Big Ten Network : Michigan Top Stories

Ohio St. beats Michigan, wins outright title

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:26:00 +0000

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Terrelle Pryor is thankful he chose to play at Ohio State, instead of for Rich Rodriguez and the Michigan Wolverines. Pryor threw a touchdown for the final score in the third quarter and avoided making many mistakes to help the ninth-ranked Buckeyes beat Michigan 21-10 Saturday for its sixth straight win in the series and an outright Big Ten title. "I'm glad I'm on this side," Pryor said. Ohio State (10-2, 7-1) has won five straight conference championships and will play in the Rose Bowl with a five-game winning streak. "When you're undefeated in November, good things are going to happen over the holidays," coach Jim Tressel said. Michigan wouldn't know. The Wolverines lost their last five games and beat only Delaware State after September to finish 5-7. College football's winningest program has endured consecutive losing years for the first time since the 1962-63 seasons. Freshman Tate Forcier threw four interceptions and fumbled in his end zone, spoiling Michigan's chances of an upset it needed to become bowl-eligible. "I lost that game," Forcier wrote in a text message to The Associated Press about an hour after the game. "This offseason, I'm gonna make sure myself and every single person on this team works the hardest we have ever worked. "We're gonna come back a a new team. I'm not going to let this happen again." Michigan's flop followed a school-record nine-loss year in Rodriguez's debut in Ann Arbor. "I'm tired of being humbled," Rodriguez said. He said earlier in the week the Wolverines would not be "doomed" if they were shut out of the bowl picture. But he desperately needed the feel-good victory to take some heat off him -- especially with an NCAA investigation looming over his program. Does Rodriguez fear losing his job? "No," he said. Tressel, meanwhile, can probably coach the Buckeyes as long as he wants with the success he's had overall and especially against their rival. He improved to 8-1 against Michigan and extended Ohio State's longest winning streak that matches the best run in the rivalry since Michigan also won six in a row in the 1920s. Forcier fumbled on his first drive and Cameron Heyward recovered to give Ohio State a 7-0 lead. He threw three interceptions in the fourth quarter. "Turnovers and rushing game are always going to be the key to this game," Tressel said. Ohio State turned the ball over only once, on Pryor's deflected pass, and outrushed Michigan 251-80. Dan Herron had 96 yards rushing, Brandon Saine ran for 84 yards and scored on a 29-yard run on a play in which his team was misaligned, and Pryor finished with 74 yards on the ground. "They couldn't stop the run," Pryor said. Pryor wasn't spectacular -- 9 of 17 for 67 yards with a TD and an interception -- when Tressel asked him to throw, but the sophomore made some smart plays such as throwing the ball out of bounds instead of taking a sack. He perfectly lofted a screen pass to Herron, whose 12-yard touchdown gave the Buckeyes a 21-10 lead. "It was a momentum-changer," Pryor said. "We needed that touchdown or maybe Tate Forcier would've taken them right back down the field again." Or, not. Forcier, who made two game-winning passes in September, had not thrown more than one interception in a game and entered the game with just six this season. Ohio State's Kurt Coleman made two interceptions, the second coming after a video review at the Buckeyes 6 early in the fourth quarter. Forcier threw his third interception on the ensuing drive, making an ill-advised pass that cornerback Devon Torrence caught in the end zone with 8 minutes left. Perhaps fittingly, the Wolverines were flagged for having five men in the backfield on their final snap. The Buckeyes ran out the clock much to the delight of thousands of their fans who were at the Big House to witness the scarlet-and-gray seniors sweep the Wolverines in their careers. "This is what you dream of," Coleman said. "I'm able to say I left a lasting legacy against Michigan."

Michigan snaps skid, drops Bowling Green

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:24:00 +0000

TOLEDO, Ohio -- The University of Michigan ice hockey team (No. 15 USA Today/No. 16 USCHO) snapped a five-game losing streak, scoring three first-period goals on its way to a 4-1 win over Bowling Green on Saturday night at Lucas County Arena. The Wolverines outshot the Falcons, 30-12, as left wing Carl Hagelin (Sodertalje, Sweden), right wing A.J. Treais (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) and left wing Brian Lebler (Penticton, B.C.) all scored in the first period to give U-M a 3-1 early advantage. Michigan had a few quality chances in the opening minutes of the game and cashed in at 2:18 on a perfect tip by Hagelin. Right winger Chris Brown (Flower Mound, Texas) sent the puck from the right corner to defenseman Brandon Burlon (Nobleton, Ontario) at the left point, where he took a shot-pass that was going wide right until Hagelin angled his stick to vault the puck over the goalie's glove. Michigan went ahead 2-0 at 11:07, shortly after killing a BGSU power play. From behind the net, center Louie Caporusso (Woodbridge, Ontario) fed left wing David Wohlberg (South Lyon, Mich.) in the right circle and Wohlberg's shot was stopped, but the rebound remained out front and Treais rapped it into the left portion of the net before the goalie could react. Bowling Green's Marc Rodriguez split the U-M defense and scored at 15:38 to make it 2-1, but the Wolverines responded just 1:13 later when center Anthony Ciraulo (Clinton Township, Mich.) forced a turnover in the Falcon zone and the puck went straight to Lebler. From the high slot, Lebler wired the puck over the goalie's trapper to give U-M a 3-1 lead after the first period. Neither team could dent the scoreboard in the second period of play. Both Michigan and Bowling Green were scoreless on a single power-play chance as the Wolverines outshot BGSU 11-3 in the stanza for a two-period shots advantage of 27-7. Brown then padded U-M's lead to 4-1 with a power-play goal at 13:00 of the third period. Lebler was sent off for the game at 13:31 as a result of a five-minute major penalty for checking from behind and a game misconduct. U-M allowed just one shot to reach Hogan, before the final minute of the BGSU power play was negated by a Falcon penalty. Michigan is back in action next weekend when it hosts Minnesota and Wisconsin for the College Hockey Showcase. U-M faces the Golden Gophers on Friday (Nov. 27) at 7:35 p.m. The Badgers come to town on Saturday (Nov. 28) for another 7:35 p.m. puck drop.

Michigan downed by Bowling Green's third-period frenzy

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:08:00 +0000

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan ice hockey team (No. 15 USA Today/No. 16 USCHO) lost for the fifth straight time, dropping a 4-2 decision to the Bowling Green Falcons on Friday (Nov. 20) at Yost Ice Arena. Michigan led 2-1 in the third period, until BGSU scored three times in a span of 2:22 with two of the goals coming on the power play. Michigan broke the ice midway through the opening frame during its first power-play opportunity when left wing David Wohlberg (South Lyon, Mich.) slid a pass across the blue line to a streaking Louie Caporusso (Woodbridge, Ontario), who weaved through a slew of Falcon defenders and snuck the puck beneath the goaltender while falling acrobatically across the crease. Yet, with little more than one minute remaining in the first period, Bowling Green found the equalizer off a self-rebound by David Solway. Fighting his way into Wolverine territory, Solway flicked a shot into the chest of right wing A.J. Treais (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), and on a second attempt, beat goalie Bryan Hogan (Highland, Mich.) over the right shoulder. The score (1-1), the shots on goal (10-10), and the play were all knotted up as the buzzer sounded for the first intermission. Both teams had its fair share of excellent chances throughout the second stanza. Treais tipped a cross-ice pass as he was closing in on netminder Nick Eno that trickled just shy of the left post, while defenseman Brandon Burlon (Nobleton, Ontario) caused the puck to ricochet off the same iron from close range. Center Kevin Lynch (Grosse Pointe, Mich.) tried his luck with a dive across the crease with a shot that sailed just high. The Falcons felt the same fate, as one shot was absorbed by defenseman Chris Summers (Milan, Mich.), and the other was fanned on just feet from the cage. Ultimately, the difference maker came in the form of center Robbie Czarnik (Washington, Mich.). Defenseman Lee Moffie (Wallingford, Conn.) cycled back into the U-M zone to collect a loose puck, and ushered it along to left wing Lindsay Sparks (Oakville, Ontario), who, from the left-hand boards, fed a pinpoint pass to a flying Czarnik down the center of the ice. With little hesitation, Czarnik bore down and fired a laser with the flick of the wrist into the top shelf from the right faceoff circle to give the Maize and Blue a 2-1 lead entering the final 20 minutes. Michigan let the Falcons back into the game by taking two early penalties in the third period. Working on a five-on-three power play, the Falcons worked the puck around the U-M zone, opening space for defenseman Kyle Page, who one-timed a rocket into the back of the net. Just 1:14 later and still on the power play, BGSU forward Tommy Dee easily found a wide-open net off a shot deflected by Hogan. A mere 1:08 following, James Perkin popped another rebound over the left shoulder of Hogan to put Bowling Green up, 4-2. Despite a power-play chance halfway into the third stage and four late possibilities that nearly fell the Wolverines' way, the Maize and Blue could not respond.

