Women's Cross Country Miami University Invitational Tomorrow, 10:30 a.m. Oxford, Ohio SPo) S Football vs. Notre Dame Tomorrow, 2:30 p.m. (NBC) South Bend, Ind. NOTRE DAME Continued from page 1 But leave it to Irish coach Lou Holtz to level the playing field. "Right now I'm worried about Michi- gan embarrassing us," Holtz said in Tuesday's teleconference. "I just don't know how good a football team we are, or how bad a football team we are." Perhaps it should be the other way around. Without Dyson, Michigan could be in serious trouble on the defensive side of the ball. "That's a big blow. He was one guy who was playing very well," Moeller said of Dyson, who fractured his foot against Boston College. "It's a tremendous hole to fill, as much of a hole as we had to fill anywhere on the football team with an injury." Sophomores Kerwin Waldroup, who started against the Eagles, andTrevorPryce will be counted on to pick up the slack at outside linebacker created by Dyson's ab- sence. And with redshirt freshman phenom Ron Powlus under the Irish center, Michigan's problems are only com- pounded.In his NCAA debut against North- western last week, Powlus threw for 291 yards and four touchdowns as Notre Dame coasted, 42-15. "He's always on the money," Moeller said of Powlus. "And he's got the great receivers in (Derrick) Mayes and (Michael) Miller. Those are big play guys." But Powlus may not need to air it out, with a tremendous Irish offensive backfield hungry for the ball. Tailbacks Lee Becton and Randy Kinder and fullback Ray Zellars lead a unit that returns the team's top five rushers from 1993. But if junior tackle Trent Zenkewicz and therest of theWolverine defensive line can put pressure on the quarterback - something they failed to do last Saturday - Powlus may show his youth. That's where Michigan junior cornerback Ty Law comes in. In his first game in South Bend two years ago, theAll- America candidate was flagged for a ques- tionable pass interference call on the apron of the Michigan endzone. The penalty led to an Irish touchdown and a 17-17 tie. Close games the story for Michigan- Notre Dame Somehighlights and lowlights from the Michigan-Notre Dame series since 1989: 1989 - Raghib "Rocket" Ismail takes off in the pouring rain at Michi- gan Stadium. Ismail returns one kick for a touchdown in the first half. Then- Michigan coach Bo Schembechler de- cides against kicking the ball away from Ismail. The Wolverines pay as he returns another to clinch the 24-19 Notre Dame victory. 1990 - In Gary Moeller's first season as head coach, the Wolverines lead at halftime but can't hold on for the win. Rick Mirer, in his first start at quarterback for the Irish, leads Notre dame to a 28-24 comeback win. 1991 -The game that will forever belong to Desmond Howard. On fourth and one from the Notre Dame 25 and ahead, 17-14, quarterback Elvis Grbac heaves one to the end zone. Howard pulls off one of the most spectacular catches in Michigan history, clinching the 24-14 victory. With his two touch- downs in the game, Howard makes his stake for the Heisman Trophy, which he would eventually win in a landslide. 1992 - The one game nobody won. Grbac threw an interception late in the game as the Wolverines were A.;rvina fr ainning crre_ Then the fIsh DB hTaylors made By George Dohrmann Notre Dame Observer It's too bad such a play will never be recognized in the stat books. In the third quarter of Saturday's Notre Dame-Northwestern game, cornerback Bobby Taylor scampered down the sideline, ball cradled in his arms and two points on his mind. He had done what he has become best at in the country - cover wide receivers. Northwestern quarterback Tim Hughes had looked to his right and thrown to what he thought was an open target. The Longview, Tex. native saw it differently. He stepped up, took the pass between the numbers and was off to the races. The two-point conversion had failed for the Wildcats, creating an opportunity for Taylor to get his name in the scoring column. "I was going along but then I got cramps or something," Taylor said, smiling. It was an excuse, but an acceptable one. Hughes cut Taylor off and herded him out of bounds. No two points; not even credit for an interception. Scoring would have been icing on the stellar game for Taylor. He already had an interception and ended with three tackles. "Bobby Taylor had an excellent game," Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz said. "He was a bright spot." A spark on an otherwise damp day for the Irish defense. Praise from Notre Dame's coach was thin toward a de- fense that allowed Wildcat tailback Dennis Lundy to run rampant and Northwestern 186 total rushing yards. But there has always been praise for Taylor. It began his freshman year when he started seven games and high- See TAYLOR, Page 13 JONATHAN LURIE/Daily NOTRE DAME SPORTS INFORMATION "It was one play that cost us the game," Law remembers. "This time I want to do something that can help us win. Hopefully it will come down to the same kind of situation and (Notre Dame) will come to me again." On the other side of the ball, Collins will have to draw upon his experience to make things happen for the Wolverines. Against Boston College, the offense stalled early until Collins found his receivers and opened up the game. Junior wideouts Amani Toomer and Mercury Hayes will be counted on to pro- vide the big play. Last week,Toomerracked up 179 receiving yards and two scores while turning the game in Michigan's fa- vor. End Brian Hamilton and nose guard Oliver Gibson lead a typically strong Notre Dame defensive line, and Justin Goheen is the top defensive stopper at inside line- backer. They will be in charge of shutting down Davis and Biakabatuka. If the Irish can stop Michigan's backs early, the Wolver- ines could have a long day. But don't expect Biakabutuka to get rattled. A native of Longueuil, Quebec, the sophomore remains ignorant about much of the Notre Dame mystique. "I've heard about Touchdown Jesus," he said, "that's all I know about." Says Toomer: "When (Biakabutuka) gets the ball in his hands and sees the defense coming at him, he'll run the ball just like he did last week." And that remains just one piece of what Michigan needs to win in its last crack at the Irish until 1997. U U 1950 SOUTH INDUSTRIAL HIGHWAY ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN 48104 PHONE 665-4475 I Conser va tive, in a liberal *Best selection *Most styles eBest prices L a -- f--