Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 38

1 0C DETROIT FREE PRESSSUNDAY, NOV. 24, 1985 Wolverines' new wave capsizes Buckeyes 3 Charlie Vincent An 'A' foi the QD In his last three games against Purdue, Minnesota and Ohio State Michigan quarterback Jim Harbaugh has been nearly flawless, completing 41 of 50 passes (82 percent) for 706 yards. He has nine touchdown passes and no interceptions. The game-by-game totals: ANN ARBOR As soon as Jim Harbaugh took his first snap from center, you knew it was going to be a different kind of afternoon at Michigan Stadium. The Michigan quarterback took the ball, backpedaled a few steps and threw it in the air.

A forward pass. On Michigan's first offensive play of the game. On target, the ball slammed into Eric Kattus' midsection, six yards beyond the line of scrimmage. Buzz, buzz, buzz went the crowd of 106,102. Buzz.

Buzz, buzz. "First down, they passed on first down." "The first play of the game, do you believe that?" "Wow!" Bo Schembechler smiled. "I did that for all you people," he told the reporters later. But he really didn't. He did it because he thought he could win with that kind of strategy.

Everybody knows Bo's modus operandi. Even freshmen. spectrum is Kattus, the senior tight end who has been around long enough to experience an awful lot of good and a measure of bad, too at Ann Arbor. He has been one of Harbaugh's favorite receivers this season. He caught six passes Saturday.

He'd like the Wolverines to pass on every down. But he knows that's not practical. "I think our offense has been a little predictable sometimes," he said. "If you know you're going to run on first down, they'll play the run every time That's hurt us. "Me being a receiver, I'd like to say I'd like us to pass all the time.

But I get as much satisfaction with a good block. I just want to win." And if he can win and catch passes at the same time, so much the better. Record books don't make note of such a statistic, but there was no one in the Wolverines' locker room Saturday who could recall the last time they began a game with a forward pass. "Maybe we did once last season," Harbaugh said, scratching his chin. "But I can't remember It's been Year's Day a turn of events that has left the Cotton Bowl jealous and a little upset with the Wolverines.

Saturday, the Wolverines were not boring or tedious or dull. In the final three weeks of the regular season, Schembechler has unharnessed Harbaugh's right arm and the Wolverines quarterback has destroyed opposing defenses. "He's developed into quite a quarterback," Schembechler said Saturday evening. "He's getting better and better We can go deep now and hurt you." FOR A loyal and true maize 'n' blue, Bo's word should be good enough. But if you want more proof, look at Harbaugh's numbers for the past three weeks: 41 completions in 50 attempts, 706 yards through the air, nine touchdowns, and no that's a zero, folks interceptions.

Saturday he completed 16 of 19 and threw touchdown passes to Kolesar, Kattus and Gerald White. It was the one to Kolesar just 51 seconds after Ohio State pulled to within three points, 20-17 that broke the Buckeyes' hearts and removed any doubt about Schem-bechler's commitment to Harbaugh and to the forward pass. Just over 10 minutes remained in the game when Ohio State scored, and you had to wonder if Schembechler would fall back on old habits, close down his offense, get conservative and try to eat up the clock as his team slowly ate up the yards. On the ground. DOUBTERS DIDN'T have to wait long for the answer.

After White rammed out three yards up the middle, Harbaugh dropped back on second down. Kolesar ran by Ohio State cornerback William White and Harbaugh laid a perfect pass in his arms. Kolesar won the foot race to the end zone. So long, Ohio State. "It was the biggest catch of my career," said the freshman, with a smile.

"But it's been a short career so far." At the other end of the experience Game Cp-Att Yds TD Int Ohio State 16-19 230 3 0 Minnesota 13-18 243 3 6" Purdue 12-13 233 3 Totals 41-50 706 9 "Bo's game is traditionally a running game," said John Kolesar, the first-year flanker whose 77-yard touchdown catch in the fourth period broke the heart of Ohio State. "But the new wave is passing We've been putting a lot of emphasis on the pass." BO MAY pass up a trend or a fad, but never a way to win. It has been said that his offense is stodgy. It has been written a few times, too. Bo doesn't think he has ever been stodgy.

