4B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - November 6, 2000
GAME STATISTICS
Team Stats
First Downs
Rushes/Yards
Passing Yards
Offensive Plays
Total Offense
Return Yards
Comp/Att/Int
Punts/Avg
Fumbles/Lost
Penalties/Yards
Time of Poss
NU
31
50/360
322
90
654
0
27/40/0
3/42.0
1/0
10/93
30.53
MICH
33
44/250
318
81
535
20
24/37/0
2/40 0
2/2
9/90
29.07
4
Records fall in a new offensive world
RECORD-BREAKING
The offensive explosion on Saturday broke
just a few Michigan records. Here are five
of the biggest:
N O R T H W E S T E R N
PASSING
Player
Kustok
Totals
RUSHING
Player
Ander son
Kustok
S mmons
Lawrence
Patrick
Totals
RECEIVING
Player
Simmons
Schweighardt
Johnsen
Patrick
Jordan
Anderson
Farman
Totals
C-A
27-40
27.40
Yds TO
322 2
322 2
Att
31
16
1
50
No.
12
3
2
2
2
27
Yds
268
55
0
-2
332
Yds
124
54
72
50
14
3.5
1
322
Avg
86
3.4
11.0
0
-2.0
6.6
Avg
10.3
10.8
24
25
7
11.5
11
11.9
Lg
45
21
11
0
0
45
Lg
24
25
36
30
10
5
36
Int
O
TO
TD
2
2
0
0
0
4
TD
1
O
0
0
0
1
2
By Mark Francescutti
Dally Sports Ehior
PUNTING
Player
Star dri n
Totals
KICKOFF RETURNS
Player No.
Johnson 3
Ayeni 3
Totals 6
PUNT RETURNS
Player No.
Totals 0
DEFENSE
Player
Silva
Wieber
Blackmrron
Wheeler
Covington
Emmerich
Harris
Bentley
Chapman
Durr
Collins
Missouri
Brown
Konopka
Stuckey
Lawrence
Simon
Lezi
Ayenr
No. Yds
3 126
3 126
Yds A
51
93:
144
Yds A
0
Solo
s
6
6
6
5
4
2
2
1
1
0
2
2
2
2
0
0
Avg Lg
42.0 50
42.0 50
Avg Lg
17 20
31 54
24 54
TD
0
0
0
Avg Lg TD
0 0 0
Asst
9
2
1
0
1
2
4
2
2
2
3
0
0
0
1
2
0
Tot
14
8
7
6
6
6
6
4
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
PASS DEFENSE
Player
Covington
Totals
mt
0
0
Yds
0
0
Ig
0
0
1rk-up
1
T>
0
0
M I C H I G A N
PASSING
Player
Henson
Epstein
Walker
Totals
RUSHING
Player
Thomas
Bellamy
Henson
Totals
RECEIVING
Player
Walker
Terrell
Bellamy
Thomas
Seymour
Askew
Joppru
Coleman
Totals
C-A
23/35
1/1
0/1
24/37
Att
37
3
4
44
No.
9
9
1
1
1
1
24
Yds
199
30
-12
217
Yds
134
117
18
16
11
10
6
6
318
Yds
312
6
0
318
Avg
5.4
10.0
-3.0
4.9
Avg
14.9
13
18
16
11
10
6
6
13.25
TO
4
0
0
4
Ig
54
28
7
54
Lg
21
25
18
16
11
10
6
6
25
int
0
0
0
O
TO
3
0
3
TO
0
3
O
1
4
EVANSTON - lWhen the score is 54-51 and
both teams combine to rack up more than 1,000)
yards of total offense, a few records shatter in the
process
Northwestern's 64 total yards werc the most
against IMichi+!an -ever
But is it that inipres iin the new age of foot-
ball? After alI' Purdue broke the same Mlichigan
record just a f eC weeks ao.
Were in a bral\C new world." Northwestern
coach Rand\ Walker said. "It's
a different g1ame. Kids are FOOTBALL
more athletic. The mindset has
changed a great deal 'Notebook
The offensive liiinds have -- __
outmustered the Bo Schembechler idea that defense
wins championships. All of a sudden, a crazy
Northwestern olense. whether a gimmick or not,
along \ ith a Purdue passing attack that's among the
tops in the country. ha e ruled the Big Ten.
And Michigan. a team historically known for its
defense. is just trving to keep up with the latest craze.
