Michigan
10-3
Arkansas
9-3
Michigan Rallies for Citrus Bowl Win over Arkansas
1/1/1999 12:00:00 AM | Football
Site: Orlando, Fla. (Citrus Bowl Stadium)
Event: 1999 CompUSA Florida Citrus Bowl
Score: #15 Michigan 45, #11 Arkansas 31
Records: U-M (10-3), Arkansas (9-3)
Attendance: 67,584
Next U-M Game: Season Completed
ORLANDO, Fla. -- The University of Michigan football team became the first Big Ten team to win the CompUSA Citrus Bowl in five years as the 15th-ranked Wolverines defeated No. 11 Arkansas 45-31. The Wolverines won their 15th bowl game all-time, scoring 21 points in the final 5:49 of the game (a span of four minutes and two seconds).
Michigan was led by sophomore running back Anthony Thomas (Winnfield, La./Winnfield HS), who scored three rushing touchdowns and gained 132 yards rushing on 21 attempts. Thomas was named the Citrus Bowl Most Valuable Player for his efforts.
Junior quarterback Tom Brady (San Mateo, Calif./Serra HS) completed 14-of-27 passes for 209 yards, with his lone passing touchdown coming on the game-winning 21-yard completion to junior wide receiver DiAllo Johnson (Detroit, Mich./Orchard Lake St. Mary's HS). Senior wide receiver Tai Streets (Matteson, Ill./Thornton Township HS) led the receiving corps with seven catches for 127 yards. He surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in receiving, becoming the fourth player in school history to achieve the feat.
Defensively, senior linebacker Sam Sword (Saginaw, Mich./Arthur Hill HS) led the charge with 11 tackles. Sword was named Michigan's Citrus Bowl Defensive Player of the game as voted on by the media. Junior linebacker Dhani Jones (Potomac, Md./Winston Churchill HS) added nine tackles, while junior linebacker James Hall (New Orleans, La./St. Augustine HS) tallied six tackles, four as tackles for loss and two sacks.
Arkansas won the toss and deferred to the second half. The Wolverines elected to receive the opening kickoff. Michigan and Arkansas would trade punting situations on their first two possessions before the Wolverines struck for the game's first points.
Michigan took a 3-0 lead as senior placekicker Jay Feely (Odessa, Fla./Tampa Jesuit HS) connected on a 43-yard field goal. The Wolverines started at their 37-yard line and immediately moved into Arkansas territory as senior tailback Clarence Williams (Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech HS) gained 18 yards on the first play of the drive. Brady hit Streets for 18 yards down to the Arkansas 27-yard line. Arkansas' defense held Michigan on the next three plays and forced the field goal attempt with 6:29 remaining in the first quarter. The six-play scoring drive gained 36 yards and took 2:12.
After trading possessions, Arkansas moved into Michigan territory for the first time on the day. The Razorbacks reached the 35-yard line, where they attempted to go for it on fourth down. Junior quarterback Clint Stoerner ran the option but was dropped for a four-yard loss by Hall and Michigan's defense held the Razorbacks offense on their first penetration of the game.
The Razorbacks took a 7-3 lead with 10:37 left in the second quarter as Stoerner found wide receiver Michael Williams on a 35-yard scoring pass. The Razorbacks started the drive at their 18-yard line and proceeded to gain the go-ahead score as Stoerner completed all three passes for 74 yards. Arkansas' scoring drive covered 82 yards in six plays and took 2:41.
The Wolverines answered with a two-yard touchdown run by Thomas. The six-play scoring drive that covered 56 yards and took 2:57 was set up by a 40-yard kickoff return by Williams. Michigan took over at its 44-yard line after the return, but Brady was sacked on first down for a loss of nine yards. Thomas gained 12 yards on second down, setting up a third-and-seven from the 47-yard line. The Wolverines converted their first third down of the game as Brady hit Streets for 33 yards to the Arkansas 20-yard line. With the ball in Razorback territory, Williams gained 11 yards to set up a first-and-goal from the nine-yard line. Arkansas was called for pass interference on second down, giving Michigan a first down at the two-yard line. Thomas scored his 13th rushing touchdown of the year on first down and regained the lead for the Wolverines at 10-7.
The Razorbacks took the ensuing kickoff at their 18-yard line and moved out to 42-yard line with two first downs. On third-and-five from the 42-yard line, Stoerner's pass attempt was intercepted by junior linebacker Ian Gold (Belleville, Mich./Belleville HS) and returned 46 yards for a Michigan touchdown. The touchdown was the third scored by the Wolverines defense this year (the other two came in the Eastern Michigan game).
Trailing 17-7 with 5:39 remaining in the second quarter, Arkansas took over at the 20-yard line after a touchback. The Razorbacks closed the gap to 17-10 on a 42-yard field goal by Todd Latourette. Arkansas' scoring drive took 12 plays and gained 55 yards in 3:27.
With 2:04 remaining in the first half, Michigan took over at its 31-yard line and enhanced its lead with a five-yard touchdown run by Thomas. The Wolverines moved down the field as Brady completed 3-of-6 passes for 59 yards. Streets surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in receiving on the drive as he caught a 21-yard pass from Brady that set up a first-and-goal at the five-yard line. The scoring drive took seven plays and gained 69 yards in 1:38.
