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 wasn’t given the option to quit early this time, and Wolverines hung another 49 points, to Stanford’s 13 – in the 2nd game that year. The ’47 season concluded with dominant victory over USC in the Rose Bowl that year prompted an unprecedented postseason AP vote, where Michigan was named national champion over <ahem> Notre Dame. Fast forward to this day 45 years ago as Stanford visited Ann Arbor to face team 94. Bo’s men kept with tradition and unleashed another beating on Stanford, this time 47-10 in the 1973 home opener. Schembechler gave the ball to 5 different backs who pounded away nearly 250 yards on the ground. Quarterback Dennis Franklin needed to put the ball in the air a mere 8 times as Michigan crushed the Cardinal.
1973 featured one of Bo’s finest teams and the year holds a special place in Wolverine Lore. Franklin and crew finished the season undefeated with one tie – the epic 10-10 deadlock with #1 and undefeated Ohio State in The Game. In one of the most controversial moments in college football history, the tie prompted a vote of by the Big Ten athletic director to determine who should go to Pasadena. Clearly influenced an injury to Dennis Franklin’s in the finale, along with an alleged nudge from conference commissioner Wayne Duke, the ADs voted to send Dr. Strangehayes and the Buckeyes to the Rose Bowl. Are you kidding me???
So which specific schools screwed over, I mean, voted against Michigan?? I wouldn’t be one to name names ( ahem – Illinois, Ohio State, Purdue, Northwestern, and yes, Wisconsin (thanks former Michigan player Crazy Legs Hirsch) and Michigan State (thanks alot, Michigan grad Bert Smith)..
Elephants, Ufer, Dooley and the Meechigan faithful will NEVER FORGET.
Go Blue!! Beat the Huskers and for more check out MVictors.com and WTKA.com. For the Key Bank Countdown to Kick-off, this is Greg Dooley.
