Pickin' Splinters » Bo Schembechler

This Date in College Football Belt History – September 15

Casey — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 08:51:48 +0000

September 15, 1984

Washington at Michigan

After the upset of top-ranked Miami, the Michigan Wolverines of coach Bo Schembechler were 1-0 & ranked 3^rd nationally as they welcomed the 16^th ranked, 1-0 Washington Huskies of coach Don James. Washington featured All-Pac 10 players DT Ron Holmes, LB Tim Meamber, & LB Fred Small as well as QB Hugh Millen & RB Jacque Robinson. Washington used the same formula to defeat Michigan as the Wolverines had used against Miami. The Huskies intercepted 3 passes of Michigan QB Jim Harbaugh & caused 2 fumbles in the 20-11 victory. Washington got the only points of the 1^st quarter when PK Jeff Jaeger hit a 25-yard field goal. Michigan tied the game at 3-3 in the 2^nd quarter when PK Bob Bergeron hit a 52-yard field goal. The Huskies took the lead for good after LB Joe Kelly intercepted Harbaugh at the Wolverines’ 25-yard line. Washington’s RB Rick Fenney finished the short drive with a 2-yard touchdown run giving Washington a 10-3 lead which they held through the half. On the Huskies first possession of the 2^nd half, Millen connected WR Mark Pattison who ran untouched 73 yards into the end zone for a 17-3 advantage. Jaeger’s 38-yard field goal accounted for the only other points of the 3^rd quarter. Michigan’s only touchdown came in the 4^th quarter when Harbaugh hit WR Vince Bean for a 7-yard touchdown pass but the Wolverines were not able to successfully attack the Washington defense. Millen finished with 167 yards passing with a touchdown completing 13 of 16 passes while Harbaugh threw for 183 yards with a touchdown but 3 interceptions. The Wolverines finished the season 6-6 while the Huskies finished 11-1 & ranked 2^nd nationally. Michigan would play for The Belt again in 2003.

The College Football Belt

This Date in College Football Belt History – November 25

Casey — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:19:40 +0000

November 25, 1972 -3^rd ranked, 10-0 Michigan Wolverines of coach Bo Schembechler came to Columbus on a strong roll, having won 21 consecutive regular season games, to face coach Woody Hayes’ 9^th ranked Ohio State Buckeyes who stood 8-1 with their only loss had coming at Michigan State. Ohio State had OT John Hicks to open holes for a freshman running back named Archie Griffin who rushed for 75 yards & a touchdown but it was the Buckeyes’ defense that saved the day with two goal line stands, 12 plays inside their 5-yard line, that secured a 14-11 Buckeyes’ victory & Ohio State’s first Belt championship. The Wolverines took their only lead of the day in the 2^nd quarter when PK Mike Lantry connected on a 35-yard field goal. Ohio State’s RB Champ Henson, the nation’s leading scorer, gave the Buckeyes a 7-3 halftime advantage with a 1-yard touchdown run but not before the Buckeyes’ defense withstood 4 plays from Michigan’s offense from the Ohio State 1-yard line. The 2^nd half saw more of the hard-hitting defense before Griffin broke loose for a 30-yard touchdown run giving the Buckeyes a 14-3 lead. Michigan rebounded with a 1-yard touchdown run by RB Ed Shuttlesworth. The 2-point conversion, a pass from QB Dennis Franklin to WR Clint Haslerig, left the score at 14-11 as the 4^th quarter started. Wolverines’ All-Big Ten S Randy Logan intercepted Ohio State’s QB Greg Hare at the Buckeyes’ 29-yard line set-up the second monumental goal line stand. Again the Ohio State defense withstood the challenge as 4 tacklers brought down Franklin on 4^th & 1. Michigan’s defense dominated the Buckeyes in the quarter while the Wolverines’ offense was able to move down the field but unable to get into the end zone as Ohio State held on for the victory. Buckeyes’ All-Big Ten DT George Hasenohrl sacked Franklin at the Ohio State 41-yard line to end the final Wolverines’ drive. Hare’s performance brought life to Hayes’ adage about passing. Hare threw only 3 passes & 2 of the results were bad for the Buckeyes; he completed a 17-yard pass to Griffin, had an incomplete pass, & his third pass was intercepted. Franklin threw for 160 yards in the losing cause. The loss by Michigan ended the longest Belt champions’ reign to date at 8 games. The Wolverines finished the season 10-1; Big Ten Co-Champs & ranked 6^th nationally while Ohio State finished the season 9-2, Big Ten Co-Champs & ranked 9^thnationally. Michigan would play for The Belt again in 1975.

