We are starting a “new” rivalry with Northwestern, for the George Jewett Trophy this Saturday.   As the only private school in the Big Ten, Northwestern is always fighting an uphill battle for recruits and prestige, despite being the only school academically on par with Michigan.

One of those one sided rivalries like Illinois and Purdue, the games seem to mean much more to Pat Fitzgerald individually and Northwestern than it ever will to us.

Pretty sure he felt the penalty had won the game

Probably because he knows what Michigan wins in 1995 and 1996 did for his teams under Gary Barnett.  Or maybe he and the other coaches at IU or Illinois or Purdue know what a win versus Michigan can for a fanbase, donors, and their contract extensions. 

           Whoops How did that get in there? 

Fitzgerald is 1-8 vs us with the only win being in 2008 in Rodriguez’s first year as coach, or the worst year in Michigan football history.  But, we have played some of the stupidest, nerve racking games in the interim:

“Holding Call from Mars” Game

“MOON” game  https://www.michigandaily.com/sports/football/film-breakdown-daily-remembers-m00n-game/   I totally forgotten this ended on a failed 2 Pt conversion where Semian, a future  NFL starter just falls down.

Dileo Power Slide overtime win

2012 overtime game at home

                     Maeby this is the year

Those are 4 of the 6 games we’ve played against Northwestern since our last loss.  Throw in a 38-0 shutout vs an undefeated and #13 ranked! squad and 5 out of the 6 games have been pretty memorable.  Considered Harbaugh’s 1st big win, until it wasn’t.  Northwestern finished 10-3 that year.

So as the fanbase and the whole state of Michigan looking ahead to intrastate rivalry with MSU in two weeks, I can’t help we’re walking into a trap game.  They look like they found a QB with 4 working limbs.  Fitzgerald can probably scheme to slow down the run game.  Maybe Michigan doesn’t take this game seriously.  I just watched Iowa lose at home by 17.   This is wildcard year.  Any win is welcome.

The Chicago Cocktail

Northwestern is culturally and academically Michigan’s closest brother in the Big Ten.  We are the 2 schools that populate the Top 25 University lists every year.  I’m sure we are the two that try to keep some of the academic standards of the Big Ten high, and keep.

So as a Medill graduate,**  I’m here to tell you how culturally important Northwestern is as Chicago’s Big Ten team.   With that in mind, here is the classy Chicago cocktail.

Ingredients

2 oz Brandy

.25 oz Triple sec

Bitters

1 oz Champagne

Lemon peel

Combined the Brandy, triple sec and Bitters into a cocktail shaker.  Shake and strain into a coupe class or an old-fashioned rocks glass over ice.  Float the Champagne on top.  Garnish with a lemon wedge or peel.

Feeling motivated, you create a sugar rim by rubbing a lemon or lime on the rim before straining the cocktail.  and rubbing the rim with sugar.

I tend to make this and have to add some more Triple sec or brandy on top to balance the flavors. 

 

**Not a Medill Alumni

Mgo Salut!