Ending Threet’s record
I am grateful for what he did for us during his time at UM, but it is time to retire Threet’s record for best conference win in the RR era. I could not have fathomed at the time that the 2008 Wisconsin win over a top 15 outfit (who then also finished the year with a similar ranking, not hitting a ND type dropoff after we beat them) would have been our biggest conference win all the way out into 2010. Time to ring up another big one in front of the home crowd. Would love to see Bielema all sad panda on the sideline.
Edit: I confused their record last year with 2008 where they finished more humbly. I don't follow the cheese heads closely enough.
November 15th, 2010 at 2:46 PM ^
Are Badger fans, I would have to agree with you. It would be great to gloat at Christmas about a big win for Michigan.
edit: not my immediate family... thankfully!
November 15th, 2010 at 2:45 PM ^
I agree. It is weird to think that was our best win so far.....Our worst year by far.
November 15th, 2010 at 2:51 PM ^
And Sheridan's 2008 road win for The Brown Jug (and a Minnesota bowl team) is, sadly, a close second.
UConn, ND, Illini are all 6-6 teams (at best) this year.
Last year's signature win was over a 6-6 ND team that ended up firing its Coach.
November 15th, 2010 at 2:52 PM ^
Just think if we would have lost, we would have ended 2-8 on the season.
Seriously though, I agree, let's end this Saturday with our third straight victory and build on the momentum going into Columbus for a shalacking (spelling?) against tOSU.
November 15th, 2010 at 2:57 PM ^
We would have cancelled the last two games?
November 15th, 2010 at 3:08 PM ^
Haha my bad. I don't know what I was thinking. 2-10 is what I meant, obviously, but for some reason I put 2-8. Of course, skipping the last two games would not have changed anything anyways. Thanks for pointing that out jmblue.
November 15th, 2010 at 2:57 PM ^
Wisconsin has a rotten track record at Michigan against bad Wolverine team, let alone decent ones.
I mean to beat Wisconsin Michigan would have to play error free, which, like...nevermind.
Have a couple bottles of Captain Morgan at the ready. Seriously.
November 15th, 2010 at 3:13 PM ^
My glasses are always half-full.
November 15th, 2010 at 3:17 PM ^
and on to the DAMN FOOTBALL!
November 15th, 2010 at 4:48 PM ^
Why drink that communist* crap? Pop open a Bell's Two-Hearted or a Short's Huma-Lupa-Licious. Celebrate a signature Wolverine victory with a signature brew from the Great Beer State.
* I'm in France for the year and miss my beer. Wine, sparkling or otherwise, just ain't doing it. Jingoism and anti-communist rhetoric adopted for humor, even if the commie part is kind of accurate.
November 15th, 2010 at 7:24 PM ^
I do not drink Bells, nor support their practices. There are many other better breweries in the state that I would opt for over a Bells product.
But a Founder's Breakfast Stout on the other hand... well, that's what I have before the games.
November 15th, 2010 at 9:22 PM ^
Enquiring minds want to know.
November 16th, 2010 at 6:20 AM ^
As a fellow homebrewer (but not over here because it's illegal!), I'm also curious about the issue with Bell's practices. I agree that there are better breweries around the state (like Short's!), but they've got the best market coverage, which makes it more likely that MGoReaders will see it at the store. Plus, Two-Hearted Ale is my pre-game beer, although ABC's Espresso Love filled that role more when November arrived last year. IPAs in fall, stouts in winter.
November 15th, 2010 at 3:42 PM ^
to beat Wisconsin Michigan would have to play error free
Not only will Michigan itself have to avoid mistakes, but it will take at least one bad turnover by Wisconsin to make the game close enough to win.
The hope I'm clinging to is that there might be enough electricity left in the stadium from the Illinois game to provide a spark and possibly put the Badgers in a hole early on. I still don't think that would be enough, but that gets it to the point where a little flash of luck could turn it in the second half.
Go Blue!
November 15th, 2010 at 4:24 PM ^
Wisconsin has a rotten track record at Michigan PERIOD. And other than 2008, the only bad Michigan team they faced at the Big House in the last 40 years was in 1984 when we were playing without Harbaugh. Otherwise, every team they faced was either 8-4 or better.
2008: Lost 27-25
2006: Lost 27-13 (Only loss of the season)
2002: Lost 21-14
2000: Lost 13-10
1998: Lost 27-10 (Only loss of the season)
1994: Won 31-19
1989: Lost 24-0
1987: Lost 49-0
1985: Lost 33-6
1984: Lost 20-14
1982: Lost 20-9
1980: Lost 24-0
1979: Lost 54-0
1977: Lost 56-0
1976: Lost 40-27
1973: Lost 35-6
1969: Lost 35-7
1968: Lost 34-9
1965: Lost 50-14
Double digit wins over undefeated Badger teams in 1998 and 2006 were nice. But Wisconsin was flexing their Rodney Dangerfield schedules in those days. They had 12 wins over 12 unranked opponents in 2006. In 1998, they played 3 ranked opponents (none in the top ten) and 9 opponents with losing records. They didn't have to play Ohio State either years.
