The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - September 25, 2000- 5B.
ILLI
Carr pulls Epstein
for Del Verne
THE CALL OF
THE ZEBRA
By David4Den Herder
Jaly Spor Editor
HAMPAIGN - Saturday night
was no sortnal football Saturday for the
Fhting Illiti. Memorial Stadium was
erflowing and buzzing like it hadn't
in years. Some compared the atmos-
phere to Illinois' Rose Bowl season of
1983. Fireworks even thundered off the
towers during pregame festivities.
What fireworks went off in the
Michigan lockerroom during halftime,
ony the Wolverines know. But however
it hipened, when the Wolverines came
out for the second half, they had a new
ker
kter missing two field goals and a
PAT last week and botching another 32-
yder in the first half Saturday, kicker
H1y16en Epstein was pulled for senior
Jcf Del Verne.
"t have a lot of confidence in
Hayden," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr
saiO. "But I think anytime you've been
around a while and you miss a few field
goals, you're pressed a little bit. So I
went with Jeff."
Epstein's powerful leg did handle
ickoffs in the second half, but anything
requiring accuracy was up to Del Verne.
Epstein's punting duties were also
called into question when the junior
bobbled a low snap in his own end-
zone, and instead of throwing the ball
backward for a safety, tried to punt
while being tackled. The kick made it
out to the Michigan three-yard line
and Illinois quickly scored on the next
v.
Michigan never punted in the second
half, but senior punter Cory Sargent
could be seen practicing with long snap-
per Jeremy Miller on the sideline after
the break.
As for who will start next week
against No. 17 Wisconsin, Carr said,
"We'll just see it practice"
FAKE AND BAKE: Ti. thin smile that
creeps across Carr's face after a suc-
cessful gimmick play made an incot-
spicuous return Saturdav at Memorial
Stadium. With the Wolverines showing
punt: on their first drive of the night,
I psteit xery convincinglv flailed his
arms in >anic as if the snap had
sailed over Itis head.
in reality, the snap went straight to
Walter Cross, who went straight up the
middle 41 vards to set up Michigan's
first touchdown.
"That's not unlike Lloyd to do that:'
Illinois coach Ron Turner said. "We had
some one assigned to the fullback, and
they blocked him."
RMxtsE tilE t t Carr's gimmick
grin was replaced with a furious rage
late in the fourth quarter Saturday when
officials penalized Larry Foote for
excessive celebration. After 'Sopping
Illinois on third down and seemingly
forcing a punt, the Wolverines were
penalized 15 yards and the Illini kept
the ball.
After the stop, Foote waved his arnis
in celebration.
"I never knew that was a penalty,"
Foote said. "I've done it 100 tmes.
The officials did not give an
explaination.
"lie just said, You guys can do
that" Foote said.
SWITCH HITTERa: Drew Hten son was- j
nt the only new addition to the
Michigan offense late in the first half
Saturday. Cornerback James Whitley
once again tried his hand at iron man
football. checkin' in at receiver for
Henson.
"Wherever they need me. I'll play I
know what it's all about and I'mi just
trving to help the team:' Whil"tisaid.
The seior had one catch for I I
yards.
"If they need me to play center. I'll
playit. Ijsst wiant to xin" Wltitlev said.
The three judgements that
made the game
Larry Footeis called" or
Foote: unsportsmanlike conduct
for waving his arms
toward the crowd, some-
unsports- thing he says has been
manlike done hundreds of times.
p l The call nullified what
penalty would have been fourth-
and-eight for Illinois.
Rockey With 3:53 left and
Harvey: Michigan down 31-28,
Harvey collects a screen
from Kittner and is sent flip-
Is it a ping by Victor Hobson. The
fumble? fumble looks to be caused
by the ground, but the men
in stripes say fumble.
Anthony Did he or didn't he? While
Thomas: the replay clearly shows
the ball popping loose well
before he hits the ground,
Is it a Thomas is ruled down by
fumble? the officials. Michigan
Part IL scores the game-winning
touchdown on the next
play.
t .
Saturday, coach Lloyd Carr inserted fifth-year senior Jef.
