Gäste Forum » a win following a disappointing loss

Jim Harbaugh will see a close friend and former comrade on the other sideline Saturday, but game day is not usually a time for the intense Michigan coach to play nice.The Wolverines are ranked No. 3 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings and Harbaughs squad cant afford a stumble when it hosts improving Maryland in Saturdays Big Ten contest (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.First-year Terrapins coach DJ Durkin did an exceptional job running Michigans defense during Harbaughs first season at the helm and is now working on establishing Maryland (5-3, 2-3) as a viable program. Durkin also was on Harbaughs Stanford staff from 2007-09.An upset at the famed Big House would rate as Durkins first signature win as a head coach.As a competitor, you look at things as a great challenge. Thats why you want to go play against the best and see how you measure up, Durkin said at a press conference. Thats the approach weve got to take. We certainly understand what theyre capable of. Thats what makes it fun. Thats why you want to play in these types of games and be a part of this conference.Durkin credits Harbaugh for aiding his development as a coach -- theres a long list of things that Ive learned from him, certainly, he said -- and Harbaugh was only too happy to shower him with praise early in the week.Hes done a fabulous job, Harbaugh said at a press conference. Ive always respected DJ as a tremendous competitor at the highest level. You see the energy, you see the strength, you see the competitiveness, execution on the field.The flip side of that is that we know this will be a big game, a championship game. This will be a real test for our club.The Wolverines (8-0, 5-0) hold a one-game lead over Ohio State and Penn State in the Big Tens East division. The stakes were already high but the initial rankings made the task even clearer.Alabama and Clemson are ranked ahead of Michigan in the CFP rankings with Texas A&M and Washington looming right behind. But Ohio State is No. 6 and it reasons that the loser of the Michigan-Ohio State contest later this month will be all but eliminated from one of the four spots.That means the Wolverines need to avoid upset attempts in coming weeks and keep their record unscathed as long as possible.Michigan possesses one of the nations top defenses but a closer-than-expected 32-23 victory against Michigan State last Saturday, and the high number of yards allowed, prompted some concern.Michigan was allowing a national-best 207.9 yards per game entering the contest against the Spartans. That figure now stands at 231.3 after the defensive unit allowed 401 yards to the Spartans, a teetering squad that lost their sixth consecutive game.I think this was probably one of our worst games, senior cornerback Jourdan Lewis said. The first drive, they did some perimeter-running -- stuff we hadnt seen yet. We calmed down and then just took our foot off the pedal and stopped concentrating. Thats what happened.That shouldnt have been close. And we made it close because we didnt execute.The play of Lewis and sophomore outside linebacker Jabrill Peppers (team-best 12.5 tackles for losses) are among the reasons for why the Wolverines lead the nation in total defense, scoring defense (11.6 points per game) and passing defense (120.1).Maryland, which has lost three of its last four games, relies heavily on the ground attack of sophomore Ty Johnson (624 yards, 10.4 average) and true freshman Lorenzo Harrison (575 yards, 7.3 average). Senior quarterback Perry Hills passed for 1,070 yards and 10 touchdowns against only three interceptions.The Terrapins, who allowed a season worst for points in last Saturdays 42-36 loss to Indiana, will try to slow a Michigan attack that has topped 40 six times. Junior weak-side linebacker Shane Cockerille has a team-best 73 tackles and junior outside linebacker Jesse Aniebonam leads the squad with 5.5 sacks.Wolverines sophomore quarterback Wilton Speight has passed for 1,691 yards and 13 touchdowns against three interceptions while senior receiver Amara Darboh has 38 receptions for 664 yards and five touchdowns after accumulating a career-best 165 yards against Michigan State.Slowing down the Michigan offense will be necessary if Maryland is to pull off the upset. And Terrapins senior defensive end Roman Braglio is relishing the chance.Its definitely an opportunity of a lifetime to do that, Braglio said. Were going to take full advantage of it. Theyve got a big target on their back. 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Hazard cut in from the left and scored with a swerving right-footed shot for ninth goal of the season, which proved to be enough for the victory despite Chelseas forwards again lacking a cutting edge up front. Curley Culp Youth Jersey . LOUIS -- Theres no telling how these wacky World Series games will end.COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Trevor Thompsons matching double-double -- 17 points and 17 rebounds -- pushed Ohio State past Connecticut, 64-60 on Saturday night.Jalen Adams made a 3-pointer with 26 seconds left and converted a 3-point play eight seconds later to pull UConn within three, but Ohio States Marc Loving hit a free throw put the lead back to four. The Huskies missed their final three shots.Thompson averaged 10.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per game in 20 minutes of play. He played for 30 minutes and reached a career high in points and rebounds. Connecticut coach Kevin Ollie described Thompsons presence as a monster.(I) definitely came into tonight with a chip on my shoulder after how I played and what happened last year (against Connecticut), Thompson said. I told myself before the game that I wanted revenge and payback. Thats what my mind was on.Thompson was primarily a starter last year, but has come off the bench in each of OSUs 10 games. Coach Thad Matta said that, despite mental things, Thompsons play has improved from a season ago.It just seems like hes calmed down a little bit more and has got a good focus about how hes playing and what hes doing, Matta said. Hes starting to get a little more instinctive, especially on the defensive end, which is good to see.UConn shot 54.2 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes, including 4 of 9 from 3. Adams hit a 3-pointer at the first-half buzzer to take a 34-32 lead into halftime, despite 10 team turnovers.UConns Vance Jackson was 0 for his last 10 shots and 2 for his previous 18 coming into the game, but the Buckeyes had no answers for him and he scored nine of his 12 points in the first half.I felt like he was real aggresssive, Ollie said.dddddddddddd. I could see him looking for his shot. Our guys were looking for him.After the under-eight timeout, UConn guard Rodney Purvis nailed a 3-pointer to end a team field-goal drought of more than five minutes. After the two teams traded baskets and were tied at 54, OSU began an 8-0 run that ended up being the difference.JaQuan Lyle, who had 16 points and only one turnover, converted six straight from the line down the stretch.Adams led UConn with 19 points.BIG PICTUREOhio State: Coach Thad Mattas team was able to close out a win following a disappointing loss on Tuesday to mid-major Florida Atlantic. The Buckeyes came into the game as one of the worst teams from the free throw line, but made 7 of 8 in the final two minutes and shot 76 percent.They were down to seven players tonight and we wanted to go at them and put ourselves in that position to get to the line, Matta said.Connecticut: The Huskies lost their fifth game of the season in the fewest number of games since Kevin Ollie took over as head coach in 2012. UConns poor shooting showed in the second half, just 35.5 percent from the field. What hurt the Huskies more than anything was a lack of ball control and foul trouble.Its just a scene. Its not the movie. Weve been through this before. Our guys have been through this before.UP NEXTThe Buckeyes and Huskies each have a full week to prepare for their next games. OSU competes in the CBS Sports Classic against No. 2 UCLA in Las Vegas on Dec. 17. UConn hosts the North Florida Ospreys in Storrs, Connecticut, on Dec. 18. ' ' '