4B - The Michigan Daily - SPORTSMonday - November 17, 1997
GAME STATISTICS
PASSING
Player
Griese
Woodson
Totals
RUSHING
Player
Howard
Floyd
Thomas
Griese
Totals
C-A
19-26
1-1
20-27
Yds
254
28
282
Att
26
6
8
6
46
Yds Avg
100 3.8
66 11.0
44 5.5
-6 -1.0
204 4.4
TD
1
0
1
Lg
17
31
19
2
31
Lg
38
39
15
12
6
28
9
39
RECEIVING
Player No.
Streets 5
Shaw 4
Howard 4
Woodson 3
Shea 2
Griese 1
Thomas 1
Totals 20
PUNTING
Player
Vinson
KICKOFF RETI
Player No
Thomas
Wilson
Totals
Yds
108
68
38
27
4
28
9
282
Avg
21.6
17.0
9.5
9.0
2.0
28.0
9.0
14.1
Int
0
0
0
TD
2
0
0
0
2
TD
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Lg
43
TD
0
0
0
No. Yds Avg
3 97 32.3
URNS
. Yds
1 15
1 0
2 15
PUNT RETURNS
Player No. Yds
Woodson 1 0
Shaw 1 -1
Totals 2 -4
DEFENSE
Player
Sword
Hall
Jones
Weathers
Ray
Steele
Hendricks
Copenhaver
Washington
Gold
Renes
Feazell
Peterson
Whitley
Wilson
Feely
Brooks
Woodson
Jackson
Solo
8
6
5
3
4
3
3
3
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
Avg
15.0
0.0
7.5
Avg
0.0
-1.0
0.5
Asst
1
2
1
3
1
1
0
0
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
Lg TD
0 0
0 0
0 0
Tot
9
8
6
6
5
4
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
MARGARET MYERS/Dady
Wisconsin was able to move the ball on the ground against the Wolverines, even with its star, running back Ron Dayne, on the sidelines. The Badgers plied up 154 yards
rushing, the most by any Michigan opponent this season.
Wolvries silNo. 1but
Rose Bowl plans on hold
Lg
15
0
15
PASS DEFENSE
Player Int Yds
Woodson 1 0
Totals 1 0
Lg
0
0
Brk-up
1
1
TD
0
0
By John Leroi
Daily Sports Editor
MADISON - Apparently, a 10-point
victory over a ranked opponent on the
road is good enough for pollsters.
Despite blowouts from Florida State and
Nebraska, Michigan held onto its No. 1
ranking after a gutsy 26-16 victory over
No. 23 Wisconsin in Madison.
The Wolverines retained all 44 first-
place votes they had last week, while
Florida State received 24, stealing one
from Nebraska. Michigan's lead over the
Seminoles shrunk from 30 to 28 points.
"We don't care about the polls," said
Michigan tailback Chris Howard, who
rushed for 100 yards and two touch-
downs. "They don't matter to us. All that
matters is winning the rest of our games
and the Big Ten championship."
The Wolverines lost a little bit of
ground in the USA Today coaches poll
on the top-ranked Seminoles, but
retained all 20 of its first-place votes. A
win over No. 4 Ohio State on Saturday
would likely secure the top spot in both
polls.
That would also mean a trip to the
Rose Bowl for the Wolverines for the
first time since the 1992 season and a
perfect 11-0 record. The last time
Michigan ended the regular season unde-
feated and untied was in 1971. And the
Wolverines would have to figure in the
national championship hunt.
But all of the talk of national titles and
No. I rankings is moot if Michigan does-
n't knock off Ohio State. However, if the
Wolverines lose to the Buckeyes, there is
still a chance Michigan could end up in
Pasadena - although it is unlikely.
If Michigan falls to Ohio State and
Penn State wins its remaining two
games, then all three teams would tie for
the Big Ten title. Neither team has beaten
the other two, and all three have the same
11-game record (the Buckeyes' win over
Wyoming in the Black College Coaches
Association game is not considered),
Michigan would be the Big Ten's repre-
sentative to the Rose Bowl.
But the Rose
Bowl has the option
'b 1 of choosing another
Q Big Ten team if it is
ranked No. 1 or No.
2 in the AP poll. If
the fourth-ranked
Buckeyes beat
Michigan, they
would likely jump to
No. 2. Michigan
would then probably receive an Alliance
Bowl bid - likely the Fiesta - but
could play Nebraska in a "national cham-
pionship game" in the Orange Bowl if
Tennessee loses in the SEC champi-
onship game and Florida knocks off
Florida State.
BOSTON OPENS HIS MOUTH: If Ohio
State wide receiver David Boston
learned anything from former Buckeye
speedster Terry Glenn, it wasn't tact.
Following in the footsteps of the depart-
ed Glenn, Boston guaranteed an Ohio
State victory over Michigan on Saturday.
"If our offense and defense are click-
ing, we should beat Michigan by two or
three touchdowns," Boston remarked. "I
think we're better than Michigan."
