January 1st, 2022 at 5:28 PM ^
This is easy, so many to choose from but 1997 fo sho!
76, 2021, 80, 85, 06 just to name a few.
January 1st, 2022 at 5:38 PM ^
I don't see a New Year's Day game thread so I'll post this here.
Where is that "collegefootballfan" poster who is an ND fan that comes on here to troll?
1st of all, fuck that guy, secondly, I hope he enjoyed how they had a 28-7 lead in the 2nd QT, only to get boat raced the rest of the way, give up 30 consecutive points to lose 37-35 after scoring a late, BS, stat padding TD.
Haha Haha, fuck you and to hell with you Notre Dame!!!!
Also, will osu give the pac 12 their only win? They sure look disinterested.
January 1st, 2022 at 6:19 PM ^
It has nothing to do with football. That guy is an asshole and I’m hoping he stops posting. Internet trolling is often done by people that have problems. Hopefully he gets through whatever’s bothering him and grows up.
January 1st, 2022 at 5:34 PM ^
I don’t think I can do a list of 10.
18
21
06
97. I remember OSU and the rose bowl but that’s about it. Probably lost a lot to cross country meets.
03
Fill the rest with recent seasons except last year. That didn’t happen. I’ll even throw 2010 in there. Denard was used right and that was fun to watch.
January 1st, 2022 at 5:36 PM ^
Great answers here! Hot take: I think the 2015 season was more fun than the 2016 season. First year with Harbaugh and that great bowl win in Florida (was there for that one). The end of the 2016 season with Iowa, OSU, and Florida State.....that was a brutal stretch. That season nearly broke me.
January 1st, 2022 at 6:06 PM ^
The more I think about it, I probably agree with this.
But the 2016 defense was a lot of fun to watch.
January 1st, 2022 at 7:46 PM ^
Except on the tying fg drive against Ohio.
January 1st, 2022 at 5:37 PM ^
1991. Desmond was incredible. The ending of that year was eerily familiar to this one.
January 1st, 2022 at 5:47 PM ^
Desmond's Heisman season was 1991.
A great year no doubt.
My favorite is 1997, culminated with the 1998 Rose Bowl victory I was in attendance for ?
January 1st, 2022 at 6:02 PM ^
I was thinking of the Rose Bowl when I wrote that. I corrected it.
January 1st, 2022 at 6:12 PM ^
Yes sir, definitely see the correlation between the two seasons.
January 1st, 2022 at 6:14 PM ^
Agreed Sal. 1991 was the first “magical” season of Michigan Football. It will always be my favorite.
January 2nd, 2022 at 3:11 PM ^
That Washington team was badass. Sweet revenge the next year!
January 1st, 2022 at 5:56 PM ^
Surprisingly, 2007. We started off getting shocked by defending FCS champions Appalachian St., then absolutely throttled by Oregon. Everyone expected Notre Dame to continue the slaughter, yet we absolutely crushed them, and go on to win every game through Wisconsin, where Henne sat to prep for Ohio State, which, had we won, would have meant the conference title. In his final game, Coach Carr’s squad crushes Heisman-winner Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer, and the defending FBS champions, Florida Gators. Beating OSU would have made it better, but it was a hell of a fight back for that squad. We also came back on MSU, where Coach Dantonio infamously made fun of Mike Hart and said his “It’ll never be over,” line, this after asking for a moment of silence for Michigan after App St. All in all, it was fun watching our boys fight back.
January 1st, 2022 at 6:11 PM ^
I went back and forth on adding 2007. The bowl game against Florida almost made up for how much the first two games sucked. But I couldn’t quite put it over the seasons I had ahead of it.
1995 was a season that wasn’t particularly good either but Biakabatuka running all over OSU gets it on the list.
January 1st, 2022 at 6:19 PM ^
I can kind of absolute value the App St. loss. It’s an unforgettable moment for college football fans in general. Obviously, painful as hell, but I can appreciate it outside of my Michigan fandom (many years later).
January 1st, 2022 at 7:49 PM ^
And 18-17 over UVA in the pigskin classic. Perfect pass by Dreisbach, who if he stayed healthy prolly would have had a decent run in the NFL.
