When in the last 3 years did you know things had changed with the program?

Jump Around at Wisconsin in 2021. I didn't know we'd go on a run like *this*, of course, or even that we'd beat Ohio State. But something had changed. You could feel it

2021 second half vs. Wisconsin gave me hope that we had grown as a program. Nebraska and Penn State comebacks strengthened that. Haskins hurdle vs OSU told me we had arrived. Edwards vs OSU 2022 told me we were here to stay. Blake vs Bama told me we were going to go down in history. Best three year stretch in program history

Probably the second half of the Penn State game in 2022. Watching M just utterly dominate a good team like that convinced me that M had really turned a corner—that the 2021 OSU game wasn’t just M rising up and getting them one time but that M was as good as any team in the Big Ten and would have a real shot going into Columbus.

For me I'd say it was the last 7-8 minutes against Penn State in 2021.  Tied 14-14 midway through the fourth quarter, Cade McNamara fumbled deep in our end.  But the defense held the Nittany Lions to a field goal, and on our next possession McNamara found All on a crossing route and All rumbled down the sideline for a TD that made it 21-17 Michigan.  The defense held and the offense killed the clock.

I was one of the relative optimists who figured that 2020 -- the COVID half-season -- was kind of a fluke.  I thought 2021 would be okay and I supported keeping Harbaugh around.  But I didn't see Michigan doing much better than 9-3 that year.  And that was about what we were on track for.  We had lost to MSU in a tough game, and Penn State was likely to be loss #2 with OSU looming.

The close win against a strong team in their stadium restored the confidence I had after we beat Wisconsin.  If anything, it was stronger, because the team had taken a punch and come back stronger.  To me, that was the first real sign that this team was heading for something different.

Monday night

Wisconsin jump around. You could just tell the team was different

For me it was Penn State and the All catch. I thought it was the beginning of another 3 loss season but that was the first time I started to believe Hutch saying everything was still possible after the loss to staee

Three points during that 2021 season.

1. We were at Disney World and coming back from the parks went to the resort area bar to get some drinks and watch the UW-UM game. The Maize out was amazing to watch on TV and the dominance (overall) made me realize - this is NOT the 2019/2020 team. 

2. The PSU game. We led 14-6, gave up a rough TD + incredible (Jahan Dotson) 2 pt conversion. The strip sack on Cade at our 13 or so. We held them to 3. And then Cade to All (yes I know they soiled themselves with their exit, but that day the TD was huge).

3. Aidan's huge sack on 3rd down when Ohio was trying to tie the score and ended having to kick a FG to go down 7-3

First of three OSU wins. There was hope. Second one there was certainty and the third vindication to thwart infamy.

The 2021 Michigan - Ohio State game, specifically the Josh Ross TFL on third and short on the Buckeye's first drive of the second half.

It was at that point that we knew we were going to win the game, and Ohio State knew that they weren't.  You could feel their fear.

That single play is the inflection point from old Michigan to National Champion Michigan.

Spring ball 2021. I thought the team would be markedly better than they were in 2020 before that based on guys getting older, the new staff & actually having spring ball. Once I heard/read how Harbaugh was speaking, I knew things were different & the results would come.

Things changed when Weiss and Poggi and MacDonald all arrived.  

When they beat OSU in the Shoe

2021. Ohio St. 3rd quarter Haskins TD put us up 21-13 and I knew that the team was not going to fold.  Ever.

2021 OSU game but went numb when Corum scored in OT in the Rose Bowl cause I knew we were going to win the NC

You could tell as early as the Washington game that we were better than we were in 2020 but it wasn't until the drive in the OSU game where Haskins had the hurdle that I knew we were a CFP caliber team.

When it was apparent that we'd beat OSU that day in the snow. Not a second sooner. 

The biggest key to the turnaround was upgrading the DT position. Remember when they had to run Ben Mason out there?

Honestly, it wasn't until we won The Game in 2021 that I truly believed things had changed and that we could move beyond the Same Old Michigan of the 2000's and the 2010's.

