Michigan Wolverines Football: Stunning Win Over Fighting Irish Begs for Respect

The Michigan Wolverines football program has a portfolio that any and every other college football program would die for.  They have the most wins of all time, the best winning percentage of all time, 11 National Championships, 42 Conference Championships and three Heisman Trophy winners. 

They also boast the biggest and baddest football stadium in the nation in the Big House which just, again, broke its own attendance record which now sits at 114,804.  Yet Michigan still finds itself searching for relevance in the public eye outside of its own fans.

The truth is the average fan doesn't care about history. This is a win now society during the "what have you done for me lately?" era of college and pro sports.  Most college programs go in and out of "relevancy" with every few seasons.  Most college programs outside of Happy Valley usher in a new coach every handful of seasons.

Michigan of late has been no different bringing in Brady Hoke as their second coach in four years after Lloyd Carr lead the team for the previous 13 seasons.  A couple poor seasons due to new schemes and the once might Michigan Wolverines have lost their luster and the respect of many.  Winning is at a premium more than ever, especially for argument's sake in the battle for respect around the country.

The Michigan Wolverines and Notre Dame Fighting Irish just battled to a shocking finish on a grand stage. The Big House flipped on the lights for its first night game in the storied programs 131 year existence. Adding to the drama, iconic Wolverine Desmond Howard was celebrated on the field before the game for his recent induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.

I happen to have recently returned from this emotionally exhausting Michigan-Notre Dame installment in which I drove 13 hours from Atlanta, Georgia to see.  It was a stunner to say the least.  Instant classic would probably suffice.  The last game I made such a trip to the Big House after moving south was the Ohio State-Michigan game in 2009.  Michigan lost 21-10 in a game where Tate Forcier threw four interceptions and the offense couldn't muster any type of success.  This game seemed well on its way to being another colossal disappointment and sheer waste of gas. 

Only it wasn't, Denard Robinson shook off his funk and delivered a heroic comeback on his way to 446 total yards and five total touchdowns.  To try to explain the enormous amount of determination and willpower Robinson displayed would be a tall order.  To explain the trust and courage Brady Hoke and offensive coordinator Al Borges showed by letting Robinson do it would be even more difficult. 

Denard Robinson had already thrown three interceptions.  The offense, which was the teams strong point last season under former coach Rich Rodriguez, was downright abysmal in the first half of play.  Still the Wolverines kept on trucking and eventually the Notre Dame defense looked helpless to stop college football's first 2,500 yard passer and 1,500 yard rusher. 

Even on broken plays where it seemed all was doomed Denard Robinson was able to do his best Ben Roethlisberger impersonation and deliver the ball downfield after evading the pressure.  The biggest of which came with 23 seconds left when Robinson found Jeremy Gallon on a deep strike that went for 64 yards after the catch and run. 

Robinson's biggest throw of the night came nest with eight seconds left when he hit Roy Roundtree for the final go-ahead score on a fade to the right corner of the end-zone.  When the ball went in the air the majority of the record crowd held its collective breath.  Two of Robinson's three interceptions had come on similar throws.

This time, the ball would end up in a Wolverine's hands for a true bring-the-house-down moment in the Big House.  After being down 24-7 in the third quarter no Michigan fan left the building.  Things looked as dire as they possibly could with no offensive output and Notre Dame running back Cierre Wood gashing the defense for double digit chunks of yardage at a time.  

All seemed for naught, but there is something worth waiting around for when you know you have a special talent like Denard Robinson touching the ball on each down.  Robinson came through and was able to make numerous big plays including huge passes to Junior Hemingway and Roy Roundtree who had let him down earlier in the game by dropping some pretty routine balls.  The team stuck together as a whole, and Robinson trusted two of his favorite targets down the stretch and they came through.

What was even more impressive, and could have never happened last season, was the defenses ability to repeatedly make big stops on third and short when it counted.  The defense gave up more than their fair share of big runs to Wood and looked even less capable of stopping Notre Dame's all-time leader in receiving yards, Michael Floyd. 

They looked more of the same from last year as a whole if you just look at the stats.  If you saw the game they were able to make clutch stops and force timely turnovers, five to be exact, although one of which was on the last Irish kick return as time expired anyways.  This was a giant step in the right direction for Michigan's much maligned defense. Denard stole the show in the fourth quarter, but it was the defenses ability to make the big play that catapulted Michigan to their eventual comeback victory.

This win does not by any means put Michigan on the radar for BCS attention right now or even this season.  It does, however, force the media and country to realize Michigan is on their way to fielding a similar product to that which has yielded so much success in the past.  Its been since 2007 when Michigan lost its third Rose Bowl contest in four years, but with the exhibit they put on in the fourth quarter Saturday night it may not be long until they're in Pasadena again. 

Michigan has a truly special talent in Denard Robinson who is sure to be back for another season next year and a defense that may not have shown any real improvement yet, but surely revealed their intestinal fortitude on national television. 

With Michigan fans and former players alike finally appeased with their "Michigan Man" roaming the sidelines and a couple promising recruiting classes it may not be long until the Michigan of old returns.  When it does, Michigan fan or not, you better be ready to give them your attention because they will be a force not only in the Big Ten (or B1G, whichever you prefer), but the national landscape of college football. 

This football program is begging for you to notice the strides their making to regain their "relevance."  While you're skeptically waiting, just expect to hear a lot more "Hail to the Victors."