Michigan sweeps Minnesota, 3-0

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:53:00 +0000

The 12th-ranked Minnesota volleyball team (21-8, 12-5) lost in three sets to No. 14 Michigan (24-7, 12-6) by scores of 25-23, 25-14, 27-25 at Cliff Keen Arena on Friday, Nov. 20. Minnesota was led by Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minn.) who had 10 kills, four blocks and four digs. Sophomore middle blocker Ariana Filho (Monument, Colo.) had a career-high eight blocks and five kills on the night, while Hailey Cowles (Eden Prairie, Minn.) finished with six kills, nine digs, three assists and two service aces. Jessica Granquist (Blaine, Minn.) finished with a team-high 12 digs, while Megan Wilson (Lincoln, Neb.) had eight digs and four blocks. Senior setter Taylor Carico (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) had 27 assists, five kills, four digs and three blocks. Michigan outhit Minnesota .269 to .168, and had 55 kills to 35 for the Golden Gophers. Minnesota was also outdug 69 to 47 on the night. The Golden Gophers did have 14.0 blocks to eight for Michigan. In the first set Minnesota raced out to an early 10-4 lead after a kill by Tabitha Love (Dauphin, Manitoba). Michigan cut the lead to 12-10 with six of the next eight points, but Wilson and Gibbemeyer answered with consecutive kills to make it 14-10. The Wolverines answered with four of the next five points to cut the lead to 15-14. Minnesota moved its lead back out to three points at 19-16 after Filho and Wilson combined on a block. The Golden Gophers pushed it to 20-17 when Love and Filho combined on a block. Michigan scored four of the first five points to tie it at 21. Cowles delivered a kill to put Minnesota ahead 23-22, but Veronica Rood delivered a kill to tie the score at 23. Lexi Zimmerman delivered a kill to give the Wolverines their lead of the set and make it set point at 24-23. Alex Hunt and Karlee Bruck combined on a block to give Michigan the first set 25-23. Michigan outhit Minnesota .302 to .231 in the set, and had 19 kills to 14. Cowles led the Golden Gophers with four kills and five digs, while Juliana Paz had nine kills for Michigan in the set. Minnesota fell behind 11-7 in the second set, but scored three of the next four points to make it 12-10 on a kill by Love. The Wolverines responded with a 7-0 run to move ahead 19-10. Carico answered with a kill and combined on a block with Filho to make it 19-12. The Golden Gophers made it 21-14 after Wilson and Filho combined on a block. However, Michigan closed out the set by scoring the final four points to claim it 25-14. The Wolverines outhit the Golden Gophers .306 to .057 in the set, and had 15 kills to eight for Minnesota. Gibbemeyer led Minnesota with three kills in the set. Minnesota raced out to a 12-7 lead in the third set after Filho and Love combined on a block. The Golden Gophers expanded the lead to 14-8 when Filho and Love again combined on a block. Michigan answered with three straight points to make it 14-11, but Minnesota answered with a 5-0 run and went up 19-11 on a service ace by Granquist. Michigan came back with eight of the next 10 points to trim the lead to 21-19. Gibbemeyer responded with back-to-back kills to make it 23-19. After a Gopher service error, Gibbemeyer made it set point at 24-20 with a kill. The Wolverines fought off four straight set points to tie it at 24. Carico responded with a solo block to make it set point at 25-24. Rood answered with a kill to fight off a fifth Golden Gopher set point. Paz delivered a kill to make it match point, and Rood finished the match with a kill to give Michigan a three-set victory. On the night, Michigan was led by Paz who hit .450 (23-5-40) with 23 kills, nine digs and two solo blocks. Bruck hit .714 (10-0-14) with 10 kills and four blocks. Megan Bower finished with six kills and 19 digs, while Sloane Donhoff had 19 digs and a pair of service aces. Setter Lexi Zimmerman also had 48 assists and 10 digs.

Harris, Sims help Michigan beat Houston Baptist

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:28:00 +0000

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP)—Manny Harris scored 25 points, and DeShawn Sims added 22 to help No. 15 Michigan beat Houston Baptist 77-55 on Friday night. Harris and Sims each had 12 points during a decisive 29-13 run at the end of the first half that put Michigan (2-0) in front for good. Mario Flaherty scored 17 points, and Andrew Gonzalez had 14 for the Huskies (0-4), playing their third season in NCAA Division I. Michigan struggled at the start, hitting only four of its first 21 shots. The Huskies were unable to take advantage because of their own poor shooting and could build a lead no larger than five points. Harris who had a triple-double in the opener against Northern Michigan with 18 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, was Michigan's primary offense at the start until Sims connected on four straight 3-pointers. Sims added another triple midway through the second half to tie his career high. The Huskies continued to struggle from the field in the second half and were unable to get any closer than 12 points. The Wolverines largest lead was 28, following Zack Gibson's 3-pointer with 9:27 remaining. Michigan hit 36.6 percent of its shots, including 10 of 28 3-pointers. Houston Baptist was held to 34.4 percent shooting from the field, including 9 of 28 in the second half. The Huskies outrebounded the Wolverines 52-39.