The Wolverines held Arkansas on the opening series of the second half and took over their 28-yard line. They moved into Arkansas territory on a 15-yard run by Thomas, but he was hit hard by Arkansas' Melvin Bradley and fumbled. The ball was recovered by Arkansas' David Barrett at the 29-yard line. The Razorbacks took advantage of the turnover and cut the Wolverines' lead to 24-17, scoring on a two-yard run by tailback Chrys Chukwuma. Arkansas' scoring drive took six plays and covered 71 yards in 2:17.
Michigan started possession at its 31-yard line and was hit with a 10-yard holding penalty on first down. Three straight completions to different receivers gained the Wolverines a first down at the midfield. After two straight penalties, Michigan was forced into a second-and-35 from the 20-yard line. Brady was hit as he threw and his pass was intercepted by Jeromy Flowers and returned 24 yards to the Michigan seven-yard line. The Razorbacks tied the score, 24-24, on a one-yard Chukwuma dive over the top.
After trading punts, the Wolverines gained possession inside Arkansas territory at the 45-yard line. Michigan's attempt to regain the lead sailed wide left as Feely missed from 48 yards. The Wolverines moved into field goal position as Brady ran for 10 yards and a key third-down conversion.
Michigan's defense forced Arkansas into a punting situation and U-M took over its 14-yard line. On the first play of the drive, Brady was intercepted by Zac Painter, who returned it 24 yards to the Michigan 11-yard line. The Razorbacks regained the lead 31-24 as Stoerner hit tight end Joe Dean Davenport on a nine-yard pass for a touchdown. The score was Arkansas' third unanswered touchdown of the second half, with all coming on Michigan turnovers.
Trailing for the first time since a 7-3 deficit, Michigan put together its most sustained scoring drive of the day. The Wolverines gained the tying touchdown as Thomas scored on a one-yard run with 5:49 left in the game. The key play on the drive was an eight-yard pass from Brady to Streets on fourth-and-two from the Arkansas 46-yard line. Thomas' scoring run was his third of the game and seventh in the last two games (scored four against Hawaii).
The Michigan defense held Arkansas on its next possession and forced a punt. Junior wide receiver DiAllo Johnson returned the punt 14 yards to the Arkansas 35-yard line. After four straight runs by Williams gained 14 yards, Brady hit Johnson on a 21-yard touchdown pass for the game-winning score, putting the Wolverines up 38-31 with 2:25 on the clock. The touchdown was the first of Johnson's career and came on a third-and-seven play. Michigan's scoring drive covered five plays and covered 35 yards.
Arkansas took over at its 20-yard line after freshman placekicker Hayden Epstein (Cardiff, Calif./Torrey Pines HS) kicked the ball into the end zone for a touchback. Stoerner's pass attempt on second down was intercepted by sophomore cornerback James Whitley (Norfolk, Va./Norview HS), who returned the pick 26 yards for the Wolverines' second defensive touchdown of the game. The score put Michigan ahead 45-31 with 1:47 remaining and sealed the victory for the Wolverines in their first-ever Citrus Bowl appearance.
The Wolverines concluded the 1998 season with a 10-3 record. Michigan shared its conference-record 39th Big Ten title with a 7-1 record. The Wolverines won at least 10 games for the second straight year and 21st time in the history of the program.
Team Stats
AR 0, MI 3
MI - Jay Feely 43 yd field goal 6 plays, 36 yards, TOP 2:12
AR 7, MI 3
AR - M. Williams 35 yd pass from Clint Stoerner (Todd Latourette kick) 6 plays, 82 yards, TOP 2:41
AR 7, MI 10
MI - Anthony Thomas 2 yd run (Jay Feely kick), 6 plays, 56 yards, TOP 2:57
AR 7, MI 17
MI - Ian Gold 46 yd interception (Jay Feely kick)
AR 10, MI 17
AR - Todd Latourette 42 yd field goal 12 plays, 55 yards, TOP 3:27
AR 10, MI 24
MI - Anthony Thomas 5 yd run (Jay Feely kick), 7 plays, 69 yards, TOP 1:38
AR 17, MI 24
AR - Chrys Chukwuma 2 yd run (Todd Latourette kick), 6 plays, 71 yards, TOP 2:17
AR 24, MI 24
AR - Chrys Chukwuma 1 yd run (Todd Latourette kick), 3 plays, 7 yards, TOP 1:22
AR 31, MI 24
AR - Joe Davenport 9 yd pass from Clint Stoerner (Todd Latourette kick) 2 plays, 11 yards, TOP 0:45
AR 31, MI 31
MI - Anthony Thomas 1 yd run (Jay Feely kick), 14 plays, 80 yards, TOP 6:29
AR 31, MI 38
MI - DiAllo Johnson 21 yd pass from Tom Brady (Jay Feely kick) 5 plays, 35 yards, TOP 1:58
AR 31, MI 45
MI - James Whitley 26 yd interception (Jay Feely kick)
