0I
Mistakes
By UJ Berka
Daily Sports Editor
Ohio State coach John Cooper hasn't
had much luck against Michigan in his
coaching career. Since joining the
Buckeyes in 1988, Cooper has seen just
about everything go wrong against the
Wolverines.
He's seen his team get manhandled by
t Michigan rushing attack. He's seen
is players trash-talk the week of the
game, only to be shown up in the game.
He's also seen the Buckeyes come
into the Michigan game highly ranked,
only to lose.
But nothing prepared him for what
was going to happen on Saturday. Ohio
State, needing a win to go to a bowl
game, played like it, competing with an
intensity rarely seen from the Buckeyes
Os year.
But with that intensity came mistakes.
Ohio State shot itself in the foot with
penalties and turnovers as Michigan ral-
lied to win in the second half.
"I'm very proud of the way we played
today," Cooper said. "But if you turn it
over as many times as we did or make as
many mistakes as we did, you aren't
going to win."
But Ohio State had a chance to bury
ichigan before the comeback started.
After forcing a Tom Brady fumble,
Ohio State running back Jonathan Wells
raced 76 yards from the Ohio State 18 to
the Michigan six-yard line. Already
sporting a 17-10 lead, it looked as if
Ohio State was primed to put Michigan
in a huge hole.
But Michigan held and the Buckeyes
had to settle for a 30-yard field goal
attempt from Dan Stultz. But Stultz
shed the field goal wide left, changing
e game's momentum.
"I think (Stultz) got a little bit ner-
vous," Michigan safety DeWayne
Patmon said. "James Hall has blocked so
many kicks, so I think that was a factor
in his thinking."
But the fact that snapper Kevin
Houser was shaken up might have had
an effect also. Houser got banged up
early in the game and might not have
been in the best physical shape when he
*pped the ball for the field goal.
"Kevin was shaken up, but he wasn't
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Ohio State taliback Michael Wiley managed
The Ohio State ground game amassed a wh
Spartans h
*rn staff and wire reports
EAST LANSING - It took Penn
State three weeks to go from No. 2 in
the country to No. 4 in the Big Ten.
The 13th-ranked Nittany Lions lost
their third straight game Saturday,
falling to Michigan State, 35-28 after
making up a 21-point halftime deficit.
It marked the first time Penn State
S-3 Big Ten, 9-3 overall) has lost three
night since 1988, and the first time
since 1914 that it has lost its final three
The Michigan Daily -- SportsMonday - November 22, 1999 -- 58
ensure Buckeyes won't go bowling
shaken up on the play," Cooper said.
"We just didn't execute.
Ohio State quarterback Steve Bellisari
had a hard time executing the passing
game against Michigan's defense.
While the sophomore frustrated the
Michigan defense with his scrambling
ability, his passing prowess left a bit to
be desired. Bellisari went eight-for-20
for 84 yards with two costly second-half
interceptions that prevented Ohio State
from gaining a significant advantage.
"Turnovers really hurt us,' Ohio State
running back Michael Wiley said. "Had
we not done that, I think we win this
game."
Patmon and Ian Gold caught the
Bellisari misfires, which resulted in a
Hayden Epstein field goal and a eight-
yard touchdown pass to Shawn
Thompson to tie the game at 17.
This game was Bellisari's first
Michigan-Ohio State game as a starter
and it showed, as Michigan's linebackers
and safeties seemed to confuse him
when they dropped back in coverage.
"We noticed in film this week that
Bellisari always passes to the right hash-
mark," Gold said. "So Coach (Jim)
Herrmann wanted one of us to be on the
hashmark at all times. That's where I was
when I intercepted it."
But even when the Buckeyes com-
pleted passes to the right team, the
receivers had a hard time keeping pos-
session of the ball.
With the game tied at 17 during the
beginning of the fourth quarter, Bellisari
led the Buckeyes from the Ohio State 30
to the Michigan 34.
Bellisari then connected with wideout
Vanness Provitt across the middle.
Provitt was belted by Michigan cor-
nerback James Whitley, forcing Provitt
to cough up the ball. Cato June recov-
ered for the Wolverines, who drove
down the field for the game-winning
touchdown on the ensuing drive.
"To have an 11 or 12-play drive end in
a fumble and to throw two interceptions
is disappointing," Ohio State offensive
coordinator Mike Jacobs said.