Conservative, maybe. Cautious. But never stodgy. Some people disagree. No one can disagree, though, with the brilliance of Saturday's victory.

A victory that sends Michigan into the Fiesta Bowl against Nebraska on New MICHIGAN (9-1-1) The core: Michigan 27, Ohio State 17. Top performer: QB Jim I Harbaugh set two school I fn passing records. 1UJ Regular season end. OHIO ST. (8-3) HO Top performer: All- America Keith Byars scored a two-yard touch-Kl down.

Regular season ends. awhile." That made Saturday an unusual afternoon in Ann Arbor. And it made it a darned enjoyable one, too. Air Bo. Imagine that.

I Michigan 27, Ohio State 17 How they scored 1st 20 3d 4th Final Ohio State Michigan 7 -17 7 -27 First quarter Michigan: Moons 34-yard field. Time: 1:59. Drive: 21 yards, seven plays. Key play: Harbaugh completed a nine-yard pass to Kattus from OSU 31 on third-and-three. Wolverines 3, Buckeyes 0.

Second quarter Ohio State: Spangler 48-yard field goal. Time: 11:40. Drive: 49 yards, 11 plays. Key play: Third-and-three run of eight yards by Cooper to U-M 35. Wolverines 3, Buckeyes I Ohio State: Bvars two-yard run (Spangler kick).

Time: 8:41. Drive: 19 yards, five plays. Key play: Morris' fumble at U-M 19 recovered by Kumerow. Buckeyes 10, Wolverines 1 Michigan: White four-yard reception (Moons kick). Time: 2:28.

Drive: 80 yards, 12 plays. Key plays: Kattus' 40-yard catch to OSU 15; Harbaugh's one-yard keeper to OSU 5 on fourth-and-one. Wolverines 10, Buckeyes 10. Third quarter Michigan: Moons 38-vard field goal. Time: 10:28.

Drive: 55 yards, 11 plays. Key play: Kattus' 17-yard catch to Michigan 47 on Ihlrd-and-five. Wolverines 13, Buckeyes 10. (Michigan: Kattus five-yard pass reception (Moons kick). Time: 2:56.

Drive: 63 yards, 12 plays. Key play: Kolesar's two 13-vard catches on Ihird-and-seven and third-and-nine plays. Wolverines 20, Buckeyes 10. Fourth quarter Ohio State: Carter 36-yard pass reception (Spangler kick). Time: 10:10.

Drive: 80 yards, nine plays. Key plays: Taggart's 17-yard catch to U-M's 31 on lhird-and-10: Carter's touchdown came on fourth-and-15. Wolverines 20, Buckeyes 17. Michigan: Kolesar 77-yard pass reception (Moons kick). Time: 9:19.

Drive: 80 yards, two plavs. Key Plav: Kolesar's catch. Wolverines 27, Buckeyes 17. Attendance: 106,102. Team statistics Michigan quarterback Jim Harbaugh is grabbed from behind by Ohio State linebacker Eric OSU U-M First downs 14 i Rushing 5 11 Passing 8 8 Penalty 1 0 Rushing yards 90 194 Rushing plays 30 46 Sacksyards lost 317 00 Avg.

gain per rush 3 04 4.2 Passing yards 179 230 Passes attempted 31 19 Passes completed 17 16 Interceptions thrown 1 0 Avg. gain per pass 10.5 14.3 Total yards 269 4 24 Offensive plays 61 65 Avg. gain per plav 4.42 6.5 Fumbleslost 31 11 Penaltiesyards 320 327 Interceptionsyards 00 111 Puntsaverage 342.03 247.5 Punt returnsyards 00 12 Blocked punts 0 0 Kickoff returnsyards 685 237 FG madeattempts 12 23 Time of possession 26:28 33:32 ap Photo Vmi k. 1 1 3 Ohio State quarterback Jim Karsatos wipes his face in the waning minutes of Saturday's loss to Michigan. OSU most impressed by Wolverines offense Harbaugh shatters 2 records By TOMMY GEORGE ree Press Sports Writer ANN ARBOR Michigan's 27-17 victory over Ohio State Saturday featured another record-breaking performance by quarterback Jim Harbaugh before Michi- notebook gan Stadium's fourth-largest crowd Harbaugh broke Steve Smith's single-season pass-yardage mark (1,735 yards in 1982) by reaching 1,913.