Del Verne for extra points in place of
kicker/punter Hayden Epstein. Epstein continued on
kickoffs, but for the second straight game struggled
on punts and field goals.
Epstein's kicking troubles and points lost:
at UCLA -7 points
Missed two field goals (46 and 22 yards) and one PAT.
at Illinois -8 points.
Mishandled low snap and instead of taking safety tried
to punt. Play resulted in the Fighting Illini recovering at
the three-yard line. Illinois scored on the next play - a
five point turnaround. Also missed a 32-yarder at the end
of the half. cLE is
Lloyd Carr says he still
Season: 1-5 field goals, 14-15 PAT's. Epstein has per- has confidence in his
formed admirably on punts. kicker/punter Hayden
Epstein, Carr chose to
Del Verne was three for three on extra points, and did replace him with Jeff
not have the opportunity to kick a field goal. He played Del Verne on field goals
in seven games last season. Carr replaced Dev Verne Saturday.
issAl uith e-xssnn_ ixei op ctn t n101 i~inV nl iis csi a
wt distance-kickert peintaveruinois
field goal and an extra point versus Illinois.
N'western shocks Big Ten, Lions continue downfall
GAME PROGRESSION
FIRsT QUARTER:
Michigan drives to midfield on the
first possession of the game, and
Walter Cross runs 41 yards on a
fake punt to move the Wolverines
deep into Illini territory.
Anthony Thomas caps the drive
with a 2yard touchdown run.
Michigan 7 Illinois 0
SECOND QUARTER:
Early in the second quarter,
Hayden Epstein drops a snap in -
the Michigan endzone, and then
punts the ball out of bounds at
the Wolverine 3.
Illinois running back Antoineo
Hartis runs in from two yards out
on the next play.
Michigan 7, Illinois 7
With Michigan struggling behind
QB John Navarre, Iltni QB Kurt
Kittner hits receiver Aaron
Moorehead for 58 yards to the
Michigan 6, and running back
Rocky Harvey scores a touch-
down on the next play.
Illinois 14, Michigan 7
Drew Henson enters the game at
quarterback for Michigan, and
takes the offense to the Illinois
1C, where Epstein misses a 32
yard field goal.
THIRD QUARTER:
Illinois opens the second half of
the game by marching 63 yards.
scoring on a Kitner to Josh
Whitman 15 yard touchdown
pass.
Illinois 21. Michigan 7
Michigan counters the llint touch -
down, and puts together an 80 -
yard drive capped off by an eight
yard Henson scramble for a
touchdown.
Illinois 21. Michigan 14
After the next lilinois drive stalls
out on the Michigan 7. Steve Fitts
boots a 24 yard field goal.
Illinois 24, Michigan 14
FOURTH QUARTER:
Michigan almost immediately
answers the Illinois field goal, as
Henson completes a 57 yard
bomb to David Terrell, who tip'
toes his way to the endzone.
Illinois 24, Michigan 21
Illinois again had an answer for a
Michigan score, going 80 yards in'
just seven plays to put another
touchdown on the board.
This one comes as Kittner hits
ErictMcGoey from 17 yards out
for the score.;
Illinois 31, Michigan 21
Five plays after a B.J. Askew
kickoff return put Michigan in
great field position at the lilini 45,
freshman running back Chris
Perry rushes 15 yards for a
touchdown.
Illinois 31. Michigan 28
With under four minutes to go,
Michigan forces an Illinois
turnover, recovering a fumble on
the Illini 26 yard line.
Thomas rushes three times, scor- -
ing from three yards out to give
the Wolverines the lead back.
Michigan 36, Illinois 31
With one last chance to win the
game, Illinois turns the ball over
again with a fumble, and
Michigan runs out the clock.
Final: Michigan 36, Illinois 31
WHO'S NEXT;
WISCONSIN
Michigan comes off a critica come-from-
behind win on the road over Illinois and
will host Wisconsin in a huge conference-
match-up.
Wisconsin is trying to rebound from a
devastating 47-44, double overtime loss-'
to Northwestern at Sorne. Tee less came'
in the final game of a four-game stretch
the Badgers had to face without several
key players lost to suspension.
