|
|
 |
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Video Plus Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities 
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE | |
SEATTLE (Ticker) -- Omare Lowe needed less than a minute to ruin Michigan's day. Lowe blocked a field goal attempt that was returned 77 yards for a touchdown and took back an interception 27 yards for a score 51 seconds later to lift 15th-ranked Washington past No. 10 Michigan, 23-18. "We stayed patient against one of the top teams in the country and then lightning struck," Washington coach Rick Neuheisel said. Michigan controlled the tempo for the first three quarters and had a 12-6 lead when Hayden Epstein lined up for a 33-yard field goal. But Lowe, a senior cornerback, broke through the line and came up with a block that landed in the hands of Roc Alexander, a sophomore cornerback who raced up the sideline to put the Huskies in front, 13-12, with 9:11 left. "When they snapped the ball I came to the corner and I dove and got a bruise on my arm to show for it, but it was worth it," Lowe said. On the ensuing possession, Lowe grabbed a partially deflected pass from John Navarre and danced into the end zone to make it 20-12. "Stuff like that happens. There are a lot of plays I would like to take back," Navarre said. "We will look at the film, correct things and move on." Washington has come from behind in 14 of its last 19 victories. Navarre threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Marquise Walker to cut Michigan's deficit to 23-18 with 49 seconds left. But the Wolverines failed on the two-point conversion and could not recover the ensuing onside kick. Lowe's heroics enabled Washington (1-0) to win its ninth straight game dating to last season and sets up a showdown with second-ranked Miami next week in Florida. The Huskies overcame a huge effort by Walker, who caught a school-record 15 passes for 159 yards and a pair of TDs and blocked a punt that went out of the end zone for a safety. Many of the catches were at the expense of Lowe. "I gave up a lot of receptions in the first half and I was exhausted," Lowe said. "I just wanted to make a play and see what happens." "I'd rather catch one for 10 and get at 'W,'" Walker said. "In the fourth quarter, we didn't show up like we should have." Navarre completed 26-of-44 passes for 248 yards and was intercepted twice for Michigan (1-1), which defeated Miami (Ohio) last week. His counterpart, sophomore Cody Pickett, completed 13-of-22 passes for 199 yards without an interception. Pickett is taking over for the departed Marques Tuiasosopo, who led Washington to 11 wins last season and a share of the Pac-10 Conference title. Walker's block just 1:58 into the game opened the scoring. With just 17 seconds left in the first half, Walker caught a five-yard touchdown toss from Navarre to make it 9-7 at halftime. Washington junior John Anderson kicked field goals of 43 and 26 yards in the second quarter. Epstein answered with a 38-yarder midway through the third. With a victory, Michigan would have passed Yale to become college football winningest teams. Both have 806 wins. Freshman Reggie Williams, one of the nation's most recruited receivers, caught four passes for 134 yards, including a 74-yard reception. Chris Perry of Michigan carried 24 times for 95 yards.
|
