Oct 25, 2003
By LARRY LAGE
AP Sports Writer
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) - John Navarre threw two touchdown passes to Braylon Edwards as No. 13 Michigan beat No. 10 Purdue 31-3 Saturday to keep its Big Ten title hopes alive.
The Wolverines (7-2, 4-1 Big Ten) took control of the game with two first-quarter TDs and their stingy defense never gave the Boilermakers (6-2, 3-1) a chance to win at Michigan Stadium for the first time since 1966.
Michigan's win sets up a game next week at No. 11 Michigan State (7-1, 4-0) that will have more than just local interest. The Wolverines are alone in second place behind the Spartans, the only team without a Big Ten loss.
Steve Breaston's 21-yard end-around gave the Wolverines a 14-0 lead, which they maintained until halftime. Markus Curry's 2-yard fumble return, after Carl Diggs forced a fumble, put Michigan ahead 28-3 early in the fourth quarter.
The Boilermakers, who had won six straight, had a chance to be 7-1 for the first time since 1978 and to be 4-0 in the Big Ten for the first time in 23 years.
Navarre was 17-of-30 for 225 yards with TD passes of 14 and 26 yards to Edwards, who caught six passes for 86 yards. Chris Perry ran for 95 yards.
Purdue's Kyle Orton completed 18 of 37 passes for 184 yards. Orton had thrown just two interceptions in 232 attempts this season, but Michigan's Leon Hall intercepted two of his passes.
Shaun Phillips stripped the football out of Navarre's hands and recovered the fumble at Michigan's 28 with 1:45 left in the first half. Three plays later, Orton forced a pass after eluding a sack and Hall intercepted it in the end zone.
The Wolverines' defensive scheme appeared to confuse Purdue and when it didn't, Michigan's speed limited big plays.
Michigan has won its six home games by an average of 34.5 points.
Breaston added to his long list of sensational plays late in the first quarter.
The redshirt freshman fielded a bouncing punt on the right sideline, sliced across the field, and ran down the left sideline for a 30-yard return. Breaston scored on a 21-yard run, with Navarre leading the way as a blocker, one play after Phillips was called for pass interference in the end zone on a third-and-10.
Purdue, trailing by just 14, stopped the Wolverines on their first drive in the second half, then drove to Michigan's 4. But the Boilermakers had to settle for a field goal after Larry Stevens sacked Orton and Hall broke up his pass in the end zone.
Michigan went 80 yards on the ensuing drive and took a 21-3 lead when Navarre lofted a 26-yard pass to Edwards, who leaped over Jacques Reeves in the end zone.
Entering the game, Purdue ranked eighth in the country allowing just 14.4 points a game and the Wolverines were the 10th-highest scoring team in the nation with a 39-point average.