Best Away Game You Have Attended?
The other day I was chatting with a friend who went to the game at UCONN and it got me thinking about all of the away games I have gone to. After thinking about it, I decided my favorite was the 2006 game at Notre Dame. Notre Dame was ranked #2 for that game and was supposed to "return to glory" that year. Also, the winner of that game would be #1 for winning percentage. As we now know, Michigan dominated 47-21. That game was truly awesome to go. Now I must ask everyone else: what is the your favorite away game that you have been to (and if you haven't been to any, then do you have a favorite away game from the past?)
October 4th, 2013 at 8:54 AM ^
I've heard a lot of conflicting reports on Illinois fan behavior, but my own personal experience in 2009 was very tame. In fact, we tailgated with some Illini folks around us who seemed really nice. I of course did see several "Muck Fichigan" shirts (and a few less original ones) but it was not bad at all.
Perhaps it was the fact that they were in the middle of another shitty season that had tempered their attitudes. I vividly recall ZERO atmosphere inside the stadium, like everyone had the expectation that they were going to get rolled (and rightfully they should've, but anyway) and were just going through the motions. Naturally, the crowd perked up after the 1-yard line stand and subsequent 99-yard TD drive, but before that it was a library other than the Michigan fans.
October 3rd, 2013 at 8:46 AM ^
October 3rd, 2013 at 8:59 AM ^
2007 at MSU. The Little Brother game.
October 3rd, 2013 at 9:11 AM ^
Best has to be my only: Rose Bowl 1993. We beat the Huskies, it was sorta down to the wire (tied going into the 4th quarter).
October 3rd, 2013 at 9:19 AM ^
October 3rd, 2013 at 9:34 AM ^
Also, the Sugar Bowl was pretty sweet just from the fact that it was my first time to NOLA. I definitely will be heading back.
October 3rd, 2013 at 4:25 PM ^
Sugar Bowl. Pretty sweet.
I saw what you did there.
October 3rd, 2013 at 5:29 PM ^
I really enjoyed the '03 Rose Bowl. Yeah, Braylon dropped a TD pass right in front of us but it was enjoyable watching Leinhart throw the ball through windows no bigger than a cereal box all day. They were exciting, but I think the best part was the pure beauty of lying back with the scenic mountains in the backgroud, and meeting The Fonz at half-time in the concessions line was fun as well. He, Henry Winkler is a really nice guy. Took time out to allow all the MI fans to pose with him for their photos without seemingly being bothered. Very enjoyable afternoon, and they did, although paid, have a very good team.
October 3rd, 2013 at 9:47 AM ^
Being from Chicago, I've seen quite a few road games including some in Madison, Iowa City, Evanston, Champaign, West Lafayette, and South Bend.
But by far the best was 1994 against ND. I was in the end zone where Hamilton hit the game winner. I was only 9 years old sitting with my uncle who is a huge Notre Dame fan and was surrounded by Irish fans. Right before the field goal I said a little prayer. The guy behind me taps me on the shoulder and says "you don't think thats going to work do you?"
I'll also add in my worst away game. 2000 @ Purdue. #6 Michigan blows a 28-10 halftime lead and Drew Brees and the Boilermakers win 32-31. That and the 1999 loss to Kurt Kittner and the Illni are the 2 worst Michigan losses I've witnessed in person.
October 3rd, 2013 at 10:05 AM ^
Was in the upper deck opposite the press box, basically on the 50 yard line. Had some guy in his 50s (who was there with his son) try to fight me even before kickoff. Apparently he could dish out all the App State smack in the world but couldn't handle being reminded that MSU basketball had lost the night before to GVSU.
Was heckled endlessly as MSU started to take control in the second half. Then RoboHenne went off and you couldn't have scraped the smile off my face with a chisel made of diamond. Said 50-something dude muttered, "Enjoy your drive back to New Jersey" as he sauntered out of his seat after Michigan stopped MSU on 4th down to seal the game. No idea what he meant but I just stared and laughed at him.
I've been to the last three MSU away games and have almost gotten into a fight each time. I have no desire to ever go back again. I despise their fans and their shitty, concrete dump of a stadium. Hey! Great idea! Let's make the upper deck accessible via a ramp system that employs a .000001% grade! And let's make them such that you can barely fit four people side-by-side! Genius!!!
October 3rd, 2013 at 4:12 PM ^
And it sucks....but it's still better than that damn ramp after Clockgate. There may be no stadium in the country that's worse to get in and out of.