Despite an ofFcnsive line anchored with NFL
draft picks, potential Al-Americans at the wide
receiver, quarterback and running back positions,
the Wolverines tried to outshoot the two high-pow-
ered gangsters of the con fcrence and failed. Purdue
outgained Michigan 530-430, and Northwestern
did the same 654-535.
"And I thought Purdue was pretty bad,' said
offensive lineman Steve Hutchinson of the close
loss.
WHERE'S THiED :': After defensive coordinator
Jim Herrmann and the Michigan defense had two
WILDCATS
Continued from Page 1B
get a first down and run out the clock.
And Anthony Thomas did in fact run past the
first-down marker. Unfortunately for Michigan,
after he gained the yardage needed to run out the
clock, he dropped the football.
"All I had in my mind was trying to get the first
down," Thomas said. "I saw something open up
and I tried to take a little too much and then some
bad things happened."
Those bad things resulted in the Wolverines'.
second turnover of the game --- the one that
would cost them the victory.
Sophomore Raheem Coington fell on the ball
at the Michigan 30-yard line. And it took Kustok
just three plays to score the winning touchdown
on a pass to Teddy Johnson. The Wolverines
seemed to still be in shock after the fumble.
But to no one's surprise, the game didn't end
there. Walter Cross returned the kickoff to
Michigan's 36-yard line. Fifteen seconds were left
on the clock - enough for two plays before
Michigan had to try a field goal that would send
the two teams into overtime.
Two complete passes and 25 yards later,
Hayden Epstein was lining up to kick a 57-yard
field goal. Epstein holds Michigans record for
longest field goal with a 56-varder last season at
Michigan State. ie was confident he could do it
again.
Carr "asked if I could make it and I said yes,"
Epstein said.
But the game took a weird turn once agan.
John Navarre couldn't handle the snap and
Epstein was forced to throw a six-yad pass to
Evan Coleman instead of attempting the kick.
This was just the last of many Odd twists taken
on Saturday. Each team racked up almost 100
penalty yards - -nine calls were made against the
Wolverines, 10 acainst the Wildcats.
Northwestern also staved consistent with its
spread offense, no-huddle style of pla and bag of
tricks.
With I1Iminutes left in the first half. trailin
28-17, Northwestern converted an onside kick
after an Anderson touchdown. The onside kick
turned into a field goal- helping Northwestern et
within five at the half.
The second half was highligited by more odd
turns and crucial penalties. In the third quarter, a
holding call, a late hit and a face-mask penalty
called against Michigan helped Northwestern to
only a 45-43 deficit at the beginning of the fourt h
quarter.
And that's when it all slipped through their fin-
gers. With two Big Fen losses, the Wolverines'
Rose Bowl hopes vanished.
"The championship was on the line and we let
that slip away," Carr said.
weeks to prepare for Walker's offense, the
Wolverines responded with poor tackling and bro-
ken coverage. The 238 yards given up to Damien
Anderson was a record-worst for a Michigan
defense that hasn't struggled in this fashion in a
long time.
"When you play in November and the champi-
onship is on the line you have to play good defense,
and we obviously didn't play that way today" Carr
said. "Right from the very beginning the tackling
was shoddy. We didn't get the right people on the
ball and you ended up with a lot of one-on-one
tackles."
LAST SECOND TRY: Michigan kicker/punter
Hayden Epstein had one last chance to send the
game into overtime with four seconds left in the
game. The challenge - a 57-yard field goal, one
yard more than the 3-pointer Epstein banged home
at Michigan State last season, and a kick that tied
Mike Gillette's school record.
Carr "had confidence in me," said Epstein, who
earlier this season was replaced on short-range
field goals by Jeff Del Verne.
Epstein didn't end up putting his foot on the
ball, as John Navarre mishandled the snap. The
ball ricocheted off Navarre's hands into Epstein's.
Epstein threw a complete pass to Evan Coleman,
but Michigan had no shot of reaching the end
zone.
Fit.Nmtivc THE GAME A N,: After Zak Kustok's
pass flickered off off the hands of Anderson with
1:38 remaining, wide receiver David Terrell
thought that the proverbial Fat Lady was chirping
her song.
"I thought the game was won," Terrell said.
"He dropped the pass and we had one minute to
waste. We could do it. We can get a first down,
which we did."
All Anthony Thomas had to do was fall down
after he broke free and gained first-down yardage.
Instead, as he spurted towards the endzone, Sean
Wieber knocked the ball loose and Raheemn
Covington recovered.
