What are your FAVORITE Michigan Football Games (top 5)?

In no particular order:

1. Michigan vs OSU 42-27  First big house game I went to for The Game 

2. Michigan at notre dame 28-24. Went to the South Bend and still remember D Rob getting tackled by two players to brush them off for a TD 
 

3. I have to include any UM John Navarre and Chris Perry game.  They were the ones who really made me become a UM fan 
 

4. Jimmy’s first home game at UM against OSU (NTOSU). My first big house experience. 
 

5. The BIG conference championship against Iowa. Just because. 

Top 5 that I attended:

98 Rose Bowl National Championship

97 vs osu Big Ten Championship

First UTL vs nd

Braylonfest

1971 vs UCLA 38-0 First game ever in the Big House. 

Way too many to list tied for fifth!!!!

Go Blue 🏈🏈🏈

OSU 1997 and 2003 (100th OSU game in A2 - a win). In attendance for both.

ND 2006 (?) in A2 - the 1st 38-0 destruction in A2. Attended that one.

OSU 2021 - obvsly. Did not attend

Rose Bowl 1/1/98. Did not attend.

Honorable mention:

PSU 1997 Judgement Day destruction of PSU and precipitated the downfall of PSU in the B10 a year later (I think) when Minn beat them in Happy Valley. PSU was never the same program after that Minn loss. Was awesome to wath on TV. Dominance of that highly a ranked team on the road simple hadn't been done before.

PSU 2005: Henne to Manningham. was there for that one in the S EZ where it happened. Had a bunch of friends in to town for the game.

ND UTL I. There for that one.

ND 1997- my 1st ND game in A2 and the end of the Ron Powlus's lim (n--> infinity)th Heisman campaign. Defense saved the day holding ND to like 3 pts after TOs in the M side of the field.

UTL #1 (in person)

Braylonfest (in person)

97 OSU  with Woodson (on TV but lived down the street and ran to the stadium when ended)

Brady vs. Alabama- watched with my college roommates in Chicago in a tiny one bedroom apartment.  Alabama was the fastest team I had ever scene and it was right when all of the “SEC dominance” talk fully entered my consciousness. Brady was a machine.  He wasn’t better than Grbac or Collins in college, but that was probably the best QB performance I’ve seen in a college game.  Single game GOAT.   UTL#1 had a lot of great plays, broken plays and luck. Brady had a laser canon.

2021 OSU with Aiden, Ojabo and hurdling Hasan Haskins.

1. 1998 Rose Bowl against WSU

2. 1981 Rose Bowl against Washington

3. 1971 OSU—I was in the stands going apeshit with everybody else when Taylor scored

4. 1997 PSU

5. UTL #1 over ND

Special mention:

6. 1948 Rose Bowl 49-0 demolition of USC (this game was played five years before I was born, but I've watched the game highlights a dozen times and it never gets old)

#1) 2004 Braylonfest - in a Thumb area bar with my brother, BIL's, and a couple of cousins.  The entire bar was split cheering in the second half.  What a fantastically fun time that was!

#2) 2021 OSU - mentioned earlier, the cathartic joy has no words to describe.  I've watched it 5 times now, and still jump off the couch, punch my fists in the air, and well up at certain points.  God, that was good...

#3) 1997 at PSU - the crowd's energy was awesome, until it wasn't.  The first play of the game for PSU was a decisive ~9-yard sack.  From that point, there was no crowd noise.  A few series' later they finally got a first down, and then a big play, and the crowd stirred.  But that big play ended in shocked silence, and the crowd was never heard from again.

#4) 1997 OSU - does anything else need to be said?

#5) 1998 WSU - if you don't know, you're not a Michigan fan.

Highly personal list here and restricted to ones I saw in person, in chronological order:

• Miami 1984: They were the defending national champs and it was my first game as a student, six rows back from the field, with one of my HS classmates. Sunny fall day. Two days into the term and work hadn't piled up yet. (It would eventually.) I think Michigan intercepted Kosar three times.
• OSU 1985: This has been mentioned a bunch of times. Chilly day, saw the pass to Kolesar from high in the end zone.
• (Skipping ahead several years ...) Washington 2002: Michigan _wins_ a last-second game. Wasn't used to that ...
• Manningham, 2005
• UTL #1: Amazing atmosphere, third straight year that Michigan came from behind to beat the Domers in the last minute.

I'll only count games I went to in person. As much as I have loved a bunch of games on TV, there's something special about being there. I started going to every home game in 2011. In no particular order:

1997 vs Baylor - my first game. Big House took my breath away when we walked through the endzone section tunnel to get to our seats. 

2021 OSU - Best start to finish atmosphere at any sporting event I've ever been to. Light snow falling, whooping their ass, ran onto the field.

