ROSE BOWL NOTEBOOK: MICHIGAN CHEERS RIVALS' WIN.

Byline: Gabe Lacques and Walter Hammerwold Staff Writers

CARSON - Here's a first: Michigan football players reveling in the success of Ohio State.

It takes extreme measures for the Wolverines to credit their bitter rivals, but the Buckeyes' 33-7 thrashing of Oklahoma State in the Alamo Bowl heartened Michigan players who are growing testy from insinuations that Big Ten Conference schools are slow and unathletic.

The Wolverines will play Texas, like Oklahoma State a Big 12 Conference school, in Saturday's Rose Bowl. That the Buckeyes could so easily handle Oklahoma State with their second-string quarterback raised eyebrows.

``I don't know why everybody says the Big Ten is big and slow,'' Michigan defensive back Marlin Jackson said Thursday. ``There's fast athletes and good athleticism. Ted Ginn and Santonio Holmes at Ohio State, and guys on our team as well have great speed but don't get the recognition or respect.''

Added receiver Braylon Edwards: ``(Ginn) is one of the fastest players in the nation, and he's from the Big Ten. When we have wins like that for our conference, that says a lot.''

The rout did not go unnoticed by the Longhorns, who fell behind Oklahoma State 35-7 before posting a 56-35 victory.

``I was shocked,'' said Texas tight end Bo Scaife. ``That's not the Oklahoma State we saw. I hope it opened some eyes to the guys on the team. The Big Ten is a well-respected conference.''

--Knows his role: Senior fullback Kevin Dudley has made 19 career starts for Michigan. He has carried the ball three times. In his career.

``It doesn't bother me at all,'' Dudley said. ``I know my role on the team. Our main goal is to win.''

And Dudley's goal is to flatten opposing linebackers and clear the way for freshman tailback Michael Hart, who ran for 1,396 yards this season. That's 1,383 more than Dudley amassed in four years, but the Wolverines know his value.

``He is certainly a throwback to what football players used to be. You really learn to appreciate what he does,'' offensive coordinator Terry Malone said. ``I've been trying to get him a touchdown. But if he never scores a touchdown, that will not be a negative on his career.''

Despite his modest statistics, there could be a professional future for Dudley as a blocking back. He heard from an agent that he'd received an invite to the NFL scouting combine, but isn't counting on anything yet.

And the man who scored 45 touchdowns in high school won't be holding his breath for his first collegiate score in his career finale Saturday.

``You never know,'' he said. ``If you see me in the backfield by myself...''

--Too Young to care: Vince Young has known about the Rose Bowl since he was a child. But the Texas quarterback says he was too busy playing with his neighbors to pay attention to many of the games.

``Kids watch it,'' he said. ``But it's not straight focus, because they're out there being bad, you know. I'm out there having fun, playing football in the streets. And then I'd ask my mama or my uncle or their friends, 'What's the score?' ''

--Carr's team driven: The Wolverines have just a walk-through practice remaining today. Coming off a beating in last year's Rose Bowl and a blowout loss to Ohio State, the Wolverines have exuded a businesslike vibe here, and coach Lloyd Carr feels his team has had a superb week of preparation.

``I really like the intensity, the concentration,'' he said. ``Certainly going in, our preparation has been great. They've responded in terms of what we've asked them to do.''

--Long and short of it The Longhorns will hold their final practice this morning at the Home Depot Center in Carson. The practice is closed to the media and the public. ... Texas coach Mack Brown dismissed talk of the value of the 10-year, $25 million contract he received Wednesday from Texas by joking about his wife. ``Sally handles the money, so I don't get to see it,'' he quipped. ... Young, on what he is going to do with his jersey after Saturday's game: ``I'm going to frame this one because it has the Rose Bowl patch. My first jersey I kept. The rest I gave to my family. I'm keeping this one.''

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Texas coach Mack Brown talks with his team during Thursday's practice. The Longhorns play Michigan in Saturday's Rose Bowl.

Nick Ut/Associated Press