BTN - 1998 Rose Bowl on now
August 23rd, 2014 at 9:01 PM ^
Sigh.....you guys are so lucky you got to experience this.
I'm so jealous.
August 24th, 2014 at 3:51 AM ^
I was extremely hungover that day, and my brother kept knocking on my bedroom door to give me updates on the game. I wanted to kill him and kiss him at the same time each time he did so.
August 23rd, 2014 at 9:08 PM ^
August 23rd, 2014 at 9:11 PM ^
Glad I went. Been waiting a while for something to top that one.
August 23rd, 2014 at 9:19 PM ^
I don't know who should go first overall in the draft - Leaf or Manning. They are basically neck and neck. I mean I really hate Manning and the TN fans, so my heart says Leaf!
August 23rd, 2014 at 9:29 PM ^
I thought Leaf was really good. He could really throw the ball around. That being said:
Griese 45-38 as a starter. 19,440 yards passing, 62.7% with 119 TD's
Leaf 4-17 as starter. 3,666 yards passing, 48.4% with 14 TD's
August 24th, 2014 at 10:13 AM ^
August 23rd, 2014 at 9:32 PM ^
it was great hopefully we all see it again
August 23rd, 2014 at 10:01 PM ^
Judging by how I celebrated the win over ohio in 2011 and the 2012 Sugar Bowl that season, I don't know how I'd react to Michigan winning the national championship in Football.
The thought of it gives me goosebumps and sends chills up my spine.
August 24th, 2014 at 4:20 PM ^
Then we need to win another NC, just for you.
It must be done.
August 23rd, 2014 at 9:33 PM ^
August 24th, 2014 at 7:10 AM ^
August 23rd, 2014 at 9:44 PM ^
August 24th, 2014 at 6:38 AM ^
August 23rd, 2014 at 9:54 PM ^
August 23rd, 2014 at 10:04 PM ^
Jdon french kissed me after this game.
August 24th, 2014 at 12:27 AM ^
Remembering Michigan's history of being screwed by refs in countless Rose Bowls and having read Bo's account of hearing Rose Bowl refs in the locker room saying "there's no way I was going to let that SOB win his last Rose Bowl" after the bogus holding call on the fake punt in 1990, I was waiting for another bogus call at the end of this game.
Needless to say, I was relieved and really happy that it didn't happen.
August 24th, 2014 at 4:23 PM ^
This time it was a bogus non-call - offensive pass interference by WSU against Woodson on their last drive - that almost cost us the game.
August 24th, 2014 at 7:06 AM ^
August 24th, 2014 at 7:18 AM ^
August 25th, 2014 at 10:09 AM ^
I was already 34 by the time that game had rolled around, and I'd pretty much given up ever being able to experience the perfect season/national championship combo (a trifecta if you consider Woodson's Heisman).
My mother-in-law held an annual party on New Year's Day, and she didn't follow football at all, particularly college football. There I was, with a bunch of people, and only my wife could relate to the pins and needles in my stomach. Finally, around 2:30 p.m., I said, "I'm sorry, I have to go home and watch this by myself." Her cousin's husband looked at me and said, "Dude, where ya goin?" I responded as politely as I could that this game, which could mean a national championship, was one I had to watch by myself. It would have been different if I were surrounded by a ton of Michigan fans who knew the team's history, but there's no way that casual football observers could possibly relate.
Initially, when Wazzu took the lead, I thought, "here we go, again." But then Charles picked off that pass in the end zone, and I thought we might have a shot. Then Lloyd let Brian Griese air it out to Tai Streets, not once, but twice. The defense did its usual stellar job, and when Griese connected with Jerame Tuman in tne end zone, it was clear the good guys were in the driver's seat.
Still miffed that the refs didn't call offensive pass interference when the receiver pushed Charles down on that final defensive stand, and it sure looked like he picked off the pass on the play before that, but no matter. That was a once in a lifetime experience. I remember seeing Ian Gold lead the fans in chanting, "It's great to be a Michigan Wolverine."
One mild complaint: My wife and I attended our first home game the next season at the home opener vs. Syracuse, and being the NY/NJ people that we are, we expected to see a ceremony where they raised the national championship banner, possibly with some players from the 1948 national championship team joining the captains from the '97 squad. Why didn't they put up the banner? It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience; it should be commemorated.
Anyway, GO BLUE! and thanks to the OP for putting this topic up there! I've been an avid Michigan fan since 1973, and that 1997 season was the high point.