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Hart questionable for Michigan against Illinois

Oct 20, 2007 - 10:37 AM No. 24 Michigan (5-2) at Illinois (5-2) 8:00 pm EDT

CHAMPAIGN, Illinois (Ticker) - Even though his team appears to have turned a corner, Michigan coach Lloyd Carr certainly does not want to be without the nation's leading rusher this weekend.

Carr's 24th-ranked Wolverines hope to have do-everything running back Mike Hart in the lineup Saturday when they visit Illinois in a Big Ten Conference matchup.

Ranked No. 5 entering the season, Michigan had a disastrous start to the campaign, falling to Football Championship Subdivision squad Appalachian State in one of the biggest upsets of all time, then absorbing its biggest defeat since 1968 the following week to Oregon.

But the Wolverines (5-2, 3-0 Big Ten) have not lost since, and are tied atop the conference with archrival Ohio State. Last week, Michigan put together its most dominant performance of the season with a 48-21 rout of Purdue.

Hart, who has rushed for a national-best 154 yards per game, left with an apparent right ankle sprain late in the first half after running for 102 yards and two touchdowns. He is questionable for this game.

Also injured in the game was Hart's backup, Brandon Minor, who also sprained his ankle. But Carlos Brown ran for 66 yards and two TDs on 13 carries coming off the bench.

If the Wolverine rushing game is limited, Carr can take solace knowing that his passing attack finally looks up to snuff. Chad Henne completed 21-of-28 passes for 264 yards and two TDs to Mario Manningham, who had eight catches for a career-high 147 yards. Manningham had sat out the previous week due to a violation of team rules.

Illinois (5-2, 3-1) had a six-game winning streak come to an end with a 10-6 loss at struggling Iowa last week.

Filling in for the ineffective Juice Williams, Eddie McGee had the Fighting Illini in position to win but through an interception in the end zone with just over a minute to play.

Michigan has won the last five games in a series it leads 65-21-2.