Top Ten Post-1968 Michigan Football Games
I was reflecting this morning on my all-time favorite Michigan football games (starting in 1969), based on an absolutely subjective combination of ranking-significance, atmosphere, personal meaning, game experience, entertainment value, and whatever else you want to include. Here's my list, but I'm sure I'm forgetting some. What are everybody else's?
(Honorable Mention: 1991 Desmond vs Notre Dame; 1977 Michigan/Ohio State; 2022 at Penn State; 1995 Biakabatuka vs. Ohio State)
10. 2011 vs Notre Dame (Under the Lights)
9.1997 at Penn State
8. 1996 vs. Iowa (an often-forgotten instance of pure delirium)
7. 2022 at Ohio State
6. 2024 vs. Washington (Natl. Championship)
5. 1997 vs. Ohio State
4. 1998 vs. Washington State (Natl. Championship) Rose Bowl)
3. 2024 vs. Alabama (Rose Bowl)
2. 2021 vs. Ohio State
1. 1969 vs. Ohio State
January 17th, 2024 at 5:23 PM ^
Damn. I forgot Remy Hamilton's field goal game at Notre Dame in 1994. Add that one to the honorable mention list. :-)
January 17th, 2024 at 5:48 PM ^
How does 2023 PSU not get an honorable mention, all things considered?
January 17th, 2024 at 10:19 PM ^
January 17th, 2024 at 5:49 PM ^
Was it Chicago 1898 that was the inspiration for Elbel to write The Victors?
January 17th, 2024 at 7:33 PM ^
A brief search says that yes, the 1898 game against Chicago was the inspiration for The Victors.
January 17th, 2024 at 9:17 PM ^
He had another against UCLA in a regular season game at the Rose Bowl. M was down by more than a TD in the 4th quarter, scored a TD, recovered an onside kick on Remy kicked the winner. Fabulous!
January 17th, 2024 at 9:23 PM ^
Yes. September 1989 during Bo's last season. I was at the game.
January 17th, 2024 at 9:33 PM ^
Minor nitpick -- that was a JD Carlson kick for the win in 1989 at UCLA.
January 17th, 2024 at 5:28 PM ^
I think you are underestimating how big that Penn State game was in 1997. It was called "Judgment Day" and we went there and destroyed them. Those three games were hyped all week. We obliterated Penn State in an away game. Happy Valley is a hard place to win in, and it was stunning how much we mauled them. We jumped from #4 to #1.
After that we were favored in the remaining games. I just remember it felt like a really, really big win.
Watch the introductions to the game. Among other things, it was called the "Big Ten Game of the Year."
https://youtu.be/MitFlHNpcbY?si=FBEkQc5laL4AotTD&t=1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YFOcfwWgqc
January 17th, 2024 at 5:42 PM ^
This. That was the game that vaulted Michigan to #1 for the first time that year and was a major part of the argument for Michigan over Nebraska. It was absolute domination from start to finish. Penn State’s 8 points were the last score of the game in the last few minutes. The saddest TD I can remember a top 5 team ever scoring.
January 17th, 2024 at 5:44 PM ^
Re: Penn State 97
I wouldn't quibble about ranking with 1-10, but yes. That win was huge. It definitely belongs in the top ten.
January 17th, 2024 at 6:14 PM ^
Penn State 1997:
- "The last time Brian Griese ran that far his father was chasing him with a stick."
- Keith Jackson
January 17th, 2024 at 6:25 PM ^
Keith remains the best voice in college football.
January 17th, 2024 at 6:25 PM ^
Double post - Keith Jackson gets me too pumped up
January 17th, 2024 at 7:07 PM ^
You forgot the two spaces between Keith Jackson. You have to pause in between.
January 18th, 2024 at 8:50 AM ^
And his father was probably in the booth with Keith.
January 17th, 2024 at 5:28 PM ^
dont think michigan played Iowa in 1996.
January 17th, 2024 at 5:49 PM ^
I think he means the 1997 Iowa game in which we came back from down 21-7 at half after the Tim Dwight punt return. We scored the winning TD with a pass to Jerame Tuman with about 2 minutes left, and then Sam Sword picked off a pass to seal it as Iowa tried to drive for the win. In the crowd, it felt at halftime like “well, we always blow a game, every year. I guess it’s this one.” And then we didn’t.
