The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1531518
FEBRUARY 2025 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 17 ❱ INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS These last two games, in the eyes of Michigan fans, were works of art. But they were very creative works of art, because this was a team with limitations. That Ohio State win has aged incredibly well, when you see what Ohio State has done since then. The 'Bama win was in many ways just as shocking, given who didn't play for Michigan in the bowl game. History will not treat this as an elite season, but I think when this senior class comes back years from now, they'll be signing autographs with the Ohio State scoreboard and the 'Bama scoreboard. They'll be fondly remembered by fans." — Michigan radio play-by-play commentator Doug Karsch on the football team's season-ending wins over Ohio State and Alabama [Tight ends] Coach [and interim offensive coordinator Steve] Casula said, 'It doesn't matter who's playing in the game, it doesn't matter who opted out or who's in — we're going to win this game.' And he said that he pictured us winning the game and knew that we were going to win. "It's all about that, a manifestation of thinking, 'We're going to take this thing and we're going to win this ball game.'" — Freshman running back and ReliaQuest Bowl MVP JORDAN MARSHALL on the 19-13 win over Alabama 10 Outdoor games in MICHIGAN HOCKEY history, including the 4-3 loss to Ohio State Jan. 3 at WRIGLEY FIELD, the home of the Chicago Cubs, as part of the Frozen Confines. That was the third time the Wolverines and Buckeyes faced off outside, with the first being a 4-1 U-M win at the Frozen Diamond Faceoff at Progressive Field in Cleveland in 2012. The Maize and Blue are now 4-5-1 in outside tilts. I think it's pretty clear we're not winning a three-point shooting con- test with Michigan. If it's a game of horse, they've got guys five feet behind the line not missing. We got guys 2-for-20." — UCLA head coach Mick Cronin after losing to Michigan, 94-75, Jan. 7 10-9 Is Michigan's record against SEC teams in bowl games, following the 19-13 victory over Alabama in the Dec. 31 ReliaQuest Bowl. No. 7 Is where Michigan football ranked in the On3 Team Transfer Portal In- dex as of Jan. 13. The standings "measure a team's production during the transfer process, compared against its roster and is not a comparison against other schools," factoring in additions as well as depar- tures. The Wolverines added 13 transfer commits and saw 15 scholarship players depart since the portal opened in early December. Only Texas Tech, Ole Miss, Missouri, Miami, LSU and Auburn checked in ahead of U-M, which slotted first in the Big Ten. 16.5 Was the Vegas point spread for the ReliaQuest Bowl, in favor of Alabama over Michigan. The Wolverines winning 19-13 in the Dec. 31 clash in Tampa, Fla., marked the second- largest upset in bowl game history, behind only the 1998 Humanitarian Bowl in which Idaho beat South- ern Miss, 42-35, as a 17-point underdog, per ESPN. com. U-M's upset was tied with the 2014 Fiesta Bowl, when UCF defeated Baylor, 52-42, and the 1990 Liberty Bowl, when Air Force took down Ohio State, 23-11. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETICS PHOTO COURTESY RELIAQUEST BOWL/STEVE JACOBSON