THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 27, 1995 TAG: 9508270169
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ANN ARBOR, MICH. LENGTH: Medium: 92 lines
For a little more than a half Saturday, Virginia offset Michigan's defensive advantage in strength and depth with speed.
But that neutralizer was lost when sophomore tailback Tiki Barber bruised his shoulder breaking a tackle at the start of an 81-yard touchdown run in the opening minutes of the second half.
``I felt the pain immediately, but my feet were still on the ground so I kept running,'' Barber said.
At first, it was thought Barber's shoulder had popped out of place.
He said that was not the case.
``I think it is a sprain or a bruise,'' Barber said. ``I'll have it X-rayed when I get back to school.''
Barber rushed for 113 yards despite missing most of the second half.
``I hope it is nothing serious,'' he said. ``If it is just pain, I can play with that.''
Kevin Brooks, who lost the starting job to Barber while nursing an injury in preseason, rushed for 64 yards, but had one fumble.
``Except for the fumble, I thought Brooks played well,'' coach George Welsh said.
NO SECOND-GUESSING: Welsh refused to second-guess a decision not to attempt a field goal on Virginia's final possession at the Michigan 32.
He called for a punt, which bounced into the end zone and allowed Michigan possession on the 20 to begin their winning drive.
``I was not going to try a 49-yard field goal,'' Welsh said emphatically.
``I made up my mind on third down. If we would have caught the ball down there on the 2, there is a big difference between the 2 and 20.''
Welsh said college rules allow a team to catch a punt, but his players let the kick bounce and sail over their heads.
Kicker Rafael Garcia missed two field-goal attempts from shorter distances in the first half, but Welsh said he is capable of making 49-yarders.
``But in a situation like that, at the 32, if you get it blocked . . . I think the right thing for us to do is punt it,'' he said.
MORE RELIEF: Reserve quarterback Tim Sherman also drew compliments from Welsh for his replacement of Mike Groh, who spent a lot of time on the sidelines in the second half because of leg cramps.
Sherman, a fourth-year junior, completed 3-of-4 passes for 53 yards, and directed a drive that ended on a 30-yard field goal by Rafael Garcia.
``We were more conservative with Sherman in there, but he did a nice job for us,'' Welsh said.
Groh said he suffered cramps in both of his thighs and both of his calves.
``It was just frustrating that I had to leave the game,'' said Groh, who had fluids pumped into his body before returning for the final two offensive series.
``I don't want a pat on the back or anyone saying we did good to come so close to winning,'' Groh said.
``That is not good enough for me. This was the toughest loss I've ever had to take.''
WHAT IF: In addition to the close call on the game-winning touchdown, there were a couple of other sore spots for the Cavaliers in Michigan's game-winning drive.
Linebacker Anthony Poindexter deflected a pass out of the hands of Tyrone Butterfield on the Virginia 8. If Butterfield had made the catch and was tackled short of the goal, time would have expired.
As it was, the clock stopped with four seconds remaining, and the rest is history.
While Ronde Barber graciously conceded Mercury Hayes had a foot inbounds for the winning reception, he had an argument about another call.
Barber thought he had his second interception of the game on a long pass to Hayes at the Virginia 1, which set up the Wolverines' first touchdown.
Both players tumbled to the turf wrestling for the ball, and Hayes was awarded possession.
``I thought I had it when we hit the ground, and he took it away from me,'' Barber said. ``But it's the official's job to make the call, so I have to accept that.''
MICHIGAN INJURY: Michigan lost starting tailback Tim Biakabutuka early in the game to a bruised shoulder.
Before leaving, he rushed seven times for 36 yards and caught one pass for 38 yards.
The Wolverines finished with only 52 yards rushing for the game.
Freshman quarterback Scott Dreisbach made up for that, though, by passing for 372 yards - 266 in the second half.
BIG HOUSE: The attendance of 101,444 extended Michigan's streak of consecutive games with over 100,000 crowds to 123 games. But it was the smallest home crowd for the Wolverines since 1981. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN/Staff
Marcus Ray celebrates Michigan's final-play victory as a crowd of
101,444 that had little to cheer for three quarters found its
voice.
by CNB