Although many Michigan fans viewed the Wolverines' 0-2 start as tragedy, for the rest of the country, the script played out more like a farce.

A senior quarterback making freshman mistakes. A defense sliced twice by mobile quarterbacks. A team with perhaps more winning tradition than any other losing in college football's greatest upset ever.

Two weeks and two convincing wins later, the rest of Big Ten is no longer laughing.

Led by a new-look defense and same old Mike Hart, Michigan topped No. 10 Penn State 14-9 at the Big House Saturday, slaying the Nittany Lions for the ninth straight time.

And just like that - only one-third of the way through a still-young season - Michigan has managed to fall out of and, now, play its way back into the Big Ten Championship picture.

"It feels great. This team has come a long way since the first two losses," Hart said. "We still have to improve on some things, but we've come a long way, and I couldn't be prouder of the team I'm playing with right now."

Perhaps no one has come further than a defense that looked outclassed, outmanned and, at times, out of shape during the season's first two weeks. After allowing a combined 73 points and 1,011 yards in performances seemingly straight out of 2005, the Wolverines have held their last two opponents without touchdowns - more like 2006.

Proving last week's play was the result of more than just a bad Notre Dame team, Michigan pressured Penn State quarterback Anthony Morelli into poor throws all day. The defense flummoxed Morelli for two sacks, flooded the backfield for five tackles-for-losses and forced two fumbles. On Penn State's four trips to the red zone, Michigan allowed no more than a field goal.

Penn State's final drive might have been the most symbolic. It began on the Nittany Lions' 13-yard line and advanced no further. On the first two downs, defensive end Brandon Graham ran through the Penn State line with ease to disrupt Morelli. Jamar Adams broke up the next two passes effectively to end the game.

"We had to suck it all up, the season was on the line, so we just wanted to go out and make a stand," freshman cornerback Donovan Warren said. "And I think we did that."

The defensive stand allowed quarterback Ryan Mallett to kneel the ball, closing out his second win as a starter and finishing his redemptive second half.

Filling in for an injured Chad Henne, the freshman struggled at the start, overthrowing receivers, telegraphing passes and, on his rushing touchdown, overlooking a wide-open man. But in the second half, he tossed a number of key third-down passes, including an on-the-run, third-and-11 find of wide receiver Greg Mathews to extend a time-killing drive late in the fourth.

Once again, though, Hart carried the Wolverine offense, rushing a career-high 44 times. Penn State geared to stop him, but he still broke open a number of big plays to record 153 yards. He also scored a fourth-quarter touchdown, leaping over a pile and inching his way into the end zone.

"He's definitely a warrior," right tackle Steve Schilling said. "He definitely sets the tone for the rest of team to play hard and just play every play like Mike does."

Michigan still has some problems (see: offensive-line injuries, field-goal kicking), but with games against Big Ten bottom-feeder Northwestern and not-so-Huron-River-rival Eastern Michigan up next, it has some time to fix them. The lull before the heart of the Big Ten season should also allow Henne to return and give Hart a chance to rest his nagging thigh bruise.

"I think some people will talk about us in a bad way, but a lot of people will say 'We're back, Michigan's back,' " Hart said.

Representatives for the Capital One Bowl wore noticeable green jackets around the press box yesterday. But Michigan hopes if it keeps playing like this, another color might be in its future:

Rose.