On the way up: Blue defense steps into spotlight against a familiar foe
It was almost as if the Wolverines wanted the test. They started sluggish, they ended sloppy. They looked good in the middle.
Beaten by the Fighting Irish through the first two quarters, Michigan had its doubts at halftime. But the Wolverines persevered, thanks to a "gut-checked" defense, after nearly giving the game away.
Survival of the fittest: Michigan comeback drowns Hawkeyes
As linebacker Sam Sword squeezed the football to his chest with less than a minute remaining in the fourth quarter Saturday, three hours of mayhem came to an appropriate end. Sword's interception iced No. 5 Michigan's 28-24 victory over No. 15 Iowa on a day the Wolverines' defense saved them from themselves before 106,505 at Michigan Stadium.
Blue settles score with 'Cats
The way the first quarter was going, it appeared that the cycle was going to continue. Two offsides penalties in the first six plays of the game, seven penalties overall and trouble finding the end zone from the red zone early on made it look like Michigan was still struggling to rip its albatross, Northwestern, from around its neck.
The sky's the limit: Defense stops Spartans cold
EAST LANSING - For the first two quarters, there was hype and there was trash talking. But that disappeared after halftime.
As has been the case all season, Michigan's defense put a steel clamp on its opposition in the second half. What was a close battle for 30 minutes turned into a lopsided 23-7 victory for the Wolverines before a rambunctious conglomerate of 79,687 at Spartan Stadium, most clad in green, but plenty in blue.
Woodson never ceases to amaze us
EAST LANSING - Charles Woodson's head was spinning so quickly it was amazing that he had time to stop and talk.
Then again, talking has never been much of a problem for the All-America cornerback, whose gift for gab competes pretty darn well with his gift for grabbing opposing quarterbacks' passes.
Roaring to the top: Blue annhilates Penn State on drive to Roses
STATE COLLEGE - Chants of "It's great to be a Michigan Wolverine!" bellowed from the winners' lockerroom after Saturday's game, as silence and disappointment seeped from the Penn State side.
The game between undefeated Michigan and Penn State for control of the Big Ten was anticipated to be the best matchup in the country, but sometimes expectations fall short of reality.
Michigan takes over No. 1 spot in AP poll
STATE COLLEGE - The implications of Michigan's domination of previously unbeaten Penn State reach far beyond the Big Ten standings. The Wolverines jumped three spots in the Associated Press top 25 poll and own the poll's No. 1 ranking for the first time since October 1990.
11-22-97
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