Which Road Trip Are You Taking This Season?
Now that we know the schedule, the four road trips are Iowa (Oct. 1), Indiana (Oct. 8), Rutgers (Nov. 5) and OSU (Nov. 26).
Assuming you could only do one road trip, which one are you taking? I went to Nebraska last season, and it was an incredible experience all the way around - the weather, the game, the environment, the people.
Throwing OSU out of the equation, because that's a miserable road trip, I'm down to Iowa, Indiana or Rutgers. The Rutgers trip doesn't excite me, especially in November, so I'm down to Iowa or Indiana.
The Iowa game at Kinnick will obviously be a night game, and early October hopefully won't be bad weather-wise, so that could be a good experience. Indiana in early October should also be good weather and the campus is beautiful. I'm guessing the game experience is meh, but it's a shorter drive than Iowa City.
What's your road trip this year?
January 12th, 2022 at 8:37 PM ^
Now, this is a good topic. I have been trying to talk my friends into Rutgers for a while now. The campus has a train station that takes you right into penn station in NYC. We could stay in Jersey, hit the city on Friday night, go to the game on Saturday, hit the city Saturday night. They want to go to Iowa and hang out with some fans we met in 2019 at the game in Ann Arbor. Tough call.
January 12th, 2022 at 9:37 PM ^
Do Both.
January 12th, 2022 at 8:42 PM ^
Ann Arbor is a road trip for us so we'll try to make one home game. My daughter goes to college in NYC, so Rutgers isn't a bad idea, either.
January 12th, 2022 at 8:43 PM ^
Thinking about the Nebraska-Northwestern game in Dublin ...
January 12th, 2022 at 8:44 PM ^
I went to Kinnick in 2016 and the whole experience was great until the second half started. Book a hotel way in advance and start tailgating early.
Side note: all of Iowa smells like manure.
January 13th, 2022 at 8:03 AM ^
Can confirm. I spent a month in Iowa one week about 15 years ago...
I would like to get to an Iowa-Michigan game at Kinnick, because the Iowan peoples that I encountered were quite friendly and easy to get along with.
January 13th, 2022 at 9:13 AM ^
I spent a month in Iowa one week
LOL +1
January 12th, 2022 at 8:46 PM ^
Considering either Iowa or the Rutger trip.
I've been to road games at all pre-expansion Big Ten towns but none of the newbies, so I suppose I should knock one off my list, but like you said, a November trip to Jersey doesn't excite at all.
IU is a trip I've made 3 times already and would easily be the most inexpensive choice, so that remains a slight possibility. I'm much more inclined, however, to make my 2nd Iowa City trip, hoping though that unlike 2016, this time it results in a Michigan win.
January 12th, 2022 at 8:47 PM ^
MSU. Cant believe we play them on the road back to back seasons but I will be there. It would be cool if they changed it though. Maybe I should start a thread about it.
January 12th, 2022 at 9:25 PM ^
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
January 12th, 2022 at 10:20 PM ^
This joke has jumped the shark, even the left shark.
January 12th, 2022 at 10:26 PM ^
Jumped the shark? Has anyone HUMPED the shark? SHARKFUCKER!!!!
Referencing that previous post that was terrible, I would take Sharkfucker over Matt Campbell as Michigan's next coach if JMFH were to leave.
January 13th, 2022 at 8:05 AM ^
He's got CMU humping the rock in fine form - they beat a P5 team in legit fashion!
January 13th, 2022 at 9:50 AM ^
January 13th, 2022 at 11:31 AM ^
Jimmy John is a huge piece of shit and his sandwiches suck ass. (as a guy from Jersey), I'd go to Mike's over Jimmy John's every single time.
January 12th, 2022 at 8:53 PM ^
Iowa looking nice for weather. Stop at TPC Deere Run for a round of golf on Friday.
January 12th, 2022 at 10:14 PM ^
And Field of Dreams
January 12th, 2022 at 9:06 PM ^
I'm planning on going to Bloomington. I have a friend that goes to grad school there so I'll have a place to crash for the weekend.
Im really looking forward to it
January 12th, 2022 at 9:14 PM ^
I'm taking a road trip to A2.
It's been a brutal 11 days here in Georgia. My son is a student there, (he's a huge U-M fan) lives near all the players and now must try to hide his new hate for that team. I do IT for UGA and it feels somewhat gross now seeing Go Dawgs and red and black everywhere.
The Big House will be our road trip next fall!
January 12th, 2022 at 9:53 PM ^
My sincerest condolences. I hate it whenever I end up having to go up to Athens.
January 12th, 2022 at 10:09 PM ^
Friend of mine who share Michigan season tickets with me lives in Alpharetta. Gotta be brave to wear the Maize and Blue these days down there in a sea of Bulldog red.
