Michigan bucks Ohio State

After 5 years, 'M' back in Rose Bowl

	Michigan 20
	Ohio State 14

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

"Michigan is back," was what many players had been saying for the past few weeks as the overachieving Wolverines ascended the national polls to No. 1. Today, they finally proved what they had been preaching.

Michigan is going back to the Rose Bowl after capping its first undefeated regular season since 1971 with a 20-14 victory over Ohio State in front of a record Michigan Stadium crowd of 106,982. The Rose Bowl appearance will be Michigan's 17th.

"One thing that you know when you put this much effort and this much heart in it, you've got something you'll savor for the rest of your life," said Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr.

MARGARET MYERS/Daily Michigan's Charles Woodson breaks a tackle on his 78-yard punt return for a touchdown in the second quarter of today's game.

The Wolverines' opponent in the Rose Bowl is still yet to be determined. It will be either UCLA, Washington State or Arizona State. None of these teams controls its own destiny.

"We smell the sweetest roses, baby," said senior safety Marcus Ray. "Nobody gave us a chance all season, but we came out and earned our respect. I can't even describe this feeling."

Both teams started sluggishly on offense, hesistant to do anything drastic, fearing the opponent would steal the momentum and ride it to victory.

Twelve and half minutes into the game, Eric Wilson hit Ohio State quarterback Stanley Jackson on a handoff, causing him to fumble. Glen Steele recovered, giving Michigan the game's first big break.

But Michigan could not capitalize and punted seven plays later. Excluding the fumble, nine of the game's first 10 possessions ended in punts.

Midway through the second quarter, the Wolverines finally seemed to gain confidence in their offense. After starting at its own 38, Michigan's first substantial drive of the game seemed to be stalling nine yards downfield. An incomplete first-down pass and a loss of two on a second-down Anthony Thomas carry set up the game's first big play.

Brian Griese dropped back, took a couple of steps to his left, checked off his first receiver and hit Charles Woodson downfield as he cut across the middle in full stride. Ohio State's Antoine Winfield saved a Michigan touchdown when he dragged Woodson down from behind at the Buckeyes' 16-yard line.

But Winfield's tackle only delayed the inevitable. On the next play, Chris Floyd took a handoff and barged up the middle, rolling over a number of defenders before Damon Moore was able to bring him down at the one-yard line.

Thomas lunged into the end zone on the next play to give the Wolverines a 7-0 lead with 6:22 left in the half.

That offensive surge seemed to inspire the defense on Ohio State's next possession. Juaquin Feazell stopped Michael Wiley for no gain on first down and then sacked Joe Germaine for a loss of 10 yards. Germaine threw his third-down pass out of bounds to set up a play that will be remembered in the same breath as Michigan's legends.

Ohio State punter Brent Bartholomew, who had had a magnificent day kicking the ball, averaging more than 48 yards per kick, sent his best one yet Woodson's way. Standing inside his own 10-yard line, Bartholomew boomed a 55-yarder, driving Woodson back to his own 22.

Woodson juked two Buckeyes at the spot and headed for the left sideline. The Fremont, Ohio, native sprinted 78 yards for the touchdown.

Percy King blocked Kraig Baker's extra-point attempt but Ohio State linebacker Andy Katzenmoyer's attempt to run it back was thwarted by fifth-year senior Rob Swett at the Michigan 13.

Coming out of the lockerroom to begin the second half, Ohio State had possession and looked to gain the momentum that was lost by Woodson's punt return.

On the opening drive of the half, Ohio State drove 67 yards down to the Michigan seven-yard line, keyed by a fake punt run by Jerry Rudzinski, which kept the drive alive. But on second and goal, Stanley Jackson, who alternated with Germaine for much of the game under center, tried to hit Dee Miller streaking across the end zone when Woodson came out of nowhere to pick off the pass and keep Ohio State scoreless.

Michigan seemed to put the dagger in the Buckeyes' heart when Sam Sword and Rob Swett pressured Jackson into throwing an ill-advised pass into the hands of Andre Weathers, who returned it 43 yards for a touchdown, making it 20-0.

But Ohio State did not roll over. With six minutes left in the third quarter, Germaine hit David Boston deep. Boston juggled the ball away from Woodson at the four-yard line and strutted into the end zone while taunting him.

Midway through the fourth quarter, Griese was flushed out of the pocket and sacked by Gary Berry, who also jarred the ball loose. It was picked up by Rudzinski, who brought it back to the Michigan two-yard line, where Pepe Pearson ran it in for a touchdown on the next play, cutting the Michigan lead to six.

But that was as close as the Buckeyes would get. They had one last-gasp drive starting at their own 15, 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.

11-22-97