Michigan
9-3 , 7-1
Hawaii
0-12 , 0-8
Wolverines End Regular Season with Win at Hawaii
11/28/1998 12:00:00 AM | Football
Site:Â Honolulu, Hawaii (Aloha Stadium)
Score:Â #15 Michigan 48, Hawaii 17
Records:Â U-M (9-3, 7-1 Big Ten); Hawaii (0-12, 0-8 WAC)
Attendance:Â 34,193
Next U-M Game:Â Regular season completed, awaiting bowl bid
HONOLULU, Hawaii -- The 15th-ranked University of Michigan football team closed out its 1998 regular season with a 48-17 victory over Hawaii. The Wolverines, back-to-back Big Ten Conference champions after going 7-1 in the league this year, improved to 9-3 overall.
Michigan scored on five of its first six possessions to climb out to a 35-3 halftime lead and cruised to the victory. Sophomore running back Anthony Thomas (Winnfield, La./Winnfield HS) rushed for a career-best 183 yards and four touchdowns in the contest while senior wide receiver Tai Streets (Matteson, Ill./Thornton Township HS) added two receiving TDs. Streets caught a team-high five passes for 90 yards in the game.
Hawaii took the opening kickoff after Michigan won the opening coin toss and deferred to the second half. Both teams were stopped on their initial possessions of the game before Hawaii struck for the game's first points.
Hawaii placekicker Chad Shrout gave the Rainbow Warriors a 3-0 lead on a 17-yard field goal. The big play on the drive came as quarterback Dan Robinson hit wide receiver Dwight Carter for 67 yards to the Michigan eight-yard line. They settled for the field goal on fourth down after reaching the one-yard line on a third-down pass.
Michigan responded to Hawaii's score as Thomas ran 38 yards for a touchdown. The nine-play scoring drive carried 76 yards as the Wolverines converted three third downs. Thomas gained 54 rushing yards (four carries) on the drive while junior quarterback Tom Brady (San Mateo, Calif./Serra HS) connected on both passing attempts.
After holding Hawaii on its next possession, Michigan scored its second straight touchdown as Streets caught a 28-yard scoring strike from Brady. Senior running back Clarence Williams (Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech HS) gained 14 rushing yards on the first three plays of the drive. The four-play drive gained 42 yards and consumed 66 seconds.
After forcing a Hawaii punt, the Wolverines moved out to a 21-3 advantage. Michigan scored on its third consecutive possession as Thomas ran four yards for his second rushing TD of the game. Thomas gained 56 of the team's 73 yards on the scoring drive, with the big play coming on a screen pass that covered 35 yards.
Michigan's defense held Hawaii without a first down and took over at the 46-yard line after a 13-yard return on the punt by junior Marcus Knight (Sylacauga, Ala./Comer HS). The Wolverines proceeded to score their fourth straight touchdown as Thomas scored on a 16-yard run. Thomas' TD was his third rushing score of the game and in the process pushed him over the 100-yard mark in the contest (11 carries for 104 yard and three TDs). The scoring drive covered 46 yards on seven plays and consumed 3:26.
Michigan scored for the fifth time in as many drives when Brady hooked up with Streets for a six-yard touchdown play. The Wolverines drove 77 yards in seven plays after Knight returned the Hawaii punt 18 yards to the 23-yard line. Brady was 3-of-3 for 61 yards on the scoring drive, including a 49-yard pass to Streets on the series' first play.
With a 35-3 lead heading into the second half, Michigan scored on its second possession of the half as freshman quarterback Drew Henson (Brighton, Mich./Brighton HS) scrambled left for 34 yards and his first career rushing TD. The scoring drive covered 33 yards in three plays and took 55 seconds. Michigan led 41-3 after senior placekicker Jay Feely (Odessa, Fla./Tampa Jesuit HS) missed his first extra-point attempt of the year.
Hawaii scored its first touchdown of the game with 1:05 left in the third quarter. The scoring play came as Robinson hit wide receiver Eleu Kane for a 22-yard TD. The Rainbows' touchdown drive covered 89 yards in five plays and consumed 1:48.
After stopping Michigan's offense on a fourth-and-inches from U-M's 36-yard line, Hawaii's offense scored its second touchdown in as many drives. The Rainbow Warriors scored on a one-yard, fourth-down run by tailback Jauron Pigg and added the two-point conversion as Robinson found fullback Calvin Mims on a swing pass. Hawaii's scoring drive took eight plays and covered 36 yards in 3:46.
Michigan took over at its 20-yard line after receiving a touchback on the ensuing kickoff. Thomas took the pitch and ran 80 yards for his fourth touchdown of the game and a 48-17 lead. The scoring play took 17 seconds and helped Thomas set career highs in both rushing yards (183 yards) and touchdowns in a game (four).
The Michigan defense stopped Hawaii on its final drive of the game at the four-yard line. The Wolverines halted the 15-play drive, took over possession and ran out the remaining 1:12 of the game to close out the 48-17 victory.
The Wolverines will now await a bowl bid, with that announcement expected to come on Sunday, Dec. 6.
Team Stats
MI 0, UH 3
UH - C.Shrout 17 yd field goal 8 plays, 86 yards, TOP 3:07
MI 7, UH 3
MI - Anthony Thomas 38 yd run (Jay Feely kick), 9 plays, 0 yards, TOP 4:14
MI 14, UH 3
MI - Tai Streets 28 yd pass from Tom Brady (Jay Feely kick) 4 plays, 42 yards, TOP 1:06
MI 21, UH 3
MI - Anthony Thomas 4 yd run (Jay Feely kick), 9 plays, 73 yards, TOP 2:56
MI 28, UH 3
MI - Anthony Thomas 16 yd run (Jay Feely kick), 7 plays, 46 yards, TOP 3:26
MI 35, UH 3
MI - Tai Streets 6 yd pass from Tom Brady (Jay Feely kick) 7 plays, 77 yards, TOP 2:21
MI 41, UH 3
MI - Drew Henson 34 yd run (Jay Feely kickfailed), 3 plays, 33 yards, TOP 0:55
MI 41, UH 9
UH - E.Kane 22 yd pass from D.Robinson (C.Shrout kickblocked) 5 plays, 89 yards, TOP 1:48
MI 41, UH 17
UH - J.Pigg 1 yd run (C.Mims pass), 8 plays, 36 yards, TOP 3:46
MI 48, UH 17
MI - Anthony Thomas 80 yd run (Jay Feely kick), 1 plays, 80 yards, TOP 0:17
