December 29th, 2018 at 4:58 PM ^
We were in section 308. There were a mix of Michigan and Florida fans around us. Florida fans weren't particularly great but they weren't obnoxious - each team's fans cheered for their own team. Would watch with them again. Mercedes-Benz is an excellent place to watch a football game.
December 29th, 2018 at 5:06 PM ^
I observed that scoring 15 points should be enough to beat the other team if you can hold them to 2 touchdowns + 2 extra points
or 4 field goals
or 4 field goals + 1 safety
or 1 touchdown + 2 point conversion + field goal
or 3 field goals + 2 safeties
or 7 safeties
or 1 touchdown + extra point + field goal
or 2 touchdown + no extra points or conversions + 1 safety
December 29th, 2018 at 5:10 PM ^
I sat in section 101. I noticed a couple things early. The stadium was about 80% full with 2/3 being Florida fans. I noticed immediately that the Florida sideline was excited. The players were engaged, bouncing around, cheering their teammates on etc... the Michigan sideline was the exact opposite. No emotion or engagement. Even changing of players on the field felt off. Florida was quick and engaging. Michigan was watching a team check the box of doing what they were told to do.
December 29th, 2018 at 5:11 PM ^
I guess you didn’t see Hudson. On tv they showed him showing ALOT of emotion.
December 29th, 2018 at 5:13 PM ^
The only one. I hoped to see the future and pray this isn’t it.
December 29th, 2018 at 5:13 PM ^
I did. Him and winnovich were the only ones with any sense of urgency. The rest of the team were just going through the motions.
December 29th, 2018 at 5:38 PM ^
Only after the defense completely embarrassed itself. I’m glad to see the passion, but where was that all game?
December 29th, 2018 at 7:23 PM ^
Harbaugh has lost this team. Anyone that doesn't see it is blind.
Look at all the players sitting out. All the transfers. The way players ignore him.
He's worn out his welcome...like he did at every other previous job.
December 29th, 2018 at 8:30 PM ^
100% agree. I have felt this since the Rutgers game. The kids don’t want to play for him anymore. A blind man can see it.
It will be best for Harbaugh to take the best NFL job he can get because it is downhill from here for him at UM.
Today was the beginning of the end for him here.
December 29th, 2018 at 9:03 PM ^
Troll.
December 29th, 2018 at 9:06 PM ^
Did you already forget the locker room footage after the MSU game? It didn't seem at all like he was disconnected from the team.
Watching some of his pre-game speeches, the ones Bo could nail and get the team fired up, Harbaugh is pretty lackluster in that area. He isn't inspirational, he doesn't get his players fired up and ready to play.
December 30th, 2018 at 1:28 AM ^
Hes an f-ing weirdo. Always has been. Lived in south quad at the same time as him
December 29th, 2018 at 8:12 PM ^
Only after we were getting crushed
December 29th, 2018 at 5:15 PM ^
Why wouldn't this game mean more to them? They have a first year coach, just beat their rival, this game was a reward for them. We have a fourth year coach, thought we were going to play in the playoffs, and got blown out in our rivalry game. This game was a consolation prize and we treated it like such. It's the same reason we were pumped up for the Sugar Bowl while VA tech was lethargic, and the same reason we were pumped up for the Citrus bowl while Florida looked like they didn't want to be there
December 29th, 2018 at 5:24 PM ^
This game should have meant a lot to the team and the fact it didn’t look like it is on the coaches.
11-2 would have looked great and been huge for the program. A blowout loss is a big negative all off season.
If this game meant more to their players than ours that’s a big issue with our staff!!!
December 29th, 2018 at 6:17 PM ^
Needs more exclamation points to sound convincing
December 29th, 2018 at 7:10 PM ^
I never thought a Harbaugh coached team would ever look like they have the past 2 games. It’s frustrating and depressing. If the team played hard, executed a game plan and lost I could support that, but the team and coaches just look lost. It’s like the Hoke days all over again.
