UMGoBlue.COM Feature

10/14/02- Perfect Ending

The place was packed, the crowd was jacked, and the weather cloudy but tolerably warm. On a day honoring the great former Michigan receiver Anthony Carter, the Wolverines provided the first overtime victory in Michigan Stadium history, winning 27-24.

The crowd was electric and participatory. It was a great atmosphere. When you combine that with a hard fought win over a venerated coach and a top tier program, it made a Saturday afternoon that offered the best college football has to offer.

The only downer was the scary collision that Zia Combs had with teammate Ernest Shazor in downing a punt. The contact left Zia inert and he was carted off the field. Later television reports indicated that he has no broken bones and can move that which is supposed to move, but was in the hospital overnight for observation.

Michigan did not play a perfect football game either offensively or defensively, but neither did Penn State. If they did not play perfectly both teams played extremely hard and at times very well. Penn State kept the pressure on. Michigan came off its bye week well rested and immediately fell behind 7 zip after a great Penn State punt pinned Michigan on its own six inch line, providing great Lion field position. I wanted to question that call but a review of the tape seems to prove it was a great PSU play.

Michigan’s first four offensive possessions resulted in nothing but three punts and a foiled fake kick. Ron Bellamy took some licks but gathered in some of his five catches on the day in critical situations. It was great to see him contributing that much. He had an outstanding catch where he took a terrific lick and held on to the ball. Bennie Joppru made big receptions at critical times. Late in the second quarter, Michigan finally got the offense moving, scoring on a 58 yard, 10 play drive with John Navarre sneaking in for a one yard TD.

The half ended 7 up.

Penn State scored early in the third to go up 13-7 (missed extra point) and hopes begin to dim. But the Wolverines answered in the fourth on a 5 yard Braylon Edwards reception of a John Navarre pass for a 14-13 lead. Chris Perry was running the ball with authority and hopes were reviving.

Unfortunately, PSU struck again, Zack Mills firing a 19 yard TD pass and then a two point conversion to Bryant Johnson. It is now Penn State 21, Michigan 14 and its getting late in the game. Johnson had a great day, beating Marlin Jackson several times including a two point conversion. Jackson did redeem himself somewhat in overtime with a game saving strip of a caught pass in the end zone in overtime to help limit the Lions to a field goal on their final series.

Then the Wolverine’s offense produced an 11 play, 64 yard drive, culminating in a Navarre to Edwards connection in which Navarre looked right, and threw to a leaping Edwards in the middle of the north end zone. A stunning play, a great throw and catch. Regulation ends in a 21-21 tie.

In overtime each offense starts from their opponent’s 25. Michigan won the overtime toss and elected to play defense first. Penn State chose the 25 nearest the South end zone where their contingent was sitting. Both sides start offensively toward the same end zone in turn. Both get possessions until the tie is broken, and there is no answer. There is no so-called “sudden death”.

Michigan made a critical defensive mistake by lining up offside, thus allowing a missed Lion field goal to be repeated and made. Michigan 21, PSU 24. I’m thinking this one might be over.

The Wolverines were not thinking that way. A 6 play 25 yard Wolverine’s drive ended with Chris Perry battering in for 6 from 3 yards out, trumping Penn State’s overtime 3 with a Michigan 6. Game over. The final score is MICHIGAN 27 (no extra point kicked), Penn State 24.

This one was a classic. Coach Paterno has now lost his last six contests with the Wolverines. It is a shame that these two schools will not meet every year because the league that can’t count is arranged so the Blue has to drop Penn State from its schedule for the next two years.

It was a hard fought and competitive game in which Michigan made fewer errors than the Lions. One roughing the kicker penalty against Penn State gave the ball back to Michigan at a most critical point in the game. The Lions had the Blue stopped. It was an obvious and legitimate call. Penn State also missed some field goals. Michigan did not, as Coach Carr tried a trick fake field goal on Michigan’s only field goal opportunity.

Michigan opened up its offense some, sometimes employing an empty backfield on offense, and seemed to have an edge in team speed.

My player of the game is Chris Perry. He is really progressing and has now established himself as Michigan’s best running back. Braylon Edwards dropped a couple of passes and ran an obvious bad route but still came up with 7 receptions for 66 yards and 2 TD’s.

John Navarre has his best day at Michigan, throwing 27 passes for 244 yards, 2 TDs and no interceptions. He finally is beginning to take control of his fate. He remained poised through out the game, even when things were not progressing according to plan. He has learned to step up in the pocket, and throw while moving somewhat evasively. Gabriel Watson absolutely stuffed a PSU running back on a short yardage play in the first half. Grant Bowman had a good game on the defensive line. For Penn State, their three players named Johnson carried much of the load.

Penn State fans anticipated that and some of them carried a sign that read, “ Our Johnsons are bigger than yours”. Hmmm. Let it be known far and wide that there is no “program envy” at the University of Michigan.

This great victory will benefit this team in every way possible.

Andy Andersen
Guest Commentator

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