Buffs stuffed

Griese, defense give 'M' 27-3 win

No last-gasp, Hail Mary pass was needed Saturday. With Michigan playing vicious defense and methodical, mostly mistake-free football, Colorado hadn't a prayer to end the game like the previous two between these teams, and the 14th-ranked Wolverines rolled over the eighth-ranked Buffaloes, 27-3, before 106,474 at Michigan Stadium.Quarterback Brian Griese, a fifth-year senior who wallowed in a backup role most of last season, nearly opted for real life after graduating in May. But he came back, and after he won the starting job from junior Scott Dreisbach this fall, he got th

WARREN ZINN/Daily Michigan running back Chris Howard soared over the Buffaloes and had a touchdown reception. The Wolverines' defense was just as spirited.

His lone interception, which deflected off wide receiver Tai Streets's hands in the first quarter, was Michigan's only turnover of the game.

"I'm very proud of our football team," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. "Our defense was outstanding, and offensively, considering we have four young guys in there starting, we made some typical first-game mistakes. But we showed signs that we can have a pretty good offense."

Most of Griese's success came behind a young - and much-penalized - line on high-percentage passes to tight end Jerame Tuman, who had a career-high five receptions for 126 yards. Michigan's dominant defense provided plenty of support, hassling Colorado quarterback John Hessler so badly that he threw four interceptions and was close to throwing more. The Wolverines "could have had eight," said Michigan All-America cornerback, Charles Woodson, who intercepted Hessler to kill the Buffaloes' second drive of the game.

"We got our tails whipped," Colorado coach Rick Neuheisel said. "Things didn't go well, and (the Wolverines) played their butts off. Griese played well, they got the running game going, and the play-action stuff with the tight ends just killed us."

Neuheisel said earlier this week that "nerves were a factor" for Hessler in a 31-21 victory over Colorado State last weekend. And Saturday, before the seventh-largest crowd in Michigan Stadium history, Hessler seemed to buckle. Three of his interceptions led to a combined 17 points for the Wolverines.

"It was a frustrating day," said Hessler, who was 15-of-40 for 141 yards and was sacked three times. "They were all over me."

As Hessler was interviewed after the game, Neuheisel pulled him into a secluded area and spoke with him for five minutes. Hessler emerged with tears in his eyes, and Neuheisel, who once played quarterback for UCLA, defended him. "I threw four interceptions against Georgia back in 1983 and ended up coming back and having a decent year," Neuheisel said. "He'll bounce back."

The Wolverines (1-0) rotated several players into their strong secondary, giving Hessler different looks. Carr said he didn't have a great defense last season because of its inability to create turnovers and "negative plays."

But Saturday, that defense swarmed all around the Buffaloes (1-1), allowing just 49 yards rushing and 175 passing while limiting them to their lowest point total since they were shut out by Nebraska in 1988. Michigan ran for 142 yards and passed for 284.

"We were practicing all week and during two-a-days, saying all the time that we wanted to be vicious, to hit their quarterback hard and stop them all," said Woodson, who also returned three punts for 13 yards and had a 29-yard reception. "The defense on this team wants to make things happen."

Woodson's first-quarter interception spawned the Wolverines' first touchdown. After Woodson picked off Hessler, Griese hit Tuman for 53 yards, setting up a first-and-goal situation. Two plays later, fullback Chris Floyd punched in the ball from one yard out to give Michigan a 7-0 lead with 9:28 remaining.

That was a relief for the Wolverines, not known for good starts. In fact, they sputtered at the beginning Saturday, too, when Kraig Baker missed a 44-yard field goal on Michigan's first drive. Jay Feely also missed one for Michigan, a 49-yarder in the fourth.

Baker made a 37-yard field goal with no time left in the second quarter to give Michigan a 10-0 halftime lead. The last Division I team to open the season, Griese said the Wolverines were "willing to hit walls" instead of each other, and the good start "was no surprise at all. We were hungry, and we came out in both halves ready to go."

The Wolverines quickly scored to open the second half, marching on an 89-yard, 11-play drive that culminated in a five-yard touchdown pass from Griese to running back Chris Howard at 10:26. Ahead, 17-0, their defense allowed them to break it open afterward. Linebacker Chris Copenhaver's interception set up a three-play, 14-yard drive, and this time, Griese went to wide receiver Russell Shaw for a 10-yard touchdown at 8:42.

Colorado's Jason Lesley kicked a 52-yard field goal at 3:32 to cut the lead to 21, but another interception - this one by linebacker Dhani Jones in the fourth quarter - led to more Michigan points on Baker's second field goal, a 19-yarder at 7:16 that closed out the scoring.

"It's been a great series," said Neuheisel, the Buffaloes' quarterbacks coach in 1994 when they beat Michigan in Ann Arbor on the last play and head coach last year when they failed to repeat the feat in the same situation at home. Saturday's game was the last on a three-game contract.

"I wish we could have given them a better game. They are a fine football team, a fine football program. It's a shame that these games are becoming a dying breed, because certainly they are exciting."

- Daily Sports Writer James Goldstein contributed to this report.

SARA STILLMAN/Daily
Outside linebacker Clint Copenhaver had two tackles and intercepted a John Hessler pass, which he returned 19 yards to set up a touchdown.

09-15-97