24 Months Ago -- Some Perspective

Submitted by Sten Carlson on

Man this hurts, and hurts bad!  Michigan outplayed OSU yesterday in all three facets of the game, and even with the three turnovers, were right there (again) with a chance to win the game.

I am not going to go into the officiating as there is nothing more that I can say that hasn't be said already.

I am usually not much for "Perspective Posts" after a loss, but in this instance I think it might be helpful.

24 months ago Michigan was sitting at 5-7 overall, and 3-5 in the Big 10.  Let that sink in for a moment ... and if it doesn't, continue reading.

Michigan started out with a hopeful 52-10 blowout of FCS App. St, only to follow it up with an embarassing 31-0 loss to ND in the last game of that storied rivalry.  Following this humilation, Michigan returned home to face the Miami (OH) Redhawks, whom they dispatched 34-10.  Ok, the ND game was an anomoly, just a bad game, we can overcome it, right?  Nope, the Utah Utes march into the Big House and promptly laid a 26-10 beatdown upon our beloved Wolverines. 

Just went we thought things could not possibly get any worse, it seemed Hoke (and likely Brandon) had been listening to the fanbase's collective uproar for Shane Morris to replace Devin Gardner, and well ... it did not end well ... a 30-14 loss to Minnesota and of the oldest trophy in college football, Concussion-Gate, and another complete embarassment to the once proud program.

This was rock bottom, right?  Could it get worse than 2-3 and having Concussion-Gate splashed all over the media?  How's about a 26-24 loss to Rutgers (I mean seriously, FUCKING RUTGERS!!!!) in which we make the Scarlet Knights' inept QB look like freakin' Joe Tom Brady Montana as a salve for those wounds?  This HAD to be rock bottom, right?  Sitting at 2-4, and 0-2 in the Big 10, a ray of hope appeared through the clouds as Michigan was (somehow) able to knock off PSU 18-13, in kinda-sorta-not-so-much convincing fashion.  Hail, Hail ... a conference win!

3-4, and 1-2 in the Big10, and a bye week for the team to lick its wounds and prepare for MSU. A bad spot to be, but with a big win over Sparty, it could all turn around, right?.  Michigan drove up to E. Lansing, drove a tent stake into the natural turf, and promptly got their ass kicked up and down the field 35-11.  Sparty, our one time whipping post, was laughing at us, calling us soft, and just when many of us wanted to pain to end, our coach decided that it would be a good idea to publically apologize for the tent stake thing.

Ok 3-5, and 1-3 in the Big 10.was rock bottom, right?  Well, for first two weeks in November it seemed like it might be as Team 135 reeled off its first two game win streak of the year by beating Indiana in Ann Arbor 34-10, and then winning a miracle finish vesus Northwestern, in Evanston, 10-9.  Michigan then went into its second bye week sitting at 5-5 overall, and 3-3 in the Big 10.  Bad, but with underwhelming Maryland coming to Ann Arbor, and the bye week to prepare, becoming Bowl Eligible seemed like a real possibility -- oh, how the bar had fallen.  Welp, that didn't work, and Maryland marched into the Big House and delivered a 23-16 beating and thus making Michigan's only chance to play in a bowl going to Columbus and beating OSU.

We all know how that worked out, and what has transpired since.  24 months ago on this coming Wednesday Michigan was 5-7 with wins over App. St., Miami (OH), PSU, Indiana, and Northwestern.  Today, the day after The Game, as painful as the loss is, Michigan is sitting at 10-2 having won 10 games in back to back seasons for the first time since 2002-2003, and will likely be playing in a New Years Day bowl.  Yes, we didn't accomplish our goals of winning the Big 10, and getting into the Playoff.  Yes, its sucks, and yes I am crushed, furious, etc.  But my fellow Michigan Men and Women, just a short time ago we were down on the edge of the abyss, looking down into the hole of college football irrelevency.

Yesterday we played for something more than pride, and more than bowl eligibility.  We played for a chance to be in the Big 10 Championship Game, and the College Football Playoff -- hard to believe, in a way, isn't it?  Yes, we fell short, and yes that is unfortunate, but yesterday's game will undoubtedly be the most watched and talked about football game of the 2016 regular season.  College football fans of all inclinations (and hopefully the Committee) saw what happened yesterday, and know that Michigan was robbed of their chance to prove to that we're back among the elite.  As angry as it makes me, if someone has to thumb the scale to beat Michigan in Harbaugh's 2nd year, considering where we were just a short time ago, I'll take it.

