Big Ten Roundup : Ericksons, Miami Win at Wisconsin, 51-3

Playing before 38,464 at Madison, Wis., Dennis Erickson made his debut as Miami’s coach Saturday.

But it was quarterback Craig Erickson who seemed more nervous at the outset. He missed nine of his first 10 passes.

But the quarterback finished with four touchdown passes, including two to receiver-kick returner Wesley Carroll, and the No. 3-ranked Hurricanes routed Wisconsin, 51-3.

“Just getting the first game out of the way is a big relief because now you’ll ask me some different questions,” said Coach Erickson, the successor to Jimmy Johnson, who left to take over the Dallas Cowboys.

“Craig was a little nervous, but then he came out and showed what he can do once he settled down in the second and third quarters.”

The quarterback ended up completing 17 of 37 passes for 281 yards.

“I just wanted to get Wisconsin out of the way,” he said. “I struggled early on, but then I did some things better.”

Miami has won 43 of its last 44 regular-season games, including 23 of 24 on the road. The Hurricanes outgained the Badgers, 530-143.

Carroll, with seven catches for 112 yards, caught second-quarter touchdown passes of 15 and 10 yards and set up four first-half scores with 122 yards in punt returns.

The Hurricanes built their first-half lead to 34-3 when Erickson threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Randal Hill with 14 seconds left in the second quarter.

Erickson then threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Doyle Aaron in the third quarter to make it 44-3 before he was replaced by Gino Torretta.

“We could not have had a tougher team to begin the season with,” said Wisconsin Coach Don Morton, whose team managed only 47 yards rushing in 37 carries. “Our punt coverage just wasn’t what it should be. It really hurt us, but that’s an area we can improve on.”

Carroll set up the four straight Hurricane scores with big punt returns. His 34-yard return set up Huerta’s 44-yard field goal that made it 6-3. Minutes later, Carroll was loose for a 36-yard return to the Badger 24.

Leonard Conley carried six consecutive times, the last for a one-yard touchdown that made gave Miami a 13-3 lead.

Carroll had another 20-yard return early in the second quarter and five plays later caught Erickson’s 15-yard pass for a 20-3 lead.

Carroll returned another punt 20 yards to the Wisconsin 35 and caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Erickson with 1:51 left in the half.

Miami got the ball back with only 40 seconds to go but drove 52 yards as Erickson passed to Dale Dawkins for 44 yards and then found Hill for the touchdown.

Kevin Gibbs’ six-yard touchdown with 7:57 left in the game capped the scoring.

Wisconsin quarterbacks Lionell Crawford, who suffered a concussion in the fourth quarter, and Sean Wilson spent most of the day eluding the Hurricane defense.

“They’re so quick, it seems like they have 20 guys out there,” Wilson said.

Duke 41, Northwestern 31--Billy Ray passed for 295 yards and four touchdowns and Roger Boone became the first Duke back to rush for 200 yards in 17 seasons as the Blue Devils held off the Wildcats at Durham, N.C.

Ray completed 18 of 27 passes in his second game with the Blue Devils (1-1). He has passed for 636 yards and six touchdowns.

Boone carried 24 times for 201 yards, the first such effort since Steve Jones gained the same amount against Wake Forest in 1972.

Kentucky 17, Indiana 14--The Wildcats’ defense stopped the Hoosiers at the one-yard line with 5:19 left to play, preserving a victory for Kentucky at Lexington, Ky.

Indiana gained possession at the Kentucky 20 when Dave Ane recovered a fumble with 8:26 left. Three plays later, tailback Anthony Thompson went up the middle for eight yards to give Indiana a first down at the nine.

A one-yard run by Thompson and two carries by quarterback Dave Schnell set up a fourth down inside the one. Thompson got the call for a dive over the middle, but he was greeted in midair by linebacker Craig Benzinger and safety Ronnie Robinson as Kentucky regained possession.

Alfred Rawls, who rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns for Kentucky, came through on third down with a six-yard run to the 13 for a first down.

Kentucky’s drive stalled at the 19, but a roughing penalty on linebacker Troy Mason on Bill Hawk’s punt with one minute left kept the ball in Kentucky’s possession.