'The Game' doesn't appear to impact recruits

Mike Lucas — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

You may recognize some of the names more than others. Zoltan Mesko, for example. Best punter in the Big Ten. How about Jordan Kovacs? He might be one of the best stories in the conference. Kovacs, a starting safety, was a walk-on. Mesko and Kovacs have slightly higher profiles than Kevin Koger, the starting tight end, and Roy Roundtree, one of the many young receivers in the rotation. The common denominator? Mesko, Kovacs, Koger, and Roundtree are four of the 13 Ohio-bred players on the University of Michigan roster. That spawned the inevitable question: How much weight does the outcome of one game -- THE game between the Wolverines and the Buckeyes -- carry with high school prospects? Does the winner get a recruiting edge? "Oh, I don't think so,'' said Ohio State coach Jim Tressel on this week's Big Ten teleconference. "Recruiting in this day and age is so advanced. Kids know so much more about what they're looking for, and which place might fit their needs. And they've been out there for a couple of years looking at places, so they have pretty much in mind what they're looking for. I'm not sure they sit around waiting to see who won a game to decide where they go.'' Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez fielded the same question. "I think it's natural to feel that it would (provide an edge),'' Rodriguez said of winning a big game, an historic rivalry game, no less, on the national stage. "But I don't know if it makes that big of an impact. When you're recruiting against someone, you obviously want to see success. More than anything (though) you're selling your university and all the things that your school is about. All players want to go where they have a chance for success.'' So what is the recruiting pitch? Are the Wolverines selling the promise of better things to come or ''blue sky'' -- which is what former Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez sold during the formative years of his program -- as a means to buy some time? Said Rodriguez, "We're telling our guys in recruiting now, 'We're in a process. We're going to be there, and they can help us get there.''' Catching heat Iowa's Kirk Ferentz counts New England's Bill Belichick among his football mentors. In a twist of irony, Ferentz is getting criticized for being conservative in the closing seconds of regulation against Ohio State, while Belichick is getting ripped for taking too big of a fourth down gamble in the closing minutes against the Indianapolis Colts. "I figured both teams starting out even (in overtime) might be a better way,'' Ferentz explained of his predicament last Saturday in Columbus, "unless we had done something there -- punt return, shanked punt, or snuck a run in on them on that first play.'' Ferentz admitted that quarterback James Vandenberg's two second half interceptions (one was erased because of a penalty on the Buckeyes) factored into his decision-making. "If we had Tom Brady, I'd probably be considering the other way (gambling),'' he joked, adding of Belichick's decision, "I thought it was a great call.'' Putting everything into a coaching perspective, Ferentz concluded, "Typically, when you lose you get second-guessed and when you win you don't get second-guessed as much.'' They said it Former Ohio State coach Earle Bruce on the Michigan rivalry: "We want to beat them every year, every year, every year. I'm all for five in a row, six in a row, seven in a row, and I'd be fine with a couple of good coaches getting fired. That wouldn't be bad either.'' Bruce got fired for not beating the Wolverines enough. Did you know Purdue is on the brink of a rare college football hat trick: a 3,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard rusher and a 1,000-yard receiver. Quarterback Joey Elliott has thrown for 2,821 yards and running back Ralph Bolden has rushed for 931. Meanwhile, wide receiver Keith Smith has already reached 1,015 receiving yards. Only one Big Ten team has ever posted a triple-quadruple. Ohio State hit that standard in 1995 with quarterback Bobby Hoying, tailback Eddie George and wideout Terry Glenn. Hit rewind On Nov. 22, 1969, Michigan shocked Ohio State, 24-12, in Ann Arbor. The Buckeyes came into the game with a No. 1 ranking and an attitude after creaming the Wolverines, 50-14, the year before. This was the baptism for first-year head coach Bo Schembechler, a former Woody Hayes assistant. The Wolverines intercepted six passes: four from Rex Kern and two from Ron Maciejowski. Not that the ultra-conservative, Fred Flintstonesque current Ohio State coach (the Vest) would allow his quarterback, Terrelle Pryor, to attempt many more than six passes Saturday at Michigan Stadium. But there was also a Pryor on the field 40 years ago. Cecil Pryor (no relation) was a standout defensive end for the Wolverines. Rich Rod was 6 when that game was played. To this end, he seems to have aged considerably over the last two seasons in purgatory. ''Our guys know we're getting closer to where we want to be,'' Rich Rod insisted. "You can't be a revisionist and look at the history. But it's been several years since we've beat the Buckeyes. "That's always a sore point for us, and our fans and our alumni. Whether you're here a year, a month, or a day, you're going to hear about the rivalry and the importance of this ballgame.'' He really said it Minnesota coach Tim Brewster on his team bussing to Iowa City, which will save the school about $70,000: "I think it's refreshing to get on a bus. We're going to go about 2 and 1/2 hours, stop have a sandwich, walk around a little bit, get back on the bus and go 2 and 1/2 more hours to the stadium and work out. I think it's great.'' Saturday's games Michigan 21, Ohio State 20 Iowa 14, Minnesota 3 Purdue 30, Indiana 10 Michigan State 17, Penn State 14 Bye 14, Illinois 0 Fourth down 2, Bill Belichick 0 NFL 10,000, Brady Quinn 0 Paybacks 7, Mark Slobgino 0 Tears of a Clown 1, Rex Ryan 1 Posted in Football, Mike_lucas on Thursday, November 19, 2009 5:30 am Updated: 7:51 am.| Copyright 2009 Madison Newspapers, Inc.All Rights Reserved

Starting five pushes Michigan past Southern Miss

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:12:00 +0000

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- All five starters scored in double digits, led by 18 points from freshman guard Dayeesha Hollins (Cincinnati, Ohio/Winton Woods),as the University of Michigan women's basketball team beat Southern Mississippi on Thursday (Nov. 19), 91-54, inside Crisler Arena. The win moves the Wolverines to 3-0 on the season. Joining Hollins in double figures were senior center Krista Phillips (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) with 13 points, sophomore forward Carmen Reynolds (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson) with 12 points and freshman Jenny Ryan (Saginaw, Mich./Nouvel Catholic Central) with 10 points. Junior guard Veronica Hicks (Chicago, Ill./Thornwood), who scored 12, and freshman forward Nya Jordan (Lathrup Village, Mich./Detroit Community) each posted six rebounds in the victory. The Wolverines held Southern Mississippi's leading scorer Pauline Love, who entered the game averaging 25 points and 12 rebounds, to just seven points and six rebounds. Despite owning a 17-point halftime lead, U-M's offense took a little bit of time to find its rhythm entering the second half, but Reynolds started things off with five points in the first four minutes of action and Hollins added six to push the U-M lead to 20 points. From there, the Wolverines coasted, never allowing the Lady Eagles to get closer than 22 points. Michigan played efficient basketball, recording 21 assists on 35 made field goals, and was equally effective on the defensive side of the ball, posting six blocks and 14 steals. Defense was the name of the game in the first half. U-M forced the Lady Eagles into four early turnovers and kept the ball out of Love's hands and jumped out to an early 19-5 lead. Phillips was a huge reason for U-M's early lead as she opened the game 4-of-5 from the floor and hit two free throws early to lead the team with 13 points in the opening frame. Southern Miss made up some ground with a 15-6 run midway through the half to cut the lead from 22-5 at 12:28 to 28-20 at the 5:48 mark. Three-point shooting made all the difference for Southern Mississippi in the first half as the Lady Eagles hit 5-of-7 for 71.4 percent. It was the opposite for the Wolverines, who were 50 percent from the floor on 15-of-30 shooting but were only 5-of-13 (.385) from behind the arc.

Dislike predates football in Ohio-Michigan rivalry

Rusty Miller — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:23:00 +0000

COLUMBUS, Ohio(AP) The deep and abiding enmity between Ohio and Michigan is certainly nothing new. When teams from No. 10 Ohio State and Michigan meet on Saturday to play football for the 106th time, it'll just be the latest skirmish between two states and their residents who have despised each other for almost two centuries. "We understand how important it is, not only here as a football squad, but the state as a whole, to get that victory against Michigan for the bragging rights for the year,'' Ohio State linebacker Austin Spitler said. The first offsides call took place early in the 19th century. A disagreement over widely divergent surveys called into question the location of their border. Was Toledo in the new state of Ohio? Or in the territory of Michigan? Ohio Gov. Robert Lucas, sounding a bit like a certain grumpy football coach, refused to even negotiate the line of scrimmage. In defiance, Lucas named the county in which Toledo was located after himself and appointed a sheriff and a judge. Michigan's territorial governor, 22-year-old Stevens T. Mason, was outraged. He assembled a 250-member posse and marched south, initiating what was called the Toledo War. It really wasn't much of a war. There was only one casualty, when an Ohioan named Two Stickney stabbed a Michigan sheriff in a tavern brawl. Eventually, Michigan was forced to concede Toledo was in Ohio, but was pacified by a gift of 9,000 square miles of rich mining and timber land in the Upper Peninsula. A Michigan government Web site sniffs, "In retrospect, it's obvious who won the War.'' The two universities first met in football in 1897. They started playing annually in 1918, and since 1935 have renewed acquaintances in the final game of the season. The vitriol between the two states and their two universities was magnified from 1969-78 when curmudgeonly Woody Hayes prowled and growled on the sidelines for the Buckeyes and Michigan was coached by the similarly stubborn and hardheaded Bo Schembechler - an Ohio native and former Hayes acolyte. Hayes refused to even utter the name of ``the state up north.'' Legend has it - although no one doubts it - that the petulant, at times childish Hayes once ran out of gas in Michigan but pushed his car over the state line rather than spend his money there. Something akin to that passion is handed down from generation to generation even today. "I went to St. Mary's down in Lancaster, a little Catholic school. We had to wear our (school) uniforms, but for the Ohio State-Michigan game we got to dress up in either Ohio State or Michigan clothes,'' said Buckeyes offensive lineman Jim Cordle. ``That was fun. We got to cheer into the PA system and then they'd measure (which team's fans) had the loudest cheer. And then every year we went to an Ohio State-Michigan party to watch the game.'' The two states are so similar yet remain committed in their distaste for each other. Columbus drivers scowl at those behind the wheel of cars with Michigan plates. Graduates of the University of Michigan consider their rivals to be the Ivy League, Stanford, Cal - certainly not the agricultural school down in Columbus. Over the years, the rivalry has found been manifested in sports. -In the 1940s, the Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers were two of the best teams in the American League. Fans debated who was better, Bob Feller or Hal Newhouser? Lou Boudreau or Hank Greenberg? -From 1950 to 1957, the Cleveland Browns of Otto Graham and the Detroit Lions led by Bobby Layne each won three NFL championships. (These days they are competing for the title of the league's worst team. That title will be decided on Sunday.) -The Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons have met in three physical, chippy playoff series this decade, the Pistons persevering in seven games in a second-round series in 2006, with the Cavs and LeBron James winning eight of 10 meetings in series wins in 2007 and last year. -Last spring the Columbus Blue Jackets made the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time, but the upstarts were no match for the 11-time champion Detroit Red Wings. The Winged Wheels won in a sweep. There are plenty of other ties between the states. Mark Dantonio, a former assistant coach at Ohio State, is now coach at Michigan State. Brian Kelly, a former head coach at Central Michigan, is now coach at fifth-ranked Cincinnati. Just last week, Bruce Springsteen performed in Cleveland on Wednesday night and in Auburn Hills, Mich., two nights later. "The Boss'' forgot where he was for the second gig and several times said, "Thank you, Ohio!'' to silent Michiganders. John Kerry made a similar gaffe during the 2004 presidential campaign, praising Ohio State's football team after he had crossed into Michigan. Yet he still won the state in the general election - and lost Ohio. The rivalry is clear to see when it comes to sports. And there's nothing quite like the jealousy, dislike and mistrust that seems to accompany ``The Game,'' as the annual showdown has become known. Ohio State wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher will be playing in only his third showdown with the Wolverines. But as a native of Toledo, he has a particularly vivid view of the heated rivalry on both sides. "There's always a little something extra when it comes to the Michigan game,'' he said. "It has a lot to do with the history. It goes back a long time.'' All the way back to the days of posses and Two Stickney.

