It's highly likely Illinois coach Lou Tepper foresaw the outcome of his season opener as far back as last spring. Tim Biakabutuka rushed for three touchdowns in the first 4:22 of the second half Saturday, helping No. 13 Michigan continue its dominance of the 24th-ranked Fighting Illini with a 38-14 Big Ten rout. The Michigan defense forced four turnovers and special teams produced a touchdown when Anthony Williams recovered a blocked punt in the end zone early in the fourth quarter to open a 38-0 lead. '

Michigan's victory came one week after the Wolverines recorded the greatest comeback in school history, rallying from 17 points down to defeat Virginia 18-17 in the Pigskin Classic. Scott Dreisbach hit Mercury Hayes with a 15-yard touchdown pass on the final play of the game. After the Wolverines accepted the invitation last spring to host the Pigskin Classic, Tepper was so worried about facing a tuned-up Michigan team that he began lobbying to land a berth in the Kickoff Classic.

Instead, Ohio State got that invitation. Saturday's win was Michigan's seventh straight at Illinois, last losing in Champaign during the Fighting Illini's 1983 Rose Bowl season. Biakabutuka missed the second half of last week's game with a bruised shoulder and did not start Saturday's game. But the third quarter was his, rushing for 97 yards on just 10 carries. Biakabutuka scored on a 5-yard run 19 seconds into the third quarter to give Michigan a 17-0 lead, capping a three-play, 80-yard drive to open the second half. Scott Dreisbach completed a 46-yard pass on the first play from scrimmage to Mercury Hayes and then hit Amani Toomer with a 29-yard pass to the Illinois 5 to set up Biakabutuka's TD. 

Following a turnover, Biakabutuka scored on an 11-yard run 31 seconds later to increase the Wolverines' lead to 24-0. Biakabutuka then scored on an electrifying 34-yard run in which he made a stutter-step move on linebacker Kevin Hardy at the line of scrimmage and then raced up the middle for his third touchdown of the game. Dreisbach completed 7 of 12 passes for 139 yards on the afternoon, including a 13-yard touchdown strike to Chris Howard in the first quarter. Remy Hamilton added a 49-yard field goal in the second period to give Michigan a 10-0 halftime lead. Illinois linebacker Simeon Rice recorded two sacks and had four tackles for losses. The twosacks gives Rice 35 in 36 career games, moving him within one sack of the Big Ten career record of 36 sacks held by Michigan's Mark Messner. Illinois spoiled Michigan's shutout bid when Wilbert Smith scored on a 5-yard run with 6:57 remaining. Reserve quarterback Scott Weaver hit Lenny Harris with a 5-yard touchdown with 1:31 left to complete the scoring. Illinois starter Johnny Johnson completed 18 of 31 passes for 191 yards with one interception. Michigan holds a 59-20-2 advantage in the all-time series, including a 30-11-1 margin at Illinois.