ft£dau OMDat1
Scoreboard Atlanta at Sacramento. inc.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
San Diego State 28. (16) Wyoming 24 New Jersey 4. CHICAGO 2
IOPhiladelphia 5. BUFFALO 2
NATIONAL BA SKETBALL A SSGCIATION FLORIDA 4, Washington 2
Orlando 108, NEW JERSEY 95 OTTAWA 6, Toronto 2
Houston 110, DENVER 108 Edmonton 6, BOSTON 0
Seattle 103, Phoenix 98 Montreal at Los Angeles, inc.
Minnesota at Portland, inc.1
New York at Golden State. inc, HOME TEAMS IN CAPS
Friday
.November 8, 1996
10
I
The matchups:
Michigan looks
for momentum
to boil over
By Barry Sollenberger
D~aly Sports Editor
For a couple of reasons, Michigan fans already have sweaty
armpits about tomorrow's game against Purdue in West
Lafayette.
For one, Purdue coach Jim Colletto announced his resigna-
tion Monday, and they are afraid this will give the
Boilermakers an emotional advantage.
Secondly, they are afraid that the Wolverines will be flat
after last weekend's victory over Michigan State and with next
week's Penn State game looming.
They could be right on both accounts.
But in the end, they probably have nothing to be worried
about, because tomorrow's Michigan opponent is ... well,
Purdue.
MICHIGAN RUSHING OFFENSE VS. PURDUE RUSHING
DEFENSE:
Last weekend, the Wolverines rushed for 206 yards against
a Michigan State team that had been surrendering only 100
yards per game on the ground.
Expect to see similar numbers from Michigan against the
Boilermakers.
Purdue allows 180 yards rushing per game, which brings
smiles to the faces of Michigan running backs Chris
Howard and Clarence Williams.
The most difficult part of tomorrow's game for them will
be the exchange on handoffs with Michigan quarterback
Scott Dreisbach.
Once they receive the ball, they should run wild against the
Boilermakers.
ADVANTAGE:
MICHIGAN PASSING OFFENSE N'S. PURDUE PASSING DEFENSE:
Dreisbach is as excited about tomorrow's game as his run-
ning backs are.
A week after passing for a career-high four touchdowns
against the Spartans, Dreisbach faces the Boilermakers'
cream-cheese secondary. Purdue gives up over 216 yards
through the air each game. That's good news, indeed, for the
improving Dreisbach, who is now 11-1 in his career as a
starter.
See MATCHUPS, Page 11
Spollermakers.?
Blue hopes not
0
By Ryan White
Daily Sports Writer
Call it cliched call it the company
line, but this week you can also call it the
truth.
All season, Michigan players and
coaches have been saying, "This week is
the most important game of the year."
When it was said before games
against Indiana and Minnesota, it sound-
ed like a line.
It would sound like the same old line
this week as well if it weren't for the fact
that tomorrow's game against Purdue is
the biggest game these Wolverines have
played all year.
When No. 9 Michigan (4-1 Big Ten,
7-1 overall) faces Purdue (1-4, 2-6)
tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. in Ross-Ade
Stadium, the Wolverines will face much
more than a mediocre football team.
Michigan will have to guard against a
letdown after last weekend's emotional
victory over Michigan State. The
Wolverines need to be careful not to
look past the Boilermakers to next
week's matchup against Penn State.
And to top things off, Michigan is
facing a team which just lost its leader.
Monday, Purdue coach Jim Colletto
announced that he was resigning after
five years in West Lafayette.
"You get to the point where the wear
and tear ... you just get fatigued,"
Colletto said. "It's just a matter of going
through the grind everyday, and not get-
ting the results that you wanted."
Looking at his record, it is obvious
Colletto didn't get the results he had
hoped for since coming to Purdue from
Cal State-Fullerton. The Boilermakers
have compiled just a 19-41-3 record
under Colletto.
"I think as coaches, we all know that
performance in the win-loss column is
the main consideration," Michigan
coach Lloyd Carr said.
While Carr understands the pressure,
he has had much better results. Ie took
Michigan to a 9-4 record in his first year
last season. aindlie has the Wolverine
sitting position Jbr a Rose 1Bo\\ lbert
this season.
If Michigan w\ins its final three
games, it is off to Pasadena. another rea-
son tomorrow's game is so crucial.
