Do you remember the crazy ending to 2001 Michigan at Wisconsin Game?

Submitted by MGoArchive on September 29th, 2021 at 11:47 AM

This is crazy, for some reason I didn't quite remember how we won this game (which, coincidentally, was the last time we won.

Watch for yourself - https://youtu.be/Y-x_Tfn18tE

Kevin C

September 29th, 2021 at 11:56 AM ^

Yes, I remember.  Brett Bell, the freshman Wisconsin CB who ran into the ball, was down to U-M and U-W during the last days of the recruiting year.  He chose U-W, and game U-M the win.

WolverineHistorian

September 29th, 2021 at 11:59 AM ^

Absolutely.  And thank you to the dumbass Wisconsin player for not getting out of the way of the ball so we can take possession and kick the game winning field goal.  This kind of fluke happens to Michigan a good 1% of the time so there's no guilt in winning this one.  

This made Lloyd 5-0 against Barry Alvarez.  I loved beating Wisconsin every year.  And I loved how their Rose Bowl teams still couldn't beat us.  Remember when we held Ron Dayne to 53 yards?  Good times.    

WolverineHistorian

September 29th, 2021 at 12:10 PM ^

0 total yards for Dayne in the second half. 

I remember Tom Brady throwing a 50 yard bomb to David Terrell.  When Terrell got up, he put his hands on his hips and looked at the crowd for about 1 second and that was enough for the ref to throw a 15 yard unsportsmanlike penalty on him. 

Gameday was in Madison for that one.  Loved seeing the disappointed Badger fans leaving the stadium. 

WolverineHistorian

September 29th, 2021 at 12:32 PM ^

That was this game. 88 in the first half, 0 in the second half.  Also a 4th down stuff.  The year before, Dayne was held to 53 yards.  He kept running the the wrong way on option plays and blamed the big house crowd noise for him not being able to hear the play calls.

The year after the 99 game featured the over the body touchdown pass from Henson to Terrell in the 4th quarter…one of the loudest non-rivalry games ever at the big house.  

Mike Damone

September 29th, 2021 at 12:05 PM ^

Instead of expecting doom and gloom - how about we create some positive mojo by remembering endings like this.

Thanks for posting OP.  Here's hoping the asinine pessimists on this blog don't ruin this chain.  Strong energy for this surprising and fun team is needed and welcome.

1VaBlue1

September 29th, 2021 at 12:16 PM ^

You could have specified "...last time we won" as the last time in Wisconsin that we won!  I started writing up a blurb about the big win in 2016!  But then I realized I was the only idiot that didn't understand, so he we are...

Brian Griese

September 29th, 2021 at 12:20 PM ^

I have to laugh at how comical the end of game clock management was for Lloyd (this seems to be a pattern with the program).  It is nice that he gave Wisconsin an extra 10 seconds at the end of the game out of the kindness of his heart when we could have taken a knee on first down after the muffed punt and then spiked the ball with 4 seconds left on second down - there was more than enough time to be able to do that without having to rush. I do not recall if Michigan had a timeout at that point but if we did it is even more laughable.  

Brian Griese

September 29th, 2021 at 12:41 PM ^

Think of this way: If we snap the ball for a FG with 4 seconds left, the only way you lose the game in regulation is 2 ways:

  • FG is blocked and returned for a TD
  • Snap goes two miles over the holders head, defense picks it up and runs it back for a TD

If you snap it with 14 seconds left, you still have the two problems I have listed, plus now you have to defend against a kickoff return or a blocked FG return leaving time on the clock and then a Hail Mary in exchange for the possibility of there being a bad snap, which is recovered by the holder or the kicker, and then the special teams unit having the mental fortitude to proceed with a fire drill FG in the event of not having a timeout left.

If you disagree, I am cool with that, but to me it is wayyyy less risky to drain the clock down to almost 0 and try the FG then to give the other team any time.  

bronxblue

September 29th, 2021 at 3:13 PM ^

I agree, but the argument is that snapping the ball for a the kneel-down introduces the chance of a fumbled exchange and that being a TO.  And John Navarre had already fumbled once (admittedly it was on a pass) in that game so there might be some additional concerns about ball security.  It was a different time back then and in a game like this I could see Carr taking the safe route.

CTSgoblue

September 29th, 2021 at 12:45 PM ^

With about a minute to go and facing 3rd and 6 in a tied game on their side of the field, we throw the ball 4 yards short of the sticks to our best WR and then punt.  That's a Lloyd Carr 4th Q right there :)

Qmatic

September 29th, 2021 at 12:47 PM ^

I remember Navarre having about as many passing yards as Cade did vs Washington if my memory serves correctly. Also, I believe that was the game we ran a great PA at the goal line where Perry dove over the pile without the ball

Indy Pete - Go Blue

September 29th, 2021 at 1:00 PM ^

Yes - I was there as an undergraduate with a few buddies! That was before Wisconsin had become a juggernaut. There was a Wisconsin guy in the stands next to us who said shortly before the punt, “don’t worry, we will blow it. We always find a way to lose these games.”