And he threw his 18th touchdown pass, breaking Smith's record of 17 set in 1978. Harbaugh's 230-yard effort was his third straight 200-yard game and his fourth of the season. He has not thrown an interception since the fifth game of the season at Michigan State. The overflow crowd boosted Michigan to an NCAA regular-season average attendance record of 105,588 for six games. Michigan set the previous mark of 105,486 in 1981.

Are you sure, Bo? Harbaugh's winning 77-yard bomb to flanker John Kolesar never should have been thrown, according to coach Bo Schembechler. "(Eric) Kattus was wide open and the play was designed to go there," Schembechler said. "They disguised a delay safety blitz perfectly, and Jim stood right in there and took it long when normally you go short. It was a gutsy play." Lombardi finalist: Tackle Mike Hammerstein made five tackles Saturday. He was named one of four finalists for the Lombardi Trophy, given to the nation's outstanding college lineman.

Other finalists are Oklahoma nose guard Tony Casillas, Boston College nose tackle Mike Ruth and Oklahoma State tackle Leslie O'Neal. The winner will be announced Dec. 5 in Houston. Miscellany: Michigan's 27-point effort was its highest total against OSU since 1946, when U-M won, 58-6. It was the most points scored by both teams (44) since OSU's 50-14 win in 1968 Michigan finished the regular season with five touchdowns allowed and 72 points, fewest since U-M gave up 57 points in 1972 Big Ten Conference Overall PF PA PF PA 1 0 249 119 1 1 241 60 3 0 221 153 3 0 21S 169 4 0 176 183 2 1 212 206 5 0 185 240 6 0 126 206 7 0 136 260 7 0 88 253 Iowa Michigan Ohio St.

Mich. St. Minnesota Illinois Purdue Wisconsin Indiana N'western 10 1 9 1 412 132 315 75 316 205 250 202 273 227 275 303 287 296 231 263 251 340 170 332 SATURDAY'S RESULTS Michigan 27, Ohio Slate 17 Iowa 31, Minnesota 9 Purdue 34, Indiana 21 Michigan St. 41, Wisconsin 7 Illinois 45, Northwestern, 20 END OF REGULAR SEASON Individual statistics Michigan RUSHING Aft Yds Avg Lng TO White 29 110 3.8 13 0 Perryman 6 38 6.3 10 0 Morris 5 32 6.4 23 0 Harbaugh 6 14 2.3 7 0 If '-4 IV CSS, -f UPI Photo Kumerow in the first quarter. UPI Photo all three OSU touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 21-6 victory over Michigan in 1984.

And while he scored Ohio State's first TD Saturday, Byars wasn't the dominating force on offense that he can be, rushing for only 35 yards. "It's a tough pill to swallow," said Byars, who has played sparingly this season after breaking his foot during a Labor Day practice. "I know I won't get another chance at Michigan, which is the thing that really hurts." Byars said he wasn't 100 percent Saturday, but doubts if that made a difference in the outcome of the game. "I had to take myself out of the game a couple of times because the foot was hurting," Byars said. "I was lacking some speed and couldn't cut like I used to.

"But I'm not going to use the foot as a crutch. Our offense played as good a game as it has. If I would have been 110 percent, who knows what would have happened? But you can say 'what if, what if all night long. It doesn't change the fact that they beat us." PASSING Att Cmp Yds TO Int Harbaugh 19 16 230 3 0 RECEIVING No! Yds Lng TO Kattus 6 83 40 1 Kolesar 4 109 77 1 White 3 18 9 1 Morris 2 15 13 0 Jokisch 1 5 5 0 PUNTING No! Yds Avg Lng Robbins 2 95 47.5 52 PUNT RET. No! Yds Avg Lng Ganf 1 2 2.0 2 KICKOFF RET.

