Michigan Lost More Than a Game Saturday

33 years. 33 straight seasons the University of Michigan had celebrated the holiday season some place warm. Some place far away from the 20 degree days in Ann Arbor. Most years it was Pasadena, where it never rains on January 1st.Other years in was in Central Florida with sun and temperatures in the 70’s. Some years the team was down in Texas laughing it up on a ranch.

Not this year. For the first time since the Big Ten Conference got rid of its archaic rule in 1975, which only allowed for one Big Ten team to participate in bowls, the Wolverines will be sitting at home with the rest of us watching the bowl season.

Ironically enough it was a game that involved Michigan that made way for the rule change. It happened after Michigan was shut out of the Rose Bowl after a 10-10 tie with Ohio State where the Athletic Directors voted in favor of sending the Buckeyes instead of Michigan to Pasadena. Ever since then Michigan was a lock to go bowling; until 2008.

This was a streak I never thought I would see end. Not when there are about 90 different bowl games starting in early December and running through mid-January. Six wins are required to become bowl eligible, and playing in the Big Ten with teams like Northwestern, Indiana, Minnesota, and Purdue on the schedule six wins was always assured.

If, for some reason, Michigan stumbled in conference play it was OK because the Wolverines had the easy nonconference teams to play like Eastern Michigan, Toledo, or Rice. Not this year. Even if the schedule read "Miami, OH" 12 straight times I wonder if this team would have been able to get the required six wins.

Think 33 years is a long time? I have an even bigger number for you, 41. 41 straight seasons in Ann Arbor without a losing season; until now. Oh sure, there were times when the streak seemed to be in jeopardy. In 1984 when QB Jim Harbaugh suffered a season ending injury, but Bo guided that team to a 6-6 record and a trip to the Holiday Bowl.

In 2005 Michigan never seemed to find a rhythm but Lloyd Carr finished 7-5, with an upset of a then undefeated Penn State team, and ending up playing in the Alamo Bowl.

Last year, a season that had National Championship hopes, started off 0-2 with losses to Appalachian State and Oregon at Michigan Stadium. Starters Chad Henne and Mike Hart were both injured in those games and had to battle the injuries all season long. However, Carr rallied the team, rattled off seven straight wins and landed in the Capital One Bowl where Michigan defeated Florida.

There was adversity in those 33 years but Michigan always found a way, they always found a path to a .500 season and a bowl trip, but that ended Saturday in a small college town in Indiana.

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