Sept. 18, 2004

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) - Braylon Edwards caught eight passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner in the third quarter, to lead No. 17 Michigan past San Diego State 24-21 on Saturday.

The Wolverines (2-1) bounced back after last week's loss at Notre Dame, but it wasn't easy. The Aztecs (1-1), who entered the game three-touchdown underdogs, forced four turnovers and missed two fourth-quarter field goals that could have tied the game.

Chad Henne's 7-yard TD toss to Edwards less than five minutes into the third quarter provided the winning margin and was the lone score of the half.

San Diego State's "Dark Side" defense, which ranked eighth nationally a season ago, kept the Aztecs in the game in the second half, but Garrett Palmer could not convert 46- and 49-yard field goal attempts.

Michigan again went with a running-back-by-committee approach, with four backs getting a shot. Freshman Michael Hart came up with the big game the Wolverines needed, running for 121 yards on 25 carries. His 11-yard run on third-and-9 with less than two minutes to play allowed the Wolverines to run out of the clock.

Henne, a freshman, was picked off three times and completed 11 of 24 passes for 162 yards and the two scores to Edwards.

Michigan went ahead 17-7 with less than three minutes left in the first quarter when Roy Manning stripped the ball from San Diego State quarterback Matt Dlugolecki, and Lawrence Reid scooped it up at the 5-yard line, took a couple of steps and dived into the end zone.

San Diego State needed only three plays and 81 seconds to answer. After a 61-yard pass play from Dlugolecki to Robert Ortiz put the Aztecs at the Michigan 12-yard line, Michael Franklin took a pitch, then fired a halfback pass to Jeff Webb in the corner of the end zone to make it 17-14.

Dlugolecki threw a 14-yard TD pass to Ortiz with less than eight minutes left in the half to put the Aztecs ahead 21-17.

Dlugolecki finished 26-of-42 for 277 yards, one TD and one interception. Ortiz caught seven passes for 125 yards, and Webb caught 11 passes for 107 yards.

After Ernest Shazor picked off Dlugolecki, Michigan took possession at the San Diego State 21-yard line leading 7-0. But on the next play, Henne was hit as he threw, and Antwan Applewhite picked it off and returned it deep into Michigan territory.

Three plays later, Franklin scored on a 4-yard run to tie the game with 10:37 to play in the first quarter.

Franklin, who ran for 39 yards on 16 carries, was filling in for Lynell Hamilton, a 1,000-yard rusher a year ago who is still recovering from a broken leg and ankle injury.

The Wolverines scored on their first play from scrimmage when Henne connected with Edwards from 54 yards. Edwards caught Henne's pass at the 15, twirled around and dragged San Diego State cornerback Hubert Caliste into the end zone.