'M' back in Rose Bowl after 5 years

Four consecutive four-loss seasons and a five-year absence from the Rose Bowl had many convinced that the Michigan football program was stumbling into a pit of mediocrity.

Now, the doubts have disappeared and roses have taken their place. Michigan is going back to the Rose Bowl with a chance to win its first national title since the 1948 season. The top-ranked Wolverines capped their first perfect regular season since 1971 with a 20-14 victory Saturday over No. 4 Ohio State before a record crowd of 106,982 at Michigan Stadium.

The Wolverines will face No. 10 Washington State in Pasadena on Jan. 1, in what will be Michigan's 17th Rose Bowl appearance.

With Florida State losing to Florida, the Wolverines and No. 2 Nebraska (10-0 with two games before its bowl game left on its schedule) remain the only two undefeated teams in the nation. The Seminoles' loss Saturday vaulted Michigan to the top of t

MARGARET MYERS/Daily Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson trades blows with Ohio State wide receiver David Boston in the first quarter of Michigan's 20-14 victory over the Buckeyes.

he USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll.

The victory was highlighted by the grit of the nation's top-ranked defense with a dash of flash provided by perhaps the best player in the country, All-Everything Charles Woodson.

Three big plays from Woodson helped give Michigan a 20-0 lead: a 37-yard reception that set up the game's first touchdown, a 78-yard punt return that put Michigan ahead, 13-0, and an interception in the end zone in the third quarter.

"Great players play big in big games," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. "I think Charles Woodson certainly played one of his greatest games in the very, very biggest game that we have at Michigan, in a game that meant everything to us."

Woodson's first game-breaking play came just when Michigan needed to emerge from its offensive doldrums midway through the second quarter. On third and 12 at its own 47, Brian Griese hit Woodson slashing across the middle for 37-yard gain down to the Buckeyes' 16.

Two plays later, true freshman Anthony Thomas barged in from one yard out to open the scoring, 7-0.

Thomas as well as Michigan's other backs didn't see much more daylight, as the Buckeyes' defense played its best game of the year, holding Michigan to a season-low 42 yards on the ground and just 189 total.

After Ohio State's next drive stalled at its own 17, Woodson fielded a punt at his own 22, juked a couple of Buckeyes and headed up the left sideline, where the Ohio State team could only watch in disbelief as Woodson went 78 yards for the touchdown.

"I had been asking the coaches to run that wall left all season, and finally, they gave it to me," Woodson said.

Percy King, however, blocked Michigan's extra-point attempt and Ohio State's Andy Katzenmoyer scooped up the ball and rumbled down the sideline looking for two points. But Michigan's Rob Swett caught up with him at the Michigan 13, keeping Ohio State off the scoreboard.

Ohio State came out in the second half looking to purge the Wolverines' momentum. On their first possession, the Buckeyes drove 67 yards down to the Michigan seven, only to have the drive ended by Woodson, who darted across the end zone and picked off a would-be touchdown pass.

"I just cut underneath the pass and (Ohio State quarterback) Stanley Jackson threw me a great pass," Woodson said.

Michigan seemed to put the dagger in the Buckeyes' collective heart at the 10:29 mark of the third quarter when Glen Steele and Rob Swett pressured Jackson into throwing an ill-advised pass that found the hands of Michigan's Andre Weathers, who returned it 43 yards for a 20-0 Michigan lead.

"I was shocked," Weathers said about the ball coming right to him. "My eyes got big and after I caught it, all I was thinking about was the end zone."

What seemed to be a Michigan runaway midway through the third quarter fizzled when the Buckeyes scored the next 14 points. With six minutes left in the third quarter, Joe Germaine, who alternated with Jackson all game under center, hit David Boston with a 56-yard touchdown strike while taunting his counterpart, Woodson, by backpedaling into the end zone.

The Buckeyes' second touchdown came almost as easily. Ohio State's Gary Berry sacked Griese early in the fourth quarter and jarred the ball loose. Jerry Rudzinski returned the fumble to the Michigan two, where Pepe Pearson pounded it in on the next play, making it a tightrope game

"This was the kind of game we wanted," said junior safety Marcus Ray, a Columbus native. "We knew it would come down to our defense. We were expecting a dogfight like that."

The Wolverines' stifling defense held off Ohio State's late-game threats. After Pearson rolled over the front seven on six straight plays, Josh Williams pinned him for a five-yard loss, ending the momentum of that drive.

Ohio State had one last chance with less than two minutes left, but Germaine was not able to pull out the late-game magic that he did in last year's Rose Bowl victory over Arizona State.

SARA STILLMAN/Daily Fifth-year seniors Brian Griese and Glen Steele hold roses in celebration of the Wolverines' Rose Bowl clinching victory over Ohio State. Michigan is making its first appearance in Pasadena since the 1992 season.

SARA STILLMAN/Daily Ohio State wide receiver David Boston was generally held in check by the Michigan defense, although he did catch a 56-yard touchdown pass.

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