January 1st, 2022 at 6:14 PM ^
I also have a soft spot for that season.
I loved Lloyd going, "Eff it all, I'm gonna run a spread offense!" in his final game.
January 1st, 2022 at 6:22 PM ^
Agreed. Also watching the defense hit Tebow as many times as they did. They hit him really hard the whole game.
January 1st, 2022 at 10:20 PM ^
Good catch, I don't remember this facet of the game as well but we really did shutdown Touchdown Tim in that contest.
I do vividly remember him coming up from one play with a giant piece of turf caught in his facemask. That was great!
January 1st, 2022 at 5:59 PM ^
Well stated and reasoned. Pretty much agree with all of this. 97 rocked.
January 1st, 2022 at 6:05 PM ^
1997
1976
1985
2006
2021
Go Blue!
January 1st, 2022 at 6:07 PM ^
All the seasons you listed but missed 91, 88/89 seasons and 85 as well. I will say a lot of these were some great seasons.
Best teams overall…. 85, 88, still think we go ripped vs Miami and don’t punt to rocket and we win the title! 97 the best with 06, 03 and 16 being close. 21, too limited in the passing game to put above those teams! 99 team was also a dang good team, how it lost two games idk..
January 1st, 2022 at 6:45 PM ^
Yeah, I think there is a pretty good argument that 85-92 is the golden years of Michigan years in my fandom in the 40 years I've been watching. Lots of oh so close moments and tough losses but we were legitimately as good as some teams that were national champs or that caliber.
January 1st, 2022 at 10:25 PM ^
'85 is the real heartbreaker.
If we'd have had an even average offensive performance against Iowa we would have won that game.
Not being able to put the Illini down is mindboggling.
January 1st, 2022 at 6:15 PM ^
1997
2021
1985
2011
1980
January 1st, 2022 at 6:29 PM ^
1992 is underrated and in typical Michigan fashion aggravating as that team was so close to being undefeated.
I know the ending was a dud in 2004 losing to a bad OSU team and then the Rose Bowl with Texas was a great game. That was not a great team but a very entertaining series of games.
But yeah 1997. To a greater extent than even this year, so unexpected and so fun to shut down all the offenses we faced. Although Tim Dwight's punt returns stressed me out. Also, fuck David Boston (even pre-roid rage).
January 1st, 2022 at 7:05 PM ^
2004 was fun in a lot of ways. That Rose Bowl was the most fun I’ve ever had watching a tough loss (right after Iowa’s amazing last-play ambush of LSU, incidentally) and the loss looked better after the following season.
The young talent emerging and winning in 04 was great. A shame they couldn’t quite put it all together against OSU in the following years.
January 1st, 2022 at 10:35 PM ^
1992 was undefeated … just not perfect (9-0-3).
January 1st, 2022 at 6:35 PM ^
Hard to judge this year so close to it. Some of what comes after will affect our opinion, too; certain years have risen in my opinion over time, and certain years have declined.
And it’s hard to contextualize this year, in a playoff paradigm, compared with years where a good season might end in a good bowl with a win, but you’re not playing for the national title.
But I’ll take a stab at it. Probably going to have to use tiers, though.
Tier one: Everest.
1. 1997. Obvious and easy.
Tier two: Elite.
2. 2021. Tough with a bowl loss, but it’s the playoff, we won a B1G championship game, beat an elite OSU team, and did it all when many of us (including me) were mired in serious BPONE.
3. 1988. The two losses were heartbreakingly close losses to ND and Miami, who finished the season 1 and 2. Won the Rose Bowl against a very good USC team.
4. 1999. Was close to being more. Tom Brady’s comebacks against PSU and twice against Bama in Miami are the stuff of legend.
5. 1985. Very similar to 99, could be either. National title contenders, best D in the country, beat OSU, beat Nebraska in the Fiesta Bowl.
Tier three: very good, finished well.
6. 1992. Tough putting this so low; this team never lost. But 3 ties are a strike. Did not beat OSU, but did beat Washington in the Rose Bowl.
7. 2011. Weird year in retrospect. Not an elite level team, but beat OSU, won the amazing UTL game, won the Sugar Bowl
8. 2000. Last win at OSU, and I got to go. Beat Auburn in the bowl. Dinged by blown leads.
