By defeating Ohio State, 22-0, in
the regular season finale, Michigan
posted its largest margin of victory
in the series in 30 years and handed
the Buckeyes their first shutout in
112 games, a streak that began in
1964. The Wolverines tied OSU for
first-place in the Big Ten with a 10-
1 record, and earned their first Rose
Bowl berth since 1971. At season’s
end, Michigan led the nation in total
offense (448.1 yards per game),
scoring offense (38.7 points) and
scoring defense (7.2 points).
In Pasadena, the third-ranked
Wolverines were slated to face No.
2 Southern California, a team with
equally impressive credentials. The
Trojans were stocked with players
such as quarterback Vince Evans,
running backs Ricky Bell and
Charles White, linebacker Clay
Matthews, and were coached by
John Robinson. USC promised to
provide Michigan with quite a challenge
on New Year’s Day.
It took until midway through the
second quarter for either team to
put points on the scoreboard. The
Wolverines scored first when Rob
Lytle smashed over the goal line
from one yard out. Bob Wood’s
extra point attempt was blocked,
and Southern Cal used the momentum
to march 80 yards on the following
drive, tying the score with
Evans rolling in on a fourth-andone
play with 1:28 left in the quarter.
The conversion was good, and
USC held a 7-6 advantage at the half.
The game returned to the defenses
in the second half.
The Wolverines tallied just four first
downs, and the Trojans used a
relentless ground game to grind
their way deep into Michigan territory
in the fourth quarter. White
scored on a seven-yard run with
three minutes to go, but the
Wolverines made it close by charging
back to the USC 17 before running
out on downs in the closing
seconds.
Bell, the top pick in the 1977
NFL draft, left the game early in
the first quarter with a head injury
and was replaced by the freshman
White, who went on to win the
Heisman Trophy three seasons
later. The game also marked Lytle’s
last in a Wolverine uniform as he
led all Michigan rushers with 67
yards to up his then school record
to 3,317 yards. USC finished No. 2
in the final football polls behind the
Pittsburgh Panthers.
The Wolverines finished No. 3 in the
rankings, their highest finish under
Bo Schembechler to date. |  |
SCORING
Second Quarter
M Lytle, 1-yard run
(B. Wood kick blocked)
USC Evans, 1-yard run
(Walker kick)
Fourth Quarter
USC White, 7-yard run
(Walker kick)
Team Stats UM USC
First Downs 12 19
Net Yards Rushing 155 200
Net Yards Passing 76 181
Total Plays 57 75
Total Yards 231 381
PA/PC/Int 12/4/0 20/14/1
Punts/Avg. 5/45.0 3/29.7
Return Yards 64 17
Fumbles/Lost 4/2 2/1
Penalties/Yards 2/20 6/55
Rushing — (M): Lytle 18-67; R. Davis 10-39;
Leach 13-34; Huckleby 3-10; J. Smith 1-5;
(USC): White 32-114; Tatupu 7-60; Evans 8-23;
Bell 4-16; Farmer 3-7.
Passing — (M): Leach 4-12-76; (USC): Evans 14-20-181
Receiving — (M): J. Smith 2-52; G. Johnson 2-24;
(USC): Diggs 8-98; M. Robinson 2-42; Tatupu 2-7;
Simmrin 1-27; Gay 1-7. |
