In Your Opinion: What are the greatest Michigan Football games of all-time?

2016 Indiana game (I think this was the snow bowl game) was the most fun I had in the stadium. 

2016 Wisconsin, Lewis INT, was the best single moment. Especially right after the long touch down right in front of the student section, and the fact they we backed up in front of the student section, shit got loud. 

The crazy ND game, whatever year that was, at home at night. 

Braylonfest! 

This years OSU game is clearly the #1 for me. I also do not remember anything before Braylonfest. 

Another vote for 1979 Indiana with AC walk-off TD. Clearly not THE greatest game, but it's among the top because of what it represented in the trajectory of Michigan football. Wangler to AC was the first time we had an effective vertical passing game under Bo. The duo led us to Bo's first Rose Bowl (any bowl!) win and paved the way to our golden age of QBs starting with Harbaugh. I was in the south end zone that day and will never forget it.

To me it will always be 1971 v. OSU, my freshman year.  OSU was only 6-3 that season, so the game was not televised.  I sat in the freshman section in the northwest corner. Freezing cold and sleeting that day.  Defeated OSU 10-7 thanks to Billy Taylor's late touchdown run (2:07 left in the game) into the SW corner of the stadium.  A loss would have ruined our undefeated season. Unfortunately, we lost to Stanford 12-13 in the Rose Bowl.

My parents were going to buy me dinner, but they were so cold sitting in the south end zone they headed home right after the game.  My dad handed me a $20 and said "Have a nice dinner somewhere."  I went back and sat in the shower at Bursley for at least 1/2 hour trying to warm up.

What a way to start your college career at Michigan!

1969 Bucknuts- the beginning of the re birth of Meechigan football 

1998 Rose Bowl  - the first NC in generations 

1978 notre shame- Ricky the Peach going to the dome and out playing Montana 

These may not all qualify in terms of the impact on rankings etc, but here's what comes to mind:

• The '81 Rose Bowl.  It felt Bo would never get over that hump, and to win convincingly made it all the more sweet.
• '84 Miami game when they were no. 1 and we intercepted Kosar 6x.
• 1993 Rose Bowl avenging a loss the prior year to Washington with Wheatley running for 235 yards
• The 2000 Orange Bowl -- mostly b/c I was there but it was also Brady's best game as a Wolverine.
• 2008 Citrus Bowl -- I know it wasn't a great season or a big time bowl, but it was Lloyd's last game and I think everyone assumed a Tebow/Harvin Gators team would kill us.
• The first Under the Lights game.
• 2011 and 2021 Ohio State games.

October 1, 1977 - No. 5 Michigan destroys No. 3 Texas A&M  41-3

I think it has to be the 1969 game based upon all the historians.  Or maybe some Fritz Crisler or Fielding Yost game given they won multiple national titles.

However, since most of us on the site, including me, weren't around for any of those, maybe a different question is greatest game in more modern times.  If you just go back to the beginning of the Carr era I would say the following are the top games in order:

1997 M-OSU capping perfect regular season

1998 Rose Bowl capping undefeated season and AP National Champion

2021 M-OSU upset win ending 8 year losing streak and propelling M to B1G Championship and playoff berth. 

#4 Michigan 34, #2 Penn State 8, on November 8, 1997.

We had had a surprisingly good season coming into that game, but didn't have a signature win. We had opened by beating #8 Colorado, but they had since slumped to a 4-4 record. We had survived #15 Iowa at home, but they were 6-2 and would finish 7-5. And we had beaten #15 Sparty, but that started their traditional skid toward a record that would finish at 7-5.

This was the matchup of the week, between two undefeated top-4 teams playing in Happy Valley. And Michigan completely blew the doors off the Nittany Lions starting with a sack on the first play. Penn State had three first downs in the first half and Michigan was up 24-0 at halftime. Charles Woodson even caught a touchdown.

