4B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - October 2, 2006
THE BLITZ
Football
GAME STATISTICS
Team Stats
First Downs
Rush/Yds
Passing Yards
Offensive Plays
Total Offense
Return Yards
Comp/Att/Int
Punts/Avg
Fumbles/Lost
Penalties/Yards
Time of Poss
MICH
23
45/234
284
69
518
21
17/24/0
3/40.3
1/0
3/30
37:39
ASNG M I C H I G A N
Player C-A Yds TD
Henne 17-24 284 3
Totals 17-24 284 3
MINN
18
24/1 08
215
58
323
94
17/34/0
7/33.9
0/0
4/29
22:21
Int
0 T
O
g TD
4 0
6 1
6 O
0 O
4 1
g TD
1 1
7 O
7 2
7 30
RUSHING
Player Att
Grady 8
Breaston 1
Brown 2
Minor 2
Totals 45
RECEIVING N.
Player No.
Manningham 5
Breaston 5
Arrington 3
Massey 3
Hart 1
Totals 17
NO. 6 MICHIGAN 28 - MINNESOTA 14
Third downs a plus for Henne, offense
Yds
195
14
11
9
7
-2
234
Yds
131
48
59
15
31
284
Avg
11.0
4.5
5.2
Avg
26.2
9.6
31.0
16.7
L<
54
E
L
54
41
37
31
41
PUNTING
Player No.
Mesko 3
Totals 3
KICKOFF RETURNS
Player No. Yds
PUNT RETURNS
Player No.Yds
Totals 2 5
DEFENSE Soo
Harris 6
Burgess 4
Englemon 3
Crble 2
Stewart 3
Mundy 2
Woodley 2
Biggs 1
Minor 1
Barringer 1
Taylor 1
Van Alstyne 1
Campbell 1
Opong-Owusu O
Mclaurin O
Richards 0
Yds Avg Lg
121 40.3 54
121 40.3 64
Avg
160
Avg
2.5
Asst
3
1
2
0
0
1
1
1
Lg
Lg
5
TD
O
TD
0
Tot
9
5
5
4
4
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
i
1
1
i
1
BIG TEN STANDINGS
Team BIg Ten Overall
Michigan
Ohio State
Purdue
Iowa
Wisconsin
Penn State
Illinois
Michigan State
Indiana
Northwestern
Minnesota
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
5
5
4
4
4
3
2
3
2
2
2
0
0
1
1
1
2
3
2
3
3
3
By Scott Bell
Daily Sports Editor
MINNEAPOLIS - Following Michigan's win
against Wisconsin two weeks ago, almost nobody
wanted to ask Michigan quarterback Chad Henne
about his two touchdown passes.
Instead, he was pressed about whether or not he
was concerned about his team's inability to move the
chains on third down - something Henne admitted
was a big focus during the week of practice leading up
to the game.
"I don't know why we struggled so much on third
downs," Henne said following Michigan's 27-13 win
against Wisconsin. "We'll just have to watch the film
and start working on it in practice again this week."
Time after time, Michigan came up empty-handed
on third downs against the Badgers. The execution
was so poor that the team didn't convert a third-down
opportunity all first half, going 0-for-7 during that
span.
But this weekend, Henne apparently wasn't in the
mood to field the same questions.
The junior's first-half passing stats on third down
were perfect, going 3-for-3 with one touchdown.
"I thought Chad was really sharp," Michigan coach
Lloyd Carr said of Henne, who finished the game 17-of-
24 for a season-high 284 yards and three touchdowns.
"He made a lot of great throws."
During the game's opening 10-play, 80-yard touch-
down drive, junior running back Mike Hart carried
most of the load on his back with 44 yards on seven
carries. When Minnesota finally corralled Michigan's
workhorse in the backfield and Michigan faced its
second third down of the drive, Henne stepped to the
forefront.
With the Metrodome getting loud as the game's
opening drive reached its crucial peak, Henne found
wide receiver Adrian Arrington open in the end zone
for a 16-yard score.
"I got a read route where I have to read double high
or single high," Arrington said. "It was single high, so
I kept it vertical. It was wide open."
Two other throws by Henne on third downs kept the
Wolverines' other two scoring drives alive.
Just two plays prior to Henne's second touchdown
strike to Arrington, the drive showed signs of life after
Henne hit junior Mike Massey across the middle. The
tight end was tackled just inches short of the first-down
marker, but that distance was easily picked up by Hart
on the next play. That led to a 37-yard connection to
Arrington the next play.
"He's been doing it for three years now," Arrington
said. "When you got as much experience as he has and
he's just a great player anyway. He's going to put that
perfect touch on it pretty much every time."
Henne capped off his perfect half of third-down
aerial attacks with more help from Arrington. Fac-
ing a third-and-four around midfield, Henne found the
Cedar Rapids native on a quick slant from the left slot,
good for five yards and a first down. On the next play,
the oh-so-familiar combination of Henne and Mario
Manningham connected with a 41-yard touchdown
pass on a deep post.