No! Yds Lng TD Morris 2 37 21 0 TACKLES Soto Ast Sckyds Total M. Mallory 6 6 0 0 12 Moeller 6 6 0 0 12 Messner 6 3 2 8 9 Hicks 6 2 0 0 8 Scarcelli 6 0 19 6 Akers 2 4 0 0 6 Hammerstein 5 0 0 0 5 Harris 3 2 0 0 5 Michigan defenders Ivan Hicks (17). Mike Mallory (42) and Andy Moeller (49) hover over Ohio Sate quarterback Jim Karsatos after he recovered his fumble. By GENE GUIDI Free Press Sports Writer ANN ARBOR Michigan's defense has won all sorts of accolades this season, and deservedly so. But if the Ohio State Buckeyes had to cast votes for U-M's most valuable players Saturday, most would go to the Wolverines' offense.

"I'm not taking anything away from their defense," said Ohio State running back Keith Byars. "But that wasn't what beat us today. Heck, our defense played well, too. "What beat us were those big plays by their offense." Ohio State coach Earle Bruce did take time to call Michigan's defensive unit "very sound as usual." But when Bruce finally dissected the 27-17 loss, it was Michigan's offense he talked about. "Michigan did an excellent job of moving the football," Bruce said.

"They moved it very well and got first downs when they needed them." MICHIGAN'S DEFENSE again played very well, but the Buckeyes didn't think it dominated their offense as it has other offenses this season. Actually, quarterback Jim Karsatos and Co. moved the ball efficiently, scoring 17 points the most U-M has allowed all season. And while 17 points might not sound like much, it would have been good enough to win nine of the last 14 games played between these normally defensive-minded teams. What beat the Buckeyes Saturday "I'm not taking anything away from their defense.

But that wasn't what beat us today." Keith Byars was the Wolverines' new big-play offense led by the rapidly improving Jim Harbaugh. "Harbaugh played very well he's an impressive quarterback," Bruce said. "Their offense got the the big plays throughout the game." NO PLAY was bigger than the one that took place with about nine minutes left. Ohio State had closed to 20-17 and had Michigan pinned deep in its own territory when Harbaugh spotted John Kolesar flashing up the left sideline with one-on-one coverage. With a blitzing Buckeye staring him in the face, Harbaugh hurled a perfect strike that Kolesar gathered in at the OSU 45.

He took it the rest of the way for a 77-yard TD. That restored Michigan's 10-point lead and closed the lid on the Buckeyes' chances. "There wasn't one (play) any bigger than that, especially since we had gotten right back in the ballgame," Bruce said. "There's no doubt that INTERCEPT. No.

Yds Lng TD Hicks Ohio State 1 11 11 RUSHING Att Yds Avg Lng TO 12 35 2.9 11 1 9 27 3.0 8 0 8 16 2.0 17 0 1 12 12.0 12 0 Byars Cooper Karsatos Workman Michigan is a great defensive team, but Harbaugh had a big day, and that was a big play." FROM HIS linebacking spot Ohio State's Pepper Johnson could do nothing but watch in horror as Kolesar gathered in the bomb. "We didn't think Kolesar was that fast," Johnson said. "He can really move." Johnson said Harbaugh's heroics 1 6 of 1 9 for 230 yards) didn't catch the Buckeyes by surprise. "We saw a lot of him on films; we knew he was good," Johnson said. "We kind of put him in the category of Chuck Long.

"What happens when a quarterback is a good scrambler like Harbaugh is that it takes a lot out of the defense to keep chasing him all the time. I think that's what happened to us on their big plays in the second half." THE DEFEAT was a particularly bitter one for Byars, who led the nation in rushing last season and had scored PASSING Att Cmp Yds TD Int Karsatos 31 17 179 11 RECEIVING tit. Yds Lng TD Carter 5 90 36 1 Byars 4 34 12 0 Cooper 4 20 7 0 Taggart 2 23 18 0 Lanese 2 12 9 0 PUNTING No! Yds Avg Lng Tupa 3 126 42.0 47 KICKOFF RET. No! Yds Lng TO Wooldridge 2 39 34 0 Workman 2 31 16 0 M. Sullivan 18 8 0 Ross 17 7 0 TACKLES Solo Ast Sckyds Total Johnson 9 10 0 0 19 Spielman 9 8 0 0 17 Rogan 6 5 0 0 11 Gordon 6 3 0 0 9 Holliman 6 2 0 0 8.