"The most important thing is this race
is still out there to be won by us," Carr
said.
One thing Carr may not hav e to worry
about, however, is Michigan's offense.
The group struggled for a large part og
the season but has come to life lately
scoring 99 points in the last two games
combined.
As for Purdue, it is ninth in the Big
Ten in rushing defense and dead last in
total defense, giving up 401 yards a
game.
"We feel we have to hold up our end
of the bargain," Michigan tight end
Jerame Tuman said of the team's
offense. "We can't leave it up to the
defense every time.
"If we can keep our offense consis-
tent, I think we'll be tough to beat."
Things seem to be just as mismatched
on the other side of the ball, where
Michigan ranks second in the Big Ten in
defense, and Purdue sits at ninth in
offense.
The Boilermakers have been rotating
quarterbacks Rick Trefzger and John
Reeves and have relied on fullback
Edwin Watson to replace last year's si
Mike Alstott, who is now playing for the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Still, Carr is worried by Purdue's
offense and the possible playing condi-
tions.
"As the head coach at Purdue,
(Colletto) has consistently had good
offensive teams," Carr said. "They're the
kind of team that can possess the ball on
you. Anytime you're playing in this kind
of weather, that scares you.
Chris Howard and the Wolverines are chugging along toward their ultimate goal - a trip to Pasadena.
Games against Penn State and Ohio State may be looming, but Michigan must contend with Purdue
first at West Lafayette tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. The Boilermakers could be fired up for the Wolverines,
however. Purdue coach Jim Colletto announced during the week that he would resign at the end of this
season after coaching the Boilermakers for five years. Colletto was the second Big Ten coach in one
week to resign. Indiana's Bill Mallory called it quits a few days earlier.
1'. ._ i
3 cr:''i K.. .... .. '.t:.:.>: ,i,,s., i. ?, r: k a''-,.s-,t--s1 i:. .nti, ., a : Lo. ,. , .".. : . _.- .1..: _ . .i -,c ., ... _ .: ., _ ,-
".:
"ti s
=.i
i
i; I
S ." 'S S
-.' 1 t
j Y
t
sy }
s r '
it ll
-fit ,. r r til' t r r rr .. _
p . z ti ti s( * I F 1 ? 1' . " i s .
,et ; 1.: ;
c.- ..:xl:..,. ,.ka.. - .., ;t... ..5«.s. n, 1. . _..... t, t t'.
i ,,.tii r , r .f". inn .i i Hi:_+v i .: 1-i.",_ ti
,a iq". u i ti - c i1 , iii.
1 ' ii.
.. i y , t ,_'' F. t i ...
of the
SARA STILLMAN/Dy
leading scorer heading into this weekend's homestand at Yost Ice Arena.
Michigan center JohnI
Madden is the Wolverines'
.1 rr i ' . , L i.. .
CL5 T r G ttRE , 1 S e t '
M' hockey breaks ice at Yostr
By Jim Rose
Daily Sports Writer
Yes, the season is underway.
Yes, the Michigan hockey team has already played seven
games.
Yes, last season's national championship is over and done
with.
Yes, yes, yes.
No, no, no.
Even though the Wolverines are 3-1 in the CCHA and 6-
1 overall, tonight is the real beginning of the season - for
the fans, anyway.
After a seven-game road trip to start the campaign,
Michigan will finally play at newly renovated Yost Ice
Arena tonight against Ohio State at 7:10 Saturday, the
Wolverines host Bowling Green at 7 p.m.
Tonight, if the Buckeyes (1-2, 1-6) don't have enough to
worry about, there's this business of The Banner. The flag
commemorating the Wolverines' 1995-96 championship
season will be raised to the roof prior to the faceoff.
Of course, the Buckeyes will be invited onto the ice to
take part in the ceremonies.
That is, they get to watch. Just like the fans.
And probably the only people more excited than the fans
about the home opener are the players.
"We're all jacked up," Michigan winger Mike Legg said.
"With the new building, raising the banner - we're real
excited."
As are the fans. But if there's one thing~ the Wolverines
know, it's that the raising of The Banner - while an intim-
idating greeting for the Buckeyes - does not automatical-
ly translate into a victory. This is the same Ohio State team
that tied Michigan twice last season.
See OPENER, Page 11
s *
i
:°'
5