The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1438965
12 THE WOLVERINE JANUARY 2022 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS BY THE NUMBERS By Clayton Sayfie 5 Michigan hockey players — sophomore forwards Matty Beniers and Thomas Bordeleau, freshman defenseman Luke Hughes, freshman forward Mackie Samoskevich and sophomore defen- seman Jacob Truscott — were named to the USA World Junior Championship preliminary roster ahead of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championship, which is set to take place Dec. 27-Jan. 5 in Edmon- ton and Red Deer, Alberta. Bordeleau, however, was later removed from the roster for the championship due to an injury that held him out of two U-M contests. Sophomore defenseman Owen Power and sophomore forward Kent Johnson will both participate in the event for Team Canada. 15.9 million Viewers tuned in for Michigan's 42-27 win over Ohio State Nov. 27, making it the most-watched regular-season college football game in FOX history. This was a more than 70 percent increase from the 2021 season's previ- ous highest-watched game (Michigan vs. Michigan State, Oct. 30 — 9.29 million). The pregame festivities also brought in big numbers. FOX's "Big Noon Saturday" show drew its biggest audi- ence in regular-season history, notching 3.3 million view- ers, while ESPN's "College GameDay" scored its most view- ers since 2018, with a final-hour average of 3 million-plus watchers. Both shows were aired live from The Big House. 4 Of Jim Harbaugh's players have become Heisman Trophy fi- nalists during his 11 years as an FBS head coach, with junior defensive end AIDAN HUTCHINSON joining former Michigan linebacker Jabrill Peppers (2016), former Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck (2011) and former Stanford running back Toby Gerhart (2009). Har- baugh, himself, was a finalist and finished third for college football's most prestigious individual award in 1986. 15 15 Made three-pointers for Michigan basketball in a 102-67 win at Nebraska Dec. 7, which stands as the most for the pro- gram since Nov. 17, 2 0 1 8 , w h e n t h e Wolverines hit 15 triples against George Washington. It was the Maize and Blue's first time hitting the century mark since pouring in 103 points in a win over Iowa Dec. 6, 2019. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL College football is more fun when Michigan is winning and up there at the top. It's good to see a different color in the playoffs." — Junior defensive end AIDAN HUTCHINSON while speaking to reporters before the Heisman Trophy ceremony 95 95 Was the graduation rate for Michigan's student-athletes in 2021, as revealed by the NCAA Dec. 2, which was a new school record. The four-year average is 14 percentage points higher than it was in 2010 and one point higher than 2020. In addition, 14 of U-M's 25 varsity athletic programs included in the report earned perfect Graduation Success Rate scores. CALEB HOUSTAN 12 Wins for the third time in a season in Michi- gan football history, with the 2021 club join- ing the 1997 and 1905 squads, which both won 12 contests. A victory over Georgia in the Dec. 31 Orange Bowl would make this U-M group the winningest in program history.