Looking Back is a Special Feature by Jeff Cummins Highlighting Key Rivalry Games
By the early 2000s, the landscape had changed in the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry. Ohio State had suddenly claimed a National Championship, and reversing the Buckeyes’ momentum would be a tall order.
Enter John Navarre. Standing every bit of 6 feet, 6 inches, Navarre possessed a quiet persona, and had excellent leadership qualities. The other leader was running back Chris Perry, who fought through plenty of adversity during his time in Ann Arbor. At one point, head coach Lloyd Carr advised him to transfer, but a heart-to-heart conversation with his mother convinced Perry that his best move was perseverance. Perry matured significantly in the 2002 season, and by 2003, he was ready to produce serious results.
The fifth and final installment of this year’s series looking back at the football rivalry between Michigan and Ohio State takes us back to 2003 for the 100th game in the series. Despite the Wolverines’ offensive firepower, it was their defense that established the tone. Michigan safety Ernest Shazor’s tackle of Ohio State tight end Ben Hartsock prevented an easy first down, forcing the Buckeyes to punt. Then the Michigan offensive line seized the momentum. Perry gashed the Ohio State defensive line for sizable gains, and suddenly the Wolverines were at the Ohio State 3-yard line, facing a 3rd down and goal to go. Steve Breaston, usually a receiver, lined up at quarterback and scored a 3-yard touchdown to give the Wolverines the early lead. The Wolverines extended that lead when Navarre connected with Braylon Edwards for a 64-yard touchdown pass highlighted by a broken tackle. Once Edwards freed himself from the defender, he went all the way for the touchdown to give Michigan a two-score lead. Navarre and Edwards connected for a 23-yard touchdown pass later in the second quarter to give Michigan a 21-0 lead. The Wolverines had a comfortable cushion, or so they thought.
Ohio State kept plugging away, and after Lydell Ross scored on a 2-yard run early in the fourth quarter, the Wolverines’ lead was only a touchdown. Undaunted, Michigan went back to basics. Perry completed a drive that lasted almost four minutes by scoring on a 15-yard run to make the final score Michigan 35, Ohio State 21. After another eight minutes, Michigan claimed victory over the Buckeyes, along with the 2003 Big Ten championship. For his efforts, Perry was named to both the All-America team and the All-Big Ten team. He was joined on the All-Big Ten team by Navarre, Edwards and offensive lineman Tony Pape.
The next season, the Wolverines welcomed a bumper crop of recruits, including running back Mike Hart, quarterback Chad Henne and offensive tackle Jake Long. But, for now, it was enough to revel in the 2003 Big Ten championship, a hard-earned victory that reestablished Michigan as the ultimate power in the Big Ten. Thank you to ABC Sports, WJR, and YouTube poster Jordan Swavel for the broadcast of this game. As always, we own nothing and we do not profit from this blog post, which is provided strictly for the enjoyment of readers.