Favorite UM Football Moment

Submitted by SanFrancisco_W… on

Well, with 8 days left until this season kicks off I feel like this would be a fun time to have everyone on the greatest UM site tell stories about their favorite Michigan football moment.  This doesn't necessarily have to be an in-game moment, but can involve memories from tailgating, fant interactions etc.

I guess I'll start:

I actually have 2.  My first was when I asked my dad why he was a Michigan fan and why he had raised me to be a Michigan fan.  He told me he became a Michigan fan after a weekend in Columbus as a high school senior.  He rode his bike from his brother's house to the Horseshoe and snuck onto the field and sat at the fifty yard line.  He got caught and was subsequently fined by the University for trespassing.  This pissed him off and thus be was henceforth a Michigan fan.  Therefore, had my father not been busted that day, I would have probably been raised an OSU fan.  Thank Christ that isn't the case.

The second is my first trip to the Big House.  UM-Iowa in 1997.  The game was amazing, but the first moment walking into the stadium will be with me for the rest of my life.

 

BigShotDave

August 26th, 2011 at 1:29 PM ^

I was a freshman living in Markley and my roommate and I decided to take a trip to Columbus  for the last game of the season.  Michigan was coming off two straight losses and the shmuckeyes were still undefeated.  Despite the cold weather, my roommate and I were determined to go the entire game shirtless boasting painting chests and faces.  Despite a drunk fan putting out a cigar in my face, we had the last laugh as Michigan triumphed to a 13-9 victory.

JeepinBen

August 26th, 2011 at 1:31 PM ^

2005. Shitty season. We hadn't lost at home for years, I come in, all excited, and we're not good. Penn State - undefeated. Lloyd lobbied for more time on the clock. I was depressed and walked down from my seat in row 97 (yeah freshman year!) when I stopped just before exiting the bowl and watched the final play from the tunnel.

The new math was born, the stadium exploded, and it was a great day to be a Michigan Wolverine

mGrowOld

August 26th, 2011 at 1:31 PM ^

When the clock hit 0.00 at the 1997/8 Rose Bowl and the team came roaring off the sidelines and ran into the stands right right where i was sitting (lower endzone).  Then the band set up in front of us and played the Victors over and over and over again while we sang with them.

That was pretty damn good moment.

Bat0342

August 26th, 2011 at 2:06 PM ^

I was playing baseball in PR over Xmas break.  My Gpa was taping the game for me back in the states.  So everyone in my family was gna make me wait until we flew back to NY for me to find out what the score was.  My poor mom couldnt contain herself, that night after my game when we got back to the hotel her beaming smile in the elevator gave it away!  great moment even though i didtnt see the game live.

JimLahey

August 26th, 2011 at 1:34 PM ^

Honestly, I think Hoke has changed the tide on the rivalry. Hell people in Ohio are starting to believe him. Never in a million years I would have thought that. Selling Michigan jerseys is a good start.

michgoblue

August 26th, 2011 at 1:39 PM ^

Maybe he is only 1 year old?  Then it would make sense.  If you are older than 1 year old, though, I can't see how the new coach (who, as everyone knows I love a hell of a lot more than the old coach) being hired and talking up the rivalry is your "best memory." 

MAgoBLUE

August 26th, 2011 at 1:40 PM ^

I don't know if you guys understand the point.  I think Hoke has changed the tide on the rivalry. Hell people in Ohio are starting to believe him. Never in a million years I would have thought that.  Selling Michigan jerseys is a good start.

michgoblue

August 26th, 2011 at 1:48 PM ^

Right.  Great.  I agree.  Hoke has, in fact, changed the tide.  It's awesome.  It was certainly unexpected.

But BEST EVER michigan football memory?  National championship, Heisman winners, thrilling wins over OSU, the Capital One Bowl send off to Lloyd, Desmond's Heisman?  Hoke getting people pumped up to beat OSU (note, we still have to actually go out and play the game and hopefully win) is the BEST EVER Michigan football memort?

Sorry, I don't get it. 

Jerry

August 26th, 2011 at 1:57 PM ^

I think Hoke has changed the tide on the rivalry. Hell people in Ohio are starting to believe him. Never in a million years I would have thought that. Selling Michigan jerseys is a good start.

profitgoblue

August 26th, 2011 at 1:49 PM ^

I think you might be missing the point of the thread itself.  It is soliciting favorite MEMORIES.  Not only that, but do you think Brandon/Hoke selling jerseys to the UTL game is better than some of the amazing memories from the past 20 years?  If so, that's kind of sad, actually.