Tier four: good season, didn’t quite make it over the top.
9. 1991. Desmond Howard, beat ND, beat OSU, lost the Rose Bowl, probably ranked too low. Absolutely delightful season except for the finish; my tier concept isn’t doing favors here.
10. 1986. Harbaugh’s guarantee. Beat ND and Florida State. Lost the Rose Bowl.
11. 2003. Weird year, lost two head-scratchers, trounced ND, beat OSU in the 100th game, outmanned by USC in the Rose Bowl. Tough ranking this so low.
12. 1989. I enjoyed this more at the time, and we beat OSU and got jobbed in the Rose Bowl. Lost the Ismail game. Better season than 2003, but 2003 had more personal highlights; one of my more subjective calls here.
13. 2006. Started great, finished badly. I got to go to this Rose Bowl, which is a once-in-a-lifetime moment.
14. 2016. Started great, finished badly.
Tier five: not as elite, but some real positive highlights (can’t individually rank)
Upset Ohio State: 1993, 1995, 1996
Decent seasons, good bowl wins: 1990, 1998, 2002, 2007, 2015
My takeaway here is that it’s great to be a Michigan fan.
January 1st, 2022 at 6:48 PM ^
Yes sir, very well written and a trip down memory lane.
For me, I would have to add 1971 as that was the first year I attended a game at the Big House. Undefeated Big Ten Champions with another heartbreaking Rose Bowl loss.
So many great seasons in the 70's and 80's to list.
January 1st, 2022 at 6:56 PM ^
“Lifetime” is the key here. I’m familiar with the Michigan teams in the 70s, but only from a historical standpoint.
January 1st, 2022 at 7:01 PM ^
I completely forgot about the 2000 season. Probably the best offense pure talent wise in my lifetime. I think when I went through the seasons in my head I thought the whole year was a Navarre year. I’d probably bump it in front of 2015 & 2018.
The criteria in my head was 10 wins or more got big bumps, wins against OSU got big bumps and teams with classic games got big bumps.
January 1st, 2022 at 7:47 PM ^
If you look at the roster you are like wow, 2000, great offensive talent and then go back to the games and the stats and for some reason that team could not run the ball. Weird stuff.
January 1st, 2022 at 7:11 PM ^
Fun story on the 2003 season. I recorded the game against Minnesota on VHS because I had a high school football game to attend. I was able to get home and watch the tape without hearing the final score. When the first half ended I debated calling it a night, but powered through. One of my favorite games.
January 1st, 2022 at 6:39 PM ^
My seasons are the same with one caveat. Every season we beat OSU finishes above a season we don't so for me...
1997, 2021, 2003, 1999, 2011, 1995, 2006, 2016, 2015, 2018
I just thoroughly enjoy beating those asshats.
January 1st, 2022 at 7:02 PM ^
My criteria was pretty similar. See above post.
January 1st, 2022 at 10:44 PM ^
I thought the same as I read the OP. I'll add that seasons we've lost to OSU have typically resulted in a depressing finish overall. E.g. 2018, getting pummeled in the Peach Bowl. 2006, the Rose Bowl. That dynamic specifically - losing to OSU and losing in the bowl game- makes it hard for me to rank some of the objectively better seasons as high.
January 1st, 2022 at 7:09 PM ^
My rank based on what I enjoyed the most in real time on a game to game basis (i.e., not in hindsight).
1. 1997
2. 1986 (first one I paid attention to).
3. 1999 (Brady at peak)
3. 2003
4. 2006
5. 2021
The only reason 2021 is at #5 is because my BPONE and sense of inevitable doom against OSU didn't allow me to fully buy in and enjoy the season in real time. I only got there after the OSU win, unfortunately. That's my great regret about this season and a lesson I'll learn for the future. Enjoy every win and be optimistic even if it goes against your instincts.