THE cOncCERNS: Any ball near the
wolverine seconday; wisconsin looking
for revenge; Drew Henson staying
healthy; Injuries on defense.
.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............--- -- ..... -... . . ...-
BIG TEN STANDINGS
Team Big Ten Overall
Ohio State 1 0 4 0
Michigan 1 0 3 1
Northwestern 1 0 3 1
Purdue 1 0 3 1
Michigan State 0 0 3 0
Indiana 0 0 1 2
Iowa 0 0 0 4
Illinois 0 1 3 1
Wisconsin 0 1 3 1
Minnesota 0 1 2 2
Penn State - 0 1 1 4
THIS WEEKEND'S RESULTS
Michigan 35, IkOtis 31
OHIO STATE 45, Penn State 6
PURDUE 38, Minnesota 24
Northwestern 47, WISCONSIN 44 (2 OT)
INDIANA 42, Cincinnati 6
NEBRASKA 42, Iowa 13
MicHIGAN STATE 27, Notre Dane 21
.M SCHEDULE
Date Onpongat Time-UTV/Resyal
Sept. 2 BOwsuNG GREEN W. 42-7
Sept. 9 RicE W. 38-7
Sept. 16 at UCLA L 23-20
Sept. 23 at Illinois W. 331
Sept. 30 wiscONsiN Noon, ABC
Oct. 7 at Purdue TBA
Oct. 14 INsoANA 3:30. ABC
Oct. 21 MIcHIGAN STATE 3:30. ABC
Nov. 4 at Northwestern TBA
Non. 11 PEON STATE NrAs
Nv, 18 at Ohio State Noon. ABC
MADISON (AP)-The other shoe finally fell on
the Wisconsin Badgers.
"I was probably the least surprised person out of
80,000 here today," Northwestern coach Randy
Walker said after Damien Anderson's 12-yard TD
run in the second overtime gave the Wildcats a 47-44
v-tory over Wisconsin on Saturdax.
U oments earlier, the Badgers (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten)
had taken a 44-41 lead on Vitaly Pisetskx s 39-yard
field goal.
Northwestern (3-I, 1-0), which had never scored
this many points against Wisconsin, got 174 yards on
21 carries from Anderson, who also scored on a 69-
yard run midway through the fourth quarter.
The Badgers completed their NC.AA-mandated
suspensions by sitting out six players against the
Wildcats, including No. I receiver Chris Chambers
and All-American cornerback Jamar Fletcher. They
were among 26 players who got caught receiving
*dvertised discounts at a shoe store.
It looked as though Wisconsin would make it
through the punishment unbeaten when Pisetsky's
47-yard field goal gave the Badgers a 34-31 lead
with 5F seconds left in regulation.
But, just as Cincinnati did a week earlier,.
Northwestern quickly moved downfiehd for a game-
tying field goad as time expired. Tim Long was good
from 46 yards.
No. 1 NEBRASKA 42, losA 13 --- Eric Crouch
0de nearly every pass count against lowa, and No.
ebraska came away with another victor.
Crouch-only threw the ball 13 times Saturday, but
the results couldn't have been much better ---- 10
completions, five touchdowns and a 42-13 win over
the Hawkeves.
Nebraska (3-0) will never be confused with a pass-
ing team and even though most of its points came
through the air, the Cornhuskers ran for 331 yards
against the Hawkeyes (0-4). }
The )-Huskers weren't able to put the game away
until Crouch's 4-yard TD pass to Wistrom with 1:27
left in the game. Troy vWatchorn added a 39-vard
interception return for a TD with 55 seconds left.
.No. 12 0mo SAE 45, PENN Sr 6 - _-Joe
Paterno was expected to pile uLp a few coaching mile-
stones this season, but not like this.
Six players scared touchdowns as Ohio State beat
Penn State 45-6 ct Sunda, handing Paterno his most
lopsided loss and his worst start ever.
Stuck on 318 career victories. Paterno remains
five victories shy of tying Bear Bryant for the most
wins by a major college coach.
The loss nave Penn State its first 1-4 start under
Paterno, matching the school's worst record through
five games since 1964 when Rip Engle was head
coach.