 

michgoblue

August 26th, 2011 at 2:44 PM ^

I totally missed the joke - see what happens when works gets in the way of reading every single thread and comment?!?!

And here I was thinking that I was totally winning this debate - I suck.

michgoblue

August 26th, 2011 at 1:37 PM ^

My senior year.  Night before The Game, with a chance to play for a National Championship in the Rose Bowl on the line, my friends and I had tix to see Adam Sandler (who was really popular on college campuses at the time) live at Hill.  Sandler is running late, and for the 45 minutes until he showed up, the crowd is just chanting The Victors over and over and over.  It was insane.

Finally, the lights go down and you hear Sandler over the microphone to the tune of his Thanksgiving Turkey song say, "Love to eat turkey, 'cause it's great.  Hope you kick the shit out of Ohio State."

The place exploded and the crowd sang the Victors for a solid 5 minutes before Sandler was able to get a word in to start the show.

Second greatest - rushing the fiend the next day when we beat Ohio.

Damn, this season can't come quick enough . . . I get pumped just writing those stories.

profitgoblue

August 26th, 2011 at 1:40 PM ^

That has to be the best two back-to-back days in my Michigan college experience. The Auditorium was SO loud and crazy. It was almost like the Sandler concert was an afterthought. And then the game to end a perfect regular season with a Woodson touchdown, a hurting put on David Boston, and getting down onto the field for my first time ever.  That was a good two days.  No doubt about it.

 

Johnny Blood

August 26th, 2011 at 2:11 PM ^

I was at that show, too!  Great time. 

The Game the next day would probably be my favorite live moment, but I was a little "over-served" and they're actually kind of a blur.

Instead, the game I remember most vividly from that season is the ND game, where our defense came up huge time and time again to preserve the 21-14 lead. 

M Go Snacks

August 26th, 2011 at 1:38 PM ^

My favorite U of M football moment came at our darkest hour.

After our improbable comback against Wisconsin in 2007, chants of  "rush the field!" were being shouted all over the student section. Me and a buddy of mine got the front right as the final seconds ticked off, and when the game was sealed, people started hoping over the rail. The guy in front of me wouldn't go, and after some proding on my part, he finally jumped. And was immediately nabbed by a security guard.

With the guard occupied, I jumped myself. "HEY YOU!" he shouted, and pointed at me. I ran towards the tunnel and hung out there for a second. After it was clear he lost track of me, I went to the corner of the field, where the team was celebrating near the student section. It was surreal.

When they were done, I followed them into the tunnel. But instead of leaving, I followed them into the locker room. I had a student shirt on and clearly looked like I didn't belong, but nobody questioned me. I watched RichRod talk to the team after the game. Michael Phelps showed up briefly, said "hi" to a few players, and was about to leave the locker when I shoved my hand towards him and said "Michael Phelps!". He robotically shook my hand.

My favorite part was when everybody got down on one knee for a prayer, something that was obviously routine to everyone in the room. Slowly and awkwardly, I got on one knee myself. I just looked so out of place, but nobody cared. Once RichRod was done talking, I conspiciously walked around with my flip phone out taking video of the locker room, took a gatorade out of the fridge, and hung for a bit. Then I left. And that's my story.

michgoblue

August 26th, 2011 at 1:43 PM ^

Not trying to be critical, but:

1.  following the team into the locker room is sort of not cool - that's their private place

2.  your memory took place in 2008, not 2007

3.  anyone chanting "rush the field" when we beat Wisco in a 3-9 season should go root for the team down in East Lansing.  Very Spart to rush the field after a win like that. 

M Go Snacks

August 26th, 2011 at 1:56 PM ^

You're right; it was 2008! And if the space was so private, they would have just kicked me out. You can't honestly say that as an undergrad high off our only decent win of the year, hanging out on the field with a chance to check out the locker room, that you wouldn't do it. You'd stop and say, "NOPE! THAT'S PRIVATE!" and walk away.

goblueritzy92

August 26th, 2011 at 3:44 PM ^

Ahh so many to choose from...

