The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1524451
20 THE WOLVERINE ❱ AUGUST 2024 2023-24 YEAR IN REVIEW BY CHRIS BALAS F or years — 17, to be exact — many fans probably felt Michigan might never win a Big Ten title again. The Wol- verines were in the abyss from 2004 un- til 2021, when they finally vanquished Ohio State and captured the title. For good measure, they went to Columbus, hammered the Buckeyes on their own turf for a second consecutive win, and made the four-team playoff for the sec- ond straight season in 2022. It had taken a bit longer than hoped, but Michigan football was finally "back" under head coach Jim Harbaugh in his seventh and eighth years on the job. To join the realm of the truly elite, though, the program needed to take the next step and win a playoff game. En- ter the 2023 squad led by running back Blake Corum, quarterback J.J. McCar- thy, offensive lineman Zak Zinter and a host of other future NFL players. They put together the best season in Michi- gan football history, becoming one of four FBS teams ever to finish 15-0 in a season by beating Alabama in an over- time semifinal in a Rose Bowl thriller, and capping off a national champi- onship season with a 34-13 win over Washington in the title game. Harbaugh called it "a team effort all the way." "Nothing fancy; no surprises," he said after Michigan won its first national ti- tle since sharing the 1997 crown with Nebraska. "Just good, old-fashioned, roll-up-your-sleeves hard work and teamwork, and it's been a beautiful thing. "So often the goal is chasing perfec- tion, and it's hard to be perfect. It rarely comes around. You hope to achieve ex- cellence along the way. It was a perfect MALE TEAM OF THE YEAR FOOTBALL THREE-PEAT! Michigan Football Is The Wolverine's Male Team Of The Year Once Again The Michigan football team won the national championship on Jan. 8, 2024, with a 34-13 victory against previously undefeated Washington. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETICS