Citrus victory is Michigan's season in miniature.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)

ORLANDO, Fla. _ The Michigan football team came up with yet another innovation Monday: The live-action season highlight tape.

Titled "Citrus Bowl 2001," it featured almost everything that happened in this U-M season. In the end, the Wolverines held off their opponent _ in this case Auburn _ for an impressive but not overwhelming 31-28 victory.

The offense was balanced and explosive; the defense was inexperienced and inconsistent. The offense had more playmakers than it could use; the defense had fewer playmakers than it needed.

The offense built a nice lead; the defense had trouble holding it.

Game MVP Anthony Thomas ran for 182 yards on 32 carries and Drew Henson completed 15-of-20 passes for 294 yards, a combination that was too much for Auburn (9-4). Thomas and his senior-laden offensive line went out the way they wanted: with their fourth straight bowl win and 41st win in 49 career games.

Henson and his star receivers, David Terrell and Marquise Walker, balanced the rushing attack with big play after big play. Terrell caught four passes for 136 yards and a touchdown; Walker caught four for 100.

Thomas broke Jamie Morris' U-M career rushing record late in the first half on an 11-yard touchdown run. That gave Michigan a 21-14 lead, and in the third quarter Thomas added a 25-yard score to give Michigan a 28-14 lead.