I know people in here will debate whether we're "back" and dig into the most minute detail of play calling, etc.  But, is there anyone among us who believe that Michigan is anywhere near its ceiling?  Keep cheating us if that's what you need to do to keep feeling good about yourself and your position.  Everyone sees and knows what you had to do to win, that the engine that is Michigan football is just getting cranked up, and that it's just a matter of time.

Go Blue!

Comments

bcnihao

November 27th, 2016 at 12:35 PM ^

Good points; thanks.  Also, the trend is good compared with just a year ago when a couple of wins could be described as "lucky"--stuffing the Minnesota QB sneak at the goal line, and breaking up the Indiana pass at the goal line in double-OT.  No such anxiety-filled wins this year, and the 2 losses--on a last-second FG at Iowa, and well, yesterday's game--could be deemed "unlucky."

Elwood

November 27th, 2016 at 12:39 PM ^

These are nearly all of Hoke's players, for better or for worse. The defense is great, and the offense is good. It's a miracle the offense is good. We had great talent on the defensive line and a great corner, but was 2006 not a more talented team? We almost got to the CoFoPo by coaching and scheme, maybe even more so than talent.

We'll have other great defenses under Brown and we can finally lift the shit-stench from the offense left by Hoke's tenure with a mass of young, talented players.

MichiganMAN47

November 27th, 2016 at 2:51 PM ^

I think this team had more talent overall. I think when it's all said and done this team has three or four first round picks in Peppers, Lewis, Charlton & maybe Stribling, Glasgow, or Butt . Plus I think Chesson, Darboh, Wormley, Hill, and Hurst are all mid rounders. This team will not be easy to duplicate for a couple years. I have confidence that if our defense takes a step back that our offense will improve.

In reply to by MichiganMAN47

Elwood

November 27th, 2016 at 3:13 PM ^

Not by much if his team is more talented. I think the 06 had a better balance between talent too. Hart, Henne, the three amigos at WR, and more talent on the Oline. This team is more concentrated on the Dline and secondary.

Plus, Bill Connelly's numbers still have us at #2 behind Alabama in S&P+. There still might be a playoff hope if both Wisconsin and Colorado win next week.

UMDWolve

November 27th, 2016 at 12:40 PM ^

That #3 Michigan was going to lose @ #2 OSU because a ref gave OSU a first down they did not legitimately acquire in 2OT, I wouldn't be any less angry.

ole luther

November 27th, 2016 at 1:02 PM ^

Two years ago you were in a low paying job having to borrow money from your parents or whomever just to heat your house. (M 2 years ago)

Suddenly, you get a much higher paying job. Your bills are getting paid and you no longer have to borrow money.  In fact, you can now spend more than ever before, affording things that only a minority of those around you can. (all teams in the top 25)

Now, you're in line for a huge promotion that will keep you and your family in wealth for the foreseeable future (CFP) and open up possibly another door to an even larger promotion (National Champion), but alas,.....some "big giant heads" that work in your company (Big 10 Officials) are either incompetent or paid off or fearful or biased or.....or.....or.

And you don't get the promotion although you deserve it, worked for it and earned it!

Perspective is just that......perspective. It doesn't change anything.

 

mgoDAB

November 27th, 2016 at 1:28 PM ^

Thank you for this post. We have come a long way from where we once were. Back to back 10 win seasons and a New Years 6 bowl is hell of an accomplishment. Right around this time two years ago, Ohio St bludgeoned Wisconsin to death and snuck into the College Football Playoff. It seemed like our worst days of Michigan Football were just ahead of us. Yet our savior came and took the #2 team in the nation into OT in Horseshoe. Now, our brightest days are ahead of us, and Harbaugh will build this program into a national powerhouse. Love this team, my school, and the Maize and Blue faithful. Go Blue.

hailhail

November 27th, 2016 at 2:04 PM ^

But we still have a long way to go. I think everyone on this blog, including myself, was hoping we were a little bit closer to being the best team in college football, but it appears we may need a season or two more under Harbaugh before that vision becomes a reality.

uncleFred

November 28th, 2016 at 10:46 AM ^

Last season in Harbaugh's first year the team out played MSU and lost in a fluke play with no time left. I said then that while it might take a while to match up to OSU, the team clearly had already joined the rest of the top teams in the Big Ten. 