December 29th, 2018 at 5:18 PM ^
After the touchdown pass to Tarik Black was overturned, he was on the sideline looking like his whole world had just ended. I can understand being upset with missing an opportunity to make a play, but he really looked awful. I really hope he is okay and there is not anything more going on there.
December 29th, 2018 at 5:33 PM ^
He looked despondent even before it was overturned. Everyone was congratulating him and patting him on the back. I'm pretty sure he knew it was going to be overturned.
December 29th, 2018 at 5:16 PM ^
I was in 207. Great venue, awesome stadium. Couldn’t hear our band much because they were on the same side but below us and opposite corner.
The team didn’t look excited or pumped up much at all on the sideline. On a negative play, Chase did a mock gator chomp that got people going, but that was really it. The Florida players just seemed to be more loose.
Fans were split maybe 60-40 Florida. Florida fans were cool. Souvenir shops limited as usual, and despite it being the Chic-Fil-A sponsored bowl you could only find it here and there before the game.
Something was also amiss with way the teams came out to start the game. I don’t remember Michigan being announced and then Florida had to be announced twice before they finally came out of the tunnel. Just odd.
The first play where Shea kept it was amazing - just about everyone quit on the play, but I could see the football in his hands. I was really hopeful that was foreshadowing what was to come. But we didn’t see much of that the rest of the game, and that stop on 4th and 1 really seemed to take something out of M early (especially since they thought they had 7).
December 29th, 2018 at 5:22 PM ^
I sat in 118 by the band, nice stadium, from the game and my hotel I would say it swung more Florida apparel I agree with maybe a 60/40. I live in Alabama so I have been raising my kids to chant Go Blue and do a thumbs down to the to A schools, so this was their first game to see Michigan live. They enjoyed it but I wish we could have got that win or it didn't swing that bad in the second half. Go Blue!!!
December 29th, 2018 at 5:32 PM ^
I’ve been to about 12 Michigan games. I’m 30. My step dad got suite tickets. Never been in a suite before for anything. It’s open bar. Buffet style. I was hammered 30 minutes to pregame. I had a great time!!! Did Michigan win?
December 29th, 2018 at 5:38 PM ^
You won
December 29th, 2018 at 7:29 PM ^
Hope for your sake you don’t remember the actual game.
December 29th, 2018 at 5:33 PM ^
The talk all around me was how JH can't win the big game and how the players who sat out let the team and fans down..Down 17 and ran the ball up the middle for 2 yds had many livid.It felt like many had jumped off the Harbaugh bandwagon...I commend the M fans though who showed up in huge numbers..they deserve Better!
December 29th, 2018 at 5:45 PM ^
Great stadium, very friendly staff all day and concessions priced very reasonably.
We were in section 106 18 rows up, our section was predominantly Michigan fans, maybe 20% gator fans and the rest were mostly Georgia Bulldog fans rooting more AGAINST their hated rival Florida than for us.
Other than the score and the fact we could barely hear the MMB, had a good time. Oh, and I wish the retractable roof had been open on a nice sunny day after all the rain and flooding down here .
December 29th, 2018 at 6:04 PM ^
I took a dump and when I looked down, it was a perfectly shaped Block M!
December 29th, 2018 at 7:33 PM ^
Lucky! I’ve been trying to push out a block M for years. Best I can do is C
December 29th, 2018 at 6:21 PM ^
Observations, players quit on the team, so the team quit, head coach either needs to evolve or go, DC's gimmick scheme needs to evolve or he needs to go.
December 29th, 2018 at 6:24 PM ^
Florida fans were louder. Florida players were having far more fun. They all acted like they wanted to be there. They all acted like this game meant something. Not that I blame them, considering how Michigan disemboweled them the last two times they played each other.
Michigan played like this game was a consolation prize. Like it didn’t matter. And they got rewarded for that mindset accordingly. They got their asses kicked, once again, on national television.
This game DID matter. Recruits were watching. I wonder how many of them crossed Michigan off of their list after today.
