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.
12 comments Last one added 8 months ago — Leave a Comment
Tony Bishop 8 months ago
Ironic considering the amount of championships he won (and no, Big 10 championships don't count)
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Jeremy Kreisberg 8 months ago
this article raises some interesting questions... was a transition away from bo-style football necessary at some point given the advent of the spread offense? was it inevitable? is rich rodriguez the right man to do it? should scott shafer be fired today, tomorrow, or the next day? i'm not so sure we can answer any of these questions yet, but it's something to think about....
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Lucky Riff 8 months ago
This was going to happen to Michigan someday. It is happening to Nebraska, Colorado and UCLA. It happened to Oklahoma, Alabama and USC. It will happen to Florida St., Penn St. and Va. Tech when their legendary coaches retire. You at least have a new identity to assume and a proven winner to lead you into the future. If he lands T. Pryor, your team is in the Top 25, look at OSU. I have no doubt all of the spoiled Michigan fans are feeling a little guilty about taking Lloyd Carr for granted. Funny that this 33 year winning season thing is such big headlines. For decades I have heard UofM fans say "as long as you beat OSU then it's a winning season."
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Keith Shelton 8 months ago
If Lloyd Carr stuck around this season, we still deal with the loss of Chad Henne, Jake Long, and Mike Hart. Maybe Arrington and Manningham would have stuck around for their senior years, but maybe not.
Carr would have probably still had Ryan Mallet which certainly would have given Michigan a better option at quarterback than Steven Threet, but there still would have been a learning curve at quarterback, O-line, and probably receiver too.
The Carr system would have still been in place however and it wouldn't be the square pegs trying to fit into round holes that we're seeing this year.
Michigan would definitely have made a bowl game, but I think they'd finish somewhere around 7-5.
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Jeff Contizano 8 months ago
Mallet was out regardless of Carr or Rodriguez. He hated Ann Arbor.
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Raj Kamruddin 8 months ago
I agree with your assesment about losing key playmakers. Just like ND a year earlier, its hard to overcome the loss of your offensive leaders and rely on underclassmen with little-no expierence. I think had Carr stayed, Michigan would have been a 6 win team and some bowl game would be in the picture.
But then.... Michigan fans would have burning effigies of Carr on campus and the process would have begun a year later. But then, maybe Fulmer would be driving up from Tennessee rather than Rodriguez.
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Steven Resnick 8 months ago
Yay!
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David Fenner 8 months ago
I love it!
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Greg Cooksey 8 months ago
Ah the pains of growing and rebuilding, hiring a new coach. Look the past 10 seasons with the exceptions of minor challenges teams who threaten to knock the door down but never do it such as Michigan State, Wisoncsin, and most recently Illionos the big power houses in the confrence have been Michigan, Ohio State, and on occasion Penn State. Going into this season it was easy to think that with a estabolished head coach who knew how to win would be able to back door thier way into a bowl game.
Then something happened. Teams like Northwestern, Minnisota, and even Indiana decided that they were tired of being the proverbiel red headed step child, and actually come to play and try to do something about that. All of a sudden those teams have gotten better, Now with what will be the changing of the guard of confrence champions in Penn State ( who barring a total collapse may just as well as won it) maybe it's time to start thinking the confrence is no longer the push over it once was.
Don't worry Michigan you WILL be back, and sometime soon it will be you and the Buckeyes for the big ten championship of that I am sure! By the wau there is still one more meaningful game left. See you on November 22 at the shoe!
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Clashmore Mike 8 months ago
Michigan is now also on track to had back the All-Time-Winningest- Record back to Notre Dame where it belongs.
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Corey McSweeney 8 months ago
Yeah, this a sad year, one I hope I can forget soon. Good article.
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Jeff Kneis 8 months ago
Great stuff. That was an amazing streak of winning seasons. I think next year should bring more success to the program.
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