Wolverines
celebrate the-
Jug's returnL
to, Ann Arbor
By Stephanie Wright
Daily Sports Editor
MINNEAPOLIS - If Rueben Riley had his way, the
Little Brown Jug would have been filled with red Kool-
Aid Saturday night.
As the right tackle walked into Michigan's locker
room after the Wolverines' 28-14 win, he shouted to
celebrating teammates that he was planning to put the
sticky red juice in the Jug.
Probably not what Fielding Yost had in mind when
he first played for its return.
Riley later backed down from his NOTEBOOK
claim, explaining that he was just
"really glad to have (the Jug) back."
The fifth-year senior's enthusiasm likely made at least
one former Wolverine very proud. Minnesota Vikings
guard Steve Hutchinson talked to the team on Friday Flift
night about how important it was to reclaim the Jug. Jug
Michigan lost it for the first time in 19 years last season net
when Minnesota won 23-20 in the Big House. shi
"(Hutchinson) said you don't notice it when it's there, his
but you really miss it when it's gone," Riley said. "We "
really wanted to get it back" or
Given their determination to reclaim the Jug, the wa
Wolverines were remarkably restrained at the end of hot
the game. Michigan marched across the field to retrieve
the Jug from the Minnesota sideline. Senior co-captain Mi
LaMarr Woodley was the first to pick it up. firs
Earlier in the week, Michigan coach Lloyd Carr sug- thr
gested that his players play it cool if they regained the ine
Jug. Heeding his advice, the Wolverines decided to col- pla
lect it as a team, with the captains, seniors and equipment
manager Jon Falk leading the way. Mi
But after the game, the Wolverines couldn't contain con
their emotion about winning back college football's old- Mi
est trophy. ani
"We had had it for a long time, and for them to come P
over and get it last year and take it how they did, that Sin
hurt;' receiver Adrian Arrington said. "To get it back tio
felt good." ries
INJURY REPORT: Tight end Tyler Ecker earned his fifth
start of the season against the Gophers but injured his son
right ankle on Michigan's first play and did not return. I
The fifth-year senior sat on the sideline with ice on his nat
ankle during the first half but did not come back to the pyN
bench after halftime. Following the game, Ecker wore a Ag;
cast on his right foot and used crutches to exit the Wol- acti
verines' locker room.S
Cornerback Morgan Trent made the trip to Min- froi
Michigan quarterback Chad Henne finished with three touchdowns and a season-high 284 yards against Minnesota.
Although Henne's perfect streak on third downs left, then exploded through the Gopher defensive line
didn't last deep into the second half, he still experi- and was finally taken down 54 yards later down the
enced his fair share of success. right sideline.
Henne completed three passes of 27 or more yards "We knew once we had a first down, the game was
on third-and-longs in the second half, with two going going to be over," Hart said. "When it opened up, I just
to Manningham (27, 36) and the third to Hart (31). went and I wanted to stay inbounds at the end."
And Henne wasn't alone in the conversion-success For the game, the team converted 66 percent (10-
category. The Wolverines moved the chains on crucial for-15) of its conversions, a drastic improvement
third downs on the ground as well. from its 2-for-13 showing against the Badgers last
"We had a big third down early in the game," Carr weekend.
said. "We ran the football and I think it really sparked Because of its ability to extend drives, Michigan
our offense. Because, you know, if it's third-and-three, dominated the time of possession for the game, 37:39
you have enough confidence that you can run the foot- to 22:21.
ball, then it makes the defense play a little bit differ- "I don't know exactly what the stats were, but I
ently. So now, that helps you in the passing game." know they were a lot better than a week ago," Carr
Hart's biggest third-down run of the game acted as said. "It enabled us to maintain control of the ball and
a clincher. Facing a third-and-three, the junior started keep their offense off (the field)."
ssocIATED PREss POu.
Once again, this weekend's games produced very little move-
ment in the top 25. In fact, the top 10 remained exactly the
_ same. No. 1Ohio State cemented its status as the best team in
the land with a 38-17 win over then-No. 13 Iowa. For the second
week in a row, No.10 Georgia barely held off a lower-ranked oppo-
nent looking to hand the Bulldogs their first loss of the season.
Meanwhile, No. 7 Texas rolled over lowly Sam Houston State.
Outside the top 10, No. 11 Oregon continued its rise through the
rankings with a 48-13 blowout win over Arizona State.
