(Listen to the audio version, just by clicking! Sugar Bowl 2012)
The Big Ten is still considered one of the nation’s top leagues, despite its frequent belly flops in bowl games. This year, the Big Ten placed a record ten teams in bowl games – then watched them drop, one by one. And not just in the storied Rose Bowl, but in games like the Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl, the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas, and the Insight Bowl. When Iowa got whipped 31-14, I wonder just how much insight they had gained.
Until Monday, Big Ten teams had managed to win only two games: the Little Caesar’s Bowl in Detroit, over Western Michigan, and the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, over a team that had a losing record and no coach. In non-food based bowls, the Big Ten had no luck at all.
Then, Michigan State came to the rescue. The Spartans beat Michigan during the regular season, they won their division, and they seemed poised to win the Big Ten’s first conference championship game until one of their players was called for “roughing the punter.” This is on a par with giving the class nerd noogies– and about as serious. But it cost them the game.
Their reward for all this? An invitation to a less prestigious bowl game than Michigan received. The Spartans were ticked off – and rightly so.
After Georgia jumped out to a 16-0 lead at the half, the Spartans came back to tie the game in the final seconds. And that’s when things got really nutty. In the first overtime, the Georgia kicker missed a chance at a game-winning field goal. Then, in the third overtime, the Spartans blocked his kick to win. Small wonder college coaches knock back Rolaids like Chiclets.
Michigan’s road to redemption was even crazier – and far longer. When Bo Schembechler famously told his first team that “Those who stay will be champions,” they had to put up with him and his crazy methods for just a few months before being rewarded with a historic upset over Ohio State.
Michigan’s current senior class, however, had to put up with much more – including detractors outside and inside the program – for three years.
At the team banquet a year ago, Zac Ciullo took the podium to defend his teammates. “We received the harshest criticism of any Michigan team. [But] all the fire and turmoil has only made us stronger.”
Ciullo’s teammates proved him right after Michigan fired Rich Rodriguez. That same day, David Molk addressed his teammates. “If we don’t stay together, we’ll never make it. I don’t want to see anyone leaving.”
They did not leave. They stuck together – every game. They won all but two of them, earning a bid to the Sugar Bowl against Virginia Tech.
A few hours before the game, Ryan Van Bergen told his Facebook friends that he and his teammates had been called “losers, disappointments, embarrassments. Tonight that changes.”
The Wolverines had plenty of problems in that game, but a lack of passion was not among them. They played their best when it mattered the most — and in overtime, thanks to another missed kick, they pulled the victory.
Did they deserve to win? That’s being debated right now.
But for anybody who was in that meeting room, when these seniors started leading their team before they even had a coach, there can be no debate this class deserved to go out champions.
After all, they stayed.
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“Three and Out: Rich Rodriguez and the Michigan Wolverines in the Crucible of College Football” can be ordered now.
Mr. Bacon, I love your writings and when you are on BTN shows. You know so much about Michigan, it’s unreal. I’d love to meet you some day and chat about Michigan athletics. Keep up the outstanding work. Thank you for your time.
Well said. A deserving group of young men. Proud to have them as part of the football alumni family!
I have followed this team…from back in the Rich-Rod days…These seniors…are to be commended….They stuck together…even through the coaching changes….They stayed…to BE CHAMPIONS!!…The Sugar Bowl victory wasnt pretty…BUT THEY PLAYED DEFENSE….and did what it took…to WIN THE GAME!!…I salute Team 132…You are well-deserving CHAMPIONS!!….They have laid the foundation…for future Michigan MEN…Thank you Team 132…for having…one HELL of a season…and restoring Michigan football…to the glory…and the TRADITION…that we have so craved for years!!…GO BLUE!!
The ’08 recruits took it home -now they are MI MEN!!!!
VanBergen & Martin were not to be denied in this game.
They were a “stone wall” on the defensive line, play after play; and the defense was on the field the whole game!
Those 2 guys are champions, in every way!
Thank you John U. Bacon for adding so much to this season with your “Three and Out” book! I’ve been following Michigan religiously since I was about 5 years old and old enough to prop my radio in our front window and play along to Bob Ufer’s voice. My 6 month old’s name is Bo, yes spelled B O, which needs to be explain here in Austin. The last three years broke my heart. I read your book in seven days… There is only one word that can describe this year – unbelievable, okay a word and a prefix. The ND game UNBELIEVABLE. The feeling of finally, finally beating Ohio UNBELIEVABLE. The Sugar Bowl UNBELIEVABLE. 11 wins UNBELIEVABLE. The seniors deserve all the credit and that brings up the best thing about Brady Hoke. To me he represents the fan completely for Michigan Football. You know why? He is a fan. Just like Bo, he believed in the greatness of Michigan when everyone who wasn’t a fan said, “Yeah it’s Michigan, but…” Hoke wanted this job more than anyone, he loves it, he says the right things, and he put it all on the seniors. If Hoke wasn’t hired we wouldn’t be talking about the seniors right now. Hoke is not the biggest story right now and that why he is the reason for Michigan’s resurgence. Michigan is back, and I don’t mean we’re back as in a “national contender”, but Michigan is back where it counts; we are proud (some can call that ‘arrogant’), we are about character, we are about putting the seniors first, we are the antithesis of that ‘Ohio’ team, we are about making Michigan Men (men who are expected to be upstanding husbands, fathers and men of their community). Hoke is great because Michigan is once again headed by a man who is Michigan’s biggest fan, Michigan’s biggest promoter, and after 3 years of confusion, Hoke will give you the definition of a Michigan Man over and over again. Thank you seniors – for your legacy! Go Blue!
Thank you Mr. Bacon for your book this year, it allowed some closure in our house. I agree with you on the importance of these seniors. They did it; one amazing and unexpected season! It is so nice to have the seniors be the main topic after a season like that. I think this is all possible because of Coach Hoke. Hoke has sure said the right things, won a lot of games, and has this team where the fans want them to be. And that includes keeping the focus on the players and especially the seniors. Go Blue from Austin.