Best Michigan Games of All Time

Submitted by M Gulo Gulo on

Hey MGoBlog,

I am putting together a list of the greatest Michigan Games of all time so that I can create a video libray of them so I can watch them and keep from going insane during the offseason. What are the greatest in the history of Michigan football and should be added to the list?

So far the list includes:

1969 vs osu (obviously)

1997 vs osu

2007 vs msu

1997 vs psu

1997 vs msu

2005 vs psu

2008 vs wisconsin

2008 vs florida

1950 vs osu (snow bowl)

2000 vs alabama (orange bowl)

2003 vs minnesota

1995 vs osu

1991 vs nd

2004 vs msu

2011 vs nd

2012 vs vt (sugar bowl)

MGoBoard

goblue12820

July 20th, 2015 at 11:15 AM ^

Some other games that come to mind are:

1988 OSU

1994 ND

1995 UVA

1995 OSU

2000 OSU

2001 Washington

2006 ND

And I'd take off that sugar bowl in 2012, that game was terrible minus us winning

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harmon40

July 20th, 2015 at 11:22 AM ^

The degree to which games are "great" increases with each of the following boxes they are able to check off:

Close, well-played rivalry game between two good teams, for significant stakes, featuring several big plays, decided heroically in the final moments after multiple lead changes, inflicts severe and long-lasting psychological stress on losing fanbase. 

1988 OSU:

* 1st half: UM 20, OSU 0

* 2nd half: OSU 31, UM 14

* 4 lead changes - all in 4th qtr

* OSU scores go-ahead TD, 2:02 remaining

* John Kolesar covers the length of the field in 2 plays - 59 yd KO return, 41 yd TD reception from Demetrius Brown

* OSU drives to UM 39, UM closes game with deciding INT

* IN THE HORSESHOE

Not all the boxes were checked (OSU had a losing record that year, UM had already clinched Rose Bowl berth)...but it checks off most of them in superlative fashion.

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Perkis-Size Me

July 20th, 2015 at 11:44 AM ^

95 OSU - Biakabatuka goes all world and single-handedly destroys OSU to the tune of 313 yards, ruining their perfect season.

97 OSU - because obviously

04 MSU - how soul crushing that game must've been for MSU fans is just unfathomable

08 Capital One Bowl - beating Tebow and shutting the arrogant "we walk on water" Gator Nation up. Michigan played that day like the national title contender it was supposed to be all year. And watching Tebow get slammed to the ground repeatedly and pick dirt and grass out of his helmet was great too.

2011 ND - we looked so crappy the entire first half, but Denard absolutely lit the place up after halftime and capped off one of the most unbelievable games I've personally witnessed.

I liked being in NOLA to see Michigan win the Sugar Bowl, but that was such a bad game. We played (at least on offense) like dogshit and still somehow managed to win that game. The only aspect of or game that night that played well was the red zone defense.



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funkywolve

July 20th, 2015 at 12:05 PM ^

but the 1991 ND game (Grbac to Howard).  I'd also throw in the 1978 OSU-UM in Columbus.  Tied 0-0 at halftime and then UM comes out and dominates the second half to win 22-0.  I'd also put the '84 Miami (FL) game on the list.  

Also, one of the most dominating performances I've seen between matchup of Top 5 teams - the 1997 PSU game.

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bjk

July 20th, 2015 at 7:52 PM ^

two games. You are talking about the 1976 OSU game in Columbus, Bo's first win over Woody after three losses and a tie to OSU going back to 1972, only Bo's third victory over Woody going back to 1969. M continued beating OSU in '77 (mentioned below) and '78 (14-3). Some worthwile OSU beatdowns with motivational backstories are still missing above and below, so, with some redundancies, let me point to: Post-1969: '76, '77, '78, '80. I'm not sure if they are both in this thread elsewhere, but Brady's two OSU victories in '99 and '00. Pre-1969: '64; (game-film only? WH?): '40, '47, '48, '50. Non-OSU games: OSU's streak '72-75 trashed several potential UM MNCs, but it is dwarfed by the wreckage inflicted on UM teams, several of them otherwise undefeated, in a winless streak from 1933-42 by Minnesota. Michigan finally turned the tide on the rivalry in 1943 before taking a year off in 1944. If film of the '43 Minnesota game exists, it should be exhumed and a voice-over added. Michigan dominated the series from thence forth. (Rose) Bowl wins pre-1970: 1948, '51, '65; if anything exists, 1902. The '02 and '48 scores are identical. Conference rivalries: YouTube has four minutes of film uploaded from the 1904 Chicago game. Beating the SEC in Bowl Games: 87/88 Alabama; 90/91 Mississippi; 98/99 Arkansas; 99/00 Alabama; 00/01 Auburn; 02/03 Florida; 07/08 Florida.

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beedub93

July 20th, 2015 at 12:18 PM ^

'05 MSU - they were ranked, Michigan wasn't. No Steve Breaston, Hart was playing on one good wheel. MSU beat ND the week before and planted the flag, Michigan gave away the game vs Wisconsin the week prior.

All signs pointed to a blowout. LC was at his best when backed into a corner. Rivas hits the game winner in OT. One of the most inspiring Michigan wins ever.