4
4
4
4
4
4
THIS WEEKEND'S RESULTS
Michigan 28, MINNESOTA 14
Illinois 23, MICHIGAN STATE 20
NOTRE DAME 35, Purdue 21
Ohio State 38, lOWA 17
Wisconsin 52, IsoIoso 17
PEN STAE 33, Northwestern 7
AROUND THE NCAA
TIGERS AVOID UPSET AGAINST
SOUTH CAROLINA: No.2 Auburn led
the Gamecocks 24-10 in the middle of the
fourth quarter before South Carolina started
to fight back. Gamecocks quarterback
Syvelle Newton threw a 25-yard touchdown
pass to tight end Jared Cook with 8:25 left
in the game to bring South Carolina within
seven. The Gamecocks drove again, but
Tigers cornerback Patrick Lee knocked
down a pass with 19 seconds to go to guar-
antee an Auburn victory. Happiest Tiger of
them all? Tailback Kenny Irons. The former
Gamecock ran for 117 yards and two touch-
downs. Take that, Steve Spurrier.
GATORS RALLY TO BEAT ALABAMA,
REMAIN UNBEATEN: The Crimson
Tide got off to a fast start, taking a 10-0
second-quarter lead on No. 5 Florida. The
Gators scored a touchdown just before
halftime to make pull within three. Florida
quarterback Chris Leak was impressive as
usual, amassing 174 yards and two touch-
downs on 14-of-20 passing. But it was the
Gators' defense that put them ahead for
good. Florida defender Ryan Smith inter-
cepted two passes, including one he tipped
to himself and set up a Gator touchdown.
Reggie Nelson returned a pick 70 yards to
give Florida the 28-13 win.
NEBRASKA EKES OUT VICTORY IN
OVERTIME: The Cornhuskers jumped out
to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter. But No. 21
Nebraska didn't seem to want the easy vic-
tory. Kansas scored 19 unanswered points
to start off the second half - and give the
Jayhawks a26-24 advantage late in the fourth
quarter. In overtime, the Cornhuskers stopped
messing around. Nebraska tailback Cody
Glenn scored a one-yard touchdown in the
first OT, and the Cornhuskers kept Kansas out
of the end zone, giving them a 39-32 win.
TEAM
1. OhioState
LAST WEEK THIS WEEK
beat Iowa 38-17 Bowling Green
2. Auburn
3. Southern cal
4. West Virginia
5. Florida
6. Michigan
7. Texas
8. Louisville
Au OLSEN/Daly 9 Louisiana State
h-year senior Rueben Riley holds the Little Brown
after Michigan's 28-14 victory over the Gophers. 10. Georgia
apolis but didn't play in Saturday's game. The red-
rt sophomore had surgery to fix a broken bone in 11. Oregon
left hand.
"He wanted to play, but he didn't practice on Tuesday
Wednesday, so (cornerbacks coach Ron Lee) didn't 12. Notre Dame
nt to put him in there because he didn't think he was 13, Tennessee
ned in enough on the game plan,' Carr said.
With Ecker and Trent out of the lineup, tight end 14. Oklahoma
ke Massey and cornerback Johnny Sears saw their 15. Clemson
t extensive action of the season. Massey finished with
ee catches for 15 yards. The Gophers attacked the 16. california
xperienced Sears, but Carr said the redshirt freshman
yed well.
Safety Jamar Adams also sustained an injury against 17. Florida State
nnesota, though Carr didn't elaborate on the junior's
idition. Linebacker Chris Graham didn't travel to 18. Georgia Tech
nnesota. He has missed three games this season with
injured right thigh. is Iowa
No MORE MISTER: Three weeks ago, tailback Mister
ipson was the darling of the Michigan student sec-
n. The crowd chanted his name when he got two car- 20. Boise State
late in the fourth quarter against Central Michigan. 21. Virginia Tech
On Saturday, The Detroit News reported that Simp-
had received his release from the Wolverines.
n recent weeks, reports had spread around Simpson's 22. Nebraska
ive Cincinnati that the redshirt freshman was unhap- 23. Missouri
with his playing time and mightconsiderltransferring. 24. Rutgers
ainst the Chippewas, he gained 11 yards in his only
ion as a Wolverine.
Simpson applied to Cincinnati and expects to hear 25. Boston Colleg
im the Bearcats this week.
beat South Carolina
24-17
beat Washington St.
28-22
Idle
beat Alabama28-13
beat Minnesota
28-14
beat Sam Houston
State 56-3
Idle
beat Mississippi St.
48-17
beat Mississippi
14-9
beat Arizona
State 48-13
beat Purdue 35-21
beat Memphis 41-7
Idle
beat Louisiana
Tech 51-0
beat Oregon
State 41-13
Idle
Arkansas
Washington
Mississippi St.
Louisiana State
Michigan State
at Oklahoma
at Middle
Tennessee State
at Florida
Tennessee
at California
Stanford
at Georgia
Texas
at Wake Forest
Oregon
at North Carolina
State
a
beat Virginia Maryland
Tech 38-27
lost to Ohio Purdue
State 38-17
beat Utah 36-3 Louisiana Tech
lost to Georgia Idle
Tech 38-27
beat Kansas 39-32 at Iowa State
beat Colorado 28-13 at Texas Tech
beat South Idle
Florida 22-20
beat Maine 22-0 Idle
Games updated through Sept. 30.
I