What was your first Michigan Football game?

24 Sep 1977 Navy @ Michigan, a decidedly lackluster 14-7 win, but I was hooked.

You would think I would remember this better since I've only been to three or four games, but I am pretty sure it was against EMU in 2007 or 2009 (my money is on 2007, but I can't remember).

Wisconsin vs UM in 2000. Drew Henson to David Terrell for the win! GO BLUE! Been to a game every year since.

Does being in utero count? My mother was pregnant with me and at Bo v Woody #1 in 1969. The first game outside the womb would have been in 1977 or 1978 with Ricky "the peach" Leach, the guts & glue of the Maize & Blue at QB.

this piece of shit, I was 12:

"Rickey Foggie scrambled 31 yards to put Minnesota in field goal range with 20 seconds to play today and, as time expired, Chip Lohmiller made the 30-yard kick that beat No. 2 Michigan, 20-17, before a stunned 104,864. It drove the Wolverines from the unbeaten ranks and all but killed their chance for a national title. Nov 16, 1986"

September 19, 1981. My buddy and I got season tickets. UM had lost its season opener at Wisconsin, but came back with a vengeance, beating #1 ranked Notre Dame 25-7. The highlight was a 71-yard TD from Steve Smith to Anthony Carter.

This was back in the days when bringing alcohol into the stadium was allowed. I went home overjoyed from the win over the Whining Irish, half in the bag from the cheap liquor, and hoarse from singing "The Victors" over and over. I don't think I've enjoyed any game in The Big House quite as much.

Depends; are we talking in-utero?  

1987 vs. Ohio State if yes.  1988 otherwise.

First game was 2003 at MSU. Cousins were students at State so my brother and I (15 and 13 at the time) sat in the student section with them. First home game was the 04 opener vs Miami.

Freshman year '87 - Notre Dame (loss)

September 1997 vs Baylor was my first game I can remember. I don't believe my dad took me to any games before that. 

Colorado.  Hail Mary. Kordell Stewart.  Sitting in that end zone.  It was unbelievable.  Half the crowd just stayed in their seats not saying a word long after the game.  Everyone was just in shock.  I paid $140 for two end zone seats.  I was like a sophomore at Youngstown State (ironically Tressell was the coach at YSU at the time).   I was at Pioneer lot, scalping for tickets.  I remember thinking, "$140 for two tickets, that was so much $$".  

1974 vs. Iowa.  A great season that ended with Lantry's "missed" field goal in Columbus.  A bunch of us were watching at Bursley and we all jumping around celebrating the victory only to see the refs waving it off!

September 30, 1972.  #8 Michigan 41, #18 Tulane 7.  Band Day.  I don't think I understood much, but the momentum of a football game was obvious even to a young kid like me.

That football game is sandwiched by a lot of my first sports memories.  It was 3 weeks after the USA-USSR basketball game in the Olympics.  2 days after Paul Henderson scored to wrap up the Canada v USSR hockey series.  3 days before Detroit clinched the AL East with a win over Boston.

‘91 at Boston College.  We were pretty bad for 3 quarters but then opened it up in the 4th.  Desmond scores 4 tds and took the 2nd half kickoff to the House

Freshman year, 1991 vs the Irish

The Desmond catch

I had no idea about college football at the time.  Now I am hooked for life.

The opener in 96, I think it was Colorado.

I did not do very well in my first several games:

• 2005 Minnesota (L 23-20) - lost the Jug for the first time in a long time on what should have been a "run the clock out and go to OT" play that ended up being a very long run to set up the winning FG as time expired.
• 2007 App State...
• 2007 Minnesota (W 34-10) - the Carlos Brown game; first win I saw.
• 2007 Ohio State (L 14-3) - freezing rain-fest with broken Henne
• 2008 Utah (L 25-23) - bitter start to the RichRod era
• 2008 Illinois (L 45-20) - the Juice Williams game
• 2008 Penn State (L 46-17) - a hamblasting at home

Michigan was 1-6 in my first 7 trips to the Big House. It wasn't until 2009 that my luck turned around. They are 7-0 since then when I'm in attendance.

