Ohio State coach John Cooper hasn't had much luck against Michigan in his coaching career. Since joining the Buckeyes in 1988, Cooper has seen just about everything go wrong against the Wolverines.
He's seen his team get manhandled by the Michigan rushing attack. He's seen his players trash-talk the week of the game, only to be shown up in the game.
He's also seen the Buckeyes come into the Michigan game highly ranked, only to lose.
But nothing prepared him for what was going to happen on Saturday. Ohio State, needing a win to go to a bowl game, played like it, competing with an intensity rarely seen from the Buckeyes this year.
But with that intensity came mistakes. Ohio State shot itself in the foot with penalties and turnovers as Michigan rallied to win in the second half.
 |
| SAM HOLLENSHEAD/Daily Steve Bellisari was harassed mercilessly by Cato June and the Michigan defense. Bellisari only completed eight of 20 passes, threw two crucial second-half interceptions and fumbled the ball once. |
But Ohio State had a chance to bury Michigan before the comeback started.
After forcing a Tom Brady fumble, Ohio State running back Jonathan Wells raced 76 yards from the Ohio State 18 to the Michigan six-yard line. Already sporting a 17-10 lead, it looked as if Ohio State was primed to put Michigan in a huge hole.
But Michigan held and the Buckeyes had to settle for a 30-yard field goal attempt from Dan Stultz. But Stultz pushed the field goal wide left, changing the game's momentum.
"I think (Stultz) got a little bit nervous," Michigan safety DeWayne Patmon said. "James Hall has blocked so many kicks, so I think that was a factor in his thinking."
But the fact that snapper Kevin Houser was shaken up might have had an effect also. Houser got banged up early in the game and might not have been in the best physical shape when he snapped the ball for the field goal.
"Kevin was shaken up, but he wasn't shaken up on the play," Cooper said. "We just didn't execute.
Ohio State quarterback Steve Bellisari had a hard time executing the passing game against Michigan's defense.
While the sophomore frustrated the Michigan defense with his scrambling ability, his passing prowess left a bit to be desired. Bellisari went eight-for-20 for 84 yards with two costly second-half interceptions that prevented Ohio State from gaining a significant advantage.
"Turnovers really hurt us," Ohio State running back Michael Wiley said. "Had we not done that, I think we win this game."
Patmon and Ian Gold caught the Bellisari misfires, which resulted in a Hayden Epstein field goal and a eight-yard touchdown pass to Shawn Thompson to tie the game at 17.
This game was Bellisari's first Michigan-Ohio State game as a starter and it showed, as Michigan's linebackers and safeties seemed to confuse him when they dropped back in coverage.
"We noticed in film this week that Bellisari always passes to the right hashmark," Gold said. "So Coach (Jim) Herrmann wanted one of us to be on the hashmark at all times. That's where I was when I intercepted it."
But even when the Buckeyes completed passes to the right team, the receivers had a hard time keeping possession of the ball.
With the game tied at 17 during the beginning of the fourth quarter, Bellisari led the Buckeyes from the Ohio State 30 to the Michigan 34.
Bellisari then connected with wideout Vanness Provitt across the middle.
Provitt was belted by Michigan cornerback James Whitley, forcing Provitt to cough up the ball. Cato June recovered for the Wolverines, who drove down the field for the game-winning touchdown on the ensuing drive.
"To have an 11 or 12-play drive end in a fumble and to throw two interceptions is disappointing," Ohio State offensive coordinator Mike Jacobs said.
And because of that, the Buckeyes have to deal with the disappointment of not qualifying for a bowl for the first time in over a decade.
11-22-99
| Previous Article | Next Article |
should be sent to: daily.letters@umich.edu | should be sent to: online.daily@umich.edu |