2011 OSU - My first in person OSU game, sat in student section, stormed the field, first win against them since 2004. 

2011 ND - First under the lights game, first 3 quarters of that game were very forgettable but the ending and subsequent celebration will be forever in my mind. 

2021 Iowa - Never have to hear jokes about Indy ever again, first big ten title since 2004, trip to the playoffs. 

Honorable mention: 

2019 MSU - Beating the shit out of MSU in Dantonio's last game against Michigan was incredibly enjoyable. 

2014 @ Northwestern - #M00N game. We were already terrible so I leaned into the terribleness of that game. 

2013 @ PSU - We lost this game in 4OT and gave us the infamous 27 for 27. Game started at 5pm so basically dark for most of it and being my first white out experience and an exciting game. Was really an incredible experience even though we didn't win. 

1995 comeback vs. Virginia (1st game back in Ann Arbor)

2000 Orange Bowl: Tom Brady' leads comeback vs. Alabama

2010 Denard & Notre Dame

42-27 (aka 4.20-27)

Whatever the next Michigan game is

Top 5, Watched 

1 97 Osu

2 21 Osu

3 00 Bama orange bowl

4 16 Florida Cap 1 bowl 

5 03 Osu

Top 5 Attended

1 11 Osu, 

2 02 Washington

3 16 Psu, my with my brother who loves everything pennsylvania.. heard the entire drive psu was gong to smoke Michigan..   lmao at that one still..  sibling rivalry and a win for the good guys in dominating fashion...

4 04 Msu, the comeback, Braylon... 

5 08 Wisconsin, the come back and hold on for dear life..  yeah it was a RR game, but for a moment I thought RR had a shot... lol, how wrong was I.. but still a fun game!  

I am 37 years old so a little young to remember let alone cherish the '97 season.  Here are my top 5:

5: OSU @ UM 2011 - Also great live experience. 

4: IOWA Vs UM 2021 BIG championship -  Just because of the stakes. 

3: ND @ UM 2011  The come back, i was there.  Best live experience I have had. 

2: UM @ MSU - "Peoples Jones...."

1: OSU @ UM 2021

1. 1997 Penn State  --  I had a drink with Fred Jackson the night before. He was gidddy. "We are going to clobber these guys." That stadium was stunned by the man-handling PSU received.

2. 1997 Iowa -- much forgotten. Griese was terrible first half and came into his own second half.

3. 2021 Ohio State -- for all the obvious reasons

4. 1986 Ohio State -- Harbaugh made good on his guarantee in the snake pit

5. 1997 Michigan State / 2004 Michigan State (tie)  Woodson's interception and Braylonfest against little brother. So sweet.

(Number 6 would be Colorado 1997 after that stupid game against them that needs to be forgotten)

1997 vs. Ohio St. - Woodson with a punt return TD, end zone INT and fight with Boston.  

1998 Rose Bowl vs. Washington State - -8 in Detroit.  75 in Pasadena.  National Championship.

2021 vs. Ohio St. - I am inevitable.

2005 vs. Penn State - Henne to Manningham with no time left.

2000 Orange Bowl vs. Alabama - Brady's final game.  Won 35-34 in OT on a missed PAT.

Things weighted to when I was in school if you're curious

1. Braylonfest

2. 2003 OSU

3. 1997 PSU

4. 1997 OSU

5. 2006 ND

By limiting it to games I’ve attended, in chronological order.

• 2013 Notre Dame UTL - I was a freshman and it took place right after the first week of classes which went great. The atmosphere and the weekend were incredible. I was in shock that I was living my dream of attending of Michigan and it all seemed too perfect. 
• 2015 Northwestern - This game let us know that Harbaugh’s first team was for real and that Michigan was back. The game was great from the jump, Chesson KO return for TD. 38-0. Third shutout in a row and the whole stadium chanting defense was terrific.
• 2019 ND/MSU - I couldn’t pick between these two. Beating the absolute shit out of both teams was very cathartic. And some all time tailgating memories from those 2 days
• 2021 Ohio State - no explanation necessary
• 2021 Iowa - I’ve been following Michigan football since 2005. Which means this was the first time I watched Michigan win the B1G. Was too sweet

2021 - Ohio State Domination 

???? - Penn State come back win with Henne at QB.

???? - ND at the big house in the rain and we ran all over them - Domination.    

The context for my Top 5 is that i really started becoming aware of Michigan football around 1992 or so and was a student 1997 - 2001, so you won't find anything earlier than that for me.  No particular order:

• 2021 Ohio State...watched on TV
• 2004 Michigan State (Braylonfest)...watched on TV, then transitioned to radio for drive to halloween party 
• 2000 Alabama (Orange Bowl)...attended in person
• 1997 Ohio State...attended in person
• 2011 ND (UTL 1)...attended in person

So many other good ones!

