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' mensurate with its I have overachieve r the country. And that is not ashamed of nor, achievements this s Sports is often f against the odds an house, proving that cator of a champior "I think the grea that they had great were tired of fo j-l got it done, forla Now, Michigan h A share of the-ch toughest conferene ment. But it's ot ment for this Michi "We don't want title)," Charles Woo 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