Other than 97' your favorite UM Bowl Victory, most repugnant loss?
My favorite was the revenge Rose Bowl of 93, after UW embarrassed us the year before. That was a great UW team whom we left no doubt we were better than. And my god, Wheatley, 87 yards on the first play of the second half to completely send UW the message that they had no answer and better be prepared to shoot it out. Despite the 38-31 score, the defenses played well. These were just great offenses loaded with talent. My runner up would be another tight and unexpected offensive battle, and that being UM's only victory over Urban. We dominated that game against the serial infidel and golden boy and self-declared Virgin Tim Tebow, and it would have been a blowout had Mike Heart not inexplicably fumbled at two pivotal moments. Sent Lloyd out in style.
To me, the worst bowl loss was the 32-18 Rose Bowl loss to USC in 2007. They were a great USC team, a dynasty, and we'd just lost the game of the century by a targeting call (that was the correct call). It was 3-3 at halftime with the two great defenses dominating. Then USC came out with a totally different gameplan after the half and scored 29 in the second interval, including 16 in the 3rd, while we scored zero. By the time we finally adjusted it was too late. Lloyd was grossly outcoached. Runner up game would be the Rose Bowl loss to USC in Bo's last year. I was in HS, but remember it just looked like another Rose Bowl where we were picked apart late by a passing attack we didn't know how to deal with. I would say the Vince Young Rose Bowl, but, that was a tip-your-hat game to one of the greatest, and we hung in as equals with Henne as a true freshman.
December 29th, 2023 at 11:44 AM ^
My favorite bowl victory would be the 1981 Rose Bowl. It was Bo's first bowl victory and the first time I saw Michigan win a bowl game.
The worst would be the 2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl The 2011 Gator Bowl would be a close second.
Of the games I went to, the 1989 Rose Bowl would be the best because its the Rose Bowl and the only time I saw us win in person. The 1991 Gator Bowl would be a close second because we just dominated Ole Miss. The worst would be the 2018 Outback Bowl for the reasons stated above by InterlopingYooper and because the weather just sucked, but the 2016 Orange Bowl was pretty frustrating.
December 29th, 2023 at 12:12 PM ^
I would take that 1980 team in a playoff game against anyone. Dominant defense, three great running backs and AC.
worst bowl performance
31-14 Kansas state game
December 29th, 2023 at 12:20 PM ^
My fave bowl victory? Bo's first Rose Bowl win, 1980. 23-6 over Washington. Finally the demons were put to rest.
Sometime midway thru the third quarter I allowed myself to believe we were gonna win. Becker/Muransky/Paris were clearing holes big enough for a tank, let alone Woolfolk.
December 29th, 2023 at 12:49 PM ^
Hopefully this is a preview...
December 29th, 2023 at 12:27 PM ^
The win over Urban in the 2008 Citrus Bowl is a personal fave, had me in transports of delight. We spent that Xmas with our Orlando relatives, and they traipsed off to the game SO certain of a win. I watched on TV, and enjoyed myself.
Worst, by far: South Carolina, Outback Bowl 2013. Even now, I want to remember it as a far worse loss than it was (33-28). Left a bad taste that still lingers. No business losing, but I'm not sure anyone cared. Clowney had Vincent Smith for a snack, and it seemed to epitomize a certain kind of Michigan futility. My spirits have lifted, a little.
But let's not denigrate 97! We had just moved to San Francisco, and I found a tiny bar around the corner from us on Columbus, right at the edge of Chinatown, that filled up with Michigan fans for every game; it was part of how I came to feel comfortable in my new home. I had always hated football in college; that was when I became a dedicated fan.
We've had good luck in the Rose Bowl--that is our place! We should by no means let Alabama win there!
December 29th, 2023 at 12:31 PM ^
Favorite: 1902 Tournament of Roses East West Game.
(Username checks out)
December 29th, 2023 at 12:55 PM ^
Faves (in order)
2000 Orange Bowl (Brady/Terrell vs. Bama)
2012 Sugar Bowl (vs. VaTech)
2008 Citrus "Capital One" Bowl (Carr/Henne/Hart/Long swan song vs. Urban/Tebow)
2003 Outback Bowl (vs. Rex Grossman)
2001 Citrus Bowl (vs. Senator Tuberville--#no politics)
2016 Citrus Bowl (vs. Coach Shark Lover and co-conspirator with Sign Stealer Guy)
Those are all of our bowl wins this millenium.
Worst dong punches (in order)
Not counting CFP. Those aren't bowls IMO. But TCU last year would be high up there.
2005 Rose Bowl (vs. Vince Young)
2016 Orange Bowl (vs. FSU)
2005 Alamo Bowl (pitch it to Breaston!)
2013 Outback Bowl (vs. South Carolina)
2018 Outback Bowl (vs. South Carolina, again!)
The other bowl losses were meh. The Rose Bowl losses to USC were disappointing but whatever. The 2007 Rose Bowl especially was a dumb one to lose but I don't think anyone cared to be there.
December 29th, 2023 at 1:02 PM ^
Lloyd's last game against Tebow and the gang. The David Terrell Orange Bowl against Bama. And as you mentioned, the revenge bowl vs Washington.
Worst loss? All the Rose Bowl Ls to SC. Pick one.
December 29th, 2023 at 1:17 PM ^
I've been actively watching Michigan football for over 30 years and sadly all I ever really remember is how much we suck in the post season. Always felt as if we beat OSU that's all that mattered and the bowl was just there because, or we lost to OSU and the season was a failure and the bowl game is just meh.