I like it on this list, but the Penn State win from 1997 should be above it.
January 17th, 2024 at 6:01 PM ^
I was at the ‘97 game in the student section, front row ten yard-line. Fans were booing at half time. It was surreal. Defense carried them that game. Griese threw 3 picks.
January 18th, 2024 at 5:50 AM ^
I was there, too. I had to pee as we were preparing to punt to Dwight at the end of the half. Hoping to beat the halftime rush to those old glorious trough urinals, I said to my buddy sitting next to me, "the only things that can happen now are bad, so I'm going to pee." A bad thing happened.
January 18th, 2024 at 8:51 AM ^
I wasn't there -- just to balance things out.
January 17th, 2024 at 6:05 PM ^
That clutch Tuman catch saved the season. I looked on YouTube for Keith Jackson’s call but couldn’t find it—but that moment was absolutely electric.
While the PSU, MSU and Colorado games were just good old fashioned curb-stompings, that Iowa game as well as the OSU game had moments where the season really hung in the balance.
January 17th, 2024 at 6:12 PM ^
That was when I was becoming truly obsessed w / college football. I remember that weekend because those other games were hyped so much too. That was a great UNC team and the infamous Nebraska-Missouri game was that day too. The best weekend in one of the all-time greatest seasons. As Jackson said: if that doesn't whet your whistle, you're watching the wrong channel.
January 17th, 2024 at 6:56 PM ^
I too was at the 97 Iowa-M game. At halftime, my brother-in-law turned to me and said, "You know we're going to lose this game, don't you?" I engaged in some shut-up.
I confess to since having made much more play out of his prognostication than a kind person would.
Griese's turnaround at halftime may have been his finest moment.
January 17th, 2024 at 7:14 PM ^
The 24 points surrendered to Iowa in 97 included
- Tim Dwight's punt return for a TD
- A one yard drive following a Griese near pick-six
- A FG following a Tim Dwight kickoff return to the Mich 26 in which Mich did not surrender a 1st down.
Other than that, the most points Michigan surrendered was 16 to both Wiscy & Wash St.
January 17th, 2024 at 10:19 PM ^
Iowa's been Iowa for a while.
January 17th, 2024 at 7:25 PM ^
I was at at that comeback 1997 Iowa game as a kid and remember watching the Penn State one on that year TV. Both great memories. As a 9 year old though, it was the home game against Notre Dame that year that cemented in my mind that we had an unbeatable defense and gave me total, probably unreasonable confidence in the season. If I'm remembering correctly, we turned it over three times in our own half up 7 in the fourth quarter, and still gave up no points.
January 17th, 2024 at 8:38 PM ^
Sorry. Typo. I meant 1986.
January 17th, 2024 at 9:25 PM ^
Speaking about 1986, the 86 Fiesta Bowl was certainly a top game. M fell behind Nebraska in the first half, only to blow them out in the second half and finish #2 in the polls; the highest ranking for almost 40 years until 97-98. And Harbaugh was at the helm!
January 17th, 2024 at 5:29 PM ^
1. 2021 Ohio St
2. 1996 Ohio St
3. 2022 Ohio St
4. 1997 Ohio St
5. 2023 Ohio St
6. 2023 Bama
7. 1998 Wash St
8. 2023 Washington
9. 1997 PSU
10. 2006 ND
January 17th, 2024 at 5:35 PM ^
I agree that all the recent OSU wins should be high on the list and the best one was 2021
January 17th, 2024 at 5:39 PM ^
It's hard to really make a true list because so many great wins are left out. Tom Brady and David Terrell going off on Bama in the Orange Bowl was great. Beating Urban and Florida was enjoyable also. Des catch vs ND. Denard to Roundtree UTL. We are fortunate.
January 17th, 2024 at 6:14 PM ^
Ooooh 2006 at ND - how could I forget?! Lloyd's last game in the Citrus (?) Bowl vs Florida was always one of my all-time favorite games.
January 17th, 2024 at 5:29 PM ^
I'm assuming you mean 1997 vs Iowa, not 1996. I don't believe they played Iowa in 1996.
January 17th, 2024 at 5:29 PM ^
A great selection and I love them all. While I decline to rank the games, I'd like to add these three to the mix:
- AC vs IU
- Touchdown Billy Taylor
- And a personal favorite, John of Navarre overcomes the Gophs at the Homerdome.