Ohio State ntaoted to 4-0 fr the seventh time in the
last 10 years. Goach John Cooper wasn't surprised by
the outcome in the Big Ten opener for both teambut
was by the margin.
"Never did f dream we would beat Penn State as
badly as we did" he said.
After winining its first coin toss of the year, Penn
State kicked off to the Buckeyes and were behind 7-
0 almost immediately and trailed 17-0 at the half
No.18 MtIciaN St.27, NOTRE DAtE 21 --- Jeff'
Smoker made up for two mistakes with one big play.
The freshlinen quarterback threw a 68-yard touch-
down pass to Herb Haygood with 1:48 left, lifting
Michigan State to a 27-21 victory over Notre Dame
on Saturday.
Smoker threw a perfect pass to H aygood ott
fourth-and-10 after turning the ball over twice in the
final 13 mintes - a fumble at Michigan State's 12
and an intercpilition at the.
"It was great to have them put the ball in my hands
on fourth down," Smoker said. I'm just glad I could
come through after making those two mistakes"
Michigan State (3-0) has won nine consecutive
games at hone, while the Irish (2-2) have lost eight
straight on the road.
Julius Jones' 2-yardTD run put Notre Dame ahead
21-20 with 7:59 left, one play after Anthony Weaver's
interception. Jones gained 126 vards on 26 carries.
After the Spartans took the lead, Notre Dame was
unable to complete a pass when it got the ball back
with 1:48 left after Haygood's touchdown.
No. 22 Plot. e 38, Mtsxesot s24 -Minnesota
coach (cien Mason is thankful that he's done witilt
Purdue's Drew Brees.
Brees set Bii Ten career records for completions
and attempts Saturday, throwing for 409 yards and
two touchdowns i Nso. 21 Purdue's 38-24 victory
over Minnesota.
Brees. who was 33-of-49 has 1.325 attempts, 820
completions, 9,487 yards and 73 touchdown passes
in 36 games. He topped the Big Ten marks of 797
completions set by Illinois' Jack Trudeau and 1.309
attempts by Purdue's Mark Herrmann..
His total offense of 497 vards made him the see-
ond player ins conference history to accumulate
10,000 yards. Brees has 10,036 and needs 219 to top
the record set by owa s Chuck Long.
Purdue (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten) built a 24-0 lead over
Minnesota (2-2, 0-1) in the first half and was never
challenged as it beat the Giolden Gophers forthe fifth
consecutive tisme.
ORco 29, No.8 UCLA 10:
The reviews on UCLA's road show are in, and they
are not good.
Maurice Morris ran for 139 vards and two touch-
downs as Oregon beat UCLA 29-10 on Satucan .or
its I 7th straight home victory and the Bruis' seventh
straight road defeat - their first this season.
Oregon (3-1) dominated in almost every category,
holding UCLA (No. 8 ESPN/USA Today, No. 6 AP)
to minus-9 yards rushing in the Pac-10 opener for
both teams. The Bruins failed to win a game on the
road. UCLA was coming off a victorv over then-No.
3 Michigan, and opened the season with a win over
Alabama ---- also No. 3 at the time.
- iompiCpledl hr Chris Bie
fiiuiii sta//isdl tit' 'rejot'ts
AP PHoo
Northwestern's Damien Anderson (20) is
congratulated by Rolf Reinalda (88) after running
for 69-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
i
WEEKEN
SOUTH CAROLINA GAMEcOCKS -
Coming off an 0-11 season, South
Carolina coach Lou Holtz didn't
F have many reasons to smile.
Although Holtz said early on this
year his squad was going to bet-
ter, never could the former Notre
Dame coach ever have' imagined
'is sq uad would start out 3-0.
defeat 10th-ranked Georgia. and
see the goalpost of Williams-Brice
Stadium come down two different
times in the first three weeks.
And after this week, Holtz is still
smiling.
The Gamecocks upset another
ranked team on Saturday when
'25th-ranked Mississippi State
became Holtz's fourth victim of
the year. Erik Kimrey, who came
in for Gamecocks' starting quar-
erback Phil Petty, threw a 25-
ard touchdown pass to Jermale
Kelly on fourth-and-10 to guide
South Carolina to a 23-19 victory.
