This Date in College Football Belt History – September 8

The top-ranked, 2-0 Miami Hurricanes & coach Jimmy Johnson traveled to Ann Arbor to meet the 14^th ranked Michigan Wolverines of coach Bo Schembechler. Michigan was opening their season while Miami were playing their third ranked team in just 12 days.  This Wolverines’ team was in a down cycle but still included All-Big Ten players DT Kevin Brooks & LB Mike Mallory.  Michigan used a ball-control offense led by 35:53 in time of possession with 3 rushing touchdowns from RB Bob Perryman while the Wolverines’ defense recovered 2 fumbles & intercepted Miami’s QB Bernie Kosar 6 times as Michigan claimed The Belt with a 22-14 upset of the Hurricanes.  The only points of the 1^st half came when the Wolverines recovered a Miami fumble on their opening possession & Perryman scored on a 6-yard touchdown run.  The missed extra-point attempt left the Wolverines with a 6-0 lead that they held through halftime.  The Hurricanes took the lead early in the 3^rd quarter when Kosar hit All-American WR Eddie Brown for a 32-yard touchdown pass giving Miami a 7-6 lead.  Perryman’s 3-yard touchdown run in the 3^rd quarter put Michigan back in front at 12-7.  Michigan’s DT Mike Hammerstein intercepted Kosar at the Miami 24-yard line & the Wolverines scored in 7 plays with Perryman carrying in on a 1-yard run for a 19-7 lead with 7:01 left in the game.  The Wolverines were helped on the drive when Miami was called for a roughing the kicker penalty giving Michigan a first down at the Miami 3-yard line instead of a field goal.  Perryman scored the touchdown 2 plays after the penalty.  It took the Hurricanes just 0:36 to drive 80 yards on their next drive with Kosar hitting WR Stanley Shakespeare for a 44-yard touchdown pass making the score Michigan 19 Miami 14.  The Wolverines ran 3 minutes off the clock before punting back to the Hurricanes but Michigan’s LB Rodney Lyles intercepted Kosar for the third time in the game to stop the rally.  The Wolverines got a 27-yard field goal from PK Bob Bergeron for the final margin of victory.  Michigan’s QB Jim Harbaugh threw for 163 yards but 2 interceptions.  Kosar threw for 228 yards with 2 touchdowns but 6 interceptions, a fumble, & was sacked 3 times.  Shakespeare had 6 catches for 111 yards with his score, & Hurricanes’ RB Alonzo Highsmith rushed for 126 yards in the loss.  Miami finished the season 8-5; ranked 18^th nationally while the Wolverines finished 6-6.  Miami would play for The Belt again in 1985.

The College Football Belt