This week step back to 1977 on this day 45 years ago, as Bo Schembechler’s third-ranked Wolverines were set for an epic clash in Ann Arbor against fifth-ranked Texas A&M. The battle of top 5 teams was supposed to be one of the most dramatic match-ups of the entire college football season but Michigan did NOT cooperate. U-M crushed the Aggies, but the story didn't end there. Four years later Bo received a Texas-sized offer to leave Ann Arbor. Here's how it played out:
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Until Another 100 Years of Michigan Football is Played | This Week in Michigan Football History
Nineteen seventy-nine was a special year in Michigan football history, as that season marked the 100th season that your beloved Wolverines played this great game. To do it up right, the athletic department (#1000SSS) enlisted Bo’s better half, Millie Schembechler, to collect artifacts from over the first century to display for fans at Crisler Arena during the season. The Homecoming game of 1979 added to the collection of great Meechigan artifacts – in the win column, in video, and thanks to the great Bob Ufer – forever in sound. Indiana coached Lee Corso, came to town and was on the brink of walking out of the Big House with a 21-21 tie – a huge result for the Hoosiers of course. Things looked grim but Johnny Wangler, Anthony Carter, and Bob Ufer wouldn’t have it. On the final play — oh, you know what happened — but we couldn’t help but to feature old ‘Ufe on this week’s edition of #TWIMFbH: Listen: Go Blue! Beat the Badgers. You can listen to this on-air as part of the WTKA 1050AM ‘Keybank Countdown To Kickoff’ aired live from the Go Labatt Blue Victors lounge at the corner of Stadium and Main Saturday starting at 3:30pm. Script: On this day in MEEECHIGAN football history in 1979 people were feeling nostalgic about Michigan football.…
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Passing the Broadcast Torch to Frankie
Ricky and Franky Saturday will be the home finale for many folks involved with Michigan football: the departing seniors of course, legendary equipment manager Jon Falk and longtime broadcaster Frank Beckmann (and yes, many longtime fans based on the recent tweets). Much has been said about about Falk but notsomuch about Frank. I think he’s done a great job broadcasting and he’s had some legendary calls. Following Bob Ufer behind the mic is beyond impossible and I tip my maize and blue fedora to Beckmann. So check this out. Thanks to the Art Vuolo and Dr. Sap archives here are a few clips from the radio broadcast of the 1981 Notre Dame game in Ann Arbor, Beckmann’s first season calling games. Ufer was ailing in ‘81 and Beckmann stepped in to call the opener against Wisconsin, a stunner where Bo’s #1-ranked crew fell to the Badgers. The Irish took over the top-ranking the following week and came to Ann Arbor to face the wounded blue. A few months back Sap told me that this game contained moments of Frank and Ufe on air together and I thought it’d be cool to share a few heading into the finale. Running down the clips: Clip #1. The transition from pregame to kickoff, as Ufer hands the broadcast over to “Frankie” Beckmann, but…
