The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - October 24, 2005 - 5B

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Defensive Intensity
Last week, the defense looked unstoppable for the
first three quarters. This week, the defense couldn't
have looked much worse than in the first half.
They gave up 242 yards and could have given up
more than the two touchdowns they did. But then
something happened in the second half. We don't
know what the coaching staff said at halftime, but
the defense came out flying for the last 30 minutes.
The front seven stopped the run, and the second-
ary stayed close to the intended receivers. But once
again, the defense gave up a late drive that tied the
game. In overtime, they buckled down.

Carr-o-meter
After the win, it looked like Carr might
have been battling a little bit of a cold. But
nothing was going to damper his mood after
getting his 100th career win. And his Wol-
verines won consecutive games for the first
time this season. But in typical Carr fashion,
he downplayed his own accolades, saying his
wins were a reflection of the people around
him and not his own ability. But his players
appreciate all he's done. They gave him the
game ball, and Jake Long said that Carr may
have even gotten a little choked up.



Hypemeter

Rush Yards

Iowa fans made the Maize and Blue faithful
look good. Even with a 22-game home win-
ning streak on the line, the Hawkeyes never
reached the decibel levels heard in the Big
House against Penn State a week ago. Never
before have 70,000 people been as quiet as
they were in Kinnick Stadium after Steve
Breaston's 52-yard touchdown. Even so, the
fans maintained a respectable noise level for
most of the game. And by chanting "I-0-W-
A" after every Hawkeyes' score, we know for
sure they can spell their school's name.

The Wolverines' rushing attack was significantly
hampered by Mike Hart's first quarter exit due to
injury. Michigan's star tailback managed just 17
yards on five carries before he sat down. Kevin
Grady filled in admirably, picking up 62 yards on
18 carries. But Saturday's hero was Jerome Jackson.
The junior fourth-stringer responded after having
his number called late in the game, carrying for 44
yards in the fourth quarter and overtime. Jackson's
one-yard scoring run in extra time won the game.
Overall, it wasn't a great day for Michigan rushing,
but there certainly were bright spots.


4jie MOdT=g 0411y
STAFF PICKS
Predictions against the
spread for 10/22/05
MIchigan (+3) at Iowa
No. 1 Southern Cal (-30) at Washington
No. 10 Texas Tech (+16) at No. 2 Texas
Arkansas (+19) at No. 4 Georgia
No, 17 Tennessee (+3) at No. 5 Alabama
No. 16 Auburn (+6.5) at No. 7 Louisiana State
Oregon State (+9) at No. 8 UCLA
Brigham Young (+19) at No. 9 Notre Dame
N 11 Floda State { 29.5) at D)uke
No. 12 Penn State (-16.5) at Illinois
No 14 Ohio State (-15.5) at Indiana
No.45 Oregon (-9.5) at Arizona
Purdue(+8) at No.19 Wisonsin
No. 21 Texas Christian at Air Force (off)
Northwestrn (+115) at No. 22 Michigan State
No. 23 Virginia (+1) at North Carolina
.2 fig aState (-28.5} at Idaho
Washington State (+11.5) at No. 25 California
Record this week:
Record

Gabe
Edelson
Michigan
Southern Cal
Texas
Arkansas
Alabama
Louisiana State
UCLA
Notre Dame
Florida State
Penn State
Ohio State
Oregon
Purdue
TCU
Northwestern
Virginia
Idaho
Washington State
Texas
11-6-1
59.52-3(34)

Ian
Herbert

Iowa
Washington
Texas
Georgia
Alabama
Louisiana State
Oregon State
Brigham Young
Florida State
Illinois
Ohio State
Oregon
Purdue
TCU
Michigan State
Virginia
Idaho
California
Virginia
5-12-1
5556-3(34)

Matt
Venegoni
Iowa
Southern Cal
Texas
Arkansas
Alabama
Louisiana State
UCLA
Notre Dame
Floria State
Penn State
Indiana
Oregon
Wisconsin
TCU
Michigan State
Viriginia
Fresno State
California
Notre Dame
9-8-1
60-51-3(34)

Stephanie
Wright
Michigan

Southern Cal
Texas
Georgia
Alabama
Louisiana State
UCLA
Notre Dame
Duke
Penn State
Ohio State
Oregon
Wisconsin
TCU
Michigan State
Virginia
Fresno State
California
UCLA
9-8-1
61-50-3 (5-2)

Genghis
Khan
Michigan
Washington
Texas
Georgia
Tennessee
Louisiana State
UCLA
Notre Dame
Florida State
Illinois
Ohio State
Arizona
Wisconsin
TCU
Michigan State
Virginia

