#5 Michigan 41 Northwestern 10 - November 15, 2003 -
Evanston, Ill.
Chris Bray's Record (7-2) - Video Highlights
EVANSTON, Illinois (Ticker) -- John Navarre, Chris Perry and
No. 5 Michigan are ready for Ohio State.
Navarre threw for 288 yards and two touchdowns and Perry had 25
carries for 122 yards and a pair of scores as the Wolverines
rolled over Northwestern, 41-10, for their fifth straight
victory.
Braylon Edwards had nine catches for 112 yards and a touchdown
for Michigan (9-2, 6-1 Big Ten Conference), which can secure at
least its first Rose Bowl berth since 1997 with a home triumph
over archrival Ohio State in its regular-season finale next
week.
The No. 4 Buckeyes edged 10th-ranked Purdue in overtime, 16-13,
setting up a battle with the Wolverines next Saturday for the
outright Big Ten title.
"Anytime you have a chance to go into the last game of the year
and win the championship, you really appreciate the
opportunity," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. "I have been in a
lot of Ohio State-Michigan games where that has been the case.
It is a great game regardless of what is at stake."
Taking advantage of a fumble by Wildcats quarterback Brett
Basanez at the Northwestern 38, the Wolverines opened up a 17-3
advantage on a one-yard run by Perry, his second score of the
game, with 10:34 left in the second quarter.
"You don't beat a good football team when you play like this,"
said Northwestern coach Randy Walker, whose team fumbled four
times, losing two, and had a pass intercepted. "If you give
them a short field time and time again, it just puts you in a
very difficult place against a very good football team. They
took it to us today and they are as billed. If they are not one
of the best teams in the country, then I have not seen it."
Derell Jenkins fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Michigan quickly
took advantage, scoring on the next play on a 26-yard pass from
Navarre to Edwards. Michigan took a 31-3 edge with 4:53 left in
the half on a 22-yard pass from Navarre to Jason Avant in which
the Chicago native made a diving, one-handed catch.
"I have seen Avant make catches like that in practice, so I was
not totally amazed," Carr said. "It was his first time that he
made a catch like that in a game."
"That catch is just a result of how hard Jason works," Navarre
said. "He makes those catches two or three times a week in
practice - it was just a matter of timing to give him the
opportunity."
Navarre, who completed 22 of his 31 pass attempts, was 16-of-18
for 213 yards in the first half for the Wolverines, who had not
played since beating Michigan State on the road, 27-20, on
November 1.
"I think it is the best I have played and I feel good," said
Navarre, who orally committed to Northwestern before deciding to
attend Michigan after coach Gary Barnett left the Wildcats for
Colorado. " And I think this is the best our team has played
all season."
Basanez went 10-of-21 for 121 yards and an interception for
Northwestern (5-6, 3-4), which needs to win at 1-10 Illinois
next week to become the Big Ten's eighth bowl-eligible team.
Northwestern's Brandon Horn scored on a 13-yard run to make it
34-10 with 9:41 remaining before Michigan freshman Jerome
Jackson capped the scoring with a seven-yard run 6 1/2 minutes
later.
Michigan dominated both sides of the line of scrimmage,
outgaining Northwestern, 505-261, and picking up 26 first downs
to just 12 for the Wildcats.
