One Frame At A Time: Game? What Game?
After securing my copy of the Akron game, which somehow didn't instantaneously melt my hard drive, I solicited GIF requests on Twitter. A sampling of your responses:
There were also requests for kittens, corgis, Henrik Zetterberg, and a Men In Black-style memory erase. This quickly devolved into people sending me GIFs of adorable animals. I may have requested this, too.
Worst win ever? Worst win ever.
[After THE JUMP: actual football GIFs. Well, for the most part.]
As always, click the stills/links to open each GIF in a lightbox. For non-Chrome users, you can stop the animation of GIFs I didn't lightbox by hitting the 'escape' key.
HONORABLE MENTION
LOL no.
10. This Game, Basically
I'd rank this higher if I didn't feel like a pretty terrible person just by posting it; however, it sums up the game too well. Raymon Taylor gets beat clean over the top, Akron's receiver hauls in a great throw, and it appears that the Zips score a touchdown while Taylor gets a face full of butt. Upon further review, the touchdown was overruled; Akron still had the ball mere feet from the end zone, and Taylor still got a face full of butt. If this had been the play to set up one of Akron's failed goal line opportunities—they actually scored after this one—then this would be #1 on account of being a perfect representation of this game for Michigan, Akron, and the fan experience.
9. With A Little Help From My Friends
Jehu Chesson's first career catch should've been a ~15-yard gain if not for the "tackling" "effort" by #91 on Akron, who's slightly hampered by a Chesson stiff-arm, still gets both hands on him, and... perfectly redirects Chesson towards the end zone without stopping any of his momentum. You can see him in the background gesticulating out of either utter frustration or confused triumph as Chesson bolts into the end zone. Zoomed-in view of the tackle attempt.
Michigan almost lost to this team. I don't even...
8. CORGIS ON A TREADMILL
[Insert joke about Michigan's rushing offense here.]
7. Hoke Of The Jungle
I suspect this will be posted more by trolling enemy bloggers than Michigan fans, but it was too good to pass up.
6. Gardner Glides, Glasgow Destroys
Michigan runs the inverted veer, Devin Gardner keeps, and as he does his World's Fastest Jogger thing he picks up key blocks from Graham Glasgow, Devin Funchess(!), and Jeremy Jackson en route to the end zone.
ENHANCE
This is a vicious and perfectly legal block from Graham Glasgow. NCAA rules forbid blocks in the back unless they happen in the "blocking zone", which is defined as the area within five yards laterally of each side of the center (the tackle box, essentially) and within three yards of the line of scrimmage. The helpful blue line is, in this case, quite helpful indeed. And no, I have no idea why Akron's linebacker thought he could make a play by running backwards towards Gardner—he looks like he's in rewind while the rest of the play is in fast-forward, and that's how you end up eating fieldturf for lunch.
5. EXCLUSIVE PRACTICE FOOTAGE FROM LAST WEEK
Well, this explains a lot. (via)
4. Devin Gardner Is Relatively Excited
As you can see, this tremendous celebration occurred after Michigan took a 7-0 lead, which explains why there was still this much joy in the universe.
3. Uh, We'd Rather Not Run That Play, Thanks
I'm really sorry for this. Blame my Twitter followers, who requested this more than any other GIF from the game, albeit for pretty understandable reasons.
2. THE FLYING ENNUI
Michigan's strong start to the second half briefly excited Henri; the ensuing events caused him to perform what's commonly known in the otter community as "The Flying Ennui" maneuver.
FRAMES OF THE GAME
The merciful finish.
Thank you, Greg Mattison; also Thomas Gordon, Terry Bowden—for calling a pitch on the previous play—and the official for his near-mocking incomplete signal right in front of the complaining Akron receiver.
VOTE
September 17th, 2013 at 2:40 PM ^
I should have made a request for the Jeremy Jackson triple-block on that Gardner run. It was reminiscent of Chesson's bowling-for-Domers GIFapalooza from last week . . . Can you get it from a different angle possibly??
September 17th, 2013 at 2:55 PM ^
Right-click and hit 'view image' if you want to see the full-size version.
September 17th, 2013 at 3:10 PM ^
You're the best, Ace. The best!
Ahhhh, the old near-whiff-triple-block. 60% of the time it works every time.
September 17th, 2013 at 2:41 PM ^
Can we get a gif of Jeremy Jackson pulling his best Chesson impression from the Gardner TD run? It looks he got a turkey!
September 17th, 2013 at 2:41 PM ^
PRACTICE VIDEOZ!
September 17th, 2013 at 2:50 PM ^
I really like Chesson as he crosses the endzone. He's all "about friggin time!"
September 18th, 2013 at 8:41 AM ^
If only he added in the high knees drill, that would have looked very reminicent of one, Anthony Carter.
September 17th, 2013 at 2:50 PM ^
September 17th, 2013 at 2:50 PM ^
The worst win ever, but it is so so sosososo much better than the 2nd worse loss ever.
September 17th, 2013 at 3:37 PM ^
Agreed, though had that pass been completed, this definitely would've been the worst loss ever, and it would not have even been close. Appalachian State was coming off back-to-back FCS national championships, and they won another national championship the year they beat us. Basically, they were the toughest FCS team (in years) that we could've played, and also they were probably better than/competitive with the bottom 1/3 of the FBS that year. Akron, on the other hand, has won 3 games in the last three seasons.
September 17th, 2013 at 2:57 PM ^
September 17th, 2013 at 3:00 PM ^
the pandas
September 17th, 2013 at 3:01 PM ^
Akron defenders giving a piggy back ride and making sure he isn't watching Devin run for a TD.
September 17th, 2013 at 3:28 PM ^
First is literally everyone calling it the "worst win ever". Because it was. Somehow I can't imagine any other fanbase besides ours collectively thinking that at the same time. Only the fans who have experienced Ball State, and Utah, and UMass, and Northwestern, and <game redacted> and Toledo can possibly think this exact same thought independently.
Second is how the panda gif is #1 right now in the poll. Because none of the actual gifs from the game can adequately explain...why. Just...why.
September 17th, 2013 at 4:26 PM ^
Not sure why we didn't run more of those veer plays. Seemed to confuse Akron every time.
September 17th, 2013 at 4:50 PM ^
guess what player is going to wipe out three defenders .. win awards
September 18th, 2013 at 1:07 AM ^
you had me laughing
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