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Paul Bunyan Trophy — Looking Back – 2004

Looking Back is a Special Feature by Jeff Cummins

The second installment of the series looking at the football rivalry between Michigan and Michigan State takes us back 20 years, to 2004. Michigan had won the Big Ten championship the previous season, and the team was entering a new era. Chad Henne, Jake Long and Mike Hart emerged as freshman leaders on a Michigan squad building for the future. Following an early loss to Notre Dame, Michigan started to build momentum, and the Wolverines entered the game against Michigan State firing on all cylinders.

As the game began, Michigan misfired early and often, while Michigan State played inspired football. DeAndra Cobb scored on a pair of long touchdown runs, and the Spartans took a 27-10 lead early in the fourth quarter. Time appeared to be running out on the Wolverines, setting the scene for a comeback for the ages.

Michigan began its comeback with only 8:43 remaining in the fourth quarter. After Michigan got a field goal, Brian Thompson fell on the ball after it bounced off a Spartan, giving Michigan possession. Suddenly, Michigan was playing with a sense of reckless abandonment. With 6:12 left to play, Henne threw what amounted to a jump ball into the end zone, and Braylon Edwards came down with both the ball and the momentum. Now, the Wolverines were buoyed by a wave of positive emotion and energy. Several minutes later, Edwards made an eerily similar catch to tie the score with less then three minutes left in regulation time. Michigan State had one final chance to win the game before going to overtime, but Dave Rayner’s field goal attempt wasn’t even close, and the two old foes went to overtime.

As overtime began, the sun dipped below the rim of the stadium, adding an element of intrigue to a game filled with tension. The teams traded body blows through the first couple of overtime sessions, and then Henne found Edwards on a post pattern to give Michigan the lead. Then Henne connected with Tim Massaquoi in the back of the north end zone to give Michigan an eight-point lead, its first lead of the game. For the first time in the entire game, Michigan’s defense took the field with a lead to protect. After a long, frustrating afternoon, the Wolverines finally had the Spartans where they wanted them!

Fittingly, the game came down to a fourth down play. Spartan quarterback Damon Dowdell rolled out, and threw a pass into the end zone, where Michigan defensive back Markus Curry was able to get just a finger on the ball, redirecting it harmlessly away from the receiver. The Wolverines and their fans felt both exhilaration and relief at the same time, as Michigan pulled out a 45-37 win over Michigan State in triple overtime in one of the most dramatic games the rivals have ever played.

The season ended in bittersweet fashion for the Wolverines. Michigan tied Iowa for the Big Ten championship, but lost to arch rival Ohio State and fell to Texas in the Rose Bowl, leaving Michigan fans with a bad taste in their mouths.

Still, that doesn’t take away from the game that Edwards had. Decades from now, students at that game will tell their grandchildren that they watched Edwards grab lightning in a bottle when Michigan beat Michigan State in 2004. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Thanks to ESPN Classic, YouTube, and YouTube poster RXwolverine for the video of this game. As always, we own nothing, and this blog post is provided strictly for the enjoyment of readers.

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Nothing But ‘Net – Week #02 – 10/21/2024 – Exhibition Game, Take One

Note: Sorry this article is later than the normal Monday morning publication.  I’ve been away from decent Internet coverage (European river cruise) for almost two weeks.  I couldn’t watch this week’s game, but I did follow it live via a stats app.

The University of Michigan men’s basketball team played one (exhibition) game this past week, and they won it.  On Sunday (10/20/2024), they beat Oakland 92-48 in Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.  Since it was only an exhibition game, Michigan’s record is still 0-0.

What Happened?

As I say every year after an exhibition game, it’s hard to tell much about the team after an exhibition game.  Coach May tried plays and player combinations we may never see again.  Still, a few things were obvious:

  • Michigan has a lot of depth and talent this season.
  • Coach May can devise many interesting combinations of players.
  • Michigan isn’t afraid to shoot 3-pointers.

Michigan never trailed in the game, although Oakland did hang around in the early going.  Michigan led 7-2 at the 15:40 mark, but Oakland got within 3 points (10-7) with 13:57 to go.  Michigan started pulling away at this point, and got the lead up to 12 points (24-12) at the 11:07 mark.  Oakland got within 6 points (26-20) with 8:09 to go, then Michigan pulled away for good.  They got the lead up to 22 points at halftime (48-26), and never let Oakland get closer than 20 points during the 2nd half.  They steadily pushed the lead into the 30s, then the 40s, winning by 44 points.  It was a solid win.

Stats

The game stats were pretty good.  Michigan shot well overall (34-for-69 = 49.3%), they shot 3-pointers well (15-for-35 = 42.9%), but they shot free throws poorly (9-for-18 = 50.0%).  They won the rebounding battle (52-33) and the turnover battle (14-15).  They won this game with good shooting and rebounding.  It also helped that Oakland had a miserable night shooting 3-pointers: 2-for-30 = 6.7%

Who Started?

The starters were Tre Donaldson, Roddy Gayle Jr., Vladislav Goldin, Rubin Jones, and Danny Wolf.

Who Looked Good?

Will Tschetter was the leading scorer, off the bench, with 15 points on good shooting: 6-for-8 overall, 1-for-1 from deep.  All that in just 15 minutes of playing time!

Gayle had a good game, with 13 points on good shooting: 5-for-8 overall, 2-for-3 from deep.  He also had 4 assists.  I couldn’t tell from the limited information in the stats app how much of the time Gayle played point guard.