Michigan outlasts rival Michigan State in 5

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:30:00 +0000

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The No. 14-ranked University of Michigan volleyball kept the State Pride flag in Ann Arbor, earning a five-set (25-20, 18-25, 25-21, 17-25, 15-8) victory Wednesday night at Cliff Keen Arena. The Wolverines' balanced attack saw four players record double-digit kills, led by senior Juliana Paz (Porto Allegre, Brazil/Iowa Western CC) with 18. Senior Megan Bower (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral) recorded her first double-double of the season with 11 kills and 10 digs. Sophomore Alex Hunt (Granger, Ind./Granger) went for 14 kills while senior Veronica Rood (Temperance, Mich./Temperance) chipped in 10. Junior setter Lexi Zimmerman (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) dished out 56 assists on the evening. The Wolverines never trailed in the fifth and deciding set, outhitting the Spartans, .375 to .118. U-M also used a 75-percent side-out ratio in the frame as Bower and Hunt each posted two kills to pace the Wolverine offense. Leading 10-7, Michigan used the second service ace of the night from junior Maggie Busch (Toledo, Ohio/Toledo Christian) along with back-to-back blocks by Rood - the second one was assisted by Paz - to cap the set and the match, 15-8. In the opening set, Michigan controlled much of the frame until the midway point when MSU crept back within one, 18-17. Down the stretch, Hunt contributed a service ace and Rood contributed three of the final five points as Michigan hit .370 in a 25-20 win. Michigan State jumped on top in set two and expanded its lead to 20-15 en route to a 25-18 victory. The Wolverines offense was good - hitting .429 - but the Spartans were even better hitting at a .609 clip and committing only one attack error. Paz had the hot hand in defeat, contributing seven kills for Michigan. While the opening two sets were very much one-sided affairs, the third was very close. Locked at 21, a string of four straight U-M points, including two kills by Hunt, capped a 25-21 Michigan win. Paz led the Maize and Blue again with seven kills while Zimmerman dished out 15 assists. Tied at 13 in set four, the Spartans used a 4-0 run to gain momentum as they cruised to a 25-17 win, evening the match at two sets apiece. U-M hit at its lowest clip of the match, .231, with five attack errors in the set. The Wolverines return to Cliff Keen Arena on Friday night (Nov. 20) for the regular season home finale and senior night when they face No. 12 Minnesota at 7 p.m. MGoBlue.com will provide live game audio and live stats. NOTES • U-M won the "State Pride" series with Michigan State for the third consecutive season with the series sweep of the Spartans Wednesday night. Michigan now owns 12 of the 20 all-time "State Pride" series wins. • Megan Bower recorded her first double-double of the season (11 kills, 10 digs) and the 10th of her career. • Bower also recorded her second highest attack-percentage of the season, hitting at a .625 clip (11-1-16). • Bower's 11 kills mark a season high, eclipsing her previous best of 10 versus Ohio State (Oct. 17). • Sloane Donhoff's 11 digs mark her 26th match with double-digit digs this season and her 10th consecutive. • Lexi Zimmerman's 56 assists mark a new season high, eclipsing her previous high of 55 versus Illinois (Oct. 3). • Zimmerman recorded her 13th match of 50 or more assists.

Rodriguez era at Michigan has been full of blues

LARRY LAGE — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:48:00 +0000

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez was handed a blue button with ``Beat Ohio State'' in maize letters when he was introduced as the new leader of college football's winningest program. Rodriguez said earlier this week he has kept the button on his desk. After being asked about the button later by a visitor to his office, Rodriguez had to do some searching. He found it tucked under some paper in the top drawer of the desk. "I put it in there one day when I got mad,'' Rodriguez said. It would be tough to figure out what day that was because there's been a lot of reasons for him to be angry during his two tumultuous seasons in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines started 4-0 this season, earning a spot on the cover of Sports Illustrated, and Rodriguez was hailed for the turnaround after losing a school-record nine games last year. Two closely contested losses on the road to Michigan State and Iowa snowballed into a skid that has included only one win - against Delaware State - in a seven-game stretch. The collapse has made Saturday's game at home against No. 9 Ohio State more important than usual, but in an unusual way for Michigan. If Michigan beats its rival for the first time since 2003, it will salvage some pride with a bowl bid and get much-needed practices. If not, the Wolverines will have a losing record in consecutive years for the first time since the 1962-63 seasons and will endure another miserable offseason that might be compounded if the NCAA delivers bad news during an investigation it plans to complete by the end of the year. Rodriguez hasn't gotten to enjoy many days since a messy divorce with West Virginia led to a turbulent transition at Michigan. He insisted, though, he doesn't regret leaving West Virginia or turning down an opportunity to be Alabama's coach. "It's taxing on my family and me, but this is a big-boy business,'' Rodriguez said in an interview with the AP. "I've been at big schools before. We had drama, but not as much as here. "It's a wonderful profession, but when things are not going the way you'd like, it certainly takes a toll.'' Rodriguez took his latest hit off the field on Monday, when an internal audit was released in untimely fashion with details about the football program failing to file forms that track how much players workout and practice. The forms are used to comply with NCAA rules. He said Wednesday the process of filing forms was corrected as soon as he learned it wasn't happening. He declined further comment because of an ongoing NCAA investigation. The office of university audits sent Rodriguez a memo on July 24, stating that forms from the 2008 regular season had not been submitted. The Detroit Free Press, citing anonymous players, reported a month later that Michigan exceeded NCAA limits regarding practices and workouts. Detroit Lions offensive lineman Jon Jansen, who helped the Wolverines win the 1997 national championship, says it's disappointing to know people with ties to the school have conspired against Rodriguez since he replaced the retiring Lloyd Carr in part because they wanted somebody else - such as LSU's Les Miles - hired. "You'd have to be blind to not see there are divisions among Michigan folk,'' Jansen said. "I think that while he's there, he should get as much support as he can get. "Whether you are for or against Rich Rod, everybody should be for Michigan. I hope he's successful because I want Michigan to be successful.'' An e-mail was sent to every member of the school's board or regents, asking for comment on Rodriguez and the program, and no one responded. University of Michigan president Mary Sue Coleman declined an interview request, but issued a statement. "As I've said before, I continue to support our coach and our football program,'' Coleman said in a statement sent by her office. If Michigan did want to fire Rodriguez - who signed a six-year deal worth $2.5 million per season - it would likely be an ugly process. According to his contract, Rodriguez can be fired for cause if the NCAA, the Big Ten or the school determines he has committed a major violation of NCAA rules or he has intentionally committed any other type of violation of NCAA rules. If the school completes a four-step process to fire Rodriguez for cause, it ``shall be without liability to Rodriguez,'' according to the contract he signed Oct. 24, 2008. Athletic director Bill Martin, who hired Rodriguez and is retiring by September at the latest, tried to voice as much support as he could as his outgoing boss. "We're in a transition and we all have to be prepared to stay the course,'' Martin said earlier this week. "Is our record a surprise? Sure. Do I totally support Rich? Absolutely. You don't want to make excuses, but take a look at our personnel. We have only 71 players who came here on scholarship. We've got freshman going against fifth-year seniors in a lot of places. "We didn't have a lot of candidates to replace Lloyd's best players in his last season.''