Glenn made similar comments two
years ago and even picked on then-fresh-
man Charles Woodson, who proceeded
to shut down Glenn and pick off two
passes. Nobody can be sure if this game
will turn out the same way, the only thing
we know for certain is that Boston's
quote is on every chalk board in
Michigan's lockerroom.
INJURY UPDATE: With safety Daydrion
Taylor already sidelined with a sprained
neck, Michigan's defensive corps took a
huge hit Saturday when starting free
safety Tommy Hendricks left the game
after a Badger rolled onto his leg.
Hendricks did not return, and had
trouble making it up the stairs to the vis-
iting lockerroom by himself. Michigan
coach Lloyd Carr said he doesn't know if
Hendricks can play next week.
The Wolverines may also have lost
starting tackle Jeff Backus, who left the
game with an apparent knee injury.
Tailback Clarence Williams missed his
second straight game with what was
deemed as a hamstring pull three weeks
ago.
WOODSON, WOODSON, WOODSON:
Okay, he can do everything. After play-
ing receiver, defensive back and kick
returner, Woodson tried his hand at quar-
terback, throwing a 28-yard pass to quar-
terback Brian Griese on a cross-field
throwback in the first quarter.
"He can do everything else, we want-
ed to see how good his arm was," Griese
said.
Team Stats Mich
First Downs 25
Rushes/Yards 46/204
Passing Yards 282
Offensive Plays 73
Total Offense 486
Return Yards 14
Comp/Att/int 20/27/0
Punts/Avg 3/32.3
Fumbles/Lost 1/0
Penalties/Yards 5/34
Time of Poss 32:09
MICHIGAN SCHEDULE
Sept. 13 COLORADO
Sept. 20 BAYLOR
Sept. 27 NOTRE DAME
Oct. 4 Indiana
Wis.
16
41/154
81
63
235
106
8/22/1
5/39.4
0/0
0/0
27:51
W 27-3
W 38-3
W 21-14
W 37-0
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.
Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
11
18
25
1
8
15
22
NORTHWESTERN W 23-6
IOWA W28-24
Michigan State W 23-7
MINNESOTA W 24-3
Penn State W 34-8
Wisconsin W 26-16
OHIO STATE Noon
HOME GAMES IN CAPS
Mhigan finds It
easy to get Streets
back in offense
By John Lorol
Daily Sports Editor
MADISON - For nine games, Michigan has won because
of its No. I defense. Saturday, the Wolverines needed their
offense to topple No. 23 Wisconsin, 26-16.
Michigan's defense wasn't horrendous by any stretch of the
imagination, but it didn't live up to its own lofty standards.
The offense, meanwhile, rolled up 486 total yards.
Another surprise was the re-emergence of wide receiver Tai
Streets, who caught five passes for 108 yards and one touch-
down. Streets, Michigan's best receiver last season, had only
19 catches before the Wisconsin game in what most people
would consider a sub-par season.
Part of Streets' difficulties in the past three weeks stem, at
least partially, from injury. He has played for at least three
weeks with a dislocated finger on each hand, although one
was healed by Saturday. But that doesn't explain Streets' dis-
appearing act in the Wolverines' first six games.
Eclipsed by tight end Jerame Tuman and running backs
Clarence Williams and Chris Howard, Streets practically van-
ished from Michigan's passing arsenal. Three of quarterback
Brian Griese's five interceptions this season have bounced off
the defense. They just played great."
Quarterback Brian Griese was 19-of-26 for 254 yards
and a touchdown, connecting with wide receiver Tai
Streets five times for 108 yards. Streets struggled the past
two weeks with a dislocated finger on each hand, but he
was able to contribute to an offense that totaled 486 yards.
Howard chipped in, too, with 100 yards and two touch-
downs on 26 carries.
Wisconsin (5-2, 8-3) challenged Michigan's defense
despite the loss of the NCAA's No. 3 rusher, sophomore
Ron Dayne, to a severe right ankle sprain. Dayne was eval-
uated in warmups, when Badgers coach Barry Alvarez said
he decided not to "take any chances." Senior Carl
McCullough, who was a 1,000-yard rusher before Dayne
arrived here, stepped in and gained 102 yards on 20 car-
ries.
McCullough "played very hard and really gave us a
spark," Alvarez said. "He lifted all of our kids up in the
first half. The way he ran and the way he finished runs,
how physical he was, he was impressive."
The option, led by scrambling quarterback Mike
Samuel, was particularly helpful for the Badgers in gain-
ing 235 yards of total offense. Samuel was only 8 for 21
for 81 yards and a touchdown, but he rushed for 49 yards
and o's, but for h'
team. It is safe to si
son, Michigan's na'
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have overachieve r
the country.
And that is not
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Sports is often f
against the odds an
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Now, Michigan h
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WARENN / ily
Split end Tai Streets (top left) had five receptions for 108 yards.
But Streets' poor hands this season forced Michigan to turn
elsewhere for offensive production. Howard and Williams
have caught more balls out of the backfield than last season,
and Tuman, a preseason All-American, has become the
Wolverines' big-play receiver.
And Michigan coach Lloyd Carr has been using defensive