Michigan 17, Northwestern 3 (final)

[osugrad21]

If NW had a clue on offense, this game could have been interesting. The INT in the endzone was pathetic...

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

NO. 2 MICHIGAN 17 NORTHWESTERN 3
Wolverines let Hart, defense carry the load
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Mike Householder
ASSOCIATED PRESS

AL GOLDIS ASSOCIATED PRESS Michigan running back Mike Hart breaks through the line for a gain during the second quarter.


ANN ARBOR, Mich. ? For Michigan, it was another day to rely on the tough running of Mike Hart and its swarming defense for a rain-soaked win.
For Northwestern, it was progress.
The second-ranked Wolverines? 17-3 Big Ten win yesterday was tougher than expected but kept them on track for a potential No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup at Ohio State on Nov. 18. Michigan (9-0, 6-0) faces Ball State next week, then Indiana.
The Wildcats (2-7, 0-5), who were 30-point underdogs for the homecoming game, hung tough a week after collapsing in a record-setting way by blowing a 35-point lead against Michigan State.
Northwestern trailed only 10-3 midway through the third quarter when the game turned on a miscue by Wildcats quarterback C.J. Bacher, who was making his second career start.
Michigan cornerback Leon Hall, who had a fumble recovery earlier, intercepted Bacher?s pass and set up the Wolverines at the Northwestern 36-yard line. Hart gained 23 yards off left tackle on fourth-and-2 and, two plays later, he ran untouched into the end zone from the 3 to make it 17-3 with 4:05 left in the third quarter.
Northwestern again had a chance to cut into Michigan?s lead when Wildcats defensive tackle John Gill recovered Brandon Minor?s fumble at the Michigan 24 just seconds into the fourth quarter. But Bacher was picked off by Willis Barringer in the end zone.
The Wildcats didn?t threaten again and lost their sixth straight.
"I thought we ran the ball effectively and our defense was just outstanding again," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. "We had a couple of nice stands in the first half and got some turnovers."
Hart had 95 yards on 20 carries, and Michigan gained 202 yards on the ground.
Hart sat out stretches of the second half after falling on a yard marker after catching a screen pass and being forced out of bounds.
"I was fine. My back tightened up a little, but once I got back out and warmed up I was fine," he said. "There wasn?t much need for me to go back out there. The defense was dominating."
Jerome Jackson ran for 59 yards on nine carries, and Kevin Grady added 23 yards spelling Hart.
The Wolverines came away with three interceptions and two fumbles.
Bacher completed 20 of 41 passes for 204 yards. His first start was a week ago when Michigan State scored 38 straight points to beat Northwestern 41-38. Bacher was knocked out of the Michigan game with three minutes remaining and replaced by Andrew Brewer, whose only pass was intercepted by David Harris.