2010 ND - Beckmann's call on Denard's 87 yd TD run "shoelaces flopping in the wind!"br>
'88 Hall of Fame Bowl. Bo was recovering from a heart attack and subsequent surgery, Moeller took the reins, Jamie Morris had a huge game and Demetrius Brown hit John Kolesar on 4th and 3 for the game winning TD



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mfan_in_ohio

July 20th, 2015 at 11:43 PM ^

For all the games that year that the defense won, that was one where the offense came up huge in the second half, with three touchdowns. I remember that game as one that a lot of people were worried about because Iowa had great playmakers in Tavian Banks and Tim Dwight. Thankfully we didn't have to punt much in the second half.

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markusr2007

July 20th, 2015 at 1:04 PM ^

  • Michigan Stadium. 100K fans. Big Ten title and Rose Bowl -OR- Orange Bowl on the line
  • Ohio State 9-1 at Michigan 9-1
  • Rick Leach with TD that created an 8 point lead. Streaming toilet paper and marshmallws littering the north end zone.
  • Ohio QB Rod Gerald, FB Pete Johnson, TB Ron Springs shredding the Michigan defense most of the day.
  • John Anderson smothering Rod Gerald on 4th quarter option play causing fumble that to iced the game. Woody Hayes throws down his clipboard in disgust.
  • Woody Hayes punching a sideline cameraman on live ABC TV coverage
  • Keith Jackson or Bob Ufer doing the play-by-play.

Nice write up here from enemy territory:

http://www.cleveland.com/osu-michigan/2012/03/osu-michigan_1977_john_anderso.html

 

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ChalmersE

July 20th, 2015 at 2:06 PM ^

I recognize that most of us never saw a Michigan game before Bo's arrival, but so far the only game mentioned pre-Bo is the Snow Bowl game.  If I remember correctly, Michigan won a few National Championships before Bo; won some Rose Bowls along the way; had a Heisman Trophy winner named Harmon; and a quarterback named Friedman who would have won at least one Heisman if the award existed when he played.  I've gotta believe there were at least a couple of games that warrant inclusion -- recency bias be damned.

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Uper73

July 20th, 2015 at 3:28 PM ^

UVA 95 as mentioned, comeback against UCLA on the road in 91 or 92. Minnesota at the dome.

Many of the mid 80s Iowa games were classics. Miami early 90s.

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ploeg

July 20th, 2015 at 3:52 PM ^

In Columbus was great too. Bob Timberlake, Mel Anthony, Tom Mack... Michigan thumps the Bucks! Columbus was not the crazy town it is now.

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CLord

July 20th, 2015 at 5:45 PM ^

Lots of younger guys might not remember it but the best game in Michigan history was the '97 pasting of Penn State.  This is a no brainer in every way.

1. DOMINATION.  Close wins in key games are "great" ('69 OSU, Braylonfest, Minny comeback, '97 OSU, '98 Rosebowl) but they are not the best games to re-run as they are all littered with a great deal of pain when we were behind, the game was in doubt, we didn't look great, etc, and we squeaked  out the W.  The real best games are the ones were we completely dominated.

We absolutely dominated Penn State, even more spectacularly than the Jimmy Clausen and Brady Quinn laughers because Penn State as a more formidable opponent at the time.

2. UNDERDOG. PSU entered the game #2 and with the longest active win streak, and we were playing AWAY.  We were underdogs, on the road.

3. HUGE STAKES.  Lose this key game, and the NC was an afterthought.

4. GREATEST HIT OF ALL TIME.  Daydrion Taylor's destruction of enormous TE Bob Stephenson was the most violent football play I have ever seen, and I've been watching football since the 70's.  It ended the careers of both and set the tone for the a level of aggression Michigan's defense carried to the NC, and aspired to for a decade, culminating with the 2006 squad.

5. WHO WE BEAT.  We didn't just beat a rival, we crushed three men that day - a QB named Mike McQueary, a D Coordinator named Jerry Sandusky, and a coach named JoPa.  A pedophile and two pedophile enablers who did the very minimum required of them to stop him.  Nuff said.

Greatest win in Michigan history.

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rederik

July 20th, 2015 at 6:02 PM ^

Tough call for me between 2005 vs Penn State or UTL... Both top my list since I was at each in person, involve some of my favorite players of all time, and include last-second touchdowns. I'll have to youtube each again! 2011 Nebraska was also one of the best dominating Michigan performances I've seen, as well as 2007 ND. Lots of good games to choose from!

 

 

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jericho

July 20th, 2015 at 6:35 PM ^

Gotta add the 97 Colorado game.  I remember sitting in the stands and watching that defense just take apart a very good Colorado offense.  First game of the year and the defense was insanely aggressive.  By the second quarter I was thinking," Whoa, we got something special here...."

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Unicycle Firefly

July 20th, 2015 at 7:24 PM ^

I was only four months old when it happened, but I've watched the highlights for the '86 OSU game a million times. The off-field drama with Harbaugh guaranteeing a win, the tight game in the shoe, big crowd falling silent as OSU misses the game winning field goal with a minute left, Michigan clinching a trip to Pasadena...epic.

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