My road record is 4-1 (wins at 2004 Illinois, 2007 Illinois, 2010 Purdue, 2013 Northwestern; loss at 2009 Illinois).

'81 against #1 Notre Dame.  Met Bill Freehan before the game, & that team led by Steve Smith, AC, & Butch Woolfolk won 25-7.  Great day all around!

2009 against Penn State. It was cold, raining, I was 10, and Michigan lost by like 30 or so. Rich Rod seasons were dark times. 

August 26th, 1995: Pigskin Classic, Michigan vs. Virginia, Dreisbach to Hayes.

I was 8. First ever game with my dad. I was already on the right path with my fandom but that game cemented it. Top 1 or 2 memories I have with my dad. 

Timmy B going for 313 yds in "the Game" in 1995. What a beautiful day that was!

First game of freshman year, September 20, 1969. Blowout win over Vanderbilt and Bo’s first game as coach. The Boone’s Farm Apple Wine was flowing! At least 10,000 empty seats. 

2007 Oregon aka the game after App St... Yes it was horrible.

My first year at Michigan was my first game ever at Michigan. It was the 2nd game of the 1981 season. After the big upset at WI when Michigan was preseason number 1, my first game was Michigan upsetting then #1 ND. I was worried we were going to get beat but the players had a chip on their shoulders and after a close first half, Michigan blew out ND in the 2nd half. I remember AC caught two TD passes. Butch had a good game running the ball and Smith even ran in for a TD. I think everyone was hoping for a shutout but ND did score 1 TD in the 4th.

Sometime in the early 90s. I don’t remember for sure I was so young. 

Desmond’s catch vs. Notre Dame.  New grad student....instantly a lifetime fan.  (Followed by the Fab 5 debut a couple of months later)

Michigan - Houston 1992.  I was 6.  Tyrone Wheatley ran the opening kickoff back for a touchdown - the first play I ever saw in person at the big house.

Dad had dropped out from M Engin to become the top disc jockey in Grand Rapids and “wisely” invest his meager pay in a race car. He would later become a successful finance guy but at the time I was eight or nine we were still recovering from his earlier career choices and lived frugally.

Dad’s boss gave him tix to a nothing game but it was my first one and I thoroughly enjoyed the Meechigan Stadium experience under Bo. A wealthy alumnus took interest in us by halftime and invited us to a fancy event post-game the man hosted at an A^2 banquet room.

Despite our poor dress the man seated us at his table and lavished us with anything we wanted to order. We’d been taught not to take advantage of kindness but I got to eat flaming steak diane and flaming bananas foster prepared tableside, and I had never even heard of those foods before.

Hours later the alum took us to his car and presented us with jerseys and an M flag, in fact, I still have the flag today. The entire event the man kept telling me, “someday young man you will go to Michigan!” Now about that actual game on the field the only thing I recall is that we were the victors. As for me and my future the wealthy alumnus was absolutely correct, I did go to Michigan and the aMaizeing treatment the man gave my Dad and me definitely contributed to my matriculation.

1964 Michigan at MSU.  Michigan won 17-10.  I was a sophomore in high school.

1981 versus Iowa. Lost 9-7. We had chance after chance to score points but the offense kept turning it over or just plain fucked things up. I was also at the 2 Illinois games that we gave away. A Ricky Powers fumble when we were trying to run the clock out. Then the 27-7 lead we gave away a few years later. I been to 7 games there record is 4-3 and all 7 games they played pourly. I quit going I figured I was bad luck

2008 Northwestern, stayed til the last second ticked off and earned my Fandom Endurance III Badge on day one.

1989 #1 Notre Dame vs. #2 Michigan.   My first time in the Big House as a newly minted UM first year student.   I recall seeing the Goodyear blimp puttering around the day before and almost vomited with excitement.    I unfortunately sat in the upper corner end zone part of the student section and witnessed with utmost clarity the Red Sea part twice as Rocket Ismail ran back two kickoffs for TD's.   Also notable:  freshman Elvis Grbac's first QB appearance after starter Michael Taylor got injured.  24-19 ND.