Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, August 28, 1995                   TAG: 9508280162
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Compiled from wire reports
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Long

THE PIGSKIN CLASSIC

TO THE UNINFORMED eye it is just a divot on a grass field, a small mark an inch from the sideline and a little more than a yard from the back of the northern end zone in Michigan Stadium. But it marks the spot where Mercury Hayes dragged his left foot as he gathered in Scott Dreisbach's 15-yard pass on the last play of the game Saturday to give Michigan a remarkable 18-17 victory over Virginia in the Pigskin Classic.

To truly appreciate the significance of Hayes' catch and the redeeming value of that bit of turf, you had to be here Sept.24 last year. That was when Colorado quarterback Kordell Stewart's last-second, Hail Mary pass traveled some 70 yards in the air, was tipped by a defender and bounced into Michael Westbrook's hands for a game-winning touchdown. ``I never thought it would end up this way,'' Michigan offensive lineman Joe Marinaro said. ``I'm glad we were on the good end this time. Last year was a heartbreak, and I'm sure Virginia's feeling the exact same way we felt.''

- THE WASHINGTON POST (J.A. Adande)

IT LIKELY WILL go down in Michigan lore as ``The Catch,'' Mercury Hayes' leaping grab in the left corner of the end zone that gave the 14th-ranked Wolverines an inspiring 18-17 comeback victory over No.17 Virginia on the final play of Saturday's Pigskin Classic.

Hayes' second touchdown catch of the day - a pass from redshirt freshman quarterback Scott Dreisbach - was the climax to Michigan's 18-point fourth-quarter rally, the greatest comeback in school history. It came with the Wolverines facing a fourth-and-goal from the 15 with four ticks left and no timeouts.

For a split second after the reception, the Michigan Stadium crowd of 101,444 was silent - erupting only when field judge Collin McDermott gave the TD signal.

``My job was to catch the ball and get my feet down,'' said Hayes, who got one foot down, all that's necessary in college ball. He finished with seven receptions for 179 yards and two touchdowns (both in the fourth quarter) and was named MVP. ``We always talk about never giving up,'' Hayes said. ``The game's never over until the clock goes zero, zero, zero.''

- NEW YORK DAILY NEWS (Michael James)

SCOTT DREISBACH HEARD the boos. But he didn't resent them.

Never mind that Saturday was his first college football game. Never mind that he was facing a ranked opponent on national television.

Hey, this is Michigan. Those crowds of 100,000-plus don't show up to coddle players. Perform, or suffer the consequences.

``I understood totally,'' Dreisbach said. ``I made two crucial mistakes. When they started booing, my teammates rallied around me. Then we went down the field and scored, and I didn't hear any more boos.''

He didn't hear any more boos because it was all thunderous adulation in the fourth quarter as Dreisbach directed the greatest comeback in Michigan football history as the Wolverines rallied from a 17-point deficit to stun Virginia 18-17 in the Pigskin Classic at Michigan Stadium.

- NEWPORT NEWS DAILY PRESS (David Teel)

THEY TALK HERE about the mystique, the Michigan tradition of excellence. Maybe there's something to that. The seemingly-out-of-it Wolverines called on the gods Saturday afternoon, and Virginia recalled a perplexing habit of blowing leads.

Trailing 17-0 two minutes into the fourth quarter, 14th-ranked Michigan scored three unanswered touchdowns to complete - believe it or not - its biggest comeback ever. Redshirt freshman Scott Dreisbach hit wideout Mercury Hayes on a 15-yard corner route as time expired, giving the Wolverines an 18-17 victory in the Pigskin Classic.

And the Cavaliers, who blew a double-digit lead in the second half for the third year in a row, were left stunned in Michigan Stadium's aftermath.

``I guess it just wasn't meant to be,'' offensive tackle Chris Harrison said. ``I think there must be a jinx against Virginia. Something always seems to happen to us.''

- NEWPORT NEWS DAILY PRESS (Dave Johnson)

AN HOUR LATER, a handful of fans scrutinized the scarred turf in the north end zone of Michigan Stadium, searching for proof of a Maize and Blue miracle.

And there, a good inch or so inside the sideline stripe, was confirmation - a deep divot on the spot where Mercury Hayes had planted his left foot as he collected Scott Dreisbach's lazy spiral. The wondrous 15-yard touchdown catch as time expired gave No.14 Michigan an 18-17 Pigskin Classic victory Saturday over No.17 Virginia and capped the greatest comeback in school history.

A year ago, Michigan players and fans wept when Colorado stole a victory here on a Hail Mary fling into the opposite end zone. This time, the Wolverines were screaming for joy.

``Last year, I sat here on this field and watched the most amazing play in college football history,'' said Dreisbach, a redshirt freshman from Mishawaka, Ind. ``For this to happen - I don't know if it's going in the record book, but I'll remember it.''

- CHICAGO TRIBUNE (Andrew Bagnato)