What was your first Michigan Football game?
9-18-2004 vs San Diego State, a 24-21 win. Tight game and a week after our offense shat the bed against an ND team that turned out to be bad. Started off so promising with a TD bomb to Braylon the first play. Nothing much the rest of the way, SDSU even led at one point. This was the coming out game for 3 star freshman Mike Hart who had his first 100-yard game.
Season ended in a B1G Championship and Rose Bowl appearance.
I was 9 years old (bottom right) What about you?
April 27th, 2020 at 12:20 PM ^
Appalachian State. You're Welcome.
April 27th, 2020 at 12:22 PM ^
pour one out for every person whose first game that one was.
April 27th, 2020 at 12:39 PM ^
That was my wife and stepdaughter's first game. The fact that they are still fans with me is amazing.
Also the Horror. Life long fan and although went elsewhere undergrad, attended Ross for grad school. I tried with all my might to black out the memory with copious amounts of Beast afterwards but to no avail. Second year was RichRod and the financial crash so the timing really could not have been much better....in terms of being at the middle of a confluence of complete crap timing!
Same here... out of state student with season tickets not even in the student section
April 27th, 2020 at 12:21 PM ^
1998 #7 Wisconsin at Tom Brady led Michigan.
So you're the one that jinxed Justin Fargas.
April 27th, 2020 at 12:21 PM ^
2005 vs. Ohio State.
I was just a kid back then, even though we lost it was still an awesome experience.
April 27th, 2020 at 12:23 PM ^
2009 Tate Forcier game against Western
2nd game was that wild ND game
I was then introduced to the concept of the "September" Heisman for the next 4 years
April 27th, 2020 at 12:24 PM ^
OSU 2011
Became a fan after PSU 2005
April 27th, 2020 at 12:24 PM ^
'98 National Championship at the Rose Bowl, it was all down hill from there.
April 27th, 2020 at 12:27 PM ^
Unless we repeated in 98 it would be downhill now matter what ??♂️
April 27th, 2020 at 12:25 PM ^
The game.... 2011 You're also welcome.
April 27th, 2020 at 12:26 PM ^
1997 at PSU. I believe ESPN deemed it “Judgement Week.” UM whopped that ass.
I was 11.
First game at the Big House was 2009 and was a victory over IU. I was able to get a tour of the facilities and be on the field before the game. Really was a once in a lifetime experience for me.
April 27th, 2020 at 12:36 PM ^
97 PSU also featured the hardest hit I’ve ever seen in a football game. Ended 2 careers. Still hurts to watch a replay of it.
April 27th, 2020 at 12:51 PM ^
Daydrion Taylor delivered the most vicious shot I have ever seen.
My first game was a completely forgettable loss to Georgia in 1965, as a little kid. My dad was getting his Masters at Michigan at the time. Not sure how many people were in attendance, but it sure wasn't anywhere near a full house.
In the years I was at school 77-82, made it to every home game (and at least 1 road game a year), with the exception of the Indiana Carter miracle, as I had to work that day. I told my boss to never schedule me on football Saturday again.
April 27th, 2020 at 12:55 PM ^
Great game, but that hit feels a lot different to watch now, with what we know about head injuries, than it did years ago.
April 27th, 2020 at 10:58 PM ^
Yep...that was the hardest hit I have ever seen.
April 27th, 2020 at 12:27 PM ^
I didn't go to a Michigan game until I went to school there in fall 1980.
April 27th, 2020 at 12:27 PM ^
2012 Air Force - My freshman year at Michigan. Tight game throughout, then Denard did some Denard things
April 27th, 2020 at 12:28 PM ^
2003 Michigan vs OSU.
April 27th, 2020 at 12:31 PM ^
Damn that’s a high bar to be set for a first game
April 27th, 2020 at 12:32 PM ^
Damn that’s a high bar to be set for a first game
This was my 2nd game. 1st was the 38-0 beatdown of ND earlier that year. First time to Ann arbor as a senior in high school and decided to go there shortly after.
April 27th, 2020 at 12:30 PM ^
M vs Wiscy 1985
That was my third game. Spent an hour before the game stuck in the dorm elevator with my visiting girlfriend who went to Wisconsin.
Should have known that was an omen for the rest of the relationship.
April 27th, 2020 at 12:31 PM ^
1991 Michigan vs Northwestern. I had been a fan for several years (i was a sophomore in high school in ‘91) and was SO excited to see a game in person. I remember that feeling of awe when stepping into the Big House for the first time. It was a cold gray day but it was amazing and I had such a good time.
This was also my first game. Had end zone seats. I remember Ty Wheatley busting off a long TD run during garbage time. At least I think it was garbage time. Details are fuzzy. He was running towards the end zone away from me.
April 27th, 2020 at 12:32 PM ^
Michigan v Purdue, 5-0. I'm a ruggeder, more mansome individual for this childhood experience.
