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Posted on by Jeff Cummins

๐‘ณ๐‘ถ๐‘ถ๐‘ฒ๐‘ฐ๐‘ต๐‘ฎ ๐‘ฉ๐‘จ๐‘ช๐‘ฒ: ๐‘ด๐‘ฐ๐‘ช๐‘ฏ๐‘ฐ๐‘ฎ๐‘จ๐‘ต ๐‘ฝ๐‘บ. ๐‘ด๐‘ฐ๐‘ช๐‘ฏ๐‘ฐ๐‘ฎ๐‘จ๐‘ต ๐‘บ๐‘ป๐‘จ๐‘ป๐‘ฌ, 1998

Looking Back is a Special Feature by Jeff Cummins Highlighting Key Rivalry Games

The fifth and final installment of this weekโ€™s series looking back at the football rivalry between Michigan and Michigan State takes us to 1998. The previous year had been one of the greatest seasons of the last half century. Michigan fans, players, and alumni spent months basking in the glory. They followed that up with a stadium renovation that made Michigan Stadium the largest on-campus stadium in the nation. And the Wolverines signed Drew Henson, the nationโ€™s top-rated quarterback prospect. It seemed as if there werenโ€™t enough accolades in the world for the Michigan football program.

Then came the hangover. Michigan lost its first two games of the 1998 season. By the fourth week of the season, the opponent was Michigan State, and the Spartans were hungry for some revenge.

Plaxico Burress gave Michigan State an early 10-3 lead with a catch in the north end zone. He then introduced himself to Grady Brooks on the ensuing kickoff. The meeting didnโ€™t go well for Brooks, and Michigan State wound up with the football. The Michigan defense stopped the Spartans, and then Anthony Thomas took matters into his own hands. Thomas ran 70 yards on a counter for the tying touchdown. With that play, Michigan was wide awake.

Then a young quarterback named Tom Brady began to show off his talent. Brady displayed surgical precision in connecting with his receivers. His fade pass to Tai Streets in the north end zone gave Michigan its first lead of the game. As the teams went into the locker room at halftime, Michigan held a tenuous 3-point lead. It looked as if the 1998 game would be another nail-biter between the two in-state foes.

Instead, the second half showcased Michigan’s quiet dominance. The Wolverines produced the type of performance that has warmed the hearts of โ€œOld Bluesโ€ for generations. Jay Feely made his third field goal of the day. Brady connected with Marcus Knight for what seemed like a 49-yard touchdown pass. The officials spotted the ball just short of the goal line. Then, Brady sneaked over for a touchdown to give Michigan the winning margin of 29-17.

The Wolverines had a slow start that year. However, they enjoyed a fair amount of success in 1998. They finished the season with 10 wins. They also claimed a victory over Arkansas in the Citrus Bowl. The most critical win of the season was on a late September day against Michigan State. That day, the Wolverines got back to basics.

This and other great content can be found at newyorkwolverine.com

About Jeff Cummins

Jeff Cummins has written about football since 1998, including nine years with The Record of Hackensack, N.J. He frequently contributes feature stories to Touchdown Illustrated, an insert in the national college football game program, published by University Sports Publications, and he has also written the official pregame stories for the game programs of the Rose Bowl, the Cotton Bowl, the Sugar Bowl, the Gator Bowl, and the BCS National Championship game. He has written the preview story for the official program for the NHL Winter Classic at MIchigan Stadium, and numerous college basketball feature stories for College Hoops Illustrated, another game program insert published by University Sports Publications. In addition, he has written stories about theater, music, physical therapy, and newsletter marketing. Heโ€™s an avid Michigan football fan and long-time New York Jets season ticket holder, and he can be reached at jeffcummins@optonline.net.