Dominating Performances Against Top 25 Opponents

Submitted by Clarence Beeks on September 26th, 2015 at 10:18 PM

So I've been a Michigan fan for (let's just say) a really long time. This question may seem easy on its face, but the answer says an awful lot about the state of our program over the last two decades. Does anyone know the last time Michigan lead a ranked opponent by 28 points or more? My guess (after truly trying to figure this out) is the 2003 Notre Dame game, but I'm not positive Notre Dame was ranked at the time (but am pretty confident they were). This was truly a once-in-a-(fill in the blank) performance for our program and I hope we all savor that a bit.

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Bando Calrissian

September 26th, 2015 at 10:20 PM ^

2003 and 2006 ND are the two absolutely dominating performances I can think of over the last decade or so (give or take a year or two...) against ranked teams.

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Clarence Beeks

September 26th, 2015 at 10:23 PM ^

My first thought too was 2006 Notre Dame, but they were 0-2 going into that game so I can't conceive that they were ranked.

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Wolverine Devotee

September 26th, 2015 at 10:25 PM ^

ND was 0-2 heading into the 2007 game. They were #2 when Michigan crushed them on the road, 47-21 in 2006.

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Mattinboots

September 26th, 2015 at 10:26 PM ^

Are you sure you're thinking making of 06 there? O7 team was o-2 as it we were both winless.

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Bando Calrissian

September 26th, 2015 at 10:30 PM ^

The first half of the 2006 game could be the most dominating half of Michigan football I've ever seen, given context and setting. They flat out dropped a hammer from the first snap. So, yes, I was thinking about 2006.

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Clarence Beeks

September 26th, 2015 at 10:33 PM ^

You were right. I confused 2007 with 2006. My apologies!

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LSAClassOf2000

September 26th, 2015 at 10:47 PM ^

To be fair, of course, 2007 is quire memorable as it was one of the more amusing wins in Michigan history. It would not be inaccurate to say that Charlie Weis and Jimmy Clausen helped to defeat Notre Dame on that day, exacerbated in a good way (for us, of course) by a rather determined Michigan team coming off two games that the schedule says we played but that something will not allow me to recall.

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CLord

September 27th, 2015 at 1:24 AM ^

Are you too young to remember the '97 PSU game? That was the absolute zenith of quality Michigan football in my lifetime. The greatest hit in college football history (Daidrion Taylor for life), Woodson, NC team, crushing a top 4 PSU team, and three words - McQueary, Sandusky, Paterno. What a game. What a damn great game.

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M-Dog

September 27th, 2015 at 11:37 AM ^

That game, and the 2008 Capital One Bowl game / Lloyd's last game, are the only times I was ever in awe of my own team.

They were both "Where the hell did that come from?" games.

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Clarence Beeks

September 26th, 2015 at 10:30 PM ^

You all are, of course, correct. I'm calling it quits for tonight.

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93Grad

September 27th, 2015 at 1:27 AM ^

Yea except that 2006 ND was a joke of a team. Much like most of the teams we beat that year.

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Bryan

September 26th, 2015 at 10:21 PM ^

Nebraska 2011.

45-17

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itsbigcat

September 26th, 2015 at 10:23 PM ^

Was at that game. Good for the soul

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acnumber1

September 26th, 2015 at 10:27 PM ^

I was there as well. Felt like the tide had turned. Alas...

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State Street

September 26th, 2015 at 10:33 PM ^

...there were yet unsold Michigan jerseys in Ohio.

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Danwillhor

September 26th, 2015 at 11:17 PM ^

it felt like Denard had finally become a QB, rather than a glorified HB. That two game stretch was very efficient in the air and on the ground. We beat their ass lol. Infamous Hoke/Mattison "wtf was that?" game.

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Clarence Beeks

September 26th, 2015 at 10:27 PM ^

Great call. Sorry to miss an obvious one, but forgive me - one of the few games I've ever missed (was at a family member's funeral out of state and never did watch that game). Total blind spot on that game; sorry!

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Bluebells and maize

September 26th, 2015 at 11:31 PM ^

That was the game that lifted what felt like a curse for me. I moved to the west coast in '01 and witnessed several painful losses thereafter, including 01 at Washington, 2002 Iowa, 2003 at Oregon, 2007 Oregon, 2010 Iowa. It seemed after moving away that every game I attended set negative records and/or ended in heartbreak. I walked back into The Big House that day feeling that my presence may be dooming the Wolverines to a loss that day, but instead it was absolute Denard smiling, soul-restoring dominance. It was AWE-SOME

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dothepose

September 26th, 2015 at 10:22 PM ^

Penn State 97!

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RobM_24

September 26th, 2015 at 10:31 PM ^

That's what this game felt like to me.