December 29th, 2018 at 10:08 PM ^
I wonder if the early signing period has diminished some of the importance of performing well in a bowl game. Michigan basically has their whole class already locked in with LOI’s. What happened today isn’t going to change the 2019 class one bit. Now 2020, welp...we will see. A good season will cure anything left over from today for the 2020 kids.
December 30th, 2018 at 8:25 AM ^
I expect to see a multitude of transfers coming UM's way in the near future. A big dropoff in recruiting next couple of years also.
December 29th, 2018 at 6:32 PM ^
Section 207. Venue very impressive. Florida fans were cool. From a game standpoint, I saw the same run ineffectively throw only in passing downs everyone else saw. I was stunned at how badly the defense played. I read a lot on this site how JH has to change the offense. Afraid Don has to adapt as well. His scheme is awesome to watch when we have superior athletes, but when there are good athletes on the other side, we get gashed. And Florida is not an elite offense. End rant.
December 29th, 2018 at 6:46 PM ^
This is far from the first time Michigan has come out flat and disinterested for a bowl game.
December 29th, 2018 at 7:11 PM ^
That is my second Bowl game (After last year) and that is the second time I felt that way.
However last year, no way I could have taken a snooze during the second part of the game since the field was drenched. Add a nice Pillow and that Benz Stadium would have been perfect for recovering from my jet lag.
Laisse moi snoozer snoozer dans l'benz benz benz...
December 29th, 2018 at 7:22 PM ^
Hate to pile on this mess of a day but I’ll share some thoughts. I’m a M alum but an Atlanta resident of 10 years now. We sat in section 108, 20yd line.
Florida was hyped during warmups. You could sense they wanted it more. Even my MGoWife made a comment Michigan looked flat.
Florida fans stood and cheered during every 3rd down like it meant something. Michigan fans were dead anytime Florida had a meaningful play. It wasn’t due to a fan split, it’s because SEC fans cheer their assess off. Michigan fans, sorry to say, don’t have the same mentality. Those of you who’ve been told “down in front” at the big house know what I mean.
The stadium, attendants, food, and volunteers were amazing as one would expect. I hope a better, more prepared team, gets to travel to ATL again one day.
December 29th, 2018 at 7:36 PM ^
So it’s obvious the sentiment is UM sucked, Florida fans were OK and the venue was good.
December 29th, 2018 at 8:40 PM ^
Pretty much.
December 29th, 2018 at 8:09 PM ^
My wife and I were in sec 116, 10 rows behind the band. Good seats. Good stadium. I had a Florida fan sitting next to me, he was a good guy, his wife was a Michigan fan, big Michigan section. Every Florida fan we talked to were cool. Michigan fans in our section were loud. But once it snowballed and the game got away. It was quiet. So bummed right now. I think the players played hard and cared. But it did seem flat, missed tackles, penalties. There is so much work to be done to get to the next level.
December 29th, 2018 at 10:26 PM ^
Glad I didn’t go. Only 3 hrs away I thought about it.
December 29th, 2018 at 11:05 PM ^
I was in the 211 club. Nice stadium, and agree with what others have said. I’ll reiterate though that not only did our team look flat, so did most of our fans. Embarrassing.
Also. Why did our band play toward the Florida fans and not the Michigan fans during the pregame? Weird.
December 29th, 2018 at 11:26 PM ^
We were in 217 first row - brought the whole family from Boston. Kids were so excited they could barely sleep. We got there about an hour early and got tons of swag. Florida fans were good people overall and a good bit younger than the average Michigan fan. My 9 yr old told me at warm ups Florida was going to win because it was obvious they wanted it more than we did. Honestly if it wasn’t for the talent difference we would have been blown out from the get go. On offense, the play design is creative but the play calling is just not leveraging the playmakers effectively. Florida DBs could not handle our big receivers so literally throwing fades to them was our best play which we rarely did. Throwing to our tight ends after WRs cleared coverage also worked really well - we did that rarely too. Game was legitimately close even as we were sleep walking into half. Then the interception on that first drive felt like the ball game. That being inspired by Shea wasn’t going to carry them. The defense was noticeably slower without Devin Bush and the interior line outside of Kemp was non existent. Once Florida got to the second level no one could make a tackle outside of Hudson and unless it was man to man go routes, the secondary seemed confused or lackadaisical. They weren’t getting into their assignments quickly and Florida was able to hit long passes where three Michigan defenders were there but they just wanted the ball more. And the third and 20 touchdown run was atrocious and inexcusable. My son, even when the game was for all intents was over, refused to leave because that’s not what “true fans” do. He stayed for the safety and the pick 6 but was insanely happy to just watch. He was joined by MANY of our fans who did and felt the same which I was proud of. It’s a great venue to watch a game, food and drink choices were awesome, and everyone was helpful.
