Big Ten

BIG GAME: Michigan can't run the ball, and don't look for a sudden reversal this week when the Wolverines entertain Penn State. The Nittany Lions possess the conference's second-best rushing defense, and they tuned up for the Michigan battle with a 27-0 victory over Illinois. Problems on the offensive line--six different starting lineups in eight games--and penalties contributed to the Wolverines' minus-23-yard rushing performance at Minnesota last Saturday, and they were lucky to squeak out a 15-10 victory, stretching their winning streak to six and their conference mark to 5-0. Defensively, the Wolverines allowed just one touchdown in October.

LOOKING AHEAD: After Michigan started the season 0-2, who would have expected the Wolverines to have a say in the conference and national championship race? Michigan follows once-beaten conference rival Penn State with games against unbeatens Wisconsin and Ohio State. Whether the Wolverines play the role of contender or spoiler remains to be seen, but each game has its own interesting subplot. A victory over Penn State would give the Nittany Lions a second conference loss and probably leave them with a bid to the Outback Bowl. A Michigan win over Wisconsin would make Rose Bowl officials think twice about inviting a 10-1 Badgers team over 10-1 Notre Dame. A victory, over Ohio State? Buckeyes fans don't even want to go there. The Wolverines have ruined OSU's national championship hopes twice over the last three years.

CAMPUS STROLL: Michigan State made its 400th game at Spartan Stadium a memorable one, thanks to the record-tying effort of Paul Edinger and the 140-yard, two-touchdown performance of RB Sedrick Irvin. The Spartans' 29-5 victory over Northwestern was keyed by Edinger's five field goals and a defense that limited the Wildcats to six rushing yards.... Penn State is developing a more balanced offense to go with its stifling defense. The Nittany Lions got 269 passing yards from Kevin Thompson while recording their first Big Ten shutout since joining the conference in 1993. The shutout was preserved by a tremendous leaping hit by LB LaVar Arrington on FB Elmer Hickman on a fourth-and-1 at the goal line.... One record down, one to go for Purdue QB Drew Brees. Brees completed 31-of-44 passes for 362 yards and four TDs in a 36-14 victory over Iowa, giving him a school-record 24 touchdown passes this season. That broke the mark of 23 shared by Mike Phipps, Mark Herrmann and Jim Everett. Next on the record parade is Everett's season passing mark of 3,651 yards. Brees currently has 2,982. Iowa third-string QB Scott Mullen couldn't keep pace with Brees, but he did complete 16-of-30 passes for 158 yards.... Ohio State got a pair of touchdown receptions and a 70-yard punt return TD from WR David Boston in a methodical 38-7 win over Indiana. But Boston wasn't the only receiver in line form. Dee Miller made a career-high 11 receptions for 159 yards in a share-the-wealth performance by QB Joe Germaine, who connected on 31-of-45 passes for 351 yards and three scores. It was Germaine's school-record fifth 300-yard game. The Hoosiers, who fell only a couple of hundred seats short of a sellout at 52,354-seat Memorial Stadium, got 218 passing yards from Antwaan Randle El. They haven't beaten the Buckeyes since 1988.... Michigan QB Tom Brady passed for a career-high 282 yards, of which Tai Streets contributed 192 yards in receptions, as the Wolverines fought off Minnesota and won the Little Brown Jug--the oldest trophy game in college football. The Jug will remain in Michigan's trophy case until at least 2001 because the conference's unbalanced, rotating schedule breaks up the rivalry until then.

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