The Michigan Daily - SPORTSMonday - October 27, 1997 - 58
[olverines show strenth in the red zone
GAME STATISTICS
PASSING
Player
Schultz I
Burke
Totals
RUSHING
Player A
Irvin
McFadden
Renaud
Ornstein
Burke
Totals
C-A
16-30
5-8
21-3
Yds
130
47
177
Att
20
2
4
1
2
29
Yds
81
15
11
1
-13
95
Avg
4.1
7.5
2.8
1.0
-6.5
3.3
TO
0
1
1
Lg
21
14
7
1
0
21
Lg
27
17
20
9
9
27
That's discipline.
"Discipline means you can stay
focused on the task at hand,"
Michigan State coach Nick Saban.
"When you play a game like this,
you have to be continually able to
think about the present moment. You
are very emotional, but every play is
important, so you have to concen-
trate on that particular play. That's
not the time to be thinking about the
big picture."
Focusing as they have been, the
Wolverines have been affecting the
big picture, however.
They took a 38-3 victory over
Baylor and a 37-0 victory over
Indiana, but some observers have
been waiting for them to choke, as
they did in miserable losses to
Northwestern and Purdue last sea-
son.
Woodson said there is no need to
worry about games like next week's
Minnesota matchup: "We're not
going to have any letdowns this
year."
And as much as Woodson and the
defense will play a big role in
attempting to make that statement
come true, so will the offense.
Production in the red zone may indi-
cate that it is up to task.
On their first drive Saturday, the
Wolverines got to the Michigan State
14, and Kraig Baker kicked a 30-
yard field goal. The next time they
got into the red zone, in the second
quarter, they ran six straight running
plays and scored on a one-yard run
by Griese to take a 10-7 halftime
lead.
The first drive of the second half
was as productive as it has been all
season.
The Wolverines have scored on
that drive in six of their seven games,
and they scored Saturday on another
Michigan running
back Chris Howard
bruised his ribs
against Iowa last
weekend but
returned to rack up
110 yards on the
ground and race for
one touchdown
against Michigan
State.
WARREN ZINN/Daily
30-yarder by Baker.
As it turned out, when Baker
missed a 38-yard field goal later in
the third quarter, the Wolverines
failed to score from inside the red
zone for just the second time this
season.
They had advanced to the 19,
when Chris Howard lost two yards to
set up Baker's attempt.
Howard scored on a two-yard run
in the fourth quarter, and Baker hit a
27-yarder soon afterward to com-
plete Michigan's dominance in the
red zone.
RECEIVING
Player No.
Irvin 9
Renaud 6
Rance 2
Long 2
Richardson 1
Totals 21
PUNTING
Player
Edinger
KICKOFF RETURNS
Player
Renaud
Scott
Total
NO.
3
1
4
,1
r
Spartans 'trick' Blue for lone score
DEFENSE
PlayerS
Reese
C. Ledyard
Morris
Kanu
Austin
Hill
Smith
MSU Team
Thomas
Sayler
Carter
Emsberger
Campbell
Underwood
Adams
Long
Greene
McFadden
Mudge
Newkirk
Marshall
Garland
Turner
Reece
PASS DEFENSE
Player Int1
Reese 0
Hill 0
Campbell 0
Totals 0
Yds
57
11
68
9
10
9
4
4
3
2
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
Yds
0
0
0
0
Yds Avg
77 8.6
32 5.3
3819.0
16 8.0
9 9.0
177 8.4
it
5
1
TD
0
0
0
0
0
0
TD
1
0
0
0
0
0
L9
47
TO
0
0
0
No. Yds Avg
6 236 39.3
Avg
19.0
11.0
17.0
Ast
4
1
3
1
2
3
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
ot
16
14
10
7
5
5
5
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
Lg
26
11
26
By Nicholas J. Cotsonika But Michigan looked down on the
aily Sports Editor i
EAST LANSING - Nobody saw it
coming, except for those snickering on
the Michigan State sideline. Only they
saw Sedrick Irvin as he crept onto the
field in Saturday's first quarter, camou-
flaged against his team's green back-
drop, smiling from ear to ear, waiting
patiently to score the Spartans' only
points of the game.
Behind, 3-0, the Spartans had made
their second drive an impressive one, with
Irvin practically moving them from their
own 20-yard line to the Michigan 22 per-
sonally. But when the drive stalled there,
Michigan State's field goal unit trudged
onto the field near the section holding a
raucous group of Michigan fans.
And that's when it happened.