Michigan's Rodriguez says process has been fixed

LARRY LAGE — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:52:00 +0000

ANN ARBOR, Mich.(AP) Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez says the process of filing forms that log hours players devote to football was corrected as soon as he learned it wasn't happening. Rodriguez declined further comment Wednesday because of an ongoing NCAA investigation. An internal audit released Monday discovered the football program failed to file the school's forms that track how much players workout and practice as a tool to comply with NCAA rules. The office of university audits sent Rodriguez a memo on July 24, stating that forms from the 2008 regular season had not been submitted. The Detroit Free Press, citing anonymous players, reported a month later that Michigan exceeded NCAA limits regarding practices and workouts.

Is 'The Game' not the same?

Jeffrey Sheban — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Not long ago, Michigan players and fans were talking in the past tense about the age-old rivalry with Ohio State. After a string of seven wins against two losses, Michigan coach Gary Moeller in 1992 declared the Buckeyes no longer worthy of being called his team's nemesis. The title, he said, belonged to in-state foe Michigan State. Fans and players repeated the line throughout the decade as Michigan, led by Moeller and successor Lloyd Carr, piled up victories -- seven wins (and a tie) in the 1990s -- like cordwood. Fast-forward to 2009 -- and, wow, how times have changed. The Buckeyes have been in command since 2001, winning seven of eight against that team up north -- including the past five. With Michigan last in the Big Ten and facing the dismal prospect of a second straight losing season under head coach Rich Rodriguez, woe to the Wolverines. "I'll bet you they see us as rivals now," crowed former All-American tailback Archie Griffin, whose OSU teams went 3-0-1 against Michigan from 1972 to '75. As much as Buckeye fans might savor the current streak, though, such dominance isn't necessarily good for The Game. Conventional wisdom and retired coaches might suggest that rivalries never die, but it doesn't take a Ph.D. to realize that the OSU- Michigan series could use a maize-and-blue revival. "Most rivalries, when they become too one-sided, lose some of their appeal," said Columbus sports counselor Chris Stankovich, who has a doctorate in clinical counseling. Lopsided results, he said, can bore the casual viewer and harm the psyche of die-hard fans of both the winners and the losers. "We measure ourselves by our team's success," Stankovich said. "When the local team is winning, it's 'we' and 'us.' When they're losing, it's 'They lost; they stink.' " Buckeyes fan Bill Cooper of Granville takes the notion further. "The winning streaks by Lloyd Carr in the '90s and (coach Jim) Tressel this decade have almost killed the rivalry," lamented the computer consultant, 68. "It's actually like losing a good friend because one of the great things about sports is a great rivalry." The annual matchup -- the last game of the regular season for both teams -- was ranked by ESPN in 2000 as the greatest sports rivalry in North America. Comedian Jon Stewart has compared the game, first played in 1897, to the historical enmity between Sunni and Shiite Muslims. Many fans on both sides consider the heyday of the series -- which Michigan leads 57-42-6 -- to be the period between 1969 and 1978, known as the "Ten-Year War." Ohio State and Michigan shared the Big Ten title six times in that span. The era got off to a rousing start when first-year Michigan coach Bo Schembechler's team upset an undefeated, No. 1-ranked Buckeye squad led by his mentor, Woody Hayes. "I've always thought the 1969 game was the most significant Big Ten game ever played," said Ohio State football historian Jack Park. "To this day, it's still Michigan's biggest win and our biggest loss." The downside of losing is obvious: anger, frustration and lack of self-esteem for the vanquished. Cooper remembers how it felt in the '90s to come up short year after year. "It was a case of hopelessness and bitter disappointment," he said. "You eventually get on with your life, but not for two or three weeks." Once-proud Michigan fans can relate. "How does it feel? It sucks," said Wolverines fan Chad Pridemore, a 26-year-old who lives in Sandusky County in northwestern Ohio. "The last five years, the energy level they used to have is just not there. It's frustrating." Some loyalists downplay the effects of losing. "You want us to say we go home and cry like babies?" asked defiant fan Gary Galofaro of suburban Detroit, in town last week for the Blue Jackets-Red Wings hockey game. "If we beat the Buckeyes, we can save the season and ruin theirs." Tom George, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan who specializes in sports psychology, said the dry spell is taking a toll on Wolverine fans. "Five years of losing has been very difficult on them," he said. "When you throw in the fact that Michigan has one of the worst economies in the country, it's been pretty rough around here." Even success, though, has its negative aspects: Too much winning, Stankovich said, can foster unbridled arrogance. "I'm sure there are some people in Columbus who would like to see Michigan win just to keep our fans in check," he said, adding, "I'm not one of them." Nor is Griffin. "Do I want them to beat us to make the rivalry more interesting? No," said the two-time Heisman Trophy winner, who is president and chief executive officer of the OSU Alumni Association. "I want to beat them all the time." jsheban@dispatch.com Copyright 2009 The Columbus DispatchAll Rights Reserved

Michigan in free fall from grace

Bill Rabinowitz — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Michigan had just completed another second-half collapse Saturday against Wisconsin. It was the Wolverines' sixth loss in seven games, but in an instant the past became irrelevant. According to left tackle Mark Ortmann, coach Rich Rodriguez imparted a simple message to his team. "He came off the field into the locker room and said immediately, 'We've got to start thinking about Ohio State. Wisconsin is in the past, and Ohio State is a very beatable team. We just all have to be focused. If you're not all in, don't bother showing up.'" Michigan (5-6) needs a victory Saturday to be eligible for a bowl. But that's not what's driving the Wolverines. "I know with six wins you become bowl-eligible," Ortmann said yesterday. "Me personally, that's not even on my mind. Right now, we're (tied for) last in the Big Ten. A bowl would be nice, but a victory over Ohio State would be better than any bowl we could go to." Ortmann is a fifth-year senior. No current Michigan player has been part of a victory over Ohio State. The thought of bearing that legacy stings. "It's a lot of motivation," senior defensive end Brandon Graham said. "It's a lot for the whole team. If you can't get jacked up for this one, I don't know where you've been or what you've been thinking about. This game should give you some kind of chills. I just can't wait until Saturday." Graham and Ortmann organized a players-only meeting yesterday to stress the importance of Saturday's game. "We don't have a lot of vocal leaders," Ortmann said. "We have a lot of leaders who lead by example. I think some of those individuals, including myself, will speak up a little more and try to get everybody on the same page for this last one." That the Wolverines are in this situation seemed unlikely in September. Michigan won its first four games and seemed to have put last year's 3-9 debacle in the past. But while the offense has generated the most points in the Big Ten (31.3 per game), the Wolverines' defense has been a sieve, particularly late in games. In the last four games, Michigan has been outscored 99-19 after halftime. Last year, Ohio State overwhelmed the Wolverines 42-7. This year, there's reason for Michigan to believe it can be competitive. The Wolverines have been maddeningly inconsistent, but they have shown plenty of flashes of ability. "If we play well and play within ourselves and don't make the major mistakes here and there, it's going to be a ballgame," Rodriguez said. "But we've got to play really well. Who knows, maybe they'll make a few mistakes themselves." The Wolverines will be drawing on their past to supply a little extra motivation. They are bringing back as honorary captains their players from the 1969 team that triggered the Ten Year War by upsetting top-ranked Ohio State 24-12. Rodriguez remembers watching that game. Though Rodriguez had no Michigan ties before taking over the job at the end of 2007, he said he understands the intensity of the rivalry. "The first day I got the job, someone gave me a 'Beat Ohio State' button," Rodriguez said. "I still have it on my desk. "If you follow college football, you understand the rivalry. Just because I did not coach here before and did not play here and am not from the state of Michigan does not mean I don't understand the rivalry. Trust me, I understand the rivalry as well as any coach could possibly understand it." Now it's his task to reverse Ohio State's dominance this decade. "We're not going to go there to just show up and hope it's close," Rodriguez said. "We're going to compete to win and see what we can do. It's going to be a tremendous challenge, but it's been a tremendous challenge for anybody who's played Ohio State the past several years." brabinowitz@dispatch.com Copyright 2009 The Columbus DispatchAll Rights Reserved

