T T i! Li i i:i L:f J i I Y V Y. 4 4 4 V 1 ! J I On cHafW's? V _ ---w top of the world 0 THE Bove Ptayers, past and present, come to Michigan for shot at Rose Bowl _ By John Leroi Daily Sports Writer rty-nine years is a long time to wait. But that's just how long it's been Fsince the Michigan Wolverines won their last national championship. Bennie Oosterbaan was in his first year as coach. Dominic Tomasi was the team captain. Harry Truman was President of the United States. Forty-nine years isn't even that long of a draught for most schools - many would be content with just one national championship. But for a program that ranks first in college football history in all-time wins and No. 2 in the composite of Associated Press football polls from 1936 to the present. Does undefeated and top-ranked Michigan have a legitimateshot at the national championship? It might be a bigger longshot than you think By Danielle Rumore Daily Sports Editor The words are unforgettable. They are ingrained in the heads of every Michigan football player, the words spoken by leg- endary. Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler that have come to repre- sent Michigan football. 'Those who stay will be champions." Michigan players, past and present, have said that they came to Michigan to be champions. The highly sought-after championship is the Rose Bowl and it's not only meaningful to Michigan, but to the Big Ten as a whole. After Michigan beat No. 4 Ohio State earlier today, the Wolverines earned the right to represent the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl this year. It is the Wolverines first Rose Bowl berth since the 1993 Rose Bowl when they beat Washington, 38-31. "You always hear about Michigan and going to the Rose Bowl, all the great. teams they had in the past and all the tra- dition," said defensive end Glen Steele, before the start of the 1997 season. "That's the one thing that really led me this way." Today's victory not only sealed Michigan's Rose Bowl fate, but handed the Wolverines their first Big Ten title since the 1992 season. "Those who stay will be champions." Until the Wolverines topped the Buckeyes today, Schembechler's words were more of a haunting reminder of past success than a motivating factor. Michigan football suffered through four straight four-loss seasons starting after the last victory over Washington. The Rose Bowl became a distant memo- ry. In fact, no player on the current Michigan roster has played in a Rose Bowl. That is, until now. At the beginning of the season, Steele said, "We're trying to get to where we want to be and that's the Rose Bowl and winning the Big Ten." Playing in the Rose Bowl, "was always something I wanted to do, even before I came to Michigan" said Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Derrick Alexander, who played for Michigan from 1989-90- 92-93. "When you get out there, you can tell it's something special." The Rose Bowl has featured the Big Ten and Pac-10 champions since 1947. And every year since then, each team in the two conferences has fought for a chance to represent their school in Pasadena. Unlike any other bowl game, the Rose Bowl is considered one of the more tra- ditional and significant bowl games. "What makes it special is that it's the result of a championship," Michigan offensive coordinator Mike DeBord said. "They call it 'The Granddaddy of Them All', and that's what it is." Said Senior Associate Director Fritz Seyferth and former Michigan fullback (1968-71): "The Rose Bowl is special because it rewards the team for its excel- lence. It is, and certainly was, the bowl game of all bowl games." Michigan has more Rose Bowl appear- ances than any other Big Ten team, and it has played in 22 consecutive bowl games but the Rose Bowl had been absent from that string since the 1992 season. And it has been missed. Under Schembechler's 21-season reign, the Wolverines went to Pasadena 10 times and won the bowl twice. The Wolverines had a run beginning in the late '80s, when they went to.Pasadena four times in five years. and won five- straight Big Ten titles from 1988-1992. "Those who stay will be champions." Now the Wolverines will once again be able to take part in the Rose Parade, the game and the tradition. "Playing in the Rose Bowl cannot be dampened," Seyferth said. "The festival atmosphere is unique to collegiate ath- letics." Said Steele: "I'm thankful for the shot that I got to come here." - Daily staff reporter Chris Metinko contributed this report. Now, Michigan has a chance to win its first national title since '48 and only its third since the AP poll was established in 1936. The only problem is, though Michigan is No. 1 in the AP poll and Rose Bowl bound, at least three