Cool new avatar, MGH!
January 13th, 2022 at 10:11 AM ^
Yeah, the faded UGA sweatshirts are getting a lot of wear out here lately. I'll go back to the old avatar someday, just not now.
January 12th, 2022 at 9:15 PM ^
All Michigan games are significant road trips for us-out here in the godforsaken state of Kansas. We will consider coming to AA for either Hawaii or Maryland. Iowa is a possibility if it is not a night game.
January 12th, 2022 at 9:23 PM ^
OSU is the best road trip. 76 78 80 we're all glorious. Went back in 02.....not so glorious but the fear they had for playing Michigan put a smile on my face.
January 12th, 2022 at 9:44 PM ^
I went in 2012 and it was....ok? nice even?
A much better experience than I expected going in. Tailgaiting, walk to game, game, and walk back to car were all fairly cordial. Fair amount of shit talking, but nothing to be concerned about. nothing physical.
I'd say the worst part was we hit a wrong turn on our way out of town and ran in to (figuratively) a group of osu fans that started shaking the car.
3000 pound motorized object vs 5 drunk dudes was not going to end well for them (literally) and they eventually left us alone.
January 13th, 2022 at 7:28 AM ^
And that was nice/cordial? Someone starts shaking my vehicle and there’s going to be trouble.
January 13th, 2022 at 8:13 AM ^
So you're the tough guy, eh? You're the one that gets out of the car and starts a fight with 5 drunk opponent fans, in the opponents city, in the inevitable post-game traffic jam as the opponents stadium empties out. I'm sure that would go well for you, as your wife/GF/kids look on.
Or do you floor the accelerator and hit the car/cars around you in said traffic, and possibly one of the drunk opponent fans? Because police in the opponents city would surely understand your tough guy actions.
YAY KEYBOARDS!!!!
January 12th, 2022 at 9:25 PM ^
I want to get to Indiana next year since I haven't been, but I've collected lots of IU friends, and early Oct should still be pretty nice.
It's actually hard to get to games because I have to get home to podcast and start UFR'ing. But that game seems like one I can have an easier time with, and there's a bye a week later so I can press.
Rutgers would be another I want to get to, but probably can't pull off two trips.
January 13th, 2022 at 9:00 AM ^
Just take the entire MGoBlog team so you can do a road trip pod.
January 12th, 2022 at 9:28 PM ^
Been to Rutgers, IU, and OSU.
No desire to go back to Rutgers. Pretty lame all around. Only reason to go back would be if we happen to be in NYC.
No desire to go back to OSU. Very trashy.
If current HS senior daughter doesn't get in to her top choices, she might be at IU...so that could be a possibility.
Would love to to hit Iowa one of these years!
January 12th, 2022 at 10:19 PM ^
I’ve been to all of those, except Columbus, and Iowa City is by far the best experience.
January 13th, 2022 at 9:03 AM ^
The Black Out is so nasty. It would be fun to see in person. And I strongly doubt the throw bags of urine on your children the way they do in Columbus.
January 12th, 2022 at 9:32 PM ^
I'll drive down to Iowa City for the Iowa game (since I live near Des Moines now), and go with my daughter who's a student at UI. I'm excited to experience the Iowa Wave in person.
January 12th, 2022 at 9:37 PM ^
I live out of state, so my most likely road trip is taking my <10 year old son to his first UofM game during the non-conference slate.
If I had my druthers, I'd probably head to Kinnick. Likely to be a night game, and Kinnick at night looks fun. Fully understand it is likely to be anywhere from uncomfortable to downright miserable from a "would really like my team to win" standpoint....but otherwise all indications are it would be a great time.
January 12th, 2022 at 9:43 PM ^
I wouldn't guarantee Iowa being at night. Looking at the schedule for next year that is by far the best B1G game of that weekend and we all know how much love Fox enjoys Big Noon Saturday. Plus Michigan always puts out ratings.
January 12th, 2022 at 9:45 PM ^
I'm going to Iowa, Rutgers and Ohio for sure...50/50 on Indiana.
January 12th, 2022 at 9:47 PM ^
Fair warning: I was at the night game vs Iowa in October of 2009 -- a little later than Oct. 1, but not TOO far off that date, IIRC. Anyway...it snowed that day, and the night-time temps with the wind chill were in the 20s, and it felt SO MUCH COLDER than that, too. But, all that said, the atmosphere at Kinnick at night is indeed a great one, and I'd recommend that road trip to anyone. Hawkeye fans were generally very friendly, and let's just say, they know how to put down beers in Iowa City. But I didn't see anything dangerously stupid or out-of-bounds (for the most part). Just a lot of drunk fans having a good time.