Ohio St OL Boren twice considered a traitor

Rusty Miller — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:51:00 +0000

COLUMBUS, Ohio(AP) In these parts, people don't change sides easily. You're either born a Michigan fan or your bassinet has scarlet and gray trim. That's why, in the days leading up to No. 9 Ohio State at Michigan on Saturday, there is so much talk about the curious case of Justin Boren. Boren is from Ohio and starts at left guard for the Buckeyes. But he used to play for the Wolverines. Ohio State coach Jim Tressel did not permit Boren to speak with reporters this week. But many of his teammates, current and former, had a lot to say. "When I was a freshman he came in during one of our meetings (on a recruiting visit) - and he just fell asleep,'' said Ohio State's Jim Cordle, who now starts next to Boren at tackle and calls him one of his best friends. "This big meatball just comes in and falls asleep. You heard all the talk about him going to Michigan and stuff, and then he did.'' For the next two years, the Buckeyes seethed that a kid who grew up less than 20 miles from Ohio Stadium was now wearing maize and blue. So he was considered a turncoat - for the first time. "During the Michigan game when you go out for warmups, both teams are coming out of the same tunnel,'' Cordle said, reflecting on the 2007 game. "When we went out for warmups, he was coming back in, and I saw him and I kind of stared him down. I was like, 'There's Boren.''' But then Boren grew disenchanted with Michigan when coach Lloyd Carr retired two years ago and was replaced by Rich Rodriguez. Boren - whose father played at Michigan - stunned both states when he announced he was transferring to Ohio State because, as he put it, "family values have eroded'' in the Wolverines' program. "That was just an excuse about why he wanted to leave,'' Michigan defensive end Brandon Graham said. "He put that on himself. He didn't give (the coaches) a chance when they got here, and he was just so used to the coach Carr era, he didn't want to get used to nothing else.'' Michigan offensive lineman David Moosman clearly didn't want to discuss Boren. "Just didn't want to be here. ... Probably shouldn't have come in the first place,'' he said. "Who's fault was that?'' Asked if he would ever allow his own son - should he someday have one - to attend Ohio State, Graham scowled. "No. I wouldn't do that. I couldn't do that,'' he said. "I'm not Justin Boren. I couldn't do that.'' Once seen as a traitor by Ohio State fans, now Boren is a favorite son. Once a starter for the Wolverines, he's now seen as Benedict Arnold in shoulder pads by Michigan faithful. "He came to the good side, and here he is,'' Cordle said with a grin. Without insight from Boren, no one knows what he is thinking this week. Even his teammates are wondering. "He's going to have a lot of internal things going on,'' Ohio State safety Kurt Coleman said. "It's going to be a motivation for him to play. He's usually an animal out there with his mindset. I think this is going to be a totally different game. I would like to watch him throughout the game.'' It's almost unheard of for one player to switch uniforms in this most heated of rivalries. Yet Hall of Fame Michigan coach Bo Schembechler was from Ohio and a loyal assistant to Woody Hayes at Ohio State before becoming Hayes' nemesis in their ``Ten-year War'' from 1969-78. Gary Moeller was the captain of the 1962 Ohio State team, but later was coach of the Wolverines. Sometimes "The Game'' splits families. Perhaps the most famous matchup in the series was the 1950 ``Snow Bowl'' game played in Columbus. A blizzard with freezing temperatures and 40 mph winds hit Ohio Stadium that Saturday, paralyzing the city. The Wolverines won 9-3, thanks to a safety and Tony Momsen's blocked punt and recovery in the end zone. Momsen was the older brother of Ohio State's Bob Momsen, who had earlier blocked a punt to set up the Buckeyes' only points. Must have been an interesting postgame dinner for the Momsens. Ohio State wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher grew up in Toledo, in the middle between the schools and almost split down the middle in its allegiance this Saturday. Sanzenbacher grew up an Ohio State fan and wasn't recruited by Michigan, but felt the pull of the rivalry at a young age. "You're always split down the middle, especially in Toledo,'' he said. "There were always plenty of Michigan fans to tell you about it.'' More than most, he recognizes how a game like Ohio State-Michigan can both unify and polarize. "For both of these teams the passion from their fans runs a little bit deeper,'' he said. "They're not going to be flip-floppers about it.''

Ohio St. vs. Michigan: Just another game?

Rusty Miller — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:53:00 +0000

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) For years, the annual showdown between rivals Ohio State and Michigan has been called ``The Game.'' Maybe this year it should be referred to as The ``Just Another'' Game. No. 9 Ohio State (9-2, 6-1) has already assured itself of its first spot in the Rose Bowl in 13 years after clinching at least a share of the Big Ten title and the conference's Bowl Championship Series automatic berth with Saturday's 27-24 overtime victory over 15th-ranked Iowa. "We told our guys they could have three hours to savor that, but when the clock strikes 12 o'clock, we know what week it is,'' coach Jim Tressel said. In other words, it's time for the contest with the Buckeyes' biggest rival, Michigan. The Wolverines (5-6, 1-6) have lost four in a row and six of the last seven and remain tied for last in the Big Ten after Saturday's 45-24 beating at the hands of Wisconsin. "There's no question we've got one more chance,'' embattled Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez said in Madison, Wis. "I've asked the team to be extra focused. We've been focused all year, but this is the biggest game of the year. Our guys know that.'' What used to be the red-letter day on the calendar for each team has become one of relatively minor rewards. In addition to sticking it to their nemesis, the Buckeyes would like to win an outright conference title. But it's hard to imagine anyone rallying to the battle cry of "Avoid a co-championship!'' Asked if the teams' vastly different fortunes and the Buckeyes' recent accomplishments would make it difficult to get up for Michigan, Ohio State safety Kurt Coleman said, ``It's not tough at all. We want to win the championship outright and to beat Michigan. That's a lot of motivation to play well.'' The Buckeyes have beaten two top-15 teams in as many weeks, knocking off then-No. 11 Penn State 24-7 in Happy Valley two weeks ago. Those two wins gave them the Rose Bowl bid - and a Jan. 1 date against the Pac-10 winner. No. 11 Oregon (8-2, 6-1) currently leads that race, with Stanford (7-3, 6-2), Oregon State (7-3, 5-2) and Arizona (6-3, 4-2) hot on the webbed feet of the Ducks. "We're not worried about the bowl game right now, we're just worried about Michigan,'' Ohio State defensive end Lawrence Wilson said. ``Michigan is a good team and it's a huge rivalry. It's the biggest rivalry in sports.'' Besides, it's not as if Ohio State is steamrolling teams. The offense remains a question mark, with quarterback Terrelle Pryor and the rest of the Buckeyes playing adequately but not much better. Backs Brandon Saine (103 yards on 11 carries) and Dan Herron (97 on 32) combining for 200 yards rushing and three touchdowns. But Pryor totaled just 93 yards on his 14 completions. And Tressel showed little faith in his offense by basically killing time until the overtime and then using three plunges into the line to set up Devin Barclay's 39-yard game-winning field goal. "We're going to have to get better for next week,'' Tressel said. ``And we're going on the road in the big one.'' Michigan needs a win to salvage its season, but that's sort of like putting lipstick on a pig. A victory would give the Wolverines, who are coming off a 3-9 season a year ago in Rich Rodriguez's debut in Ann Arbor, the minimum requirement for playing in a bowl game - a non-losing record. The Wolverines could also avoid the Big Ten cellar, hardly a blood-boiling bit of motivation, in addition to knocking their neighbors to the south down a peg or two. Rodriguez believes the game is still, well, The Game. "It's not going to be a game that either team needs to get fired up for,'' he said. "It's Michigan and Ohio State. We got a lot at stake. It's at our place and it's our seniors' last game. The focus this week should be great, I just hope the play is great.'' One other incentive for Rodriguez and his players might be securing the coach's job. It seems unimaginable that Michigan would pull the plug on RichRod and his acclaimed spread attack after only two seasons, but then again the Wolverines hadn't missed a bowl game in 33 years before missing a year ago. The man who brought Rodriguez to Michigan, athletic director Bill Martin, has announced he is retiring effective Sept. 4, 2010. Is it possible that the new AD might want to mollify many unhappy fans and ex-players and tear the whole program up to start over with a new head coach? Usually the Ohio State-Michigan game is the ultimate winner-take-all contest in the Big Ten. Focus has never been a problem. It has been simple: See rival, beat rival, celebrate. But this year, the Buckeyes have accomplished so much already - and the Wolverines have struggled so much - it's not surprising that the focus might not be there. "We've worked so hard for this and I'm so relieved,'' Coleman said in the din of the postgame celebration. "I think we still have some unfinished business up in Michigan, but right now we're on top of the world. (This week) we've got to get back to work and get ready for Michigan.'' For once that might be hard to do.

