Michigan Is Back in Form With 29-17 Win

The Michigan team that was expected to defend its national co-championship showed up at Ann Arbor, Mich., on Saturday.

Tom Brady passed for one touchdown and ran for another, and Michigan’s defense had five second-half sacks as the Wolverines defeated Michigan State, 29-17, in the Big Ten opener for both teams.

Anthony Thomas rushed 13 times for 97 yards, including a 69-yard touchdown for Michigan, 2-2 overall. The Wolverines had dropped out of the Top 25 after lopsided losses to Syracuse and Notre Dame, a team that Michigan State (1-3) easily defeated in its previous game.

Brady, who was 15 for 26 for 208 yards with one interception, threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Tai Streets to put Michigan ahead for the first time at 17-10 with 6:58 remaining in the second quarter. The Wolverines, who had 414 total yards, led the rest of the game.

Michigan’s defense, which had given up more than 400 total yards in each of the two previous games, held Michigan State to 268 total yards and shut out the Spartans in the second half. Nate Miller had two of the sacks for Michigan.

Jay Feely kicked field goals of 51, 45 and 38 yards for Michigan.

Sedrick Irvin ran for 107 yards in 21 carries for Michigan State, which had no penalties in the first half but eight in the second.

No. 14 Wisconsin 38, Northwestern 7--The Badgers (4-0, 1-0) got touchdowns by the pass, the run and on a blocked punt and punt return against the Wildcats (2-2, 0-1) at Madison, Wis.

Tailback Ron Dayne ran for 168 yards in 22 carries while quarterback Mike Samuel threw for a touchdown and ran for one for Wisconsin. Punt returner Nick Davis and sophomore defensive back Ryan Marks had returns for Badger touchdowns.

Dayne showed no lingering effects of the sprained ankle that had slowed him so far.

“He’s a more patient runner,” Northwestern linebacker Barry Gardner said. “He waits to find the hole. When he sees it, he hits it hard. He’s a man of action.”

Wisconsin, which has the nation’s top-rated defense, stretched its streak of not allowing a touchdown to 13 quarters before Nick Kreinbrink’s 46-yard touchdown pass to Sam Simmons with four seconds left.

Iowa 37, Illinois 14--Kahlil Hill, Steve Fitts and Joe Slattery scored touchdowns on returns and Tim Douglas kicked three field goals of more than 50 yards as the Hawkeyes (2-2, 0-1) defeated the Illini (1-3, 0-1) at Champaign, Ill.

Douglas opened the scoring with a 51-yard field goal in the second quarter. He also had field goals of 58 (which tied a Big Ten record) and 51 yards to become the third major-college kicker with three field goals of 50 yards or more in a game.

Indiana 48, Cincinnati 14--Triple-threat freshman quarterback Antwaan Randle El ran for a touchdown, passed for one and had a touchdown catch to lead the Hoosiers to a nonconference victory at Cincinnati.

Indiana (2-1) had 583 yards in sending Cincinnati to its first 0-4 start since 1991. The Bearcats came into the game ranked 105th on defense, giving up 462 yards per game.

Randle El went 51 yards with a pass from receiver O.J. Conner on a trick play, ran two yards for a touchdown and threw a 36-yard touchdown pass.

Randle El carried 18 times for a career-high 113 yards and completed nine of 21 passes for 186 yards. He accounted for 350 yards in total offense.