• Tar Heel Heat (1965), Hello Mike Hart (2004) | This Week in Michigan Football History

    For this week's episode, a quick look at a weird 1960s season opener in Chapel Hill, North Carolina where Bump Elliott's crew faced the Tar Heels. Guess what? Two things were super hot that day: Michigan's start to the game, and the weather! We conclude with a short trip back to 2004 when Lloyd Carr's team looked to bounce back from a setback in South Bend. San Diego State's DARK SIDE DEFENSE was the problem. The solution? A dose of Henne-to-Braylon, and a dash of freshman Mike Hart.

  • Big Ed Muransky: What Has Changed, What Has Not

    "Big Ed" Muransky talks about the changes in football from the early 1980s to today, including the common use of "negative reinforcement" in the Bo/Woody era. Big Ed, an All-American mind you, admits that he actually feared losing his job each week. And of course Muransky discusses something that hasn't changed - his Lawry's Beef Bowl prime rib eating triumph. As a freshman out of immediate sight from Bo, he downed 8 (eight!) 2-lb prime rib meals prior to the 1979 Rose Bowl. And washed those down with a pizza later that night.

  • Inside the Snow Bowl (1950) | MVictors History Show

    Two days before the November 25, 1950 game in Columbus a brutal snowstorm buried the midwest, shutting down much of this part of the country. Despite this U-M and OSU decided to play this game - basically a chess match of short plays followed by risky punts. A punt block late in the 2nd quarter was the difference in the 9-3 Wolverine victory over the Buckeyes. Here's more about the game including the major fallout in Columbus & how it changed this rivarly forever.

  • Stanford 1973 and The Vote | This Week in Michigan Football History

    This week we get into our history playing Stanford – the first Rose Bowl, 1947 and finally 1973 as Bo’s #5 Wolverines faced the Cardinal on this Saturday back 45 years ago.   Of course we can’t leave 1973 without mentioning the infamous postseason vote and I’m not naming names (yes I am) but your beloved Meechigan got screwed!  Audio:Listen to it “live” tomorrow afternoon on the KeyBank Countdown to kick-off on WTKA 1050AM….or inside the Go Labatt Blue Victors Lounge!script after the jump: Today we look back to September 22, 1973, as General Bo George Patton Schembechler’s 5th ranked Wolverines were set to take on the Stanford Cardinal. Stanford holds a special place in Wolverine football lore.  Not only is it where Jim Harbaugh established himself as an elite coach, historically speaking, they were Michigan’s opponent in the first Rose Bowl.  Really it was the first bowl of any kind, played back in 1902 when they faced Fielding Yost’s undefeated, untied, unscored-upon squad in Pasadena.  The Indians as they were then known were pounded early and often by Yost’s point-a-minute wrecking crew.   With 8 minutes STILL left on the clock, Stanford tossed in the white towel and conceded the 49-0 defeat.Nearly half a century later these two teams met again on October 4, 1947 this time against Fritz Crisler’s Mad Magicians.  Stanford…

  • Big Ten Conference Divisional/Championship Tie-Breakers (2021)

    The Big Ten divisional tiebreakers rules in a nutshell: Via bigten.org The Big Ten football championship will be decided by a game played between the two division champions. A team or teams that are not eligible to participate in a postseason football bowl game as a result of NCAA and/or Big Ten sanctions shall not be eligible to participate in the Big Ten Football Championship Game. The winner of the Big Ten Football Championship Game will represent the conference in one of the bowls that comprise the College Football Playoff – the Cotton, Fiesta, Orange, Peach, Rose, or Sugar Bowl. If the Big Ten Champion is ranked No. 1, 2, 3, or 4 in the final College Football Playoff poll, the team will play in a semifinal game. Otherwise, the Big Ten Champion will play in the Rose Bowl Game (when not hosting a semifinal) or the Cotton, Fiesta, or Peach Bowl. The following procedure will determine the representative from each division in the event of a tie: If two teams are tied, the winner of the game between the two tied teams shall be the representative.If three or more teams are tied, steps 1 through 8 will be followed until a determination is made. If only two teams remain tied after any step (or sub-step), the winner of the…

  • 1997 Michigan Championship Ring for Sale!

    The seller claims the band belonged to a “well-known player” and is asking $5,999.99: It’s certainly not the first Michigan football ring to be offered up on eBay and heck, it’s not even the first time someone’s sold a ‘97 championship ring.  Maybe this is the same one just placed back on the block. Other rings that have been up on eBay over the past couple years: 1986 Rose Bowl Ring: This prompted a few follow-up posts, the first speculating on the original owner and then another, after a teammate confirmed my sleuthing. 1977 Championship Ring: Not as pretty as the others, but painful to see. 1980 Rose Bowl ring: Probably the wildest story, a ring alleged to a salesman sample bearing the name ‘McCartney’ on the side prompts a note from former Michigan and Colorado coach Bill McCartney’s wife Lyndi, asking that the ring be returned to her husband. I think the seller is reaching the $6K figure.  I’m guessing this would be closer to $2K-$3K item but you never know if a big shot will swoop in to grab it.