Big Ten Roundup : Michigan Tramples Wisconsin

Michigan Coach Bo Schembechler got an unexpected surprise Saturday when seven Wisconsin turnovers helped the No. 7 Wolverines to a 33-6 rout at Ann Arbor, Mich.

“I expected this game to be tight,” Schembechler said. “But they took themselves out of any chance of getting back into the game with turnovers.”

Quarterback Jim Harbaugh passed for three touchdowns, including throws of five and 11 yards to fullback Gerald White as Michigan improved to 4-0 overall in the Big Ten opener for both teams.

Harbaugh, whose other touchdown pass was 14 yards to tight end Eric Kattus, finished 15 of 22 for 144 yards. Tailback Jamie Morris rushed for 96 yards in 24 carries.

Despite the victory, Schembechler wasn’t too pleased with the performance of his Wolverines.

“I don’t think we played very well, but we won and that’s what counts,” he said.

The Michigan defense held Wisconsin to just 175 total yards--60 on the ground--while the Wolverines were rolling up 370 yards--226 on the ground.

Minnesota 45, Purdue 15--At Minneapolis, Rickey Foggie completed all 7 of his passes for 212 yards and 1 touchdown, ran for another score and set up four more touchdowns as the Gophers stunned Purdue in the Big Ten opener for both teams.

Purdue, 2-2 overall, entered the game as a touchdown favorite based on its nation-leading passing attack. But it was Minnesota (3-1) that looked unstoppable, scoring touchdowns on five of its seven first-half possessions to take a 35-9 halftime lead.

Foggie, who played only 2 1/2 quarters, hooked up three times with flanker Gary Couch for 171 yards.

Everett, who came into the game as the country’s total offense leader, completed 24 of 39 passes for 273 yards, but his receivers dropped a half-dozen passes and he was sacked five times before being replaced in the fourth quarter.

Indiana 26, Northwestern 7--At Bloomington, Ind., a 19-point explosion in the second quarter carried the Hoosiers to their first 4-0 start since 1967.

Steve Bradley, Indiana’s all-time total offense leader, finished with 257 yards, completing 18 of 28 passes for 2 touchdowns as the Hoosiers used three long touchdown plays and a strong defense to drop Northwestern to 2-2.

Bradley tied Harry Gonso as Indiana’s touchdown passing leader with 32. His 37-yard pass to Ernie Jones gave Indiana a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, then Indiana erupted for two touchdowns, a safety and a field goal in a three-minute span midway through the second period.

A 57-yard touchdown pass from Bradley to Kenny Allen on a broken play started the outburst.