Michigan Looks Perry Good in a 45-7 Victory

Chris Perry helped Michigan get off to a good start for the second consecutive year.

Perry ran for a career-high 232 yards and two touchdowns as the fourth-ranked Wolverines defeated Central Michigan, 45-7, on Saturday at Ann Arbor, Mich.

Perry broke Michigan’s rushing record for a season opener, which had been Gordon Bell’s 210-yard performance against Wisconsin in 1975.

“It’s nice to have, but it’s not that big of a deal,� said Perry, who had 22 carries. “We have 12 more games to go, including the bowl game. I just want to maintain my performance so we can produce like this every week.�

Perry’s career-long, 63-yard run on the second play surpassed the 57-yard run he had on the second snap last season en route to a 120-yard, three-touchdown game to lead Michigan over Washington.

“When I’m on the safety before I get touched, that’s a pretty good sign,� said Perry, Michigan’s first 200-yard rusher since Anthony Thomas in 2000.

Michigan’s John Navarre was 19 of 33 passing for 245 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Braylon Edwards caught five passes for 78 yards and two touchdowns after being held out of the first four plays.

“Braylon Edwards and I are not on the same page,� Michigan Coach Lloyd Carr said. “That’s all I’m going to say.�

Terrence Jackson led Central Michigan with 104 yards in 21 carries.

Michigan is 17-0 against Mid-American Conference teams and 2-0 against Central Michigan, which last played the Wolverines in 1931.

The Wolverines were without safety Marlin Jackson, the Big Ten preseason defensive player of the year.

Jackson was suspended by Carr for the game after he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault earlier this month in a plea agreement.

No. 21 Wisconsin 24, West Virginia 17 -- Quarterback Jim Sorgi rallied the Badgers from a 10-point second-half deficit at Morgantown, W.Va.

Anthony Davis, who ran for 167 yards in 30 carries, scored from a yard out with 2:57 remaining to give Wisconsin its winning points.

“That was for victory No. 1, and hopefully one of many this year,� Sorgi said. “This was a confidence builder to get a quality win on the road.�

Sorgi was 20 of 34 for 215 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown pass to Lee Evans that tied the score at 17 early in the fourth quarter.

“I don’t think we tired at the end. We just didn’t execute,� West Virginia Coach Rich Rodriguez said.

Evans, Wisconsin’s career receiving leader, was playing for the first time since injuring his left knee in the 2002 spring game.

“It was crunch time for our team, and I knew somebody had to step up and make a play,� Evans said. “I wanted to be the guy.�

Penn State 23, Temple 10 -- Three field goals by Robbie Gould and big plays by Tony Johnson and Michael Robinson lifted the struggling Nittany Lions past the Owls at State College, Pa.

Temple had 357 yards of offense and 21 first downs to only 310 yards and 16 first downs for Penn State. But the Owls were unable to convert several of their opportunities into points.

The win was No. 337 for Penn State Coach Joe Paterno, the all-time leader among major-college coaches. Penn State leads the series 31-3-1 and hasn’t lost to Temple since 1941.

Missouri 22, Illinois 15 -- Darius Outlaw caught a six-yard touchdown pass from Brad Smith with 4:12 remaining at St. Louis as the Tigers held off the Fighting Illini.

Jon Beutjer was 31 of 45 for 281 yards and a touchdown and Illinois outgained Missouri, 422-224, but missed a chance to tie it late, running out of downs at the Missouri 23 when Beutjer’s pass went in and out of Melvin Bryant’s arms at the five.

Minnesota 49, Tulsa 10 -- Marion Barber III ran for three touchdowns and Asad Abdul-Khaliq threw for two other scores at Minneapolis as the Golden Gophers spoiled the debut of Hurricane Coach Steve Kragthorpe.

Iowa 21, Miami, Ohio 3 -- Fred Russell ran for 161 yards and a touchdown and Nathan Chandler threw for two scores as the Hawkeyes intercepted the Redhawks’ Ben Roethlisberger four times to win at Iowa City.

Michigan State 26, Western Michigan 21 -- Jeff Smoker completed 21 of 34 passes for 324 yards and two touchdowns at East Lansing, Mich., as Coach John L. Smith won his debut, something that predecessors Duffy Daugherty, Frank “Muddy� Waters and Nick Saban failed to do.

Connecticut 34, Indiana 10 -- Dan Orlovsky threw for 307 yards and three touchdowns and Terry Caulley added a 43-yard scoring run as the Huskies opened their new 40,000-seat stadium at East Hartford, Conn.