January 12th, 2022 at 11:21 PM ^
Iowa City is great, Kinnick is great, but that place is fucking cursed. And we're going to be a top 5 team playing at Kinnick at night, sooooo
(I was at the 2003 game where we outgained them by like 160 yards and lost because we had thought up the rollout spread punt formation but hadn't perfected the protection scheme)
January 12th, 2022 at 9:54 PM ^
The best road trip......bar none......Columbus.... victory will give you the best high......better than all of the other 12 teams in the Big Ten combined.
January 13th, 2022 at 1:56 PM ^
When we win, it's a blast to be in Columbus.
I was at Columbus for the '86 "Harbaugh Guarantee" game.
My seat was at field level right near the Michigan band on temporary bleachers set up on the running track at the time.
Ohio State dominated the first half scoring 2 TDs to our 2 FGs. But then in the second half Jamie Morris ran wild and we pulled ahead. Harbaugh made the guarantee, but Jamie Morris was the one that backed it up.
Ohio State was driving to go ahead at the end of the game, but we stopped them on a third and medium out pass, just short of the 1st down. They sent out Matt Frantz to try the game winning field goal.
Since my seat was right at ground level, I just walked right out on to the field to watch the kick from behind the play. All eyes were on the kick attempt, nobody was paying any attention to me.
When he missed, I absolutely exploded and started to run up the field. Then I caught myself and quickly ran back to my seat. I was afraid that there might be some kind of "fan interference" penalty for being on the field that I didn't know about that would nullify the miss. I wasn't taking any chances.
When the game was fully over, I ran out on to the middle of the field and danced on the weird block O that also made a "10" as in Big 10.
After the game we walked around the campus. Before the game, I was careful to keep my coat zipped over my Michigan sweatshirt. But after the game, I didn't give a damn.
We were walking near some student housing when I heard a loud "Fuck Michigan!" and looked up just in time to see an entire beer keg come flying at me from a second floor window.
One of my best Michigan memories ever.
January 21st, 2022 at 12:51 PM ^
"When he missed, I absolutely exploded and started to run up the field."
Ha! I gotta think that you were perhaps included in the televised coverage?
January 12th, 2022 at 10:06 PM ^
I've been to Indiana, Rutgers and Iowa. Never been to OSU for a game (and probably won't)
If you go to Rutgers, go a day early and spend Friday in the City. Easy train ride there and back. Tailgating is pretty much non existent but we had a good time going around the local bars pre-game.
Indiana's campus is beautiful and has a good tgate atmosphere. We had a good time pre-gaming until my brother punted an errant IU fan's football across the parking lot. Long story, but my brother was kind of drunk and trying to be funny. Mom and Dad of the kids didn't think it was and it nearly came to blows. My brother's an ass, but it was kind of funny.
Iowa tailgate, bars, fans and Kinnick were all great. The only down side when I went was the 2016 game when we lost on a last second field goal.
All good choices but we're thinking of going back to Iowa this year.
January 12th, 2022 at 10:22 PM ^
Could be fun to go to Rutgers and hang out with their fans. Hear they have some amazing tanning salons there....
January 12th, 2022 at 10:24 PM ^
Been to every stadium in the big ten except for the Horseshoe. I guess this is the year for Columbus.
January 12th, 2022 at 10:44 PM ^
....you mean the toilet seat. FIFY
January 12th, 2022 at 10:33 PM ^
Big Ten Championship game.
January 12th, 2022 at 10:46 PM ^
Have a buddy in Chicago from Iowa. Planning on making our 3rd trip to this game. Hoping for better than the last two visits but the people in Iowa City are really swell folk.
January 12th, 2022 at 10:50 PM ^
Iowa is an amazing road trip. I was there in 2016 for the loss and everything but the result encapsulated the best part of a college football gameday experience. Amazing people, great atmosphere, tailgated in a big field with tons of Michigan fans and super nice Iowa fans.
Went to Indiana in 2006 and it was a ghost town. Miserable weather, fans who didn't really care, and a high school level stadium akin to Spartan Stadium. If you need to get there to check it off the list go for it, but you won't be impressed IMO.
I assume Rutgers would be pretty similar to Indiana, but I do still need to check that off the list...
January 12th, 2022 at 11:09 PM ^
Rutgers was nothing short of sad back in 2018. Week before OSU (we all know how that turned out), so M showed NOTHING on offense and still won 42-7. Most exciting part was pregame, when the Rutgers band played "The Victors" twice just so someone would cheer, and my stepdaughter expressed great pride in being hit on by a Michigan backup player.
I got to College Park this past season... that felt more like a Michigan fanbase "takeover" of an opposing stadium. Rutgers? Was just like they shrunk the Big House and painted everything red. I spent part of the second quarter telling a couple of meatheads to stop picking on the elderly Rutgers fans in out section. That WAS a home game.