The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/763983
JANUARY 2017 THE WOLVERINE 35 MICHIGAN FOOTBALL They could have found thousands of cash-riskers willing to gamble that the Nittany Lions would not be Big Ten champs while uproariously laughing over the prospect. Somehow, some way, that's precisely what happened. Penn State went on to win its next nine games, beating Ohio State at home, 24-21, and Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship contest, 38-31. In the title game, Penn State trailed by three touchdowns in the second quarter before rallying like it did fol- lowing the manhandling at Michigan. The turnaround after such a monu- mental drubbing obviously begs the question — what are Michigan's big- gest wins over an eventual Big Ten champion? Nothing compares to 2016, not sur- prisingly. The 39-point victory tops anything the Wolverines have recorded over a team on its way to the league title. The closest Michigan has ever come to matching that sort of domination against the Big Ten champion occurred back in 1993, when Ohio State and Wis- consin tied for the conference title. The Buckeyes came into Ann Arbor on the final day of the regular season and left looking like anything but the Big Ten standard bearers, losing 28-0. The Wolverines posted two other vic- tories over an eventual Big Ten cham- pion by at least three touchdowns. In 2001, Illinois captured the conference title, even while absorbing a 45-20 beat- down in Ann Arbor. In 1976, Michigan's 16-14 slip-up at Purdue opened the door for the Buck- eyes to tie the Wolverines for the Big Ten championship. U-M left no doubt about the conference's best squad that year, though, earning a trip to the Rose Bowl with a 22-0 shutout at Ohio State. The Wolverines have beaten the eventual Big Ten champion (or its precursor, the Western Conference champs) by double digits no fewer than eight times. They have knocked off a Big Ten champion during the season 20 times since the league was formed back in 1998. Here is a breakdown of the top 10 biggest margins of victory over a team claiming the league title: Year Margin Result Champions 2016 39 49-10 over PSU Penn State 1993 28 28-0 over OSU OSU, Wisconsin 2001 25 45-20 over Ill. Illinois 1976 22 22-0 over OSU Michigan, OSU 1998 17 27-10 over UW U-M, OSU, Wisc. 2004 13 30-17 over Iowa Michigan, Iowa 1969 12 24-12 over OSU Michigan, OSU 1952 11 21-10 over Purd. Purd., Wisc., OSU 1909 9 15-6 over Minn. Minnesota 1977 8 14-6 over OSU Michigan, OSU JIM HARBAUGH ENTERTAINS ALL AT FIRST BOWL PRESSER Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh demonstrated his fun-loving, lighter side when he and Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher got together for their first press conference promoting the Dec. 30 Orange Bowl. Harbaugh touched on a wide range of topics, get- ting philosophical before hailing an FSU tradition and talking coconuts. Regarding getting over Michigan's OFFENSE Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. WR 82 Amara Darboh 6-2 215 5th-Sr. 14 Drake Harris 6-4 188 R-Jr. LT 71 Ben Braden 6-6 335 5th-Sr. 76 J. Bushell-Beatty 6-6 311 R-So. LG 74 Ben Bredeson 6-5 310 Fr. 71 Ben Braden 6-6 335 5th-Sr. C 52 Mason Cole 6-5 305 Jr. 57 Patrick Kugler 6-5 303 R-Jr. RG 67 Kyle Kalis 6-5 305 5th-Sr. 74 Ben Bredeson 6-5 310 Fr. RT 78 Erik Magnuson 6-6 305 5th-Sr. 70 Nolan Ulizio 6-5 291 R-Fr. TE 88 Jake Butt 6-6 250 Sr. 2 Devin Asiasi 6-3 287 Fr. WR 82 Jehu Chesson 6-3 203 5th-Sr. 85 Maurice Ways 6-3 217 R-So. QB 3 Wilton Speight 6-6 243 R-So. 8 John O'Korn 6-4 215 R-Jr. FB 80 Khalid Hill 6-2 263 R-Jr 19 Henry Poggi 6-4 257 R-Jr. RB 4 De'Veon Smith 5-11 228 Sr. 32 Ty Isaac 6-3 230 R-Jr. or 12 Chris Evans 5-11 200 Fr. or 22 Karan Higdon 5-10 189 So. DEFENSE Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. DE 33 Taco Charlton 6-6 285 Sr. 15 Chase Winovich 6-3 245 R-So. DT 96 Ryan Glasgow 6-4 299 5th-Sr. 90 Bryan Mone 6-4 310 R-So. DT 99 Matthew Godin 6-6 294 5th-Sr. 73 Maurice Hurst 6-2 282 R-Jr. DE 43 Chris Wormley 6-6 302 5th-Sr. 3 Rashan Gary 6-5 287 Fr. SLB 5 Jabrill Peppers 6-1 205 R-So. 59 Noah Furbush 6-5 238 R-So. ILB 9 Mike McCray 6-4 248 R-Jr. 10 Devin Bush Jr. 5-11 232 Fr. ILB 42 Ben Gedeon 6-3 247 Sr. 52 E. Mbem-Bosse 6-3 215 Fr. FS 25 Dymonte Thomas 6-2 199 Sr. 23 Tyree Kinnel 5-11 206 So. SS 44 Delano Hill 6-1 215 Sr. 23 Tyree Kinnel 5-11 206 So. CB 8 Channing Stribling 6-2 175 Sr. 28 Brandon Watson 5-11 203 R-So. or 22 David Long 5-11 187 Fr. CB 26 Jourdan Lewis 5-10 186 Sr. 28 Brandon Watson 5-11 203 R-So. MICHIGAN DEPTH CHART (UNOFFICIAL) Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. PK 91 Kenny Allen 6-4 222 5th-Sr. 3 Quinn Nordin 6-1 205 Fr. P 91 Kenny Allen 6-4 222 5th-Sr. 3 Quinn Nordin 6-1 205 Fr. KO 91 Kenny Allen 6-4 222 5th-Sr. 3 Quinn Nordin 6-1 205 Fr. H 15 Garrett Moores 6-5 217 Sr. Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. LS 31 Scott Sypniewski 6-1 231 R-Jr. 50 Andrew Robinson 6-0 221 R-So. KR 26 Jourdan Lewis 5-10 186 Sr. 86 Jehu Chesson 6-3 203 5th-Sr. PR 5 Jabrill Peppers 6-1 205 R-So. 12 Chris Evans 5-11 200 Fr. SPECIAL TEAMS Harbaugh had a memorable Orange Bowl press conference while covering a wide num- ber of topics, including him asking Florida State — and granting U-M's permission — to bring their pregame traditions to the postsea- son contest. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN