Hart, Defense Lead Michigan at Big House
ANN ARBOR, Mich. Oct 21, 2006 (AP) Mike Hart kept his legs churning and his knees chugging, plowing into an Iowa defense stacked to stop him. It took a while, but Michigan's little engine finally broke through and the Wolverines' defense did the rest.Hart and Michigan brushed off the burden of being No. 2 by bullying the Hawkeyes around the Big House in a 20-6 victory on Saturday. The 5-foot-9, 196-pound tailback ran for 126 yards and two second-half touchdowns on 31 carries, and linebacker Shawn Crable and crew put together another punishing defensive performance.
With Iowa 5-3, 2-3 out of the way, only three losing teams stand between Michigan 8-0, 5-0 and top-ranked Ohio State on Nov. 18. The Wolverines are trying to tune out the Ohio State talk and take 'em one at a time, but it's not easy.
"I guess you have to deal with it," Hart said. "Everyone is talking about Ohio State, Ohio State. We know we have games before then.
Obviously, that's the big one, but we have three more games." No. 2 has been a sticky spot in the Top 25 this season.
Four times already this season No. 2 has gone down, including the previous two weeks when Auburn and Florida fell. Michigan's first game as the second-ranked team in the country and second consecutive game without injured star receiver Mario Manningham wasn't easy, either.
"You have to remember where you're trying to get," defensive end LaMarr Woodley said. "It's not where you're ranked now." Revered former Michigan coach Bo Schembechler, who fell ill Friday and was hospitalized, contacted school officials and told them to let everyone know he was doing OK and watching the game.
Iowa, coming off a stunning 31-28 loss at Indiana that knocked the Hawkeyes out of the rankings for the first time this season, muscled up on defense, especially against the run. The Hawkeyes crowded the line to contain Hart, the Big Ten's second-leading rusher, and without Manningham, the Wolverines couldn't go deep.
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