WE'RE NO. 1: Unbelievable season ends with perfection
PASADENA, Calif. - Long after the trophy has tarnished and this newspaper has yellowed, tales will be told with chest-bursting pride of these Michigan Wolverines and this Rose Bowl, of this team's character and its comebacks, of the emotional energy shared by those lucky enough to behold the marvelous magic made on New Year's Day.
Back on top: Michigan goes long to stop Cougars: Griese throws for 3 TDs in Rose Bowl
PASADENA, Calif. - Preseason critics said that the 'M' in Michigan stood for "mediocrity."
Twelve stunning performances later, those naysayers can have but one word for which 'M' represents: magnificence.
Wolverines deserve better than a split
PASADENA, Calif. - It seems people can find flaw even in perfection. But one team wasn't going to get its way. One team was going to feel slighted and be disappointed. One team was going to get screwed.
Unity created this national champion
PASADENA, Calif. - It was a glorious site. As the last two seconds expired on Washington State quarterback Ryan Leaf and the Cougars' chance to upend the No. 1 team in the country, the Wolverines finally had a chance to relax. The scoreboard read Michigan 21, Washington State 16. Rose Bowl champions. National champions. A perfect record, 12-0, to match a perfect season.
Voters divide championship: After Orange Bowl victory, Cornhuskers secure a share
Triumph was tinged with disappointment following No. 1 Michigan's victory in the Rose Bowl last Thursday. After No. 2 Nebraska throttled No. 3 Tennessee in the Orange Bowl the next night, giving Tom Osborne a victory in his final game as coach, the Wolverines fell behind the Cornhuskers in the USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll and split the national championship.
Woodson, Leaf will leave school, play as pros
SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Two of the 1998 Rose Bowl's brightest stars will be playing in the NFL next season. Washington State junior quarterback Ryan Leaf announced at a news conference last Friday that he will forgo his final season of eligibility and enter the NFL draft.
A half century of football dominance
Welcome to the jungle: Inspired by verse, Wolverines become the nation's No. 1 defense
PASADENA, Calif. - When the last team meeting of the day came to a close Dec. 30, and the coaches ceased to speak strategy about last Thursday's Rose Bowl game against Washington State, the lights went out in Michigan's defensive meeting room for a solemn ceremony.
Cougars' lament: Wait just a second: Michigan's final drive, clock management leave Washington State wondering 'what if?'
PASADENA, Calif. - Consider, for a moment, the Michigan offense as a slow drip, boring and monotonous, yet consistent, and Washington State's a busted water main, uncontrollable, unpredictable and potentially fatal.
The two contrasting styles made for a river-ting ... er, riveting finale in the Rose Bowl.
Black's injury casts shadow over Cougars' running game: Bitter in defeat, players say Arizona State a tougher foe
PASADENA, Calif. - With Michael Black on the sideline, the Washington State running game was in the dark.
The Pac-10's second-leading rusher was forced out of the game on the Cougars' third drive of the first quarter with an injury to his calf. He could only watch the second and third quarters as the pain was too much for him to handle.
Woodson pick ends Cougars' key drive: Third-down success key in Michigan win
PASADENA, Calif. - The shoulder shake and body swagger ended just as his teammates rushed over to pat him on the head and on his pads.
Cornerback Charles Woodson gave his usual swagger in the end zone after intercepting his eighth pass of the season in Michigan's 21-16 victory over Washington State.
Nebraska throttles Vols, for share of national title
MIAMI (AP) - When Tom Osborne's final game ended, he trotted off the field and checked the scoreboard one last time without expression. But when presented with the Orange Bowl trophy minutes later, he broke into the grin of a champion.
Despite loss, Leaf proves his worth: Washington State quarterback has a lot going for him as he heads to NFL
PASADENA, Calif. - For Ryan Leaf, there are no losers. Not among his Washington State counterparts at least. Despite a devastating loss to Michigan in the Rose Bowl, despite one more second Leaf thought he had, despite the four times the Wolverines sacked him, Leaf could still enjoy the moment.
Griese an unlikely, but deserving MVP
PASADENA, Calif. - Brian Griese stood on the podium, receiving an award that was a mere dream a year ago. As the eyeblack dripped down his face and a smile erupted, reaching ear to ear, the nation smiled back and Griese stood on top of the world.
Streets leaves fingerprints on Rose Bowl win
PASADENA, Calif. - For 12 weeks, Tai Streets had a lot of explaining to do. The only problem is, nobody was really around to listen. Only Michigan coach Lloyd Carr and receivers coach Erik Campbell had time for Streets.
The media? No way. Instead of Streets, quarterback Griese looked to Jerame Tuman and Chris Howard as his major targets. Streets had caught just 24 passes in 1997 and only five in the Wolverines' final four games. For whatever reason, Streets wasn't the same receiver he was last year.
01-07-98
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