This Wisconsin team seems much better than those previous squads. Beating #1 Ohio State was the first time in ten years that they beat ANY top ten opponent. And that one point win at Iowa was impressive.
I don't know. With our inexperience, this game worries me. I think Bielema is a tool and I'd love nothing more for Wisconsin to continue their futilitiy at Michigan Stadium. But I think we're going to have to play a flawless game to stand a chance. 5 turnovers for the third straight week will not result in a close win. We'll get blown out if that happens.
November 15th, 2010 at 8:16 PM ^
i actually thought that loss was a few years earlier. i've been going to games way too long. but i remember that game. wisky broke out the option. it seemed like they had the slowest guys ever running that option but we couldn't stop it. and i always remember UM defenses completely shutting down one-dimensional teams historically. that was the frustrating part.
November 15th, 2010 at 2:57 PM ^
Hard edge week guys. We got this.
November 15th, 2010 at 3:13 PM ^
Don't you mean HaRRd Edge?
November 15th, 2010 at 7:04 PM ^
Soft Corner?
November 15th, 2010 at 2:58 PM ^
I'd say 2008 Minnesota was a better overall performance. We dominated in all phases - offense, defense and special teams - against a bowl-bound team on the road. But I agree that the pickings are a little slim to date. That changes this month.
November 15th, 2010 at 2:59 PM ^
Wow I never thought about that win that way, but it's true. I remember the feeling at halftime thinking that was one of the worst performances I ever witnessed.
November 15th, 2010 at 3:31 PM ^
jumping off the roof. It was a f*cking disaster up until mid-third quarter. I completely know where you are coming from.
November 15th, 2010 at 3:06 PM ^
That 2008 Wisconsin team finished 7-6 and unranked.
C'mon, man.
November 15th, 2010 at 3:17 PM ^
...can you blame them?
November 15th, 2010 at 3:10 PM ^
This is one of the better Wisconsin teams of the past several years though, generally the home team has pulled out the win in this series...
We gotta be able to get them off the field more than Indiana did at least
November 15th, 2010 at 3:13 PM ^
Hopefully senior day magic will be on our side
November 15th, 2010 at 3:33 PM ^
have nothing to do with it. Having a Killer Instinct and a Hard Edge will get us through.
November 15th, 2010 at 3:15 PM ^
Not only get them off the field, but keep them off, aka less turnovers. And when I mean less turnovers, I mean more scoring. And when I mean more scoring, I mean more scoring than them.
Sorry I just want to win so badly to keep this win streak going and building momentum for tOSU.
November 15th, 2010 at 3:15 PM ^
Steven Threet was a radt dude, put in a pretty badt situation. I'm hoping next year Mich can play ASU for a national championship. That would be pretty radt.
As far as signature wins, they're coming, just give it a little bit more time, next year you're gonna have 13 signature wins.
November 15th, 2010 at 3:18 PM ^
Last year's ND game could have been classified as a "signature" win.
November 15th, 2010 at 3:46 PM ^
That's typical of ND. Whenever we beat them, they collapse afterwards. 1991 and 2006 are about the only exceptions.
November 15th, 2010 at 3:19 PM ^
It's really a toss-up for 'biggest win' of the last three years, as both the 2008 Minnesota and Wisconsin teams finished 7-6. To me, the gold star goes to this year's ND win. Denard made history, it's always big to be ND in South Bend, and the win paved the way for a winning season.
I take your larger point, however, which is that a win against Wisconsin this week is Michigan's biggest win since the 2007 season.
November 15th, 2010 at 3:20 PM ^
Wisconsin finished the 2008 campaign 7-6 and lost the next 3 games after they lost to Michigan. Their signature win was against a 7-6 Fresno State. I am not quite sure how that is not a Notre Dame type dropoff and they certainly didn't finish ranked.
That may very well be the top michigan conference win in the last 3 years, but it is definatley comparable to wins over Uconn, ND 2009, and UI 2010.
I am going to choose the win over U of I as the top UM signature win thus far for the sole reason that both teams were vying for a bowl spot.
I am hoping the next two weeks will change that however.
November 15th, 2010 at 3:45 PM ^
The Illinois win is definitely not better than the Wisconsin or Minnesota wins. One could argue that Illinois was expected to finish at least 7-5, but the fact is that they are 5-5 right now with a loss to a terrible, terrible Minnesota team. A few of Michigan's victims so far have a chance to gain more credibility down the road, but none of them are particularly good.
Quality wins is a major factor, along with overall record, when judging the quality of a team.
November 15th, 2010 at 6:39 PM ^
The fact that the Illinois game could well be the game that turned around the long defensive slide in the Rich Rodriguez era puts it far above either of the 2008 games in my book.
The Illinois win has a chance to be proven truly epic. One of the worst teams in Michigan history beating 3-5 Wisconsin and 3-5 Minnesota (final Big Ten records) doesn't mean much in retrospect. Illinois, currently 3-4, will likely end up with the same record. The difference is in what the wins mean for the team. I'm biased because I was there, but I'll argue the 2010 Illinois win is far more important for this team's confidence and cohesiveness (and is thus "better") than the 2008 wins were.