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maizenblue87

September 27th, 2015 at 2:45 AM ^

For me, that's the gold standard of a dominating UM performance.

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Wolverine Devotee

September 26th, 2015 at 10:22 PM ^

Notre Dame was the last ranked team Michigan shut out. They were #15. The instance before that, it was 27-0 over #9 Penn State in 1998. The last time an unranked Michigan team shut out a ranked opponent was the 28-0 beatdown of #5 OSU in 1993. Michigan jumped to #23 after that win.

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xtramelanin

September 26th, 2015 at 10:30 PM ^

in 1907 vs. the flames from university of chicago?

(making that up, but there has to be something in WD's vast archives from the way-back machine)

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BlueBarron

September 26th, 2015 at 10:24 PM ^

2003, 31-3 win vs #10 Purdue.

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DreisbachToHayes

September 26th, 2015 at 10:27 PM ^

...did anyone see their unis today? Neon greenish Seattle Seahawks style "P" on helmet and uniform accents. WTF

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DetroitBlue

September 26th, 2015 at 10:28 PM ^

I didn't see the game, but I'm guessing that was for Coaches Against Cancer. Pretty sure the BYU coaches had patches on their shirts too

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DreisbachToHayes

September 26th, 2015 at 10:33 PM ^

Thanks. I'm all for all things against cancer.

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Aero01

September 26th, 2015 at 11:02 PM ^

#10 Purdue does not compute

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UMfan21

September 26th, 2015 at 11:17 PM ^

you must be young. in the late 90s with Drew Brees, and then for several years after they were quite formidable. It took the Big Ten awhile to catch onto their new spread offense.

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93Grad

September 27th, 2015 at 1:20 AM ^

No. No. No.

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WolverineHistorian

September 26th, 2015 at 11:43 PM ^

That Purdue team was on a roll having won 8 straight. They were good. Braylon, Breaston and two diving interceptions by Leon Hall killed them. Classic quote from that game when they brought up the stat of the big house being the house of horrors for Purdue, having not won there since 1967...once it was 28-3, Gary Danielson said, "I'm beginning to think this place really is haunted." Another memory from that game, Brent Musberger talking on the phone during the 4th quarter with John L. Smith, who was doing good things in his first year in East Lansing. The following week, Chris Perry kicked his ass at Spartan Stadium.

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stephenrjking

September 27th, 2015 at 12:07 AM ^

Might have been Jim Hermann's finest moment after 1997, too. The defense ran Okie-type sets that looked nothing like the D sets from any other game and totally befuddled Kyle Orton. The score could have been much worse.

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M-Dog

September 27th, 2015 at 11:44 AM ^

I had a keychain that played "Hail to the Victors". I really liked it. Had it for years and played it every time Michigan scored a touchdown.

I broke it in 2000 throwing it against a wall when Michigan gacked up a double-digit lead against Purdue in the 4th quarter. Classic Lloyd / Debord sitting-on-the-lead moment. But it was against Drew Brees and he made them pay.

It cost us the Rose Bowl and sent Purdue instead.

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93Grad

September 27th, 2015 at 1:19 AM ^

No win against Purdue is noteworthy in any way shape or form.

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billybrown

September 27th, 2015 at 5:00 AM ^

So is being a negative prick just your shtick then?

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Perkis-Size Me

September 26th, 2015 at 10:26 PM ^

In one of the few truly great coaching jobs of Hoke's Michigan tenure, Nebraska 2011. That game was an absolute beatdown.

One of the few times under Hoke that Michigan looked like a complete team.

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acnumber1

September 26th, 2015 at 10:30 PM ^

Posted this above:

I was there as well. Felt like the tide had turned. Alas...

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samsoccer7

September 26th, 2015 at 11:46 PM ^

Hoke started selling jerseys in Ohio after that.

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snarling wolverine

September 27th, 2015 at 12:20 AM ^

Were they Mike Jones jerseys?

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Vote_Crisler_1937

September 27th, 2015 at 1:33 AM ^

Oh yes! Never let this die. Great moment on the blog.

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Chunks the Hobo

September 27th, 2015 at 8:35 AM ^

But only to hell people.

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Wolverine Devotee

September 26th, 2015 at 10:34 PM ^

While the offense doing great, Nebraska did themselves in by turning the ball over at the worst possible spots. I think they fumbled two kickoffs.

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BlueCube

September 26th, 2015 at 10:29 PM ^

I guess it's at least two weeks before we get a ranked team and can beat down Northwestern.

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Moonlight Graham

September 26th, 2015 at 10:38 PM ^

There was a stat on ESPN that this was the third highest margin of victory shutout of a ranked team by an untangled team in the last 10(???) years. Or more? Anyone else see that graphic during the OSU-WMU game?

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