And because of that; the Buckeyes
have to deal with the disappointment of
not qualifying for a bowl for the first
time in over a decade.
GAME RECAP
FIRST QUARTER:
*On a second-and-goal from the Michigan six,
*Ohio state quarterback Steve Beilisari finds
* KevinHoer in thelef fa Cao Jne tre to
away and into the end zone. Ohio State is
penalized 15 yards for excessive celebration, but
IDan Stultz converts the 35-yard extra point.
Ohio State 7, Michigan 0
*Ohio State is penalized for roughing punter
Hayden Epstein, giving Michigan an automatic
frst down when the Woverines were facing a
*Michigan drives the ball down to the Ohio state
*38, but wide receiver DiAllo Johnson drops a
*pass that would give Michigan a first down The
b Wovrie liep aif thyar kickin a fied
attempts the pooch punt
SECOND QUARTER:
* A 32-yard screen pass to Anthony Thomas
Sbrings the ball down to the Ohio State 13. Four
* plays later, Thomas rumbles one yard for the
touchdown.
* Michigan 7, Ohio State 7
After starting at their own 10, the Buckeyes put
together a lengthy drive. On a third-and-eight
from the Michigan nine, Bellisari lofts a pass for
*Ken-Yon Rambo in the left corner of the end
*zone. The ball falls incomplete, but Michigan
cornerback James Whitley is flagged for pass
*interference after throwing Rambo into the
akJmaatn fo a oe-yr tochn.g
Ohio State 14, Michigan 7
ITHIRD QUARTER:
*Bellisari overthrows wide receiver Reggie
Germany on a crossing pattern and Michigan
*safety DeWayne Patmon picks it off. Patmon
returns it 32 yards down to the Ohio State 23.
Hayden Epstein kicks te 42yrd fiel goal
Ohio State 14. Michigan 10
On the ensuing kickoff, Rambo fumbles the
*ball, recovers his own fumble and scampers 53
yards down to the Michigan 43. Rambo catches
another pass to bring the ball down to the 14,
bu the dive stalls and stultz kicks a 27-yard
Ohio State 17, Michigan 10
With Michigan threatening, strong safety
Michael Doss comes on a blitz and strips the
ball from Michigan quarterback Tom Brady On
the next play, running back Jonathan Wells
* spins off of a Cato June tackle and runs 76
*yards down the right sideline before he is
caught from behind by Todd Howard. Four plays
later, stultz misses a 30-yard field goal after a
*bad hold forces him to stutter-step as he
approaches the kick.
ter a Michigan drive sputters Ohi ae
another Bellisari pass intended for Germany is
picked off, this time by Michigan linebacker Ian
Gold. Gold returns it 17 yards, to the Michigan
eight. On the next play Brad hits tight ernd
Thompson dives into the end zone for the
touchdown.
MichIgan 17, Ohio State 17
FOURTH QUARTER:
After a James Whitley tackle forces Ohio State
wide receiver Vanness Provitt to fumble the ball,
Michigan puts together a 10-play, 77 yard drive
that culminates in a 1 0-yard touchdown pass to
Marquise Walker.
Michigan 24, Ohio State 17
On a second-and-1O from the Ohio State 20,
Bellisari is hit by James Hall and fumbles the
ball. But Ohio State tailback Michael Wiley
recovers the ball to keep the Buckeyes' drive
alive and advances it for five yards.
After being sacked by Dhani Jones on a third-
and-o on the Ohio State 39, a diving
Germany can't come up with Bellisari's fourth-
down attempt. Michigan takes over on downs
and runs out the clock.
FINAL SCORE: Michigan 24, Ohio State.1?
SAM HOLLENSHEAD/ Daily
Steve Bellisarl was harassed mercilessly by Cato June and the Michigan defense. Bellisari only completed eight of 20 pass-
es, threw two crucial second-half interceptions and fumbled the ball once.
BUCKEYES
Continued from Page 1B
the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Ariz.
In a game which had big passes, big
runs and some big kicks, the biggest
play was a big tackle. On a first-and-10
from his own 18-yard line, Ohio State
quarterback Steve Bellisari handed the
ball off to tailback Jonathan Wells.
Wells ran around right tackle and
dashed up the sideline, forcing both
James Whitley and Cato June to miss
tackles. As he darted up the sideline, it
looked he had the touchdown, which
would have given Ohio State a 24-10
lead.