So many big bowl games and so many missed opportunities. Not sure how that even happens, from Moeller, Carr, Hoke to Harbaugh it's just the same old story - Michigan cannot get up for big bowl games against the elite teams.
I fear Monday will be more of the same.
December 29th, 2023 at 4:36 PM ^
I've been following Michigan football for close to 40 years.
I'm trying to manage my expectations for Monday simply because I've gone through so many post-(and in) season soul-dong punches.
December 29th, 2023 at 1:18 PM ^
Best: 2008 Capital One bowl v. Florida --> was GREAT to send Tebow packing and besting Urban is always welcome
Worst: 2022 Fiesta bowl v. TCU --> really had no business losing this game, add that TCU primarily won due to our mistakes and poor play calling decisions and not them making a ton of plays, this is the worst bowl loss I have witnessed UM play
NOTE: I would have picked Brady's win over Bama in 2000 for best, but that was a few years before I became a football fan
December 29th, 2023 at 1:48 PM ^
Well, my fandom started in 2012, so bowl season has been absolutely brutal and pickings are SLIM.
We are 1-8 in bowl games during that time...which, I have to wonder, is that the worst 10 year bowl stretch for Michigan (it's only 9 games because we missed a bowl in 2014)?
Anyways...
- Best is obviously the only win, which was the 2016 Citrus Bowl over Florida in Harbaugh's first season. We dominated the Gators on a beautiful day on their home turf, and it was the first bowl game I ever attended in person. The vibes were great, it felt really hopeful and like we had moved on from the Brady Hoke era.
- Worst is the 2016 Orange Bowl the next year, a loss to Florida State. This was awful for so many reasons. That 2016 team was so, so talented (in my opinion, definitely better than the 2021 team and possibly even better than 2022/2023), but this bowl loss meant they still finished the year as a 3 loss team (with all three being heartbreakers). That senior laden team had been through so much, and deserved to go out with a win, especially coming off that 2OT ref-assisted loss in Columbus. The fashion in which we lost was also brutal, scoring a go ahead TD with less than 2 minutes left and then instantly giving up a TD anyways (we also entered as big favorites on paper, and still lost). Plus, Jake Butt went down with an injury that killed his NFL stock. Overall, it was a super deflating loss and I think the heartbreak of 2016 left a dark cloud over the program for the next four years (it just felt like even with the most talented team, we still couldn't pull out big wins and would always lose the close game to a good team).
I know that 2016 Orange Bowl had lower stakes than the CFP losses, but it still is the worst by far in my opinion.
The 2021 loss to Georgia we had no chance to win (though we should've performed more respectably than we did); that UGA team was just too good, and 2021 was already a winner year with the first Big Ten title in 17 years, and first victory over a good OSU team in 18 years.
2022 was super disappointing, we should've beaten TCU, but if we're honest with ourselves, I think we still were going to likely lose to UGA anyways, and 2022 was still gravy after that beat down of OSU in Columbus.
The bowl losses in 2021 and 2022 didn't ruin those seasons, but the 2016 loss solidified that season as one of the worst underperformances of all time (at a time when we had not won anything significant for soooo long and were really hungry for it).
December 29th, 2023 at 2:09 PM ^
Another vote for the 2000 Orange Bowl as an all-time favorite. That game had it all, including a big Michigan win over Alabama.
Worst bowl game ever was the '79 Rose Bowl, losing on the phantom touchdown that actually was a fumble. (Though there are several all-time repugnant losses in bowls for this Michigan fan)
December 29th, 2023 at 2:15 PM ^
Best: 1989 beating USC. Senior year, I was there, the weather was beautiful, Rose Bowl beer was cheap, and we shut up a whole lot of mouthy USC fans. I was NOT sportsmanlike to them after we won. I still have a rose I picked outside the stadium pressed in a book.
Worst: All Michigan bowl losses have merged into one giant sad blob. I don’t care to go sifting through the blob any longer. It’s all the same.
December 29th, 2023 at 3:55 PM ^
2000 orange bowl OT win over bama. Bradys swan song.
December 29th, 2023 at 4:34 PM ^
One neat thing about the 2008 Capital One bowl I haven't seen on this thread is that victory came over a Florida team that won the MNC the prior year and would go on to win the MNC the following year.
Also note that Florida team had top end talent on their roster beyond Tebow, especially guys like Percy Harvin, Maurkice Pouncey, and Aaron Hernandez.
December 29th, 2023 at 6:35 PM ^
Really weird to mention Tebow’s “status”, you weirdo.
December 29th, 2023 at 6:51 PM ^
Best: 2000 Orange
worst: 2005 Rose (up 10 with ten minutes left, settled for 3 FG down the stretch, partially blocked the game winning FG, I fully lost my damn mind)
December 30th, 2023 at 8:35 AM ^
Worst loss HAS to be last year’s Fiesta Bowl. No positives or silver linings I can think of.
Another one was the loss to South Carolina with Brandon Peters sliding 1 yard short of a first down, McKeon fumbling, but had the silver lining of the eventual removal of Tim Drevno, which most of us wanted after the MSU loss.
The 2015 win over Florida was so great because of the tremendous optimism we all felt after Harbaugh’s first season. The last couple minutes of the 4th quarter, the announcers were saying the same thing.