Gabe and Genghis ride
big weeks to inch closer
Genghis Khan succeeded
in conquering foreign
peoples, and he performed
similarly well with his picks
this week.The spokesman
for therealretro.com T-
shirt company helped the
celebrities' cause with a
winning record, moving his
group of well-known peers
closer to the pack of football
writers. Unfortunately,
Genghis's best bet, West
Virginia, didn't play because
of Hurricane Wilma.
Gabe had the best week
overall, with an 11-6-1
mark. His Northwestern
and Washington State picks
went against the grain
and helped him leapfrog
Ian into third place.
Matt and Stephanie both
remained in the top two spots
with winning weeks, but Ian's
5-12-1 meltdown left him
trailing among the writers.
est Cardiac Kids of the sports world, and
it's definitely exciting to watch. Most
Michigan fans would have to be crazy to
trade two overtime victories - including
its second straight over Michigan State
- and a last-second win over Penn State
for three easy W's.
But what if the outcome of Michigan's
next game were decided before the final
minute?
Over the past two weeks, the Wol-
verines have made it clear that they
can pull out close games, whether that
means executing a successful two-min-
ute drill on offense or preventing their
opponent from doing the same. But
for this Michigan team to take another
step forward - and prove that it's still
a contender for the Big Ten title - it
needs to flat-out win a game.
Now that would be funny.

Idaho
California
West Virginia (RID)
10-7-1
S3-5&3 (1-4)

IOWA
Continued from page 113
the opening, and that's just how they wanted it.
"We all knew it was down to us," right guard Matt
Lentz said. "J. Jack was going to get in because of us.
They put it on us, and we love that."
Long wasn't the only old face making a huge
impact in the showdown. In overtime on second-
and-eight from the Iowa 23-yard line, quarterback
Chad Henne rolled to his right on a play action pass.
It looked like no was open, but Henne - who fin-
ished 14-of-21 for 207 yards and two touchdowns
- threw a strike toward senior Jason Avant who
was crossing toward the near sideline. The pass
was a little behind Avant, but just as he has done all
year, the senior co-captain came up with the dif-
ficult catch. Avant's torso-contorting 18-yard grab
setup the eventual game winner
"He runs routes very well, and he's always there,"
Henne said of Avant. "If you throw the ball anywhere
in his area, he's going to go up and get it. He's a great
feature to this offense, and that's why he's getting all the
passes that he is, because he knows how to beat man
coverage or zone coverage."
Jackson and Avant's late-game heroics were made
possible by a Michigan defense that tightened up dur-
ing Iowa's overtime possession.
A defensive holding penalty on safety Jamar Adams
gave the Hawkeyes a first-and-10 at the Michigan 14-yard
line. After the Wolverines stuffed running back Albert
Young on a first down run and Drew Tate completed a
four-yard pass to receiver Clinton Solomon, Iowa had a
third-and-six at the 10-yard line. Drew Tate took the snap
and looked again for Solomon on a deep out to the right
sideline. Cornerback Leon Hall had the tight coverage,
and Tate's throw soared just past the outstretched hands
of the diving Solomon. The Hawkeyes had to settle for
the field goal and never saw the ball again.
"We preached that all week, as a defense - just fin-
ishing," Hall said. "Finishing the drive and finishing the
game, because a lot of times it will be in our hands.
We really wanted to finish this week, which is why we
came up with these big stops."
Inth .--cm a th ..e WvriaA-ne eta n t

WRIGHT
Continued from page 1B
to that game, the offense worked on two-
minute drills with less than a minute on
the clock.
The Wolverines also won back-to-back
games for the first time since they beat
Michigan State and Northwestern in 2004.
Two straight wins can't make up for Mich-'
igan's inconsistency all season, but at least
the Wolverines got off their one-win, one-
loss roller coaster for now.
So what could Michigan's coaching
staff emphasize this week?
The Wolverines seem to have mastered
most scenarios at the end of games. But
they still have some work to do in the mid-
dle, especially when it comes to putting
contests away.
As offensive tackle Matt Lentz said,
"We had a chance to take it over, and we
didn't."
The Wolverines have become the new-

- Stephanie Wright can be
reached at smwr@umich.edu.

TOM MASO GOMEZ/Daily
Receiver Jason Avant had seven catches for 105 yards and a touchdown in Michigan's win on Saturday. Avant came
up with an 18-yard reception in overtime to get the ball down to Iowa's five-yard line and set up the winning score.