Suddenly, after the snap, holder Bill
Burke stood up with the ball. Burke is
also the Spartans' backup quarterback,
and as he cocked his arm, the
Wolverines' cheers turned to fear. "I was
wondering who they were throwing to,"
said , Michigan cornerback Charles
Woodson, who also plays on the punt-
block unit.
Burke was throwing to Irvin, who had
been standing quietly along the left side-
line, his uniform blending with his team-
mates' to hide him. Irvin, the Miami kid
who chose Michigan State over Florida
State so he could be center stage for
plays like this, caught the pass and
waltzed into the end zone easily.
Spartan Stadium nearly burst.
"It's one of those once-a-year plays
that you can try," Michigan State coach
Nick Saban said. "It worked for us. The
kids did a good job of executing it and
timed it out right."
to be the best (interception) I've ever
said. "Especially coming against
apartans Tor t . wima a e ense tat
allows an average of 8.1 points per game
- best in the nation - a treat of a trick
play, no matter how close to Halloween,
wasn't enough to scare the Wolverines. It
was seen as a sign of weakness.
"We knew that in order to get into the
end zone, they had to trick us somehow,"
Woodson said. "Usually on field goals, I
check that. For some reason, I didn't
check the guy coming in. They made a
great play and caught us off-guard."
PENAIrY PROBLEMS: Many Spartans
attributed their lack of offensive produc-
tion to their inability to execute, not to
Howard then ran for a yard, then ran for
another, and then lost two. Kraig Baker
came on to attempt a 38-yard field goal,
which he missed.
After the game, Michigan coach
Lloyd Carr said he "second-guessed" his
strategy of settling for a field goal at the
time. He said he told offensive coordina-
tor Mike DeBord to mix in a pass or two
next time, despite the fact that quarter-
back Brian Griese had thrown three
incomplete passes on a three-and-out
series minutes before.
Next time came quickly. Woodson
intercepted his second pass of the day
five plays after Baker's miss. And the
Wolverines, spurred by a 16-yard pass
from Griese to Howard, scored a touch-
down to go ahead, 20-7.
The scoring play? A two-yard run by
Howard.
BRANDT COMES UP BIG: Redshirt
freshman David Brandt, listed as a cen-
ter, played left guard for the injured
Chris Ziemann as part of a young, hob-
bled offensive line that allowed one sack.
"He did a great job. If you look at a
guy that was pivotal in this game, you
have to look at David Brandt," Griese
said. "He came in and played on an
offensive line that was dominating. It's
not easy, especially on the road, in a hos-
tile environment, for a young kid to come
in and play well. I'm just happy for him."
SIDELINE SNIPPETS: Michigan
Athletic Director Tom Goss, who played
defensive tackle for the Wolverines from
1966-68, made his first trip to Spartan
Stadium since his playing days. Standing
on the sidelines after the game, Goss
said he often attended Michigan-
Michigan State games at Michigan
Stadium, but he'd never in enemy territo-
ry. ... Michigan's six interceptions tied a
Michigan State opponent record for a
game. Maryland (1950) and Minnesota
(1958) also picked six in a single after-
noon against the Spartans.
) c
Lng
0
0
0
0
Brk-up
1
1
1
3
TO
0
0
0
0
Footba
' Zate oak
,
the Wolverines'
defense. And despite
quarterback Todd
Schultz's 16-for-30,
five-interception day
and poor blocking by
the offensive line,
their biggest problem
was discipline.
Michigan State
was penalized 10
MICHIGAN STATE
Sept. 6 W. MICHIGAN
Sept. 13 MEMPHIS
Sept. 20 Notre Dame
Oct. 4 MINNESOTA
Oct. 11 Indiana
Oct. 18 Northwestern
Oct. 25 MICHIGAN
Nov. 1 OHIO STATE
Nov. 8 Purdue
Nov. 22 Illinois
Nov. 29 PENN STATE
HOME GAMES IN CAPS
W 42.10
W 51-21
W 23-7
W 31-10
W 38-6
L 17-19
L 7-23
1 p.m.
1 p.m.
2 p.m.
1 P.M.
times for 96 yards in losses and took two
personal foul penalties at crucial times.
"We shot ourselves in the foot," Irvin
said. "It wasn't so much what they did, or
what we did, it was the penalties."
As for the Wolverines, their I I penal-
ties for 75 yards was disappointing but
not unexpected. They were not called for
any personal fouls, and most of their
troubles can be blamed on youth. The
entire left side of the line was replaced
this year.
