BIG TEN ROUNDUP : Illinois Rallies to Beat Michigan

Johnny Johnson escaped two tacklers and threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Jim Klein with 34 seconds to play, giving Illinois a 24-21 Big Ten Conference victory over No. 13-ranked Michigan and its first victory at Ann Arbor since 1966.

“I really believed in our defense,” Johnson said. “If it wasn’t for the defense, we wouldn’t be where we are today. I knew they’d get the ball back for us. We just had to do something with it.”

Illinois overcame a 21-10 deficit with two fourth-quarter touchdowns to dash Michigan’s hopes for a sixth consecutive Big Ten title. The Wolverines are 4-3 overall, 2-2 in the Big Ten.

It was the second touchdown pass for Johnson, who was 22 of 38 for 265 yards for Illinois (3-4, 3-1). Ty Douthard, whose one-yard touchdown run started the comeback, gained 123 yards in 27 carries for the Illini, stealing the show from Michigan’s Tyrone Wheatley.

Wheatley, limited to 56 yards in 15 carries, left the game with a bruised right shoulder midway through the fourth quarter.

Michigan appeared to be running out the clock late in the game, trying to preserve a 21-17 lead. But linebacker Simeon Rice ripped the ball from Ricky Powers and recovered at the Michigan 44 with 1:13 to play.

“It was sudden death for us,” Rice said. “I saw the running back run by me with the ball. I reached out, grabbed the ball and forced it out. I tried to run with it, but I dropped it and fell on it.”

Johnson, whose scrambling ability enabled him to pick up 26 yards in eight carries, needed only six plays to put the Illini in the end zone.

Johnson hit Jason Dulick for a 14-yard gain, Douthard for an 11-yard gain, then downed the ball to stop the clock. After an incomplete pass, Johnson hit Douthard for four yards, setting up fourth and six at the 15.

Michigan Coach Gary Moeller was obviously upset. “I don’t know. I don’t know,” he said. “You just can’t fumble the ball in that situation, as we all know. I’m mad. I’m really mad. The players are really mad. I had some dang good efforts out there and we’re all upset at what happened.”

No. 24 Michigan State 24, Iowa 10--With quarterback Jim Miller struggling against a strong Iowa pass rush, sophomore tailback Duane Goulbourne had a career-high 213 yards and a touchdown to lead the Spartans at East Lansing, Mich.

“We thought we were going to be able to throw the ball, but our protection broke down,” said Michigan State Coach George Perles, who called 51 rushes and 20 passes. “Luckily, Goulbourne came through with some big runs. He made some pro moves out there.”

Normally, Goulbourne splits time with senior Craig Thomas, but Thomas was hampered by a sprained ankle and gained only 31 yards in 12 carries.

Michigan State (4-2, 2-1) took a 17-10 halftime lead, then hung on through a defensive-dominated second half. Iowa fell to 2-5 and 0-5.

After both teams kicked field goals on their first drives of the game, the defenses dominated the rest of the opening quarter, which ended 3-3.

Early in the second quarter, Mill Coleman went 36 yards with a punt return to Iowa’s 49-yard line. That started a drive that finished with Coleman going five yards for a touchdown on a end-around.

Indiana 24, Northwestern 0--Thomas Lewis returned a punt 58 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to cap the Hoosiers’ victory at Evanston, Ill.

The Hoosiers (6-1, 3-1) are off to their best start since 1987. Northwestern (2-5, 0-4) suffered its fourth consecutive defeat.

Indiana scored 17 points in the first half as Northwestern’s special teams, one of the Wildcats’ strong points this season, faltered.

Punter Paul Burton fumbled a snap on Northwestern’s first possession and Indiana took over on the Wildcats’ 29. Five plays later, Brett Law ran 11 yards for a touchdown.

Indiana marched 58 yards on its next possession but settled for a 35-yard field goal by Bill Manolopolous.

Midway in the second quarter, Lee Gissendaner fumbled a punt and Eric Smedley recovered for the Hoosiers on the Northwestern nine-yard line. John Paci then hit Eddie Baety with a touchdown pass for a 17-0 lead.