State's worst offensive yardage output in seven years: 210 total yards. The Wolverines also did not score a touch- down. On the game's decisive play, they couldn't even muster a field goal. With 14:37 left in the game, Buckeye cornerback Marlon Kerner blocked Remy Hamilton's attempt. Defensive end Matt Finkes recovered it, beginning a drive that would end in an Ohio State field goal, giving the Buckeyes a 15-6 lead. The Buckeyes retained their momentum, intercepting Michigan quarterback Todd See BUCKEYES, Page 5 Buckeyes head to the Citrus Bowl Wolverines head to the HolidayBowl to face Alabama or Florida. to face Colorado State. 'I'm not happy with the season at all.' Gary Moeller Michigan football coach Photos by DOUGLAS KANTER/Daily Ohio State's victory over Michigan Saturday was as easy as 1-2-3. This block of a Remy Hamilton field goal helped seal the win for the Buckeyes. 'rosh say 'aloha' to Maui Michigan faces stiff test in Hawaii tournament By PAUL BARGER Daily Basketball Writer The Maui Invitational is expected to provide the Michigan men's bas- ketball team with a lot more than a nice vacation. The tournament will be the Wol- verines' first test in a very impressive and intimidating non-conference schedule. The caliber of the field will allow the younger members on the team to get some much needed expe- rience. "It will give us a chance to get to know each other and get that team atmosphere," senior forward Ray Jackson said. "It will also give us a hance to play together against some great competition before the Big Ten season starts." Michigan begins the tournament tonight against the Tulane Green Wave. The two teams met last season in Ann Arbor with the Wolverines winning 84-69. Tulane is led by a group of prom- ising sophomores. 6-foot-9 forward Jerald Honeycutt had an outstanding freshman season and is a candidate for Metro conference Player of the Year. Last year, Honeycutt averaged 15.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Forward Rayshard Allen joined Honeycutt last year as a member of the Metro All-Freshman team. Allen averaged over eight ppg and five rpg, but was not consistently in the Waves' starting lineup. The Michigan guards also have a difficult task ahead of them, as they look to stop Tulane's backcourt tan- dem of LeVeldro Simmons and Kim Lewis. In many ways tonight's game will be a nationally televised introduc- tion. Both Tulane and Michigan have freshman classes that onlookers are anxious to see. All of the newcomers are excited about finally getting on the court in their first official collegiate game. "I'm looking forward to Maui bas- ketball-wise and for a little vacation," Michigan freshman Maurice Taylor said. If Michigan can get past Tulane there could be some interesting matchups for the rest of the tourna- See MAUI, Page 2 Top-ranked 'M' defeats No. 3 Texas By NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA Daily Sports Writer Michigan men's swimming coach Jon Urbanchek had been waiting for this. He'd been waiting all year. He'd been waiting to see what would happen when his team finally jelled. Saturday, he found out. The top-ranked Wolverines came together to erase any doubts as to who is the best team in the nation. Michigan trounced No. 3 Texas, 169.5-73.5, in front of a record dual-meet crowd of over 750 at Canham Natatorium. "So far we've had a lot of great See SWIMMING, Page 2 TONYA BROAD/Daily The Michigan men's swimming team defeated Texas this weekend. Pesky Redskins force split with Wolverines Passing Fancy Center Brendan Morrison keys the Michigan power play . i sy IL I(A L17'40-YE MILXMA 11 By vMELANI SCHUMAN Daily Hockey Writer After a lackluster performance ..Friday evening that resulted in a 4-3 loss, its third straight to Miami, the Michigan hockey team needed to sal- vage a split in the weekend series. The Wolverines did, rebounding Sat- urday to win 7-4 and defeat the pesky edskins. "Our team is going to go through some adversity. We're not going to roll along and be an unbeaten team," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "Every good team in this league has taken its licks and we took one." Entering this weekend, Miami (5- mounted one of the league's best records down the stretch, turning a 4- 10 Christmas mark into a 21-16-1 record overall last season. Advantage: unknown. The scenario is familiar. Last sea- son when the then-No. 1 Wolverines travelled to Oxford in late February, they were swept by the Redskins. Still, since the 1984-85 campaign, Michigan had held a 17-0-1 record at home against this seemingly inferior opponent. "They don't have too many tal- ented players, but they have a couple of guys who can put the puck in the net on their chances," left wing Jason By TOM SEELEY Daily Hockey Writer 'You are Michigan sophomore Brendan Morrison. You're manning the point on the Wolverine power play, and you've got the puck by yourself Do you rifle a pass down low where winger Jason Botterill can knock it home? Or do you fake a pass to the left and then send the puck to Kevin Hilton, who is waiting on the right side to drill a shot on goal? This time you decide to walk the puck unnoticeably, raise your stick, blade up, and slide it down your hip like a sword. That is, until an opponent makes the mistake of giving the Wolverines a power play, when you again take out your sword and carve up another unsuspecting defense. This year Michigan's power play runs through center Brendan Morrison as he has become the squad's best passer and most reliable playmaker. "Brendan is a leader, but he's not a 'Rah, Rah' leader," Michigan assistant coach Billy Powers says. "He's an . .