"A-Train just tried to get extra yards. What can
you say? It was just a mistake," Terrell said.
A mistake, or a prayer answered for
Northwestern?
"I thought the A-Train was gone," Wieber said.
"We are a spiritual team and we needed a play. I got
one hand on the ball and it came down tonight. I
don't think he saw me. He probably saw that he had
80 yards of paydirt ahead of him and was swinging
his arms out too much."
CwosE cutes: Carr wouldn't respond to ques-
tions about the other questionable calls - includ-
ing a late hit call against Eric Brackins in the third
quarter - until he saw game film.
"I can't get into that because it would cost me a
S50,000," said Carr of the Big Ten penalty for neg-
ative postgame thrashing of referees.
WILD CELEBRAION: The goalposts wouldn't
come down in Evanston, despite a raucous group of
student bouncing wildly.
Before he left for Colorado, coach Gary Barnett
had the posts dug in deeper to prevent the college
kids from taking it down after victories.
Northwestern students used to tear the post down
after every win.
Still, the players and fans had plenty of cheerful
time after the game in Northwestern's first sellout
of the season.
"I was tackling people,"Covington said. "People
were saying Good game' and here I am running
them over."
Most Net Yards
Team
at Northwestern
Illinois
Ohio State
Colorado
Most Points (by
Team
Cornell
Cornell
Northwestern
.,.
I
I
,,
1982
1961
1994
opponents)
Year Points
1891 58
1889 56
1958 55
I
I
Most Rushing Yards (by opponent)
Team Year Yds
Andersen, NW 2000 268
Thompson, MINN 1987 201
Davis, ARMY 1945 188
Francis, OSU 1962 186
Emery, WISC 1984 185
Most Total Plays (by opponent)
Team Year Plays
Maryland 1990 91
at Northwestern 2000 90
Michigan State 1968 90
Most Points (both teams)
Team Year Points
West Virginia 1904 130
Buffalo 1901 128
Michigan Agric. 1902 119
Iowa 1902 107
at Northwestern 2000 105
(by opponents)
Year Yds
2000 654
515
512
511
at Northwestern 2000
54
6
I
PUNTING
Player
Epstein
Totals
KICKOFF RETURNS
Player No.
Cross 3
Beard1
Orr 3
Total 7
PUNT RETURNS
Player No.
Sellamy 1
Totals t
DEFENSE
Player
Patmon
Foote
Brackins
Whialey
Orr
Curry
B. Williams
Drake
Rumishek
LeSueur
Lazarus
Wilson
Howard
Petruziello
Casseus
Sechier
Hobson
Diggs
D. Williams
Jordan
Stevens
Del Verne
Spytek
Fargas
Coleman
No. Yds Avg Lg
2 80 40.0 45
2 80 40.0 45
Yds
38
27
13
78
Yds
20
20
Solo
7
7
s
4
3
4
4
2
3
3
1
1
1
1
1
,1
0
Avg
127
27 0
4.3
14.1
Lg
19
27
7
27
Avg Lg
20 20
20 20
Asst
9
7
3
2
3
1
0
2
0
0
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
TD
0
0
0
0
TD
0
O
Tot
16
14
8
6
6
5
4
4
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
PETER CORNUE/ Daily
David Terrell's expression says it all: With even decent defense, the 51-point outburst by himself and the rest of the Wolverines would have been more than enough to win.
THE BIG TEN BOWL PICTURE
The Rose Bowl: Purdue controls its own destiny in this spot.
If the Boilermakers win out then they will head to Pasadena. If
they lose to either Michigan St. or Indiana and Northwestern
wins out, then the Wildcats will be California-bound.
The Citrus Bowl: If Purdue heads to the Rose Bowl then
Northwestern will claim the second spot in the Big Ten. The Citrus
Bowl is slated to take the No. 2 team in the conference. But the
Citrus Bowl committee is free to chose who they would like. If his-
tory stays intact the Wildcats will go to the No. 2 Big Ten bowl.
The Outback Bowl: This is where the Wolverines will head if
4 tthey win the rest of their games. But that includes a game at Ohio
State. If Michigan loses to the Buckeyes, Ohio State will probably
head to Tampa. It is possible Ohio State could also get a BCS bid.
