Who is your favorite former opponent of Michigan?
Not all kids who go to other schools are evil...only some. There are some former players though that I do like and support on the professional level that probably caused me grief during their college years.
B1G has been killing it with running backs..Montee Ball, J Taylor, Zeke Elliott, Saquon, Leveon Bell, Miles Sanders, Melvin Gordon...Saquon is probably my favorite. I enjoy watching him absolutely terrify defenses.
My other is probably Victor Oladipo. Watching him dunk, with the power and bunnies he had was so entertaining.
John Cooper
Cooooop!
Kirk Herbstreit 0-3-1
?Those were the dayyyyyyyssss!?
I miss John Cooper...
Edit:Beaten to the punch.
No, I miss John Cooper
No, "I I miss John Cooper"
Kind of a psychological paradox to have a favorite opponent. But, since his head will have exploded by the next time we play them, I'd say, hands down, Brian Kelly. Sure, he's beaten us a couple times, but except that blowout on that awful Hoke season, we've been in the games with inferior teams. We've also given him some absolutely wart-ugly moments and beaten him several times we probably shouldn't have. Nothing better than 2012, but watching him so helpless and pathetic in the rain last year was amazing. Dude gave up on the game by the third quarter. I don't think I've ever seen such a sad sack.
I'm sure you're referring to UTL, but we didn't beat them in 2012. I want to say the 2012 game ended with a score like 13-6 or 13-7. That was a downright awful game where Denard had I think 4+ interceptions and at least one fumble.
That one was agonizing to watch because it was so winnable.
My favorite I don't know. Armanti Edwards is NOT among them I can tell you that much.
I have no recollection of seeing him play against UM.
Comeon… that was horrible for us but FCS coming in and beating highly ranked Michigan at home was awesome for him; guy is a hero for life in his parts.
Plus that was the beginning of people finally starting see the flaws/cracks with the program -- that Michigan cannot get by on name cachet alone. Which should be a good thing if this program has lofty goals.
Aaron Craft is the perfect OSU villain. Mainly because his team’s were tough but beatable.
It felt like he played for ten years.
Football wise....Barkley and Zeke. Hoops...Gary Harris, Oladipo and I was ok the Draymond.
Troy Smith. Absolutely hated him at the time, but I can respect how good he really was now. He just absolutely gutted us in the late Lloyd years. You can probably throw Ted Ginn Jr in there too.
Saquon Barkley, James Taylor, and Rondale Moore are the most recent examples for me.
Some older names would include Bob Sanders (Iowa) and Juice Williams (Illinois).
John O'Neil has been a formidable opponent
The question was for "favorite" and "former." O'Neil is neither.
Also not exactly an opponent, but congrats--you really showed me!
Obligatory Fuck John O'Neil!!!!???
I'll go way back to my undergrad days in late 80's to early 90's where I watched a ton of great opposing players in Crisler. I really admired Calbert Cheaney's game as a versatile wing with a silky smooth lefty shot. Also Steve Smith and Jimmy Jackson - both big, skilled guards. Hated their teams and wanted UM to beat the snot out of them, but had a minor soft spot for watching them play.
Came here to nominate Cal. Good to see someone else already has.
I second Steve Smith and Oladipo
Steve Sith, seconded. Really liked his game and he was a decent guy too
Kordell
Antoine Winfield. Dude was tough as hell.
Bobby Hurley, Rocket Ismael, Christian Laetner, Kumar Rocker.
The Rocket beat us twice. His two kick returns for TDs in 1989 for a home loss to ND, then his WR play in 1990 lead to a come from behind win for ND in South Bend in 1990.
Bo was so stubborn to kick to him twice.
Sefo Liufau--Colorado QB 2016
Only played him once but he had a great game against us until he got injured--even threw a bomb TD on that very play. I enjoyed following that team for the rest of the way as they made it to their first winning season since 2005. Great college player and a clear leader.
WD Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6bywJfMZao
That's an easy one.. Chris Spielman!!
The one and only name that popped into my head - Chris Spielman!!!
Spielman was my serious vote.
Charlie Weiss was my silly vote.
Barry Alvarez - always seemed classy
Keith Byars-all the tools. Unheralded, despite his talents.
John L slapping his own face. No brainer.
None.
As a coach it was Frye. Painting our visiting locker room pink. I think he got to Bo and that '85 game we should have won.
Group awards here ...
Basketball: I enjoyed the somewhat positionless "Flyin' Illini" basketball teams of the late '80s.
Football: I respect the "coaching up" and player development that Iowa and Wisconsin do with their middle-tier recruiting classes.
Antwaan Randle El was fun in college and pretty good for the Steelers. My first UM game was against Indiana in 1998. Tom Brady vs Randle El.
Here's highlights from WH on one of the Lloydiest victories of all time.
That was my vote ...
At least they won. I was at the 1986 Michigan vs Minnesota game. Michigan was flat the entire game but still had a chance to at least tie but Foggie ran the ball for 35 yards on 3rd and 5 with a few seconds left and they kicked a FG to win. I was all excited about the season since we were undefeated and ranked number 2 in the country, Harbaugh was playing well before this game and I thought we would win by 2 to 3 TDs.
Watching Blake Griffin eat Zack Novak was devastating but also a comic relief on how far Michigan had come but still had to go as a program.
to hell with blake griffin and his ass kissing refs that game. and showing his parents every 30 seconds on tv. UM should have won that game. the kicker was when manny harris fouled out and was called for a foul against griffin when he did a great job of just boxing him out for a rebound.
Easy for me... 2005 Illinois basketball. Loved watching the three headed guard monster (Luther Head, Dee Brown, Deron Williams).
For basketball, this is my answer as well. I was torn watching them play Arizona in the tournament that year. That game was an all-timer. After UM, Arizona was the team I rooted for but the Illinois team was so fun to watch back then.
Ryan Shazier (sigh), Stephon Tuitt, Cam Heyward, TJ Watt.
Here we go, Steelers, here we go :)
I always found myself rooting for the Purdue teams with Robbie Hummel, JuJuan Johnson and Etwuan Moore. I remember those guys came in as freshman and were really good from the start. One of the only non-Michigan teams I really felt for because Robbie Hummel got injured two years in a row and that recruiting class was never really able to play together as upperclassmen. I think he came back later in the year one of those years, but wasn't the same player.
I also felt bad for the Purdue team a couple years ago that lost Isaac Haas to injury in the tournament, but that went away when word got out he was giving girls herpes all over campus.