2021 v Ohio state

Five times

Michigan vs Purdue 1995

1. 97 Ohio State

2. 97 Penn State

3. 21 Ohio State

4. 11 Notre Dame

5. 91 Notre Dame

I was born in 1982. I started getting into it around 1988

-1997 rose bowl. 

- 2021 vs Ohio state 

- 2021 Big ten championship game * That whole week was incredible! 

- 2011 vs ND 

-2016 vs Penn state 

Younger Wolverine fan here, so bear with me here on the recency bias. There's definitely better games like 1997 Michigan-Ohio State, 91 Michigan-Ohio State, etc; but these weren't games I got to watch outside of YouTube videos. I didn't start following UM until around 2006?

1. Michigan-Ohio State 2021

This has to be my favorite game that I have watched because honestly, I didn't start following Michigan football until around 2006. Victories, especially dominant victories over Ohio State are something I had to look up on YouTube to find because they simply didn't happen. I had been so beaten down from 2016's gut wrenching JT was short, 2017 where we let an upset slip through our fingers, 2018 where we got massacred, and 2019 that I was going into the 2021 game wondering why I was even watching The Game since I had seen how it played out so many times before. Then I saw that first scoring drive and immediately knew this wasn't like old teams. 

2. Michigan-Notre Dame Under the Lights I.

I remember being amped over this one. Night game, big rival, big win. What more could you ask for? And the go ahead TD from Robinson was excellent. Was on the edge of my seat all night.

3. Michigan-Ohio State 2011.

Again, having seen the Wolverines lose and come up short so many times made me enjoy this one so much. It had been lean years under a certain coach who won't be named. That 2011 season gave fans some hope.

4. Michigan-MSU 2012.

Ugliest football game I have ever seen in my life, but Denard Robinson being the winning QB that game after MSU said how he'd be a fourth string QB on the Spartans was hilarious. There was something satisfying about beating them after they were talking smack all week.

5. Michigan-Notre Dame 2019.

If you haven't noticed, I have a bias for rivalry games. There's just something extra about seeing wins over rivals and letting the Irish stew over 45-14 is just great. Eighth ranked Notre Dame comes in to Ann Arbor and runs into a buzzsaw. I love it.

2021 vs OSU. Stopped the streak.

1997 vs OSU. Woodson return. Boston destroyed by Ray.

2021 B1G Championship.  It was a fun environment and I was there.

1998 Rose Bowl.  Bob Griese calling his son's Championship game.

2000 Orange Bowl.  Down 14 twice. Nation I'd like to introduce you to Mr. Tom Brady.

I liked Under the Lights I against Notre Dame.  The stadium was electric!  Flyovers, pom-poms, great band sound and great weather.  People who left early missed the best part. Took us over an hour just to get out of the Pioneer parking lot…but it was worth every minute of lost sleep.

Not to say that there were other great games (too numerous to  mention) but I liked the atmosphere of UTLI.

1. OSU 2021 ( was there)

2. OSU 1997

3. WSU Jan 1 1998

4. Notre Dame 1997 (was there)

5. MSU 2004

didn’t Ty Isaac fumble on the first drive of that Rutgers game? My son, Brother in law and nephew and I drove over to that game and was in a down pour for most of the first half. The best part was them shooting the cannon for us and their band playing the Victors cuz our band wasn’t there…

I agree with many of these highlights of the last 40 years of Michigan football. Maybe because of recency bias, 42-27 is my favorite. It was just so cathartic.

Another one that comes to mind for me is MSU 2003 when Chris Perry and #11 Michigan went all big brother on #9 Lil Brother, 51 carries for 219 yards. I remember at one point in the 4th quarter Perry looked over to the sidelines asking for a breather but Lloyd Carr just looked down at his clipboard and turned away from the field. That sent Staee into a tailspin as they lost 4 of 5 to finish the season. Michigan went on to beat OSU and win the Big 10.

98 rose bowl because I went with my dad

21 osu

97 osu

Biakabutuka running through osu

96 Virginia because it was my first game, great ending.

1. 98 Rose Bowl
2. 97 vs OSU
3. 21 vs OSU
4. Henne to Manningham
5. Biakabatuka 313 yards vs OSU
6. 22-0 in Columbus was very special 
7. 38-0 over ND
8. 25-22 Brady win over ND
9. 97 beat down vs PSU
10. Desmond with the catch

Lloyd's last game when they stomped Urban and Tebow and the Gators. 

Lot of good ones, going with mostly recent memory...