And it wasn't until we beat 'Bama in the Rose Bowl that I truly believed we had broken through the ceiling of the Bo Schembechler era, when we dominated the B1G but would blow it every time we had a chance at the natty or lay an egg against elite nonconference opponents more often than not.

Great question.  For me it wasn’t until the second half of the 2021 Buckeye game.  

When they beat OSU, then beat OSU, then beat OSU again

I don’t know if it’s THE moment, but a moment that things totally changed for me was in the immediate aftermath of the 2021 OSU game, suddenly realizing that “we get to watch this team in more games that matter this year!” It was like a surprise gift that I hadn’t realized was coming. 

It was 2021 OSU

That game will always be the most important UM football game ever (imo). Haskins and Hutch vs OSU is when I knew things had changed

It was the 2021 OSU game for me. They had a great offense and I’m sure most of us were just hoping Michigan could keep it close. That Michigan won by 2 TDs and ran all over them, including Hutchinson’s monster game, didn’t just open a crack in the OSU dominance over Michigan. It slammed the door open which happened to knock the whole freaking wall down as well. After that I was as confident in Michigan’s ability to play with just about anyone as I was back in 97.

has to be osu in 21

2022 OSU. That’s when it started to become real

2022 Ohio State, end of 1st half.  We took some punches but we're still there, having fun.  2nd Half, Y'All Soft, Flag Planting.

One of the 1st half Haskins runs up the middle vs OSU. It felt Biakabutuka-esque, and we haven’t looked back since.

The past years playing Alabama or Georgia, it was men against boys, and we weren't on the good side of that.

This year, we were the men.

Ummmmmm let me think about that one.....ummmmm When they BEAT THE Olieo St Snitcheyes  in 21????  duh

Wisconsin 2021 is a good reference point.  It gave me hope.  When Northwestern gave OSU all it could handle by running the ball I started thinking Michigan should be favored over OSU as NW exposed how soft OSU had become.  

Michigan running over OSU in the second half was the moment where I thought an NC was on the table.

1.  The dominance against Washington I thought this might be a pretty good team.

2.  Wisconsin game was fun and verified my earlier thinking. 

3. Before the OSU game I thought "great season 10-2 way better than I expected". But then as the game unfolded I was getting more and more excited but couldn't believe what I was seeing.

4. Got cocky and told a UGA fan friend of mine they they ain't seen nothing like UM.  Well got that one wrong. 

Nebraska game in 21

We lose that game 10/10 times in previous years. We figured out how to fight back and win after blowing a second half lead. 

The one moment for me was in the OSU game 3 years ago when they let Haskins score so they could go down 2 scores just to get the ball back. They planned to score quickly, recover the onside kick and score again quickly. That's when I knew that we had utterly defeated them, not just points on the scoreboard but thoughts in the heart. They were beaten. We knew they were beaten. They knew they were beaten. The whole world knew - they were done.

Beating OSU in '21. "It" seemed to be there earlier in the season then they, confoundedly, blew that game to MSU. I wondered when they pulled out the PSU game. But how they responded "to the bell", repeatedly, in that glorious win over OSU removed my last remnants of doubt. 

Edit: I penned my response before reading any others...looks as though many pick the same game.

For me, it was the 2021 @Nebraska game. It was playing out in a fashion where we usually find a way to lose. Instead, our guys withstood the punches made the plays they needed to get the W. The ability to respond to things not going your way in a tough environment was something we hadn’t seen out of them in a long time, and it gave me hope that things may finally be different.  

2022 OSU

The 2022 Ohio State Game.

OSU 21 was my favorite moment of the 3 year run.  Beautiful and cathartic.

OSU 22 was when it truly turned.  On the road, no Corum, back and forth through 3 quarters and then soul crushing domination in the 4'th.  With a healthy Corum, we're the best team in the country.  Would have handled TCU and I think it's a coin flip with Georgia.

2024 Rose Bowl was the exclamation point.  Specifically the last drive of regulation and the OT.  Every dragon had been slaid.  Washington would be a formality.

Wisconsin

In retrospect, it was watching warmups for the first game of 2021.  The sideline and interaction between the position coaches and the players just seemed ... different.  I didn't know that it would lead to *this*, but that was the moment for me when I saw something had changed.