With big plays, Notre Dame upsets Michigan 25-23
By: MATT LOZAR
Sports Writer
After Shane Walton prevented Michigan from converting its two-point conversion, Notre Dame coach Tyrone Willingham knew who to ask to seal Notre Dame's upset victory.
"[Coach] Willingham pointed to me and said I had to make a play," Walton said. When defensive tackle Cedric Hilliard caused Michigan quarterback John Navarre to float the ball in the air, Walton fulfilled his coach's wishes.
"He broke on it and as soon as you saw it hit his hands, you are thinking, get down, get down, get down, because the game is over," Willingham said.
In a game featuring eight turnovers, two blocked field goals and six Wolverine sacks, the Irish hung on for a 25-23 victory.
"Whatever it takes for us to win," Willingham said after the game Saturday. "Obviously you get to look at charts and you want to do all those things about goals that you set. You want to rush for this many, pass for this much. But the concern for me is to win."
With 2:53 seconds left in the game, Michigan quarterback John Navarre hit tight end Bennie Joppru in the end zone to bring the Wolverines within two. Walton wasn't about to let them get those two points. On the two-point conversion attempt, Walton broke up Navarre's attempted pass to Braylon Edwards, holding the Irish lead at two.
But five plays later, Michigan had the ball again and Walton had to make one more big play.
As the Wolverines drove down the field, hoping to get place kicker Philip Brabbs into place for a field goal, Walton made sure Navarre knew that the ball he threw belonged to Walton just as much as it belonged to anyone on the Michigan team.
"[Coach] Willingham pointed to me and said I had to make a play," the senior said. "It wasn't tipped, [Cedric Hilliard] hit [Michigan quarterback John Navarre]. If he doesn't hit the quarterback, maybe he makes a good throw."
Instead, Walton intercepted.
The fourth Wolverine turnover of the day was just one of their problems.
"It was a hard fought football game, lot of turnovers, lot of penalties and certainly for us, you can't beat a good football team if you turn the football over like we did," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said.
After being scrutinized all week for its inability to score a touchdown, the Irish offense came out firing. On the first play from scrimmage, Notre Dame quarterback Carlyle Holiday overthrew receiver Arnaz Battle at the Michigan 35. Holiday then connected with freshman wide receiver Maurice Stovall on the next play for 41 yards. 4:52 into the season's third game, sophomore Ryan Grant scored Notre Dame's first offensive touchdown.
"It gave us more confidence. It allowed us to open the field, run the ball a little bit more and put the defense back on their heels a little bit," Holiday said. "It let us be more aggressive and that just started the whole game for us."
Grant had a breakout game for the Irish. The sophomore gained 132 yards on 28 carries and scored twice. His only mistake was a fumble on the goal line in the second quarter.
"I thought today that Ryan, other than the one fumble going in, I thought he played a really good football game," Irish offensive coordinator Bill Diedrick said.
Grant's fumble wasn't the only Irish mistake either. Like the Wolverines, Notre Dame turned the ball over four times in a game that left fans wondering what exactly happened.
Holiday threw an interception with three minutes left in the first on an intended slant for Battle. Wolverine cornerback Marlin Jackson returned it 19 yards to tie the game at seven.
The strange play didn't end with turnovers. Scoring took a new turn as well.
After an illegal block put Michigan on its own 6-yard line, tackle Courtney Morgan held Notre Dame defensive end Justin Tuck in the end zone and the Irish got a safety on the penalty call.
On the Wolverine's next possession, wide receiver Tyrece Butler was stripped by Walton and Vontez Duff recovered the fumble to give the Irish an opportunity at the Michigan 27. The offense capitalized and scored on an apparent fumble by Holiday with 23 seconds left in the half and led 16-7.
But Michigan wasn't going to go down so easily. In the third quarter it came back with some scores of its own. Philip Brabbs made a 19-yard field goal and the Wolverines recovered Battle's fumble on the ensuing kickoff. Running back Chris Perry scored from the two and the Irish were behind for the first time this season.
The Irish offense responded again using the deep ball. Holiday connected with wide receiver Omar Jenkins for a gain of 27.
"I thought the most disappointing play for us was the long pass to start the fourth quarter because we had just taken the lead 17-16," Carr said. "We had began to run the football relatively well and we had the wind in the fourth quarter and we felt good at that stage. Notre Dame did the job. "
On a play-action fake, Holiday hit Jenkins again, this time for 47 yards to set up Grant's second touchdown of the game. But a failed two-point conversion left the Irish ahead 22-17.
Perry fumbled on the next Michigan play and Setta nailed a 46-yarder to put Notre Dame up by eight, a lead they never relinquished.
All Sports Stories for Monday, September 16, 2002