The College Football Belt

This Date in College Football Belt History – September 15

Casey — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:01:01 +0000

After the upset of top-ranked Miami, the Michigan Wolverines of coach Bo Schembechler were 1-0 & ranked 3^rd nationally as they welcomed the 16^th ranked, 1-0 Washington Huskies of coach Don James. Washington featured All-Pac 10 players DT Ron Holmes, LB Tim Meamber, & LB Fred Small as well as QB Hugh Millen & RB Jacque Robinson. Washington used the same formula to defeat Michigan as the Wolverines had used against Miami. The Huskies intercepted 3 passes of Michigan QB Jim Harbaugh & caused 2 fumbles in the 20-11 victory. Washington got the only points of the 1^st quarter when PK Jeff Jaeger hit a 25-yard field goal. Michigan tied the game at 3-3 in the 2^nd quarter when PK Bob Bergeron hit a 52-yard field goal. The Huskies took the lead for good after LB Joe Kelly intercepted Harbaugh at the Wolverines’ 25-yard line. Washington’s RB Rick Fenney finished the short drive with a 2-yard touchdown run giving Washington a 10-3 lead that they held through the half. On the Huskies first possession of the 2^nd half, Millen hit WR Mark Pattison who ran untouched 73 yards into the end zone for a 17-3 advantage. Jaeger’s 38-yard field goal accounted for the only other points of the 3^rd quarter. Michigan’s only touchdown came in the 4^th quarter when Harbaugh hit WR Vince Bean for a 7-yard touchdown pass but the Wolverines were not able to successfully attack the Washington defense. Millen finished with 167 yards passing with a touchdown completing 13 of 16 passes while Harbaugh threw for 183 yards with a touchdown but 3 interceptions. The Wolverines finished the season 6-6 while the Huskies finished 11-1 & ranked 2^nd nationally. Michigan would play for The Belt again in 2003.

The College Football Belt

This Date in College Football Belt History – September 8

Casey — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:39:35 +0000

The top-ranked, 2-0 Miami Hurricanes & coach Jimmy Johnson traveled to Ann Arbor to meet the 14^th ranked Michigan Wolverines of coach Bo Schembechler. Michigan was opening their season while Miami were playing their third ranked team in just 12 days. This Wolverines’ team was in a down cycle but still included All-Big Ten players DT Kevin Brooks & LB Mike Mallory. Michigan used a ball-control offense led by 35:53 in time of possession with 3 rushing touchdowns from RB Bob Perryman while the Wolverines’ defense recovered 2 fumbles & intercepted Miami’s QB Bernie Kosar 6 times as Michigan claimed The Belt with a 22-14 upset of the Hurricanes. The only points of the 1^st half came when the Wolverines recovered a Miami fumble on their opening possession & Perryman scored on a 6-yard touchdown run. The missed extra-point attempt left the Wolverines with a 6-0 lead that they held through halftime. The Hurricanes took the lead early in the 3^rd quarter when Kosar hit All-American WR Eddie Brown for a 32-yard touchdown pass giving Miami a 7-6 lead. Perryman’s 3-yard touchdown run in the 3^rd quarter put Michigan back in front at 12-7. Michigan’s DT Mike Hammerstein intercepted Kosar at the Miami 24-yard line & the Wolverines scored in 7 plays with Perryman carrying in on a 1-yard run for a 19-7 lead with 7:01 left in the game. The Wolverines were helped on the drive when Miami was called for a roughing the kicker penalty giving Michigan a first down at the Miami 3-yard line instead of a field goal. Perryman scored the touchdown 2 plays after the penalty. It took the Hurricanes just 0:36 to drive 80 yards on their next drive with Kosar hitting WR Stanley Shakespeare for a 44-yard touchdown pass making the score Michigan 19 Miami 14. The Wolverines ran 3 minutes off the clock before punting back to the Hurricanes but Michigan’s LB Rodney Lyles intercepted Kosar for the third time in the game to stop the rally. The Wolverines got a 27-yard field goal from PK Bob Bergeron for the final margin of victory. Michigan’s QB Jim Harbaugh threw for 163 yards but 2 interceptions. Kosar threw for 228 yards with 2 touchdowns but 6 interceptions, a fumble, & was sacked 3 times. Shakespeare had 6 catches for 111 yards with his score, & Hurricanes’ RB Alonzo Highsmith rushed for 126 yards in the loss. Miami finished the season 8-5; ranked 18^th nationally while the Wolverines finished 6-6. Miami would play for The Belt again in 1985.

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