November 15th, 2010 at 6:44 PM ^
It may serve as a turning point for the program (hopefully), but I wouldn't call it a signature win. It's not really a game that makes you stop and go, "Wow, this guy's a great coach." RR's win in the Sugar Bowl over Georgia was that kind of a game.
November 15th, 2010 at 7:05 PM ^
I may have gotten carried away in choosing the word "epic" (by which I did not mean "signature").
Thinking about it some more, I think what really makes the 2010 Illinois game "better" than those 2008 games is that it is a Michigan team finding a way to pull out a win even when not playing particularly well, a trend that continued this past Saturday.
Obviously, it's unlikely they'll be able to get away with that against Wisconsin or OSU, but it's a start.
November 15th, 2010 at 7:28 PM ^
How, in the same sentance, can you say that win could be a turning point for the entire program but also say it is not a signature win?
November 15th, 2010 at 7:37 PM ^
Turning points don't have to be major accomplishments. Sometimes they're just when the bleeding stops. We beat a Ron Zook-coached team in triple-overtime at home. That's not a great accomplishment in and of itself. Heck, Minnesota just beat that same Zook-coached team on the road, in regulation. Beating Illinois at home is the kind of thing you expect a respectable program to do. If it was a turning point, then it should lead to true signature wins down the road.
November 16th, 2010 at 12:47 AM ^
Since you stated that it would be a turning point for the entire program, I would think that would be a major accomplishment. But what do I know. I guess we see entire programs turn around with ho-hum wins all the time.
November 15th, 2010 at 3:57 PM ^
Not every season contains a signature win. Illinois was not one. Wisconsin's 2008 win over Fresno wasn't one either.
At this school, signature wins come against OSU and/or any other top-10 caliber team. When it happens, it's pretty obvious to everyone. I'd say the last one our program has recorded was 2006 ND, although I guess you could make a case for the Citrus Bowl against Florida. RR has not yet posted one.
November 15th, 2010 at 4:26 PM ^
2006 Wisconsin > 2006 ND. If you count 2006 ND (quite the overrated team for most of the season), then you should count 2007 Florida and 2007 Illinois.
Anyway, I think he means signature win in the sense of best win, as opposed to a win over a good team in the absolute sense. We all agree that triumphs over 7-5 teams should not be the highlight of a coaching career, and RR will have many chances to pick up some better wins.
November 15th, 2010 at 4:31 PM ^
2006 ND was the preseason #2 team and finished 10-3. We went into their house and demolished them. That game destroyed the Charlie Weis hype machine and dealt a killer blow to Brady Quinn's Heisman chances. That was easily Carr's best win of his last few years. 2007 Florida was decent but not quite on that level. And 2007 Illinois? Who even remembers that game?
November 15th, 2010 at 4:35 PM ^
While I agree with you that 2006 ND was extremely overrated, I never bragged too much about that 2006 win over Wisconsin. These are the teams the Badgers beat in 06
Bowling Green (4-8)
Western Illinois (non-1A)
San Diego State (3-9)
Indiana (5-7)
Northwestern (4-8)
Minnesota (6-7)
Purdue (7-6)
Illiniois (2-10)
Penn State (9-4)
Iowa (6-7)
Buffalo (2-10)
And because of this awful schedule, they weren't accepted to a BCS bowl game despite a 11-1 record.
November 15th, 2010 at 3:46 PM ^
Sorry, but calling that win "Threet's record" is disrespectful to guys like John Thompson et al. It was more of a team effort than most wins.
November 15th, 2010 at 4:15 PM ^
Especially considering that, aside from one totally rad zone-read keeper, Threet had an absolutely brutal game. 95 yards on 31 attempts. Ick.
November 15th, 2010 at 4:25 PM ^
That's interesting to see how Wisconsin has struggled in Ann Arbor under multiple coaches. I hope that continues this weekend. It'd be a huge signature win for RR to beat a top 10 Wisconsin team.
November 15th, 2010 at 4:49 PM ^
RR has been saying that the defense is on the verge of turning the corner, of pulling it all together - hinting that he was seeing something we were not seeing. If the defense pulls it all together this season, it would restore a lot of my faith in this regime. I give the community my word - if the defense pulls it all together this or next Saturday (i.e., RR's expectations and assurances come to pass), I will stop my bitching about the RR regime.
November 15th, 2010 at 5:03 PM ^
What I really want to see is no turnovers and no major special teams breakdowns. If we do those two things, we have a real chance. For all its issues, it's not the D's fault that it has been given terrible field position again and again.
November 15th, 2010 at 5:21 PM ^
That's true, but I still want to see that RR wasn't just trying to placate the fans until next season, that he was referring to real progress that perhaps just has not materialized on Saturday. No matter what becomes of all the defensive staff after the season, seeing that RR was shooting us straight would make me think that all the programmatic issues I have been talking about perhaps are not so bad.
I don't know how I would identify the defense 'coming together', but like you said above about a signature win, you know it when it happens.