"From my angle, it appeared he was
going to score," Michigan safety
Tommy Hendricks said.
It appeared that way from pretty
much every angle except Todd
Howard's. Howard, a cornerback, darted
down the field after Wells. Wells cut a
little bit from the sideline towards the
hashmark, giving Howard more of a
chance to catch up to him. At the
Michigan six-yard line, the speedy
Howard pulled Wells down.
"I saw him slugging a bit, and he's
kind of big, so I just put on the jets,"
Howard said.
"He gave the defense a chance,"
Hendricks said.
And the defense made the most of it.
After an incomplete pass, a two yard
gain and a sack, the Buckeyes were left;
going for a 30-yard field goal. A bad
hold forced Buckeyes' kicker Dan
Stultz to stutter-step as he approached
the ball and his kick fell short.
Under three minutes later, Ian Gold
leapt up and grabbed a pass intended for;
Buckeyes receiver Reggie Germany and
returned it 17 yards to the Ohio State;
eight. "I felt old-school there," Gold, a
high school running back, said of the
return. "A little bit like Belleville High
School."
On the next play, Brady hit Shawn
Thompson at the four-yard line on a;
naked bootleg, and Thompson dove into
the end zone for the tying touchdown.
A few hours later, Rob Renes, Pat;
Kratus and Josh Williams wandered out
of the Michigan lockerroom and onto
the field. The comeback was over:
Walker had scored, the defense held
Ohio State and Michigan had won. The;
three defensive linemen, all seniors who
had just played their final game atf
Michigan Stadium, were still wearing;
their jerseys.
Michigan Stadium was pretty much;
empty, but the marching band was on
the field playing its post-game show.
For his final time, Renes watched.
"We went out there and tried to get a
little piece of the Michigan lore while;
we're still a part of it," Renes said.
SAM HOLLENSHEAD/Daily
Ito rush for 92 yards despite seeing Michigan defenders gunning for him all day.
opping 263 yards against the Wolverines.
BIG TEN
old off comeback, Gophers avoid collapse
BIG TEN STANDINGS
ting up the winning touchdown.
The Nittany Lions couldn't muster a
drive in the final three minutes.
"You've got to give Michigan State
some credit; they had to come back,"
Paterno said. "They came back and
made some plays. That's a good football
team; they bang away and that's how it's
supposed to be."
No.17 MINNESOTA 25, IOwA 21: An
impressive season by Minnesota was
almost tainted by a loss to Big Ten cel-
lar dweller Iowa, but a 73-yard touch-
down by Arland Bruce saved the day.
Linebacker Sean Hoffman knocked
down a pass in the end zone with eight
seconds left as Minnesota rallied for its
eighth win of the season. Minnesota
Drew Brees didn't amass the numbers
of Indiana's Antwaan Randle El, but the
Boilermakers did escape with a win.
Indiana (3-5, 4-7) had 329 yards
passing by Randle El and led 24-23
starting the fourth quarter. But
Sutherland took a punt by Drew Hagan
and ran back for his second touchdown
return of the season to give the
Boilermakers (4-4, 7-4) the lead.
ILLINOIS 29, NORTHWESTERN 7:
Two years removed from 0-11, Illinois is
going bowling.
Freshman Brandon Lloyd set up two
first-half touchdowns with a punt return
and a long reception, and the Illini used
strong defense to beat Northwestern to
finish a 7-4 regular season.
Team
Wisconsin
Michigan
Michigan State
Penn State
Minnesota
Illinois
Purdue
Ohio State
Indiana
Northwestern
Iowa
Big Ten
7 1
6 2
6 2
5 3
5 3
4 4
4 4
3 5
3 5
1 7
0 8
Overall
9 2
9 2
9 2
9 3
8 3
7 4
7 4
6 6
4 7
3 8
1 10
regular-season games.
True freshman T.J. Duckett ran for
four touchdowns for the Spartans (6-2,
9-2). He carried 22 times for 159 yards,
including the winning touchdown on an
11-yard run up the middle with 2:30
14
d
d
sl
e
THIS WEEKEND'S RESULTS
Michigan 24, Ohio State 17
Illinois 29, Northwestern 7
Purdue 30, Indiana 24
Minnesota 25, Iowa 21
Michigan State 35, Penn State 28
n