other teams are still in contention for the national championship. In fact, Missouri may have been the Wolverines' best bet to win the title, if the Tigers could have upset then-No. I Nebraska. But a miracle touchdown that was kicked by one Cornhusker wide receiver then somehow caught by another forced overtime and, unfor- tunate for Michigan, led to a Nebraska victo- ry. The Wolverines jumped to No. I in the AP poll because Nebraska had so much trouble with an unranked team, but that doesn't mean they'll stay there, even if they win the Rose Bowl. If Florida State beats Florida today and Nebraska wins the Big 12 championship game next week, the two undefeated teams would meet in the Orange Bowl. The winner would likely nab at least a share of the national championship, if not the whole thing. "We're not thinking about scenarios right now," said Michigan All-American Charles Woodson. "We're not even thinking about a national championship, all I care about is winning the Rose Bowl." But if the Wolverines run the table, you'd have to think they would be disappointed without at least a share of the national cham- pionship. And although the Rose Bowl is their ultimate goal, the national title has to be in the back of their minds. "It would be nice, though," admits Woodson. Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said he won't let himself think about it, but after beating Ohio State, how can he not. Unless he's root- ing for Florida to upset Florida State in the swamp. If that happens, Michigan is right back in the race. That would mean that, even if Nebraska finishes the season undefeated, it would face a Tennessee or Florida State team with one loss. Both the Volunteers or Seminoles are capable of beating Nebraska. If Michigan wins the Rose Bowl it would be the only undefeated team in the country and the undis- puted national champions. But even if Nebraska prevails, a win over a one-loss team might not be enough to topple the Rose Bowl champion Wolverines, who beat a terrific Ohio State squad and then won the Rose Bowl. But Cornhusker fans would have something to say about that. If Nebraska goes undefeated and wins the Orange Bowl, no matter who it beats, there will be an uproar in Lincoln. But Nebraska coach Tom Osborne is as silent as Carr is about his prospects for the national title. "After barely beating Missouri, we should with unblemished records. It is possible that different teams could top the two polls as Georgia Tech and Colorado did in 1990. More likely, however, is that pollsters would split their first- place votes between teams. Whether that would clear anything up or mud- die the picture more remains to be seen, but it is perfectly clear that Michigan fans want the title for themselves. And though some Wolverines may not admit it, the players want it just as much. "That's our highest goal," tailback Chris Howard said. "If w e w in it, it would be amaz- ing." Michigan fullback Leroy Hoard made two trips I over Southern Cal in the 1989 Rose Bowl. I : < ,s'.' h ,; ... .: :.AU.. CONGRATULATIONS U OF M FOOTBALL"0-0 GET ECKD OU INROSEBOW MERHANISE OW/ a. 'i' a .* s' * *ar . . BOOK 'p.' II N focus on winning our games, and not anything else," Osborne said. "What's out of our hands is out of our control." ;;> :. ' .: , , ' Two teams - Penn State and Nebraska - finished the 1994 sea- son with undefeated records, but the Cornhuskers were crowned national champs. The Nittany Lions - equally deserving according to some - got nothing but a No. 2 ranking and a lot of pity. After that debacle, pollsters are likely to sympathize if-,two schools finish the season ,. Peter Warrick and the high-flying Seminoles may have the best shot at a national championship. Florida State is ranked No. 1 in the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll, one spot ahead of Michigan, but has to get by in-state rival Florida today to hold on to the top spot. The Associated Press top 5 As of November 22, 1997 1. Michigan 2. Florida State 3. Nebraska 4. Ohio State 5. Tennessee The USA Today/ESPN top 5 As of November 22, 1997 1. Florida State 2. Michigan 3. Nebraska 4. Ohio State 5. Tennessee q4Pp . T.Shirts " Sweatshirts " Hats " Kid Sizes *Call to hold your items today *We do mail orders and we'll ship anywhere 317 SOUTH 665m Store Mon.-Fri. 9:4 Saturday 9:: Sunday 12 check us ou www.lh I "We're not thinking about scenarios right now. We're not even thinking about a national championship, all I care about is winning the Rose Bowl." - Charles Woodson Michigan cornerback looI C0 SLU Thought to be out of the race after losing to Florida, Peyton Manning and Tennessee are right back In the national title hunt. 44i iAI, .t J 31 . r" ti " i ; i r851S'. Jiffs I" T 2 ,3i t;( e y