Tim and Susie went with us - it was a beautiful day for a football game. It was Maize Out day, and the whole stadium area was awash in bright yellow. We even got free shirts at our gate - a nice souvenir of a memorable day.
We sat through the worst half of Michigan football at Michigan Stadium in decades. These are Michigan's miserable first half statistics: Wisconsin leading 19-0, 21 yards total offense, three fumbles, two interceptions, one first down at halftime. It was totally dejecting. We were so upset and frustrated that we got a little punchy and we were trying to turn the whole thing into a joke - because the team actually looked like a joke there for a while. When they left the field the stadium resounded with boos - I haven't ever heard such booing of an M team. I've been going to U of M games since I was 12 years old and booing the team has just never been the Michigan way. Today it sounded like the entire world was booing - I was stunned.
I have to say that Tim and Susie were a bit more optimistic than we were at that point. I think they were trying to shore us up a little bit - great seatmates to have on a day like this one was!
The Michigan Band did a splendid halftime show - it was based on Ferris Bueller's Day Off. It was fun and imaginative, and multi-media. They used the big screens on the scoreboards to help tell the story. I thought it was very enjoyable, but a lot of fans were too busy grumbling to really take it all in.
The team did come out for the second half despite some predictions from fans around us. The team was greeted with the usual cheers that they hear whenever they take the field - it was as though the fans were saying, "OK now let's try this again."
Can't explain what happened in the second half. The team came to life and actually showed some offense. When they finally scored a touchdown, everybody was ecstatic even though the score was still 19-7. It was like the Wolverines proved they were capable of at least scoring somehow. We were proud and amazed that they showed a little spark for a change.
Then things began to change rapidly. The fourth quarter was a dream come true. Three more touchdowns! What a turn-around - a complete 180. Wisconsin made a great effort to come back, and they threatened to win right up to the last minute. It was a tough way for Wisconsin to lose the game, especially since they were so highly ranked (9th), but it was wonderful from our side!
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Michigan Stadium)Even more amazing when you learn that Thompson had stitches in his chin from a first half injury!
Score: Michigan 27, #9 Wisconsin 25
Records: U-M (2-2, 1-0 Big Ten), Wisconsin (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten)
Attendance: 109,833
Next U-M Game: Saturday, Oct. 4 -- vs. Illinois (Michigan Stadium), 3:30 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan football team rallied from a 19-point third-quarter deficit with 27 straight points, including 20 in the fourth quarter aided by a 25-yard interception return for a touchdown by fifth-year senior linebacker John Thompson (Detroit, Mich./Crockett Technical) to complete a thrilling 27-25 comeback win over Wisconsin (No. 9 AP, No. 8 USA Today) on Saturday (Sept. 27) in the Wolverines' 500th game at Michigan Stadium
We all had an afterglow back at the Ranch, and then Tim treated us to dinner at Joe's Crab House - and it was the perfect end to a perfect day.
