Saturday is indeed another glorious day in Michigan football history. As we set to face the Spartans, you should know it exactly 51 years ago that Ron Johnson put up one of the greatest performances in college pigskin history...
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Like Bump | This Week in Michigan Football History
For Saturday’s big game against Penn State we roll back to 1968, Bump Elliott’s final season in Ann Arbor. We take a quick run through Bump’s athletic career with stops at Purdue, Michigan, Oregon State, Iowa, back to Michigan and finally ending with a brilliant career as athletic director at Iowa. Go Blue!
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Captain Conley and the 1964 Wolverines | Starting From Nothing (Part I)
“You’ve got to remember, we were a bunch of losers.” That’s how 1964 Michigan team captain Jim Conley labeled his team before summer training camp. But somehow this group of losers, who won just 5 games in 1962 and 1963 combined, captured Michigan’s first Big Ten title since 1950 then pummeled Oregon State 34-7 in the Rose Bowl. Bump Elliott’s team transformed into a powerhouse that put away four top-10 squads, including powerful rivals Michigan State and Ohio State on the road. They crushed teams led by a returning Heisman-winning quarterback in Roger Staubach (Navy), and a squad (Illinois) that featured Dick Butkus, arguably the greatest linebacker in football history.
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A Banner Idea (1962) | This Week In Michigan Football History
This week we head back to this day in 1962, as head coach Bump Elliott and his struggling Wolverines were about to get an unexpected boost as they faced Illinois in Ann Arbor. The idea led to one of the great modern Michigan traditions: the M Club, GO BLUE banner
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Remembering 1964 | ‘Bump Elliott, the Michigan Wolverines and Their 1964 Championship Season’ – E. Bruce Geelhoed
Last Saturday WTKA played the Ufer broadcast of the 1964 Ohio State game (the 10-0 win that sent Bump Elliott’s crew to the Rose Bowl). Dang those broadcasts are gems and this was no exception (remind me to try to get a copy of Ufer’s halftime interview with Fritz Crisler and post it here). If you read this site you know how I feel about that squad and their legacy—they have to be one of the most underappreciated teams in U-M history. I think this year a few folks have done a lot to help right that wrong, leading with historian Bruce Geelhoed. For starters, Geelhoed has an outstanding story in the current edition of Michigan History magazine on the 1964 Ohio State game titled, ‘The Game that Turned Around the Michigan-Ohio State Rivalry’. You can pick it up at local Meijer and Barnes and Noble stores or online here. Captain Conley’s righteous pigskin – the Ohio State game ball But foremost — Geelhoed recently published this, a 248 page book on the 1964 season itself: If you are the type of fan who has books like John Kryk’s Natural Enemies and John Bacon’s Blue Ice on your shelf, this is no brainer— go out and get a copy. It includes an endorsement from yours truly on the back cover.…
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Jugs, Hounds and Champions | Minnesota Pregame Photos
A few from pregame out here on a perfect day inside the Big House: Jug safe keeping The Official Braylon back in the house Mad Magician and ‘64 Head Coach Bump Elliott and All-American QB Bob Timberlake Captain Jim Conley and Barry Dehlin Frank “The Fudgehammer” Nunley and Rick Volk. In ‘64 Volk pick off the Buckeyes twice in the 4th quarter to seal the game and a trip to the Rose Bowl. My favorite Michigan artists – Jil Gordon of TrueBlue365 and Scott Robbins of The Blockhams. Check out Scott’s latest with Ira and Sam on WTKA. Jon Falk preaching! (While Steve Clarke is tweeting)
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Bennie O. to Bump, and the Unforgettable 1964 | This Week in Michigan Football History
This week we start with 1958, Bennie Oosterbaan’s final season at the helm in Ann Arbor and roll up to the coach and the team being honored Saturday in Michigan Stadium: Bump Elliott and the 1964 Big Ten & Rose Bowl Champions: [display_podcast] You can catch all of the This Week in Michigan Football History clips here…And don’t forget to catch it live Saturday on the KeyBank Countdown to kick-off on WTKA 1050AM or inside the Bud Light Victors Lounge starting at 11:30am. Follow MVictors on Twitter Related: Captain Conley & the 1964 Wolverines | Starting From Nothing (Part I) Captain Conley & the 1964 Wolverines | The Season (Part II) Captain Conley & the 1964 Wolverines | Business Time (Part III) Bump Elliott Interview
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Captain Conley and the 1964 Wolverines | The Season (Part II)
Continuing the interview with 1964 Michigan football captain Jim Conley. Conley breaks down the season - the triumph (and personal tragedy) of the MSU game to the conference-clinching shutout of Woody Hayes in Columbus.