Let's see...I would have to say Wiscy in 2008 just cause this is so outrageous. Ok I've been working security at the Big House for many years now and I swear I've never seen something like this before. So we're all down at this point in the season because of how it had gone so far. Must say it hadn't lived up to expectations. I thought that this game would be much of the same after dropping behind 19-0 after half. Then a miracle happened as we all know.

But the funny thing is is at the the end of the game some small freshman looking kid runs to the front of the student section screaming "Rush The Field!". I'm standing there thinking why would we do that? We're not Sparty...But anyways, get this. He actually does it. He pushes the kid in front of him over the rail. The poor kid has a broken leg and now everybody is just staring in disbelief. He jumps over the railing and immediately starts running like a maniac, thinking we're chasing him. But in reality none of us really cared because we had just beaten a top 10 team in midst of this gut-wrenching season so we were all pretty happy. So meanwhile, this kid is now sprinting towards the tunnel and we're just thinking that we will let him have his fun. We had more problems trying to tend to the kid he pushed.

I saw him moments later celebrating with the team so I though all of his shenaigans were done. But no, I guess not. He then follows the team in to the locker room acting like he's one of them. I couldn't believe my eyes. Who is he to think he can do this? So a few of us follow him and were going to peacefully escort him out. But no he's up there standing right behind Coach Rod as he's giving a speech so we couldn't get to him. Then they were all starting to do the Lord's Prayer and here he is shouting it over everyone else and everyone is just staring at this loser. No one has a clue whats going on. After he's done he nearly attack Michael Phelps, so we decide to ambush him. The kid grabs a case full of Gatorade and runs past us out of the locker room. 

Weirdest thing ever....

PurpleStuff

August 26th, 2011 at 1:55 PM ^

None of these are really football related or terribly uplifting, but they are vivid memories that have stuck with me.

2002 Iowa game: This game turned into a total suckfest after (I'm pretty sure it was) Markus Curry dropped a punt and the wheels came off.  About 10-15 rows down from me in the student section sat a douchey guy wearing shorts and an ND sweatshirt.  He was listening to ND beat FSU during the Willingham "Return to Glory" and repeatedly dancing like a jackass whenever good news came over the airwaves.  With him was a demure beauty in an Iowa sweatshirt who had apparently dusted off a fifth of Tanqueray during the first three quarters.  As people sullenly filed out of the stadium, she drunkenly and profanely berated all of them.  In order to protect the honor of the Big House and put a stop to this, myself and a few brave others began pelting her with ice, loose change, and other debris until her and the dude left.  Not going to lie, it took some of the sting out of the loss.

2003 ND game: I just remember strolling down State St. and passing one of the fraternity houses (not sure which one) when out of nowhere a shirtless, buff black dude came flying across the lawn to dunk an entire trash can full of water over the head of an unsuspecting, middle aged ND fan.  Sucked for that guy.  Also kind of a metaphor for the entire game.

2006 OSU game: Flew in to Detroit from the west coast, drove basically overnight from Ann Arbor to Columbus.  My buddy and I got the usual disturbing introduction to the cesspool that is Ohio State athletics.  Then we met Amadou Ba (see photo).  Drank a few hundred beers only to have our entrance to the stadium blocked by the OSU band (entering through the same gate/tunnel where our seats were).  Nearly pissed myself until an OSU fan let me slip into an employee/staff bathroom.  Felt a moment of shared humanity and began to think we are all one as human beings until I got to my seat and had to listen to the two mouthbreathers next to me shout "Break his ankle!" every time Mike Hart carried the ball. 

MaizeNBlu628

August 26th, 2011 at 1:41 PM ^

My freshman year, Braylon vs MSU in 2004. I remember it starting as a warm fall sat, then as it got darker, it started to get real cold. My buddy and I had painted our chests, and even with the game seemingly out of reach and our bodies shivering, we refused to put our shirt on. We said that as long as we still had a chance, we werent going to put a shirt on. It was the most exciting game I ever saw live, and well worth how sick we both got the next week for staying out in the cold.

mGrowOld

August 26th, 2011 at 1:46 PM ^

That was my #2 moment (and awfully close to #1 posted earlier).  I remember the place freaking SHAKING with noise and it was the first time in my 30+ years of attending games that the place was insanely loud.  The best part of that game for me were the two ahole MSU fans sitting behind me giving me shit all game long.  When they went up 27-10 they started dancing and high-fiving and lauging.  All i said was "not dead yet".  And i kept saying it and them started yelling it throughout the end of regulation and through the most exciting three overtimes i've ever seen.