RUNNING IRONY: After Woodson's
spectacular interception in the third
quarter, Michigan had excellent field
position at the Michigan State 20. Chris
Up next
Who: Minnesota (0-4 Big Ten, 2-6 overall
Where: Michigan Stadium (102,501)
When: Saturday, 12:30 p.m.
Series: Michigan leads all-time 61-23-3. Although the Golden Gophers nearly
upset No. 2 Penn State two weeks ago, they lost last Saturday, 22-21, in a
heart-breaker to Wisconsin. The Wolverines and the Gophers play each other
for the Little Brown Jug, which Michigan currently owns. The Gophers last had
the trophy in 1986, after they upset the second-ranked Wolverines, 20-17, with
no time on the clock. The Wolverines were 9-0 at the time and that defeat was
Michigan's only loss in the regular season. Michigan's previous loss to
Minnesota was in 1977, when Michigan was the top-ranked team in the coun-
try. Again, the loss was Michigan's only blemish in a near-perfect season.
ply out of awe.
"I think that has
made," Woodson
ed on his cal-
can lost to
e Wolverines'
cause :as the
ntual winning
iely playmak-
Michigan State, it was a big play for me."
Then, on the first series of the fourth quarter, Woodson
thwarted a Michigan State drive that was beginning to
click with another interception as he snuck up from
behind Spartans' receiver Octavis Long on his left and
picked off his second pass of the day.
"They threw the same play to the other side and I was
kind of insulted that they tried to get me on the same play
Cougars remain lone unbeaten
team in Pac-10, eke out 35-34 win
At a glance
Key Performers
For Michigan, comerback Charles
Woodson had two interceptions. On
his first, a one-handed catch late in
the third quarter, he managed to keep
one foot in-bounds as he fell out. And
he stripped Octavis Long early in the
fourth quarter for his second.
For Michigan State, linebacker Ike
Reese recorded 16 tackles, 9 solo.
Key Play
With Michigan State up, 7-3, late in
the second quarter, the Wolverines
went 95 yards in 11 plays to score a
touchdown that gave them the lead
for good. On first and 10 from the
Michigan State 16-yard line,
Michigan running back Chris Howard
ran left and then raced 51 yards to
Michigan's 33-yard line. Ten plays
and two Spartan penalties later,
Michigan signal caller Brian Griese
scored the one-yard touchdown on a
quarterback sneak.
Big Ten Standings
TOaM Cmi. Ovlws
iMtchigan40 T0
Purdue 4-0 6-1
Penn State 3-0 6.0
Wisconsin 4-1 7-2
Ohio State 3-1 7-1
Iowa 2-2 5-2
Michigan State 2-2 5-2
Northwestern 1-4 3-6
Minnesota 0-4 2-6
Illinois 0.4 0-7
Indiana 0.5 1-7
ink that has to be
}et interception
ever made"
- Charles Woodson
lichigan cornerback on his first of two
interceptions
twice," said Woodson in true
form.
In fact, it was the first time
since Michigan's season-
opening victory over
Colorado, that a team actual-
ly challenged Woodson
through the air, to which he
responded, "I think so, and I
think it was the wrong
move."
The Associated Press
On a day of shootouts and
shutouts, the Rose Bowl managed to
stay in the running for a national title
game.
But just barely.
No. 10 Washington State remained
the Pac-10's lone unbeaten team on
,Saturday with a 35-34 victory over
Arizona, when the Wildcats failed on
a two-point conversion in overtime.
The Rose Bowl doesn't join the
bowl alliance until next season. But,
there's a chance it can upstage the
Orange Bowl - the alliance's top
game - especially if it can present a
defensive end Grant Wistrom said.
"Kansas doesn't have the most high-
ly touted offense in the world. But
shutouts are still hard to come by."
NO. 3 FLORIDA STATE 47,
VIRGINIA 21
The Seminoles (7-0) scored touch-
downs on three of their first five
plays, including freshman Travis
Minors' 87-yard scoring run on
Florida State's first play from scrim-
mage.
Minor, making his first start, had
227 total yards - 159 rushing and
68 receiving - and three touch-
downs. Thad Busby threw for 285
down in the first overtime, the Tigers
went ahead 51-44 on Jones' 15-yard
run. Oklahoma State scored on Tony
Lindsay's six-yard run, but was tack-
led well short of the goal line on a
two-point conversion try.
Jones had four touchdown passes
and ran for two scores. Lindsay
threw for four touchdowns and ran
for one.
"We have been involved in over-
time games, but one that wild, I don't
know if I have ever been involved in
one of those," Missouri coach Larry
Smith said.
PITTSBURGH 55, RUTGERS 48
Michigan coach Lloyd
Carr said that the second
I.,