Michigan uses hot second half to down Marquette

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:21:00 +0000

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Freshman guard Dayeesha Hollins (Cincinnati, Ohio/Winton Woods) scored 10 of her 17 points as the Wolverines shot 57.7 (15-of-26) percent from the floor in the second frame to overcome a six-point halftime deficit and defeat Marquette, 67-50, on Monday night at Crisler Arena. Hollins was the game's leading scorer on 6-of-12 shooting and was joined in double figures by junior guard Veronica Hicks (Chicago, Ill./Thornwood) and sophomore forward Carmen Reynolds (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson), who had 13 and 11 points, respectively. Senior forward Ashley Jones (Southfield, Mich./Martin Luther King) posted a game-best 10 rebounds. The game was really a tail of two halves as Michigan struggled to find any offense in the first half but was able to use defense to force turnovers and keep the Golden Eagles from getting second-chance shots. It was a slow start for both teams with neither squad scoring a bucket until four minutes had gone off the game clock. Marquette was able to jump out to a 5-0 lead, but the U-M defense forced several turnovers and was able to get a little offense going and cut the Marquette lead to 7-7 early with two early jumpers from Hollins. Marquette used a 13-1 run late in the half to open up a 10-point lead at 26-16, its largest lead of the half, but buckets from senior guard Kalyn McPherson (Traverse City, Mich./West) and Hicks gave the Golden Eagles a six-point lead heading into the break. Statistically speaking, Marquette was getting to the foul line and making things happen. In the first half, the Golden Eagles reached the foul line six more times than the Wolverines and were 11-of-13 from the charity stripe as opposed to U-M, which was 4-of-7 from the line. In addition, U-M was 0-for-5 from long range. Trailing Marquette by six points at halftime, the Wolverines opened the second half with a sense of urgency. U-M got itself right back into the game in the opening minutes behind a 15-9 run, sparked by baskets from Reynolds and Hicks and tied the game at 35-35 at the 12:51 mark of the second half. The teams traded baskets and Marquette took a 39-38 lead on a three-pointer from Angel Robinson but that was the last deficit they faced as the Wolverines went on a 30-11 run to close out the game and move to 2-0 on the season. Jones was key throughout the first several minutes of the second half, coming up with several defensive stops as well as creating havoc for the Marquette guards under the basket. Reynolds, who scored 19 points and had five three-pointer in U-M's last game, started to heat up from behind the arc in the second half, and with a three-pointer at the 10:55 mark, gave U-M's its first lead of the game. The Wolverines, who were 0-for-5 from behind the arc in the first half, found their range in the second half and ended the game with six three-pointers. The Wolverines close out their three-game season-opening homestand against Southern Mississippi on Thursday (Nov. 19). Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. in Crisler Arena.

Michigan football didn't keep logs for players

LARRY LAGE — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:23:00 +0000

ANN ARBOR, Mich.(AP) College football's winningest program just took another hit off the field. The University of Michigan released embarrassing details of an internal audit Monday that discovered Rich Rodriguez's team failed to file forms tracking how much time players spent on football during the 2008 season - his first - and the offseason last spring. Perhaps coincidentally, the NCAA and the school are investigating the program about similar issues. The NCAA sent the school's president a notice of inquiry last month, saying it plans to complete its investigation by Dec. 31. "I don't know what the NCAA is going to find,'' athletic director Bill Martin said in an interview with The Associated Press on Monday, before the audit was released. "I do know this is not academic fraud or gambling. "I'm not involved with the investigation. It's being handled by our general counsel. We're the ones who picked up the phone to call the NCAA about this.'' The audit was completed months ago, but the details surfaced during Ohio State week because they are part of the agenda for Thursday's board of regents meeting. Rodriguez has said he and his coaches know and follow NCAA rules. University spokeswoman Kelly Cunningham said Rodriguez would not make a statement about the audit, saying he and school officials are limited in what they can say because of the ongoing investigation. "The president and the (regents) take very seriously all audits conducted at the university,'' the school said. "We will take all necessary steps to insure the integrity of all of the university's programs.'' Michigan's season has been filled with challenges on and off the field. The Detroit Free Press, citing anonymous football players, reported in August that Michigan was exceeding NCAA limits regarding practices and workouts. The Wolverines started the season with four straight wins, but have stumbled and now have lost six of seven. If Michigan doesn't upset the ninth-ranked Buckeyes on Saturday at home, it will fail to quality for a bowl for a second straight season under Rodriguez after enjoying a postseason streak that lasted three-plus decades. The audit looked into compliance areas for several Michigan teams, including the football and men's basketball programs. Auditors reviewed practice logs for a week during the season and a week in the offseason. It found ``a concern'' that the football program failed to file monthly Countable Athletically Related Activities forms created by the school to track how much players work out and practice as a tool to comply with NCAA rules. "The regular season forms still have not been submitted,'' the office of university audits wrote to Rodriguez in a letter dated July 24. "All other varsity sports submitted their CARA forms timely.'' The report did not find issues of noncompliance, but acknowledged the practice logs for football were not available to be reviewed when the audit was conducted. The forms are now turned in on a timely basis, according to the school. "The audit does not identify where the system broke down,'' a school statement read, "and it did not identify any other areas of concern with respect to the football program.'' Rodriguez signed a six-year deal last year worth $2.5 million per season. According to his contract, Rodriguez can be fired for cause if the NCAA, the Big Ten or the school determines he has committed a major violation of NCAA rules or he has intentionally committed any other type of violation of NCAA rules. If the school completes a four-step process to fire Rodriguez for cause, it ``shall be without liability to Rodriguez,'' according to the contract he signed Oct. 24, 2008.