January 17th, 2024 at 5:29 PM ^
1996 vs. Iowa
Did you mean 1986? When we won on a last-second FG? I'm not sure if we even played them in '96.
January 17th, 2024 at 6:37 PM ^
My one time running onto the field. The field was very hard.
That game, and redemption of Mike Gillette was a story worth telling, but it wasn't really a well played game IIRC.
January 17th, 2024 at 7:43 PM ^
Since I double post, I will add some content. Harbaugh quote from post game. Bet Harbaugh has some memories
“It’s pretty sick the way it was like last year,” admitted Michigan quarterback Jim Harbaugh.
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-10-19-sp-6053-story.html
January 17th, 2024 at 5:31 PM ^
good list.... I would put OSU 2023 on the list but I don't know which game to remove
I haven't seen the '69 game, but I keep hearing about it
I am in no way thinking this is a top game.... but I was recently remembering that our comeback vs. Rutgers in the covid year was actually a very important game prior to our 3 BIG titles. I think that game was the first sign of our team starting to turn a corner and cemented Cade as a starter.
January 17th, 2024 at 6:08 PM ^
The '69 OSU Team was called the greatest team ever assembled. It sent shock waves through the football world and introduced 'Bo Who?' to everyone else.
January 17th, 2024 at 6:37 PM ^
I remember the "Bo Who?" quote. The media back then couldn't pronounce Bo's last name let alone spell it.
January 17th, 2024 at 5:37 PM ^
Need some distance from this season before I could order a list. Others to consider: 89 Rose Bowl, 93 Rose Bowl, 2000 Orange Bowl, 93 at PSU, 2006 at PSU, 1986 Fiesta, 78 at Notre Dame, 96 at OSU,
January 17th, 2024 at 8:50 PM ^
+1 for 2000 Orange Bowl, and how about 1991 Notre Dame and the 4th down TD pass Grbac to Desmond.
January 18th, 2024 at 1:57 AM ^
I was at the 89 Rose Bowl and the 96 at OSU. Glad you included the latter in your top 10. A complete domination by the defense on both sides with one play being the difference - Griese to Streets. I remember walking out of the Shoe and the OSU fans were just stunned and speechless. What a wonderful feeling.
The 95-96-97 games are right up there with 21-22-23 and both culminating in a National Championship.
January 17th, 2024 at 5:40 PM ^
My top 10, just off the top of my head. (I may want to change some of these.)
1. 1969 vs. Ohio State
2. 2024 Rose Bowl vs Bama
3. 1998 Rose Bowl vs WSU
4. 2024 National Championship Game
5. 2023 vs. Ohio State
6. 1997 vs Ohio State
7. 2021 vs. Ohio State
8. 1997 at Penn State
9. 2016 at Michigan State
10. 2011 vs Notre Dame (UTL)
January 17th, 2024 at 6:16 PM ^
I don’t think 2023 OSU belongs anywhere near this list. Great game, yes, but all timer? No way.
January 17th, 2024 at 6:29 PM ^
With the storyline, the Zinter injury, and the fact that it went down to a defensive stand in the last 30 seconds, yeah, I think it belongs.
If we're evaluating these games without taking any larger context into consideration, and just looking at how the two teams played that day, 1969 OSU probably wouldn't belong in the top 10. All the scoring happened in the first half. In the second half OSU threw a bunch of interceptions while M sat on the ball. But obviously the context makes it an easy choice. 2023 OSU is too.
January 17th, 2024 at 6:35 PM ^
Dude, it wasn’t the most aesthetically pleasing game, but we’re talking about the sign gate revenge game, undefeated teams, winner wins the national title. Michigan has to win to validate the entire three-year run because OSU tried to decapitate our coach. Came down to the last minutes, won with a legendary Blake play. Not top ten? That’s insane. It may have been the biggest UM-OSU game of all time.
January 17th, 2024 at 6:51 PM ^
Also, it actually was aesthetically pleasing. Tense the whole way, momentum swings, some mistakes but overall played at a very high level. Add the stakes on top of that, yeah, it's in the 1969/2021 category.
January 17th, 2024 at 6:58 PM ^
Fair point.