BiSB

August 26th, 2011 at 1:46 PM ^

After the first overtime, the entire student section had to sit down to catch its breath.  It is the only time I can remember everyone hopping up and down on the seats for more than a few seconds. Hell, even the Really Old Person section was on its feet. Craziest half-hour of football I have ever seen.  Highly recommend.

mGrowOld

August 26th, 2011 at 1:59 PM ^

It was cold...i was dressed for the noon start of our tailgate and not 6:30pm in an autumn Michigan afternoon.  And i KNEW, back at our tailgate, would be literally hundreds of those Sparty's just waiting to pounce.  At our tailgate they come out of the wood for the MSU game (wives, gf's, kids, friends, etc) who never show up otherwise.  And I have a 3 hour + drive back to Cleveland so when the score reached 27-10 i wanted to go...i mean i really wanted to go.

But i said to my 17 year old son.....let's just stay for one more possesion and see what happens.......

Dark Blue

August 26th, 2011 at 1:41 PM ^

My favorite U of M footbaw moment was when Nick Sheridan spanked Minnesota in 08. I've been a fan for a long time, but that moment made me the proudest. 

pfholland

August 26th, 2011 at 1:43 PM ^

I also have two.  

The first one is from the 1991 game against Notre Dame.  I was 13, and at the game with my dad.  Our seats were at about the 20 yard line with Michigan driving left-to-right when they lined up practically in front of us for that famous 4th and 1.  I turned to my dad and asked, "We're going to run it, right?"

"Of course," he said.  Then they snapped the ball.  

I saw Desmond go up, but didn't actually see the catch because I was short and everyone in front of us jumped up cheering.  Still, what a moment.

The second is the end of the 1998 Rose Bowl.  I was a sophomore in the student section at the game, and when time ran out and the team rushed towards us... well, it still gives me goosebumps.

profitgoblue

August 26th, 2011 at 1:45 PM ^

I'll never forget that crazy game back in 1996(?).  It was so f-ing cold and half the stadium was gone by halftime.  But the few that remained were extremely loud and it was so much fun staying and watching the game in the sh-tty weather.  Those kind of extreme conditions seem to heighten the viewing satisfaction for some reason.

 

BlueMan80

August 26th, 2011 at 1:45 PM ^

I was there to see AC split the Indiana secodary and score on the last play of the game in 1979.

I was there to see Harbaugh and Kolesar stick a dagger in OSU's heart with a 77 yard bomb late in the fourth quarter in 1985.

I saw the first ever overtime game in Michigan stadium as Michigan came back to tie Penn State and force overtime.  Chris Perry ran in the winning touchdown.  I took my daughter to that game and it certainly affected her.  She bled maize and blue after that day and always wanted to go to Michigan.  She's a sophomore this year.

Mi Sooner

August 26th, 2011 at 3:36 PM ^

I was there for the first one, and it's on my list also. I will go with the psu game with the last second td instead. I was at that game with the stepD/lucky charm; her comment at half time is priceless -- this is boring (it was something like 6-3 at halftime). Her opinion change in the second half.

No, her mom isn't allowed to go to those games anymore; her record at msu tsio psu ND isn't very good while her daughter was nearly perfect -- the last three years are not counted against her.

Beavis

August 26th, 2011 at 1:46 PM ^

Should have been either beating Texas in the Rose Bowl in 2005 or beating OSU and going undefeated in the regular season in 2006.  Of course neither of those happened.  

It's really hard to pick, but I am going with Braylon Edwards against MSU in 2004.  That was so special that we ended up watching it all on TV as we were too dejected to stay at the game / wanted to indulge in some intoxicants.  

Honorable mentions - 2002 game winning FG against Washington, TOUCHDOWN MANNINGHAM, 2006 game against ND (they were ranked in the top 10 and we were unranked and just DESTROYED them in South Bend), Wisconsin 2008, and ND 2009.  

BiSB

August 26th, 2011 at 1:49 PM ^

Braylonfest is my #1... but I'd like to throw in a vote Washington 2002.  Phil Brabbs, FTW.

It wasn't just that he made a long field goal on the last snap; it was that the kicking had been SO horrible all game that there was absolutely no way he was going to make that kick. And he drilled that sumbitch.