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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Michigan has been spoiled rotten with its
big-play receiver, dominating running back and efficiency expert
quarterback.
|  | | Michigan quarterback Drew Henson is sacked by Auburn's Rob Pate early in the Wolverines 31-28 win. |
The Wolverines' Big Three were at it again in Monday's Citrus
Bowl, possibly for the last time.
Anthony Thomas ran for 182 yards and two touchdowns and Drew Henson passed for two TDs as the Wolverines (No. 15 ESPN/USA Today, No. 17 AP) held on for a 31-28 victory over No. 20 Auburn on Monday.
David Terrell caught four passes for 136 yards, including a
31-yard TD, to become the first Michigan receiver to pass 1,000
yards twice.
"There's a lot of talent between the three of them," Auburn
coach Tommy Tuberville said. "You have to be able to stop one of
the three of them to have a chance to win."
Auburn was 0-for-3 on that count, and tailback Rudi Johnson was held to 85 yards on 25 carries. Johnson, the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, had been held under 100 yards only two other times, both losses.
Henson was 15-of-20 for 294 yards for Michigan (9-3), which has won bowls in four straight years for the first time. The Wolverines were seven points away from an undefeated season.
It was definitely the last game for Thomas, a senior who became Michigan's leading career rusher and scorer. Terrell and Henson are juniors who have talked about leaving for the NFL or, in Henson's case, possibly professional baseball.
Henson is a top prospect in the Cincinnati Reds organization.
"As a quarterback, it's everything you could ask for: a running
back that can block and playmakers on the outside," said Henson,
who was sacked five times. "It's nice to go week to week knowing
we had those weapons."
The anticipated duel between Thomas and Johnson instead became a
showdown with Tigers quarterback Ben Leard.
Down 31-21, Auburn (9-4) stayed alive when Leard hit a leaping
Deandre Green with a 21-yard touchdown pass with 2:26 left. Leard
was 5-of-5 for 77 yards on the drive, which covered 89 yards in six
plays and 87 seconds.
Michigan had failed to gain a first down in the previous series
with a chance to milk the clock.
"We had a chance to put it away, but they just wouldn't let us do it," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. "There was no quit in them."
Michigan's Ronald Bellamy then recovered the onside kick and the
Wolverines ran out the clock.
Leard was 28-of-37 for a season-high 394 yards and three TDs,
both Auburn bowl records. He also threw two interceptions.
Michigan's offense racked up 456 yards against the SEC's top defense, but the defense and special teams came up big in the fourth quarter.
First, Shantee Orr got a hand on Damon Duval's 40-yard field
goal try early in the fourth quarter, ending Duval's string of 11
straight.
Auburn marched to the Michigan 18 on its next series before
committing its third turnover.
Jeremy LeSeur burst unblocked into the Auburn backfield on a
corner blitz, jarring the ball loose from Leard.
Shawn Lazarus recovered, but the Wolverines went three-and-out.
Thomas, who carried 32 times, was named Citrus Bowl MVP for the
second time.
His 11-yard TD late in the second quarter gave the Wolverines a
21-14 halftime lead and took care of Michigan's career record. He
passed Jamie Morris as Michigan's top runner and set modern era
scoring marks for touchdowns and points, breaking a tie with Tyrone
Wheatley.
The softspoken Thomas gave the ball to his wife, Hayley, in the stands after the play.
"It was something that was special," he said of the record. "Right now, it hasn't really set in on me.
"I just wanted to give her something to let her know how I
feel."
Thomas, who came in 106 yards shy of Morris's mark of 4,393
yards, outrushed Johnson 111-25 in the first half.
Carr will certainly be sad to see his offensive trio broken up.
"They're all guys that have a desire to be the best, guys that take great pride in the way they play and their attention to detail," he said. "The most fun thing about them is that they're competitive guys. You don't have to motivate them to practice hard.
That makes everybody better."
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ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
Auburn Clubhouse
Michigan Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Anthony Thomas' 11-yard TD run was enough to break Michigan's all-time rushing record.
avi: 1310 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
David Terrell scores a 31-yard TD off the Drew Henson and Anthony Thomas flea-flicker.
avi: 1065 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Ronney Daniels caps off a 15-play, 80-yard drive with a touchdown reception from Ben Leard.
avi: 960 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Auburn's Ben Leard finds Clifton Robinson for the touchdown.
avi: 806 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Drew Henson rolls out and hits B.J. Askew for a 4-yard TD.
avi: 793 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Anthony Thomas scores from 25 yards out for his second touchdown of the day.
avi: 619 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Auburn's Rudi Johnson scampers for 12 yards and the score.
avi: 613 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Ben Leard finds Deandre Green in the back of the end zone for six.
avi: 679 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 David Terrell talks about the win and leaves people wondering about his collegiate future.
wav: 441 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Coach Lloyd Carr on the play of Anthony Thomas and the rest of the Wolverines.
wav: 268 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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