October 4th, 2013 at 8:39 AM ^
I cannot even fathom how shitty that must have been to see Clockgate in person from that stupid upper deck. It was bad enough for the 2009 Forcier OT interception game. It was an epic comeback, though, down 14 in the 4th, scoring the tying points with seconds left in regulation. I still wish we had gone for the 2-pt conversion. : (
In a weird twist, my brother and I bought tickets in almost the exact same location as we sat in 2007, so we ended up sitting near the same folks as two years previous (like, one row up and two seats down). It was kinda funny as we got to our seats and slowly realized that we recognized each other from the 2007 game.
That having all been said -- bulldoze that dump to the ground.
October 4th, 2013 at 4:33 PM ^
"5....4....3....2....1....0.....0....0...." Then no hold and a TD pass caught by a guy who should have been ejected for kicking someone and the MSU fans in the section had the gall to say Michigan fans always complain. I thought I hated them after the Desmond trip....that was far worse.
But the next two trips up there was much more rewarding.
October 3rd, 2013 at 10:10 AM ^
I've been lucky to go to a lot of away UM football games. Michigan is 1-1-1 when I've seen them play at the 'Shoe, so that one victory was pretty sweet. 1996 - Shawn Springs slips, and Tai Streets goes 80+ yarrds for a TD from Brian Greise, UM wins 10-9. That was the only TD of the day.
After that I go to the ND game in 1995. My senior year ay UM watching Remy Hamilton boot the game winner with seconds left to beat the Irish. (Watching UM beat Lou Holtz in his first game as good, as was the forementions 2006 ass-whipping).
Nebraska last year. Bad outcome, but Lincoln was a blast, and on Halloween (or close to it) it was a fun time. I look forward to heading back their and getting a W. Lincoln is now the only Big Ten Venue UM has not won at as a conference member, and i've seen UM win at each other B1G stadium, so this needs to get back on the list.
Penn State in 1997. "We Can't Hear You....." Sittind down near the field level with the orginal "Superfan" was awesome. ESPN's "Judgement Day" came and UM whipped PSU, boy that was a great time. Close 2nd here was UM's first ever trip to Happy Vallye in 1993. UM wins 23-17 I believe after stopping PSU on 1st and goal at the 1.
But the winner of my favorite road games has to be the Rose Bowl on January 1, 1998. Going out to Pasadena is a blast. Winning the Rose Bowl is sweet! But to win it, to WIN IT ALL was even better. National Champs! We drank bad champange on the beach in Santa Monica after that game. It was a high I want to feel again.
October 3rd, 2013 at 10:43 AM ^
Alan Branch eating QBs and the roar when the news of the Tigers going to the WS spread through the Michigan section.
October 3rd, 2013 at 11:19 AM ^
Never been to one before, but I'm going to the UM/Northwestern game in November. I'm rather looking forward to it.
October 3rd, 2013 at 12:00 PM ^
ND fell behind 23-7 only to storm back to take the lead 24-23 on a Ron Powlus to Derrick Mayes TD pass that happened right in front of me with only 52 seconds left in the game. The Irish fans were going CRAZY and were pretty obnoxious for Irish fans.
Back in those days, as Michigan fans, we were feeling pretty snakebit by all the times Lou Holtz and the Irish had pulled off incredible wins over Michigan the past 7-8 years, so we were feeling pretty down....for only another 50 seconds before Remy Hamilton silenced the crowd with a game-winning field goal with just 2 seconds left. Sitting there celebrating with all my buddies surrounded by stunned Irish fans, THAT was a good feeling.
In hindsight, that game really was kind of the beginning of the great ND malaise and the perpetual "Return to Glory" campaign. It was the last time Michigan and ND faced off against each other both ranked in the Top 10.
October 3rd, 2013 at 12:10 PM ^
2003 comeback v. the Gophers in the Teflon Baggie Stadium. Minnesota was up 28-7 in the third quarter, and was running all over the place (424 yards for the game). Navarre threw about 300 screen passes; the defense somehow stopped the two future NFL backs (Marion Barber and Laurence Maroney); and Michigan won the 100th meeting for the Jug.
I had watched several blowout games at the Dome, most of which were sparsely attended. This one, however, was packed, and by far the loudest place I've ever been, at least until the last 10 minutes, when the crowd essentially lapsed into the normal Gopher coma.
Lots of other high points from the game, including the Breaston to Navarre rumble, which the announcers described at "just like a punt return, except in slow motion" (or something like that).
October 4th, 2013 at 2:21 AM ^
I believe it was "just like a punt return, but with slow linemen."
October 3rd, 2013 at 12:30 PM ^
(I think some might call bowl games "neutral", not "away". But given that the Rose Bowl is located in Pac-10 Territory, I'm going to run with it.)