January 1st, 2022 at 7:18 PM ^
My favorite seasons:
1. 1997
2. 2021
3. 1985
4. 1986
5. 1991
6. 2006
7. 1989
8. 2003
9. 1992
10. 1988
January 1st, 2022 at 7:46 PM ^
Based on how good I felt the team actually was:
1997, 2003, 2006, 2016, 2018, 2021, 1999, 2000, 2015
Based on actual season results:
1997, 2003, 2021, 1999, 2000, 2015, 2016, 2006, 2018
Those of you saying 2021 was better than 2003 are insane. Yeah in 2003 we lost some dumb games, but that team was way more talented and had a fully functional Death Star of an offense by the end of the season before they ran into the USC buzzsaw. 2021 was a really fun year to be a part of, but the talent level is just not there. Basically two elite position groups (DE and OL). This was always supposed to be a rebuilding year towards 2022 and 2023
January 1st, 2022 at 7:51 PM ^
2003 was certainly a better and more talented team than 2021 but they were prone to shooting themselves in the foot and the special team was bad. Should have had that Oregon game and for the most part lost it due to terrible special teams to my recollection. The USC teams were a bit more prone to having bad losses but they were sort of the Alabama of that era from about 2002 to 2009 with the most overall talent.
January 1st, 2022 at 8:24 PM ^
My rankings were purely based on enjoyment of the season. Not best team. In a year or two I may go back and think 2003 was more fun than 2021. Biggest factor in 2021 being ranked ahead of 2003 is the OSU game. The long drought being broken. The tunnel video taken by Herbstreet. Snow game. I love snow games. Dierdorf and Brandstater final call. I think it was a big mistake making Brandstater play-by-play, but for one game I didn’t care and thought he was pure bliss.
Don’t get me wrong 2003 OSU game was awesome. 100th game, SI cover, all that. But I still go 2021.
January 1st, 2022 at 7:48 PM ^
97,21,85
January 1st, 2022 at 7:54 PM ^
1964 - my first year as a Wolverine fan. 9-1, Big Ten Champs, Rose Bowl Champs.
2,473 rushing yards in 10 games, including (4) 300 yard rushing games. The defense gave up 83 points all season (8.3 pts/gm), including 3 shutouts. 15 future NFL players on the roster including All Americans Bob Timberlake and Bill Yearby, and Pro Football Hall of Famer Tom Mack.
After watching the Rose Bowl game film which his team lost, Oregon State coach Tommy Prothro said that the 1964 Wolverines were "the greatest football team he has ever seen."
Only loss was 20-21 to Purdue led by Bob Griese.
January 2nd, 2022 at 7:52 AM ^
1964 was my second year.... After my introductory year of 1963 when it was deemed a pretty good year after a number of truly bad ones, 1964 was a refreshing and unexpectedly successful year. And M shut out OSU in Columbus -- a freshman OSU cousin invited me to see that fabulous game (still the coldest one I have ever attended). 1964 also ushered in the next 50-plus year phase of M football success, so was a watershed year.
Ignoring the last 25 years that the rest of you have adequately rated, I must add the obvious 1969 year and the 1985 team that shut out MSU, beat Ohio State, and zapped Nebraska in the Fiesta Bowl while ending up the year ranked #2 in Harbaugh's last year as QB.
Would you believe that Oregon State actually punted on third down several times against M in that 1965 Rose Bowl? Their QB was also their punter so the kicks were like quick kicks to establish better field position and utterly failed.
January 2nd, 2022 at 12:04 PM ^
And the 20-21 loss to Purdue was on a failed 2-pt conversion for the win. Bob Timberlake had just run 54 yards for a TD but then came up 1 inch short on the conversion. 1 inch short of perfection.
January 2nd, 2022 at 6:25 PM ^
Timberlake really didn’t have an NFL career at QB. His only season in the league was ‘65, and he got zero game action at QB. He was used solely for kickoffs and FG attempts, at which he went 1-15. He was cut in training camp before the 1966 season.
He’s had a very interesting post-football career, though.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Timberlake_(American_football)
January 1st, 2022 at 8:20 PM ^
1.) 2021
2.) 2016
3.) 2006
4.) 2011
5.) 2018
January 1st, 2022 at 8:25 PM ^
I’ve seen it mentioned only once on here, but it was a dandy - 1976. We were beastly, ranked #1 until Purdue had some chump named Dirking run for 200 on us in west Lafayette, came back to beat OSU 22-0, then lost to USC in the Rose Bowl.