This season we out played OSU to a double overtime loss. Whether or not you want to put that down to a bad call or not, clearly those two teams were coin flip even. Remember you are comparing a team in Harbaugh's second season against a team in Meyer's fifth season with five seasons of top five recruiting. Harbaugh's MIchigan has already pulled even with Meyer's OSU. 

During the ten year war, it was never certain which team would win The Game, only that it would be a battle of equals, or near equals, and either team could win. That's what you witnessed Saturday and that's what you have to look forward to in the future. 

DHerrick

November 28th, 2016 at 10:15 PM ^

Plus, what a difference the bowl game can make.  Last year would have looked and felt alot different had we not gone out and spanked Florida after getting spanked by tOSU.  Let's hope we spank our opponent in the Orange Bowl (FSU?) and leave people wondering what might have been.

MaizeJuggernaut

November 27th, 2016 at 2:35 PM ^

Definitely great perspective.  We need to acknowledge just how much Harbaugh and his staff have elevated the team each of these first two years.  That combined with recruiting should cause us to continue to improve and be a national power for years to come.  The buckeyes know they got lucky Saturday, and with our young, hungry, scrappy team next year I'm confident we'll take care of business in The Game next year and potentially start dominating the series.

dougr188

November 27th, 2016 at 2:53 PM ^

100% accurate.  24 months ago this fan base was absolutely staring into the abyss of irrelevance with no forseeable way out.  Jim Harbaugh stepped in and without blinking turned this into a team to be feared.  20-5, just let that sink in.

A Lot of Milk

November 27th, 2016 at 3:12 PM ^

These things are cyclical. We did our time and had our existential crisis. Ohio's time is coming soon. They had a student section card stunt that was literally an ad for Nike (complete with the swoosh) with no OSU reference whatsoever. They're gonna sell their soul like we did, Urban will leave sooner rather than later and they'll look back and wonder how everything fell so fast. And we'll feel sympathy for them, because we were once them.

Nah, fuck that, we're gonna go for 2 after the clock runs out and grind their faces into the cement

Sten Carlson

November 27th, 2016 at 4:22 PM ^

I'm pleased some in here find my post helpful -- I have to keep repeating this perspective in my mind to keep from going berserk with rage over the injustice. I think of this game as this year's "MSU loss" from
2015 -- we knew we won, and more importantly, they knew we won. In this case, it wasn't some 1 in 1,000,000 fluke (along with a conveniently not called block in the back) but a screw job that began from the very first possession, and continued to the last play.

All you have to do is look at JT's face after the game -- he knew he was stopped short, and he also knew he was handed the game by unethical officiating. Just like it did with MSU, this win will turn into a cancer festering inside the psyche of the OSU players. They know they didn't win, that they were outplayed, and that after only two season Harbaugh, with players who went 5-7 two years before, came to Columbus and kicked their ass.

They're thumping their cheats now to hide what they know. They know they didn't deserve to win, and winning that way is worse than losing. JT knows it, the rest of the team knows it, and Urban Meyer knows it. That's why Harbaugh saying what he said in his presser is so important -- it lets everyone know that we know. When you sell your soul for wins you hollow yourself out inside, and that will ALWAYS end poorly in the long run.

DHerrick

November 28th, 2016 at 10:27 PM ^

We DESERVED to win this game, just as we deserved to win last year against MSU.  But, we lost.  Harbaugh has accomplished a great deal in two years.  Just imagine what the future holds.  Does anybody think Saban is a better coach than Harbaugh?  I would put Meyer ahead of Saban and look what happened in only year two of the "__ year war."  Give Harbaugh some time and Michigan will be dominating recruiting and W/Ls the way Alabama has been the last several years.

Speaking of selling your soul, can you imagine Harbaugh ever doing the equivalent of the black helmet thing?  Ugh.  

Flying Dutchman

November 27th, 2016 at 5:02 PM ^

2 losses, both on the road, and on the last play of the game.    This is a couple bounces and a couple calls from being 12-0 and staring down a showdown with Alabama.    Generally, I like the trend.  

yoyo

November 27th, 2016 at 5:34 PM ^

Thanks for the writeup. I know everyone is doom and gloom about the future, partially because of what transpired, but I think things look good for the future against those scumbag cheaters. We have the better game coach and our recruiting is marginally behind if not on-par and our coaching is moderately better. I think we take them next year in the big house. We get Harbaugh's players who have been coached in his system throughout their college careers instead of 2 or 3 years under Hoke.