Wolf had a good game as well, with 11 points and 13 rebounds, for a solid “double-double”.  He shot well: 3-for-6 overall, 2-for-4 from deep.  It’s great having a 7-footer who can shoot 3-pointers.  It pulls the opposing big men out to the perimeter, opening up the lane for driving to the hoop.

Goldin also had 11 points, and also shot well: 5-for-8 overall.  Many of his shots were dunks.

Donaldson almost hit double figures, with 9 points.  He didn’t shoot quite as well as the other 3 starters mentioned above: 3-for-7 overall, 1-for-4 from deep.  He did have a team high 6 assists.

Jones had a decent game, with 5 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists.

Sam Walters was the 5th Michigan player in double figures, with 12 points, off the bench.  He was Michigan’s leading 3-point shooter, going 4-for-6 from deep.  He only took 3-point attempts.

L.J. Cason didn’t quite hit double figures, with 8 points.  He didn’t shoot particularly well (3-for-8 overall, 2-for-5 from deep), but he did have 5 rebounds.

Who Looked Not-So-Good?

Nimari Burnett had 6 points, off the bench, on lousy shooting: 2-for-8 overall, all 3-pointers.  He made his first 3-pointer, missed 6 in a row, then made his last 3-pointer late in the game.  Without his 2-for-8 contribution, Michigan shot 13-for-27 (48.1%) from deep.

Who Else Played?

Phat Phat Brooks played for 6 minutes, and scored 2 points.

Ian Burns played in the final minute, and didn’t attempt a shot.

Howard Eisley Jr. played in the final minute, and didn’t attempt a shot.

Harrison Hochberg played in the final minute, but missed both his shot attempts.

Charlie May played in the final minute, but missed his only shot attempt.

Who Didn’t Play?

Everyone who wasn’t injured played at least 1 minute.  The injured players are: Jace Howard and Justin Pippen.

What Does It Mean?

It’s hard to tell much about a team after one exhibition game.  Oakland certainly wasn’t as good as their NCAA Tournament team from last season, so it’s hard to tell how good Michigan is yet.

What’s Next?

This week, Michigan plays only one game, another exhibition.  On Friday (10/25/2024, 7:30 p.m., BTN) they play Toledo in Crisler Arena.  It is rare for Michigan to play two exhibition games in a season.

Toledo was 20-12 last season, 14-4 in the MAC.  They beat some decent teams (Louisiana, Wright State, and Oakland), but they lost in the 1st round of the MAC tournament and didn’t play in the post-season.  They don’t have any noteworthy players, but they have a little height: two 6’10” guys.  This is a game that Michigan should win, but you never know with a new team with lots of new players.  Team chemistry goes a long way, and this team may need some time to develop that chemistry.

Check back next week to find out what happened and why.

Go Blue!

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Paul Bunyan Trophy — Looking Back – 1959

Looking Back is a Special Feature by Jeff Cummins

Many places claim to be the birthplace of Paul Bunyan. As far as the Michigan and Michigan State football programs are concerned, Paul was born in East Lansing.

The football rivalry between Michigan and Michigan State began in 1898, but 1953 marked a new chapter in the rivalry. Michigan State joined the Big Ten conference in 1953, and the rivals agreed that the Paul Bunyan Trophy would be awarded to the winner of the game each season. You could even make the argument the trophy changed the rivalry to some degree. The two schools had always been very different. The University of Michigan had long been regarded as an elite research institution, while Michigan State began its existence as Michigan Agricultural College. Michigan dominated the series for decades, building a resentment among Michigan State students, alumni and fans. Michigan State’s entry into the Big Ten suddenly gave the Spartans a solid platform to confront the Wolverines.

The first installment of this year’s series looking back at the Paul Bunyan rivalry takes us back to that ’53 game, which was played in East Lansing. A pair of midseason defeats tarnished Michigan’s record, but the sight of Michigan State on the opposing sideline should have ignited a fire under the Wolverines. It certainly inspired the Spartans, who always gnashed their teeth at the sight of the maize and blue.

Worse yet, Michigan State coach Clarence “Biggie” Munn had the Spartans well prepared for Michigan. Munn had considerable success recruiting players from Texas to play for Michigan State, and that gave the Spartans a significant advantage.

The rivalry between Michigan and Michigan State has always been marked by the ability to run the ball. The team that runs better usually wins, and Michigan State used a pair of rushing touchdowns and a fierce defensive effort to top Michigan, 14-6, giving the Spartans their fourth consecutive victory over Michigan. Munn retired from coaching after the 1953 season to become the athletic director at Michigan State. Michigan fans and alumni didn’t shed any tears over his departure from the sidelines.

Many thanks to YouTube and YouTube poster College Football Historian for the highlight film of this game. As always, we own nothing, and this blog post is provided strictly for the enjoyment of readers.

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Michigan Wolverine Football Podcast — Game 7 Prediction — Illinois

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In this episode @pcallihan and @Clint_Derringer break down Michigan’s pivotal matchup against Illinois, focusing on the team’s struggles in road games and the need for clean execution. With Illinois showing strength in close games, Michigan’s offense, led by QB Jack Tuttle, must step up against Illinois’ formidable defense. They emphasize the importance of consistent offensive line play, strong defensive tackling, and dominating all phases of the game to keep Michigan’s playoff hopes alive. This is a must-listen for fans eager to dive into the game’s key storylines and Michigan’s path forward.

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