The Alamo Bowl: If Michigan losses to the Buckeyes the
V4'm . Wolverines will not play on New Year's Day for the first time since
11995. The Alamo Bowl takes place on Dec. 30 and is for the No.
4 team in the Big Ten. But if the Wolverines win out. Ohio State
will be the ones to spend New Years back home - again.
The Sun Bowl is another possibility for the Wolverines if they lose their next
two games. The sixth-place Big Ten team will go to the Micron/PC.Com Bowl.
DEN HERDER
Continued from Page 1B
silently on the turf.
He is staring at a legacy slipping silently
into history. Nobody can really explain why
Michigan dropped the ball Saturday.
There are those who claim that - as with
the forward pass years ago -- Michigan has
failed to adapt soon enough. Purdue and
Northwestern have created an ofrense that
Michigan and Ohio State can't handle.
Others claim scholarship limitations and
widespread market exposure have leveled
the playing field in the Big Ten.
And there is, of course, the immediate
explanation. That Michigan's defensive
game plan was so inadequate it could not
protect a 51-point offensive performance.
That's the most truth you'll probably find
sifting through the fallout of Saturday's dis-
aster. Except perhaps one thing.
That those who live through the birth and
death of a legacy are affected most. It helps
explain how a 300-pound lineman can be
reduced to weeping, doubled over on a lock-
erroom table. And maybe it can explain why
a columnist would ask him to explain noth-
ing -- trading his recorder for a solemn slap
on the shoulder.
Maybe this is just a down year for
Michigan. Maybe it is a trend. Either way,
the Wolverines are headed for a third-tier
bowl game and a four-loss season.
The Rose Bowl trophy has probably tar-
nished slightly by now. And the newspapers
proclaiming perfection have all but yel-
lowed. Tales are still told with chest-bursting
pride about those Michigan Wolverines. The
character, the comebacks, the emotional
energy and marvelous magic - all are the
things of legacy. All compose another page
in the history of this university, turned over
Saturday night.
- Dave Den Herder can be reached at
dden(W umwch.edu
0
0
PASS DEFENSE
Player int Yds Ing Brk-up TD
Howard 0 0 0 2 O
Foote O 0 0 1 0
Whitley 0 0 O 1 0
Orr 0 0 0 1 0
Wilson 0 0 0 1 0
Totals 0 0 0 6 0
PL YE......E......
PLAYER OF THE GAME.
i,
Fe miCK S
STAFF PICS
WEEK 9 SELECTIONS
ALL PICKS MADE AGAINST THE SPREAD.
HOME TEAMS IN CAPS.
Michigan (-7.5) vs. NORTHWESTERN
OHIO STATE (-14) vs. Michigan State
ILLINOIS (-8) vs. Indiana
WISCONSIN (-5) vs. Minnesota
PENN STATE (-17) vs. Iowa
EASTERN MICHIGAN (-7.5) vs. Central Michigan
KANSAS STATE (-18.5) vs. Iowa State
FLORIDA STATE (-18.5) vs. Clemson
David
Den Herder
Michigan
Ohio State
Illinois
Wisconsin
lowa
Central Michigan
Kansas State
Clemson
Chris
Duprey
Michigan
Michigan State
Illinois.
Minnesota
Iowa
Central Michigan
Iowa State
Clemson
. -ii in n ( +est
Northwestern
Ohio State
Illinois
Wisconsin
Penn State
Eastern Michigan
Iowa State
Florida State
I iciano eagt
Michigan
Ohio State
Illinois
Minnesota
Iowa
Eastern Michigan
Iowa State
Florida State
Ahama
Mark Stephanie
Francescutti Offen
This week's results:
NORTHWESTERN 54, Michigan 51
OHIO STATE 27, Michigan State 13
ILLINoIS 42, Indiana 35
WIScONSIN 41, Minnesota 20
Iowa 26, PENN STATE 23 (OT)
EASTERN MICHIGAN 31, Central Michigan 15
Kansas State 56, IowA STATE 10
FLORIDA STATE 54, Clemson 7
LouISIANA STATE 30, Alabama 28
Missssppi State 35, KENTUCY 17
Florida 43, VANDERBILT 20
Oregon State 38, CALIFORNIA 32
WASHINGTON 35, Arizona 32
Southem Cal 44, ARIZONA STATE 38 (OT)
OREGON 27, Washington State 24 (OT)
Fine. Maybe we don't know much about
Pac-10 football - we were a combined
2-1 04 . Mavhe we should just make our
9l
6 ,s
F)amiPn An(lprgnn niSha(l fnr 968
1