2021: Michigan 42 Ohio State 27

2019: Michigan 45 Notre Dame 14

2016: Michigan 41 Florida 7

2015: Michigan 29 Minnesota 26

2008: Michigan 41 Florida 35

1. 1998 Rose Bowl

2. Every victory against OSU

3. Last years B1G title game

4. UTL 1

5. Michigan v Minnesota, Nov 10, 2001. Went with my brother. Saw us take home the Little Brown Jug (my favorite rivalry trophy) in person for the first time. Went with my brother and it was awesome as we were both over 21 for the first time. Tailgated for hours before and after the game. Just a phenomenal day overall.

Ill just add the 2000 Orange Bowl was so entertaining! It's def in my top 5. I also really enjoyed Lloyd Carr's last game vs Florida, just a fun game.

So many classic games unfortunately alot of them were losses. 

1. 1997 at State Penn
2. 2021 vs Ohio State
3. 2006 at ND
4. 1985 at South Carolina
5. 1980 at Ohio State

#1 on this list would've been 1988 vs. #1 ranked Miami, had we not screwed it up in the 4th quarter. Absolute silence of thousands walking home. Hoover Street was packed and you could've heard a pin drop.

In no particular order

Michigan OSU 2021

Michigan Notre Dame - Shoelaces flying in the wind game.

Michigan Notre Dame - At South end, Henne airing it out.

Michigan Florida - Coach Carr's sendoff

Michigan Alabama - Tom Terrific wins the bowl game

 games attended

5.  1981 ND (only M game attended with my dad who hated ND!)

4.  1991 ND

3.  1971 OSU

1b   2021 OSU 

1a  1997 OSU

games watched not attended

5. 2004 MSU (wedding groomsman)

4.  1978 ND

3.  1997 PSU

2.   1998 Rose Bowl

1.   1969 OSU

The top game is a tie between 1969 ,1997, & 2021 OSU

#1 is 2021 The Game

2 is henne to mannaingham

3 is braylonfest

those last 2 are the only ones here I saw in person

4 is UTL

5 is....i did see RR's comeback against Wisconsin in person but that's tinged with how the RR era shook out. It's probably Carr's farewell against Florida. It had been a miserable start and end to the regular season. But that game was perfect. 2008 Citrus Bowl. Only bowl game on here.

Hmmm...

1. Washington State 1997 (1998) - Duh.
2. OSU 2003 - I was there and it was glorious.  Not unlike the 2021 game, Chris Perry pulverized the will out of the Buckeyes and the defense made enough plays that OSU could not keep up.
3. MSU 2004 - I was a this game as well.  My friend and I were walking out of the stadium when we were down 17 with 7+ minutes to go.  We saw the game starting to turn on the monitors and moved to the student section, right behind the end zone where the game-winning TD catch was made.  PURE JOY.
4. OSU 2021 - We took the monkey off our back and then beat it to death with blunt force trauma.  Not just a curse-breaking win, this game was unquestionable domination that left the Buckeyes with nothing but ludicrous excuses about the flu.
5. OSU 1997 - The GOAT (Charles Woodson, not Denard Robinson) plays the best game of his career and sends Michigan to the Rose Bowl for a National Championship.

Honorable Mention: The Pose (OSU 1991); UTL 2011 (Notre Dame); MSU 1997; Capital One Bowl 2007 (2008) vs. Florida; Rutgers Fest 78-0; '97 PSU

-- 42-27.  It was such an amazing year, so totally unexpected, and so glorious

-- Braylonfest, 2004. An epic comeback, ridiculously entertaining game. I was at that game and I think the temperature went from mid 70s at kickoff to high forties by the end.  We were definitely not prepared for whatever the temperature swing was.

-- Triple OT against Illinois.  It was a basketball game inside a football game. 

-- 2012 vs. Staee.  I watched the game from a base in Afghanistan with a fun group of people.  I love how it brought people together.  12 -10 was the final.

-- 2011 Sugar Bowl.  I got to go to the game.  It was an epic adventure and an incredible atmosphere.   A reminder of how much fun college football can be.  

1) '89 Rose Bowl- an absolute catharsis where Bo's team came from behind to beat USC.

2) '98 Rose Bowl- of course. I had tickets in the Pac-10 section 3/4's of the way up, on the 45-yard line.

3) UM/OSU 1993- a 6-4 UM team completely dominates a 9-0-1 #5 ranked OSU by a 28-0 score. Completely unexpected. Enjoyed being in the stands with utterly crest-fallen Buckeyes, who were pounded into a state of politeness...

4) '81 Rose Bowl- Bo's first bowl win. We were literally in tears on the field playing the Alma Mater

5) vs Wisconsin 2008- one of the worst teams in UM history with the most BPONE set of expectations somehow came from ridiculously behind for a rare win in the RR era. Watch the QB run at 3:13

OSU 21 - so much relief

OSU 97 Woodson

OSU 96 - they were so loaded and we beat them there  

OSU 95 - timmy B

OSU 88  or OSU 93 - at both