In regards to the team, offensive line needs to get older and bigger. They aren’t good enough yet to do what Harbaugh wants to do - this isn’t a Stanford line yet. It will be soon enough in my mind. They missed JBB a LOT today. They had to shift help often to Steuber and they couldn’t leverage Onwenu plus JBB to move the interior. This plus other shortcomings of the OL limit the play calling fairly significantly. You can overcome that if you have a meaningful spread play book with a running QB plus some slot speed. That doesn’t exist here yet. I think the offense however will be fine and frankly I wish McCaffery were ready physically because I think he is the ideal player for this offense.
The defense is a bigger question. Man doesn’t work effectively without pressure especially four down lineman pressure with meaningful interior push. I have no idea how Don Brown is going to solve the problem but that is the problem. Either you learn zone or you are two deep with studs. Not sure there is a middle.
December 30th, 2018 at 12:19 AM ^
I was a little thrown back on how bad as a fan base we traveled. Florida definitely out did us as a crowd. There was a lot of times where Michigan players even tried to get the crowd going, and it was still not what I expect and know we can do as a fan base. It irritated me as a fan, that so many of us stuck our nose up at the four players that stayed out of the game, but downplayed this game and didn’t support the team like they deserved. I feel it is one in the same.
December 30th, 2018 at 9:11 AM ^
Ohio State fan here. I was at the game in Sec 317. I got free tickets from Vettix and had never been to a bowl game.
First half, the UM fans were loud and getting into the game.
The second half, started off well, but I think when that pick right near the goal line happened, it took the air out of them.
The UM/UF fan numnbers were really not lopsided in either direction and you could definitely hear a difference after that.
Nearly all the michigan fans near our seats left when that tipped ball was ran back for a score.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:17 AM ^
I did not attend, thankfully. I wasted three and a half hours watching on tv on a otherwise nice day in Traverse City. I fear for next year playing at Wisconsin, Penn State, and even Indiana. Home games against MSU, ND, and OSU and this Harbaugh led offense and the aging Don Brown defense will easily be a 3 plus loss season and another meaningless bowl game and loss to a faster team.
December 30th, 2018 at 12:05 PM ^
I was in section 308 and could not see how much the school assigned seating sections were filled up. Could not hear the band very well but could certainly hear the piped in stuff. Food prices were really reasonable, good place to take in a game. I don't know if they showed this on TV but Charles Woodson was there, inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. On the ride in on MARTA, heard Florida fans being all worried about this game. Also, could help but think of Brian’s comment on what all other band announcers sound like compared to Karl Grapentine when I heard Flirida’s Band announcer, although he was not that bad.
December 30th, 2018 at 2:29 PM ^
I was in section 111C. The club was amazing. From the private enterance, walking around the tunnel areas where the band and teams were, to the giant private area that opened onto the field. Being in the field with drink in hand during warmups was really fun, best way to tailgate. I sold two other club tickets to a father and son who messaged me from MGoBlog 2 days ago when I posted I had extras for sale, I am sure they were equally impressed.
The team was lackidazical. I noticed the enthusiasm of the FL players right away. Standing behind the players on the filed could have been a lot better had they appeared to care, but when we went down after the 3rd and 20 draw play for a TD, they hardly even cared that the game was blown.