Kelly finished the game with nine
catches for 123 yards. This is the
first time South Carolina has
started 4-0 since 1988, when the
squad finished 8-4.
The win skyrocketed the
Gameocks into the Top 25
D'S BEST
HOW THE AP TOP 25 FARED
Associated Press Poil for week of September 17th.
Games updated through September 24th.
ERIC CROUCH - The Nebraska
quarterback threw the ball only
13 times against Iowa on
Saturday, but Crouch proved
that quantity doesn't really
matter as the Husker quarter-
back threw for five touchdowns,
leading the nations top-ranked
team to a 42-13 win over the
Hawkeyes.
The junior set a Husker record
for touchdown passes in one
game as he threw passes of
31, 12, 43, 10, and four yards
respectively to lead
Nebraska's romp. Crouch
ended the day with 159 yards
in the air.
-t lAatsimer
1. Nebraska (3-0)
2. Florida State (4-0)
3. Florida (4-0)
4. Kansas State (4-0)
5. Virginia Tech (3-0)
6. UCLA (3-1)
7. Wisconsin (3-1)
8. Washington (3-0)
9. Southern Cal (30)
10. Michigan (3-1)
11. Clemson (4-0)
12. Miami (2-1)
13. Tennessee (2-1)
14. Ohio State (4-0)
15. Texas (2-1)
16. Notre Dame (2-2)
17. Oklahoma (3-0)
18. TCU (30)
19. Illinois (3-1)
20. Auburn (4-0)
21. Purdue (3-1)
22. Southern Miss (2-1)
23. Michigan State (3-0)
24. Georgia (2-1)
25. Mississippi (21)
beat Iowa 42-13 Missouri
beat Louisville at Maryland
beat Kentucky 59-31 at Mississippi State
beat North Texas 5510 at Colorado
idle at Boston College
lost to Oregon 29-10 Arizona State
lost to Northwestern 47-44 (20T) at Michigan
idle at Oregon
beat San Jose State 34-24 at Oregon State
beat llinois 35-31 Wisconsin
beat Virginia 31-10 at Duke
beat West Virginia 47-10 at Rutgers
beat Louisiana-Monroe 70-3 LSU
beat Penn State 45-6 idle
beat Houston 48-0 Oklahoma State
lost to Michigan State 27-21 idle
beat Rice 42-14 Kansas
Arkansas State 52-3 Navy
lost to Michigan 3531 Minnesota
beat Northern Illinois 31-14 Vanderbilt
beat Minnesota 38-24 at Penn State
beat Oklahoma State 28-6 Memphis
beat Notre Dame 27-21 Northewestern
beat New Mexico State 37-0 Arkansas
lost to South Carolina 2319 Florida
NEW AP
TOP 25
(first-place votes in parentheses)
TEAM PTS PVS
1. Nebraska (39) (3-0) 1,743 1
2. Florida State (30) (3-0) 1 ,732 2
3. Florida (1) (4-0) 1,603 3
4. Virginia Tech (3-0) 1,491 S
5. Kansas State (1) (4-0) 1,484 4
6. Washington (3-0) 1,426 8
7. Clemson (4-0) 1,223 11
8. Southern Cal (3-0) 1,181 9
9. Michigan 13-11 1.160 10
10. Miami Fla. (2-1) 1,079 12
11. Tennessee(2-1) 1,043 13
12. Ohio State (4-0) 995 14
13. Texash(2-1) 747 15
14. Oklahoma (3-0) 740 17
15. UCLA (3-1) 727 6
16. Texas Christian (3-0) 640 18
17. Wisconsin (3-11) 5947
18. Michigan State (3-tI 583 23
19. Auburn (4-0) 545 20
20. Oregon (3-1) 457 NR
21. Southern Miss. (2-1) 418 22
22. Purdue (3-1) 414 21
23. South Carolina (4-0) 291 NR
24. Illinois (3-1) 268 19
25. Georgia (2-0) 199 24
Dropped Out: No. 16 Notre Dame, No. 25
Mississippi State
i