April 27th, 2020 at 12:38 PM ^
I was in the marching band then and definitely remember that game. We were out in that weather far longer than just the game, with early morning rehearsal and pregame and postgame shows. It sucked.
April 27th, 2020 at 12:47 PM ^
Easily the most miserable sporting event I’ve ever been at
April 27th, 2020 at 12:59 PM ^
Yeah I was at this one also. Weather was so miserable and it somehow just kept getting worse. Not proud to say I left halftime. The field was basically mud.
That was the third game I ever went to, but the first that I have very clear memories of.
We stayed until about the end, I guess we were dressed appropriately because we didn't struggle too much, and I was stoked that we got to move to the front row.
I remember my dad getting mad when they reported attendance because of how clearly bullshit it was.
April 27th, 2020 at 12:33 PM ^
1998 against Eastern Michigan, which I believe was Tom Brady's first win as a starter.
April 27th, 2020 at 12:33 PM ^
The first full game that I can put a date on was Purdue in 1989. However, that wasn't my first game: 1. Dad took me to a handful of fourth quarters, back when they used to open up the gates and let us in; 2. I have a distinct memory that the 1989 game was not the first full game I attended, but I can't place anything earlier. I probably saw football in person for the first time in 86 or 87.
89 Purdue was the first time Dad started taking me to a game every year on purpose. I still get some excitement thinking about those early games, the way your senses are bombarded with sound and sights and smells. That walk through the tunnel, seeing the stadium materialize as you approach the opening. Hearing the crowd cheer all around you. Seeing the whole field at once, hearing the band.
It's weird realizing that I can't remember every game I've been to. The memories pick up steam as I got older and more plugged in to what was happening. I still remember sitting in the endzone, watching as Tripp Welborne blew out his knee running up the sideline against Minnesota in '90. There are a few games where the opponent is fuzzy (did we attend Michigan's squash of Washington State, or Houston, in 1993?) but in general I've got a good handle on things from then on.
April 27th, 2020 at 12:33 PM ^
August 26th 1995 Pigskin Classic - Virginia
April 27th, 2020 at 12:44 PM ^
that was my first game as a Michigan student. Turned 21 two weeks later. pretty damn good times...
Same. I attended with my dad and brothers, who had helped me move in the day before, on my birthday.
April 27th, 2020 at 12:48 PM ^
It was so insanely hot that day. Was sitting in the opposite end zone from where Hayes made the catch. Seemed like forever until the ref signaled TD. Still wonder if that play would hold up under the current replay rules.
yep, it was hot af that day. I was in section 42 right on that goal line halfway up. I obviously couldn't see that he got in, but I think they got it right.
that was the hottest michigan home game I've ever been to.
The hottest michigan away game was UCLA in I think 2000.
The hottest weather for a Michigan game though was that Alabama ass kicking in Dallas.
I was at the UCLA game in 2000. Well over 100 degrees that day. Plastic seat was so hot, you couldn't sit on it with your bare legs. Game was disappointing but the rest of the trip was great ?.
It was horribly hot and being behind a lot of people headed out early I remember. Being in the student section, we tried moving up to the shade of the press box, which wasn’t much. I remember one very inebriated fan who was passed out and his friend finally got him up and going home. Unfortunately for his friend, the comeback happened not that much after they left. What an ending to miss. I hugged too many strangers that day.
I have a framed picture of the Mercury Hayes catch and not only did he get one foot down, he got both down. And he had two Virginia defenders trailing him on the play. That was Lloyd Carr's first game as Michigan coach, and it was then the team's largest fourth quarter deficit comeback win (17 points) in school history.
Freshman Scott Dreisbach!
That was my sophomore year and I wasn't back on campus yet (home in Atlanta). I had videotaped the game and planned to watch it later, as I had plans during the day.
Got home and was watching the third quarter when my dad called to check on me. First thing he said when I picked up was, "Wow, I can't believe Michigan won that game!"
So annoyed, but still... Wow, I can't believe Michigan won that game!
April 27th, 2020 at 12:34 PM ^
Michgan vs Ilinois, 1964. A good year for us. I was 8. Sat with my Dad. Carl Ward and Bob Timberlake were my favorite players along with Jack Clancy who ran back kicks too.
Another old guy here ... my parents moved to AA in 1957 and I'm certain I was at a game in 1960 or 1961. My parents had season tickets and I always got the endzone $1 seats. Saw a lot a games as only ohio and MSU were sellouts. I know band day started when I was a kid ... but I think that was later. What years did they have the "card section" ??? anyone know ? Was a huge fan of the 1965 Rose Bowl champion team w/ Mel Anthony and Timberlake the stars.
Go Blue!
My first game would have also been around 1960-61 and we bought end zone seats for $1.
April 27th, 2020 at 12:36 PM ^
Michigan beating EMU 55-0 in 2005.
My 2nd game was also that year though. Michigan beating Penn State on a last second Henne to Manningham touchdown.
April 27th, 2020 at 12:36 PM ^
2008 vs. Wisconsin.
I was eleven then.