On the same day, Nebraska escaped unranked Missouri 45-38 in overtime thanks to the illegal "flea kicker." When the polls came out on Monday, Michigan had leapfrogged Nebraska and Florida State (who actually did well, beating #5 UNC 20-3) to become the new #1, which they would remain for the rest of the year. It's not a stretch to say that the demolition of Penn State won Michigan the national championship and won Woodson the Heisman. Plus, it was just fun to watch!

Out of the games I have been to,

2009 ND (which kick started my fandom)

2011 ND (absolutely electric atmosphere, anyone who had been there will tell you)

2011 OSU (first and only field storm for me)

In my lifetime it would be '97, '69, '21, '86, '76, '96, '95, '91, '93, '77, '78, '71, '74, '83,' 85, '88, '89, '90, '99, '00, '03, '11 wins against OSU!

Some that come to mind:  Iowa and OSU 97, Washington 93 (Rose Bowl), Penn State Henne to Manningham, every Lloyd Carr Victory over Dantonio, Citrus Bowl over Urban (his only loss to UM), 89' Rose Bowl, both Gary Moeller victories over Lou Holtz, OSU 2021, ND and OSU in Hoke's first year. 

Among losses, OSU 2006/2016, ND/Miami 1988.  

Been watching since 2006. 2011 Notre Dame and The Game this year are a step above the rest in that time for me

Definitely the ones they win. 

Under the Lights! First night game, 3 TDs  in last 72 seconds, this was my grandfather’s 65th year working at the big house (retired after his 72nd season). I attended with Russell Bellomy’s parents so sat with the players families and the energy was unmatched to any other game I’ve been to. 

1948 Rose Bowl

I was born in 1990 and the first game I ever remember watching and understand what was going on.

Some of our more senior friends might be able to help me pinpoint the actual game. It was against Northwestern and must have been in Evanston because I remember it was dark out during the 3 OT’s. I remember when A-Train fumbled and it pretty much cost us the game. I would have to guess this was around 1998 or 1999. 
 

Either way my brother is 10 years older than me and he already loved M Football, we watched it together and I was hooked.

Let's go chronological to make it easy (may add more later):

1. 1969 UM 24 Ohio 12 --> the MOST significant win ever - started Woody vs. Bo and 10 year war

2. 1971 UM 10 Ohio 7 - Billy Taylor run

3. 1976 UM 22 Ohio 0 - broke 4 year winless streak and only 2nd UM shut out of Ohio from 1968+

4. 1978 UM 28 ND 14 - huge win at ND Leach vs. Montana

5. 1979 UM 27 Indy 21 - Wangler to AC (I was there)

6. 1980 UM 9 Ohio 3 - Art. S must have bet against Ohio that day

7. 1980/81 UM 23 Wash 6 - Bo's first bowl win

8. 1983 UM 42 MSU 0 - George Perles talking trash leading up to the game (was at MSU dressed in Blue in the student EZ - what a day followed by also keg party later)

9. 1985 UM 20 ND 12 - coming off 6-6 season with UM unranked, behind 9-3 at half, JH had great second half and this set the stage for a "comeback season" similar to this year

10. 1986 UM 26 Ohio 24 - JH guaranteed win

MORE later

'89 Rose Bowl. What a comeback. At halftime it looked like the same old story but then Hoard ran wild.

1997 Mich vs Penn St

1986 Mich vs OSU

2021 Mich vs OSU

For me. 2021 OSU was about as good as it gets. They were favored, they were cocky, we were strong but everyone was afraid to believe. Until they weren't,  and when that happened it was football heaven. When you could FEEL the thing happening, combined with the snow, the LOUDEST I've ever heard the big house. Chills typing this.

My #2 is 1995 OSU. Watching the Biakabatuka just WILL his way to 300yds. Running the ball with a reckless abandon that reminded me of OJ in the snow. All while the favored buckeyes with their Heisman RB just had no answer. It was one of those "the next play is gonna be #21 off tackle so good luck" kind of dominations that really stuck with me.

Win over Penn St. in 97. Massive hype (got the Keith Jackson treatment), huge game on the road, at night... and we obliterated them. Remains the game I was the most nervous for and went the best. Also, the second season where I was paying close attention to the team and football generally.