BIG TEN ROUNDUP : Michigan Gets 700th Victory Despite Purdue’s Eric Hunter

Michigan was playing for history Saturday, but Purdue freshman Eric Hunter refused to be a mere footnote.

Fourth-ranked Michigan became the second school in NCAA history to win 700 games as Tony Boles scored three touchdowns, one on an 85-yard kickoff return, and the Wolverines held off Purdue and Hunter for a 42-27 Big Ten victory at Ann Arbor, Mich.

Hunter, a true freshman making his first start, became the first quarterback to pass for four touchdowns in a game against the Wolverines. Hunter completed 27 of 42 passes for 344 yards. Three of his four touchdown passes came in the fourth quarter.

Michigan is the first team in Division I-A history to reach the 700-victory plateau. Yale is the all-time NCAA leader with 753 wins.

Purdue rolled up 389 total yards and Michigan 372.

The victory improved the Wolverines to 7-1 overall and 5-0 in the Big Ten, setting up a showdown next week when they visit Illinois. Purdue dropped to 1-7 and 0-5.

Purdue played without Abe Hoskins, a second-string receiver from Omaha, Neb., who was suspended because of an arrest Friday on battery charges after an altercation with his former girlfriend.

Illinois 31, Iowa 7--Wagner Lester scored two touchdowns and quarterback Jeff George completed 28 of 44 passes for 302 yards and a touchdown to lead the No. 8 Illini in a Big Ten game at Iowa City.

Illinois, 7-1 overall, goes into its showdown against Michigan next Saturday with a 5-0 conference record. Iowa fell to 4-4 and 2-3.

Lester scored on a one-yard plunge with 12 seconds left in the first half and also on a 26-yard burst around right end with four minutes to play.

Ohio State 52, Northwestern 27--Jaymes Bryant handled the ball only twice but scored both times in helping the Buckeyes beat the Wildcats in a Big Ten game at Evanston, Ill.

Bryant scored two of the Buckeyes’ three second-quarter touchdowns, running 63 yards for one and catching a pass on a 46-yard play for the other. He suffered a collarbone injury on his touchdown catch with 59 seconds left in the first half.

Dante Lee, who rushed for 157 yards in 24 carries, scored three second-half touchdowns as Ohio State (6-2 and 4-1) pulled away. The Buckeyes led 45-14 after three quarters. Northwestern is 0-8 and 0-4.

Minnesota 24, Wisconsin 22--Ron Goetz returned an interception 73 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to turn back a Badger rally as the Gophers (5-3 and 3-2) scored a Big Ten victory at Minneapolis. Wisconsin is 2-6 and 1-4.

With 9:02 left to play, the Badgers, trailing only 17-14, drove to the Minnesota 30, but Goetz stepped in front of a swing pass and sprinted down the left sideline for the winning score.