Big Ten Roundup : Michigan’s Offense Resurfaces in a 47-0 Victory Over Purdue

Michigan quarterback Jim Harbaugh passed for three first-half touchdowns as the No. 9-ranked Wolverines defeated Purdue, 47-0, Saturday at Ann Arbor, Mich.

Harbaugh had 11 consecutive first-half completions, including touchdowns of nine yards to tight end Eric Kattus, and 34 and 65 yards to freshman flanker John Kolesar as Michigan built a 28-0 halftime lead.

The Wolverines, 7-1-1 overall and 4-1-1 in the Big Ten, struggled to a 3-3 tie with Illinois last week.

“Everybody on offense was frustrated,” said Harbaugh, who finished with 12 completions in 13 attempts for 233 yards. “We kept hearing that we couldn’t play in the Big Ten. It will be interesting to hear what people say tomorrow.”

Michigan’s defense, meanwhile, recorded its third shutout of the season. Purdue had scored 24 or more points in all but one of its first eight games.

Quarterback Jim Everett, who entered the game hitting on nearly 64% of his passes, connected on 12 of 22 for just 96 yards and was sacked 3 times for the Boilermakers, who fell to 4-5 and 2-4.

Michigan State 35, Indiana 16--Sophomore Lorenzo White, playing barely more than a half, gained 286 yards in 25 carries and scored 3 touchdowns as the Spartans won at Bloomington, Ind.

Spartan Coach George Perles, fearing an injury to White, benched him for most of the second half. White’s third touchdown, 31 seconds after intermission, gave Michigan State a 35-3 lead.

“At the half, Lorenzo’s teammates told me how many yards he had. We had guys saying, ‘Come on Lorenzo. You’re going to get 400,’ ” Perles said. “They were cheering for him. I told Lorenzo he could probably break every collegiate record there is, but we weren’t going to do it.”

Auburn’s Bo Jackson, who has led the nation’s rushing race most of the year, did not play in the second half of the Tigers’ victory over East Carolina Saturday. He has 1,523 yards. White has 1,535 yards.

“I’m saving him for the next week and the next week,” Perles said. “Sure I took him out too early. I would probably do it again. All I know is, the guy carrying the mail is healthy.”

White, who scored on runs of 1, 7 and 24 yards, finished 71 yards shy of the NCAA Division I single-game rushing mark by Washington State’s Rueben Mayes.

Michigan State is 5-4 overall and 3-3 in the conference. Indiana fell to 4-5 and 1-5.

Ohio State 35, Northwestern 17--Quarterback Jim Karsatos completed 16 of 20 passes for 275 yards and 3 first-half touchdowns as the No. 4-ranked Buckeyes won at cold, wet Dyche Stadium in Evanston, Ill.

The victory was the fifth straight for the Buckeyes, who improved to 8-1 overall and 5-1 in the Big Ten. Northwestern is 3-6 and 1-5.

Ohio State scored on its first three possessions, including first-period touchdown passes by Karsatos to Cris Carter and Mike Lanese, en route to a 28-0 lead by halftime.

Minnesota 27, Wisconsin 18--Rickey Foggie completed only 5 for 19 passes, but three of the completions accounted for 213 yards in the first half as Minnesota won before a record crowd of 64,571 in Minneapolis’ Metrodome.

The Gophers improved to 6-3 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten. The victory guaranteed Minnesota its first winning season since 1981. The Badgers dropped to 4-5 and 1-5.

Foggie, who missed last week’s game at Michigan State because of a pulled groin muscle, passed to Mel Anderson for an 89-yard touchdown in the first quarter and hit Gary Couch with a swing pass for a 76-yard gain that set up Valdez Baylor’s six-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Foggie’s third and last completion of the half was a 48-yarder to Couch that set up Chip Lohmiller’s 22-yard field goal, as the Gophers led, 17-12, at halftime.