Best UM Game I have attended, not in the Big House: 1998 Rose Bowl. Undefeated. National Champs. Woodson.
From the end-zone where we were sitting, we could see Griese's bootleg bomb to Streets developing like it was slow motion.
October 3rd, 2013 at 12:44 PM ^
Growing up in Chicago I have been to every Northwestern and ND game since 1972. The old Dyche Stadium at Northwestern in the 70's was awesome as I remember the Wildcat band playing show-tunes like Hello Dolly and Music Man down 47-0 against Michigan.
The Metrodome is just an awful place and I look forward to seeing the new Gopher Stadium-but the Navarre miracle was incredible to have been at.
Iowa is excellent-Marquise Walkers one hand grab remains an incredible catch and moment.
Illini Memorial stadium is just a dump but I enjoy Michigans 84% winning % in football.
The best away experience bar none was being at ND when I saw what remains the longest run from scrimmage in ND history.
October 3rd, 2013 at 1:40 PM ^
anyone at the 1997 PSU game says the same thing " Best away game ever" and we all have similar stories....but I have a unique story...My buddy and I get to the stadium and walk to our seats...we are in the Michigan section and we walk down our aisle. Sitting directly behind us are 4 pretty hot women holding up a sign that says "Our Beaver is Bigger than yours!"...NO JOKE!!...we end up talking to them and they say they have been and are going to every game seeing as this is their senior year...OK, hot chicks, smart & into football....well then the game starts....Its first down and we gain two yards or something and one of the chicks turns the other and says to the other 3 "no big deal, we still got 2 downs and a draw will work perfect here"...I turned to my buddy and said " I wish I wasn't married!"
October 3rd, 2013 at 2:06 PM ^
I'd have to say:
1. Sugar Bowl in 2012
2. Northwestern-packed with Michigan people but still I count this
3. Dallas - even with the outcome it was still fun
4. The other bowl games I've been to in Florida. Never seen a loss. All were fun.
5. ND last year. I thought it was alright nothing special though
6. Iowa - 2009 - Thought it was way overrated for how loud people tried to make it seem
7. Indiana meh
8. Both Purdue games - god that place is terrible
October 3rd, 2013 at 2:16 PM ^
JD Carlson kicked a FG as time expired to gives us the 16-13 win. Totally gift wrapped win by John Cooper. All OSU had to do was tie and they'd go to the Rose Bowl. Instead they went for it on 4th and 1 in the closing minutes as came up short. They punt, game ends in tie.
In the name of all that is good and holy, give thanks for John Cooper.
October 3rd, 2013 at 3:30 PM ^
and they shouldn't have scored. If we had replay then, the one big play would have been over turned.
October 3rd, 2013 at 5:33 PM ^
I don't know if Sandusky was buggering some kid in the locker room but when Woodson split out and no one covered him-remember Joe had taken over the headsets at half-time like he was going to bring them back, I knew he was cucko for cocca puffs. Actually, the people they placed to look over the program until the scandal brought the bricks down did a great job of keeping the program running. But it was clear his time had passed. Big victory, but sad to see the old guy stay around well after he thought the whistles in head were still related to football.
October 3rd, 2013 at 4:12 PM ^
Sugar Bowl - first time in New Orleans...New Year's Day...then Junior Hemingway...Hurricane...enough said about that trip
Notre Dame, 2010 - Shoelaces Flapping in the Wind
Indiana, 2010 - Denard Show. A student-body tailgate that clearly emphasized the tailgate aspect of gameday over the actual game
Illinois, 2005 - those "Muck Fichigan" shirts really shaped my understanding of how great it is to be a Michigan Wolverine
Gator Bowl - fuck cowbells
Purdue, 2008 - Hook and Ladder. The only thing that could be worse than the Gator Bowl.
October 3rd, 2013 at 6:45 PM ^
October 3rd, 2013 at 8:31 PM ^
October 4th, 2013 at 6:20 AM ^
Ryan Field was packed with Michigan fans that day. Tailgaiting at Northwestern was more fun than I imagined because it was like a big community in the parking lot right outside the stadium. We partied with a bunch of the Northwestern players' families and got to hear some interesting recruiting stories about a few of the B1G coaches - everyone had not-so-great things to say about both Rich Rod and Dantonio. What was pretty unique was that a lot of former players were also at the tailgate enjoying the festivities. They all mentioned that Michigan was a favorite team to play against and were always classy on the field. They mentioned that MSU was a huge group of thugs and talked sh*t on every play.
It also helped that it was really warm in Chicago that October weekend and we rolled in the 2nd half.
October 4th, 2013 at 10:58 AM ^