Forcier's promise provides intrigue against Ohio State

Ken Gordon — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

From the mouth of a freshman comes the kind of spark that could rekindle the flickering flame of The Game. Ohio State heads to Michigan this week, and unlike in past years, relatively little will be at stake. The Buckeyes (9-2, 6-1) already have clinched a share of the Big Ten title and accepted the conference's invitation to the Rose Bowl. (Barring some cataclysmic event, the Buckeyes will not play in the national championship game.) But after Michigan's loss to Wisconsin on Saturday, which dropped the Wolverines to 5-6 (1-6 Big Ten), quarterback Tate Forcier had this to say: "I am going to get (my teammates) to a bowl game," he told the Detroit News. "If it means spending 10 hours in film this week, then I am going to do it. But we are going to get them to a bowl game." Michigan has to beat OSU to have the requisite six victories to be bowl eligible. OSU players were unaware of that remark Saturday immediately after their 27-24 overtime win over Iowa. But they already had their own motivations in mind. "To win (the Big Ten) outright, we've got to win up there," senior defensive tackle Todd Denlinger said. The Buckeyes have won 34 Big Ten titles, including five straight. But only half of those (17) have been outright championships. Of coach Jim Tressel's five previous titles, just two were outright -- 2006 and 2007. Even the 2002 national-title team had to share the conference championship, with Iowa. "For the senior class to go out as outright Big Ten champions is huge," Denlinger said. "There haven't been nearly as many outrights. ... It's a lot harder to do." Under Tressel, Ohio State has won seven of eight games against Michigan, but it seems the stakes have been diminishing in recent years. The Game can never be any bigger than it was in 2006, when for the first time, it pitted the nation's two top-ranked teams (OSU was No. 1). In 2007, victory at Ann Arbor was necessary to clinch a Rose Bowl spot, although the Buckeyes wound up in the national championship game. Last season, despite Michigan's 3-8 mark coming in, OSU needed a win to claim a share of the Big Ten title and keep its hopes alive for a Bowl Championship Series at-large spot. This year, the only drama remaining in the season is watching the Pacific-10 to see who Ohio State will meet in the Rose Bowl. Of the four teams in the hunt, Oregon is the only one that controls its own fate. If the Ducks beat Arizona and Oregon State, they will be heading to Pasadena. Oregon State might have the next-best shot, followed by Stanford and Arizona. With its third Pac-10 loss Saturday, Southern California was eliminated from contention. Ohio State will be shooting for its fourth win in Ann Arbor in the past five tries. The Buckeyes won there in 2001, 2005 and 2007. The Wolverines have lost six of their past seven games after a 4-0 start. But when it comes to The Game, players quickly dismiss the numbers. "There's always so much on the line at Michigan," receiver Dane Sanzenbacher said. "It's its own season in itself. We never take the importance off that game." kgordon@dispatch.com Copyright 2009 The Columbus DispatchAll Rights Reserved

Michigan throttles Ball State in season opener

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:52:00 +0000

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Sophomore forward Carmen Reynolds (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson) had a career night from long range with five three-point field goals and 19 points to lead the University of Michigan women's basketball team to an 87-67 season-opening victory over Ball State on Friday (Nov. 13) in Crisler Arena. Reynolds was one of three Wolverines in double figures in the contest. Junior guard Veronica Hicks (Chicago, Ill. /Thornwood) added 15 points, while freshman Dayeesha Hollins (Cincinnati, Ohio/Winton Woods) posted 12 points in her collegiate debut. Hicks was U-M's leading rebounder with seven boards. U-M had a stellar shooting night, going 31-of-66 from the floor for a 46-percent clip. From three-point range, the Wolverines shot a 53-percent (14-of-26) pace. Reynolds and Hicks led the way from long range with five and four triples, respectively, and freshman guard Kate Thompson (Plymouth, Minn. /Wayzata) was a perfect 3-of-3 from downtown in her collegiate debut. Michigan and Ball State both needed a few minutes to shake off the rust, but it was the Wolverines that made the first move, and at the 18:31 mark, scored the first bucket of the game on a triple from Hicks. The basket sparked a quick 10-3 run to give the Wolverines an early seven-point lead, while tight defense held the Cardinals to just three points through first eight minutes of the game. U-M used a balanced attack, getting offense from nearly everyone that entered the game, including all six freshmen. After cruising to a 20-point lead at halftime, U-M kept the momentum in the second half and continued to force the Cardinals to turn the ball over, which led to 21 U-M points and its third-consecutive season-opening victory. Michigan had some impressive statistics at the end of the first half, only allowing the Cardinals one point off turnovers and holding them to 29-percent shooting from the floor. The Cardinals had a tough time shooting in the first half and were held to 23 percent on 9-of-31 shooting from the field. Ball State responded in the second half, going 17-of-32 from the floor and finished the game shooting 41.3 percent on 26-of-63 shooting. Emily Maggert was the lone Cardinal in double digits after the first half and concluded the game with a team-high 16 points and 10 rebounds for the lone double-double of the contest. Michigan continues its season-opening three-game homestand on Monday (Nov. 16) when it welcomes the Marquette Golden Eagles to Crisler Arena. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. on the Big Ten Network. Fans can also listen to the game on WLBY AM 1290 with Matt Park and Nick Brandon on the call.

Tolzien's 5 TDs lead Badgers past Wolverines

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:28:00 +0000

MADISON, Wis. -- For long-suffering conference rivals looking to throw some grief back at the once-dominant Michigan Wolverines, now's the time. Have at it, Badgers. No. 21 Wisconsin became the latest Big Ten team to get the best of the reeling Wolverines and coach Rich Rodriguez, winning 45-24 Saturday behind four touchdown passes and a TD sneak from quarterback Scott Tolzien. "Scotty had a big grin on his face walking off the field," Badgers coach Bret Bielema said. "To beat Michigan is a big deal." It was sweet redemption on Senior Day for the Badgers (8-2, 5-2), who watched last year's promising season unravel after blowing a big lead in the Big House last year. Wisconsin has regained momentum in what is shaping up to be a better-than-expected 2009 campaign, winning three straight after consecutive losses to Ohio State and Iowa. It was the sixth straight conference setback for the Wolverines (5-6, 1-6), whose miserable Big Ten season just keeps getting worse -- and with a potential bowl bid slipping away, Ohio State awaits next Saturday. "There's no question we've got one more chance," Rodriguez said. "I've asked the team to be extra focused. We've been focused all year, but this is the biggest game of the year. Our guys know that." Wisconsin's 45 points were the most the Badgers have ever scored against Michigan. After the Badgers blew a 19-point lead in a loss to Michigan last year, Badgers defensive end O'Brien Schofield said he wasn't comfortable celebrating the win until the clock hit zero. "I didn't want to think about that," Schofield said. "Because last year, I was like, 'We are killing these guys, these guys are terrible.' ... That was bad. I had to eat my words." Tolzien was 16 of 24 for 240 yards with an interception despite spending much of the game under pressure from defensive end Brandon Graham, who had a pair of sacks and forced a fumble that was returned for a touchdown to give the Wolverines a 17-14 lead just before halftime. But this time, the second-half letdown that has become this Michigan team's dubious trademark actually began just before halftime, when it allowed the Badgers to drive for a 1-yard touchdown by John Clay. "We've got to stay focused on what we need to do," Graham said. "Most of the games we were out of our gaps and let big plays happen. It's been killing us." Nick Toon caught two of Tolzien's touchdown throws for the Badgers, who went to the air early on after putting together monster rushing performances in their previous two games. Leading 21-17, Wisconsin received the second-half kickoff and marched to the Michigan 15-yard line, where Tolzien threw toward Toon in the end zone. Toon, son of former Badgers and NFL receiver Al Toon, jumped and came down with his second TD of the day despite being interfered with on the play. Tate Forcier was a solid 20 of 26 for 188 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, but it wasn't enough. After a 4-0 start to the season, the Wolverines are reeling heading into their biggest rivalry. "If I have to spend 10 hours this week watching film, I'm going to do that," Forcier said. "We're going to get the seniors to a bowl game. We're going to come out and do what we need to do to beat Ohio State." Forcier kept Michigan in the game after Toon's acrobatic touchdown catch, converting a fourth-and-9 play to set up a 10-yard touchdown pass to Roy Roundtree that cut Wisconsin's lead to 28-24 midway through the third. But the Wolverines defense just couldn't get the stop it needed. With Wisconsin facing third-and-7 at the Michigan 19, linebacker Stevie Brown burst through the line and Tolzien got rid of the ball just before taking a crunching hit, delivering a 12-yard pass to tight end Garrett Graham to set up first-and-goal at the 7. Tolzien threw a touchdown to tight end Lance Kendricks two plays later, putting Wisconsin up 35-24. The Badgers were coming off impressive rushing performances in victories over Purdue and Indiana but had a hard time finding yards on the ground against Michigan's defense early on. Michigan held Wisconsin to 53 yards rushing in the first half but couldn't keep it up, as John Clay got 109 of his 151 yards on the ground after halftime. "Defensively, we are reaching to find an answer to stop people," Rodriguez said.