![]() | |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Video Plus Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities ![]()
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- Michigan remains John Cooper's personal waterloo. Drew Henson threw three touchdown passes and ran for another as 18th-ranked Michigan built a 19-point lead and held on for a 38-26 victory over 12th-ranked Ohio State in the annual Big Ten Conference grudge match. Cooper dropped to 2-10-1 against the Wolverines (8-3, 6-2 Big Ten) as Ohio State coach. He has come under pressure for his inability to beat the Buckeyes' archrival and a questionable decision late in the fourth quarter will again put him on the hot seat. Ohio State (8-3, 5-3) scored a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to 31-26 and regained possession deep in its own territory. Facing a 4th-and-1 at his 19 and still having all of his timeouts, Cooper called for a run and Jonathan Wells was stopped short. Michigan iced the win with a one-yard TD run by Henson, ending any possible Rose Bowl hopes for the Buckeyes. The Wolverines also entered the day with a remote chance of going to Pasadena, but those hopes ended when Northwestern defeated Illinois. "No one wanted to win more than myself, my coaching staff and particularly our senior players," Cooper said. "With what we had riding on the outcome of this ball game, we had a chance at a BCS bowl game and no one else had a chance to do that. My record against Michigan speaks for itself." David Terrell had a pair of TD catches for the Wolverines, who hold a 56-35-6 lead the overall series and clinched a share of the conference title. The Buckeyes were unable to overcome three interceptions by Steve Bellisari, two of which came in Michigan's 17-point third quarter. Bellisari completed 21-of-47 passes for 251 yards and one score and Wells had a pair of touchdown runs for the Buckeyes. Henson was 14-of-25 passes for 303 yards, including a 70-yard TD pass to Anthony Thomas that helped negate a quick start by the Buckeyes and give the Wolverines a share of the Big Ten title. "There are just so many emotions," Henson said. "With how hard the season has been at times, to be able to come back and finish the way we did and win the championship probably makes it more gratifying." Nate Clements returned the opening kickoff 80 yards and Wells soon followed with an 11-yard scoring run on fourth-and-inches. After an interception by cornerback David Mitchell, Dan Stultz kicked a 37-yard field goal to make it 9-0 four minutes into the contest. But it quickly went downhill for Ohio State. On the ensuing possession, Thomas caught a short screen pass and dodged several tackles en route to the end zone. Linebacker Larry Foote intercepted Bellisari on Ohio State's next possession and Michigan took the lead for good at 14-9 on a 21-yard TD pass from Henson to Terrell, who had five catches for 99 yards. Stultz kicked a 26-yard field goal on the final play of the second quarter to cut Michigan's halftime lead to 14-12. Henson took Michigan 74 yards for a score on the opening drive of the second half, completing a pair of short passes to Marquise Walker before a 32-yard scoring strike to Terrell. Bellisari had a terrible third quarter. Michigan's first interception by defensive end Dan Rumishek resulted in a 25-yard field goal by Hayden Epstein. Safety Julius Curry intercepted Bellisari on the next possession and went 50 yards for a score to make it 31-12. Ohio State cut into the deficit on a two-yard TD run by Wells and an 18-yard TD pass from Bellisari to Ken-Yon Rambo. Thomas, who needed 165 yards to tie the career Michigan rushing record held by Jamie Morris, had just 60 on 29 carries. "We came into this great old stadium in front of that many people and found a way to beat a very good football team," said Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, who is 5-1 against the Buckeyes.
|