The Exorcism of Michigan Football
- Stephen W.
- Nov 20, 2018
- 3 min read
In 2006 as Michigan prepared for Ohio State in a match-up of undefeated, National Championship contenders, the modern day Godfather of the football program passed away when Bo Schembechler died unexpectedly of a heart attack on November 17th. Michigan would go on to lose to OSU 42-39 in Columbus that day. As that game was ending something just felt different, like an entire program and fan base had not only lost a game, but an identity.
A year later Lloyd Carr would retire, Bill Martin would be unreachable on a boat, the Wolverines would hire Rich Rodriguez and Dave Brandon, and make a situation that was tenable at best into an outright disaster. Fast forward ten years, and other than a win over the 2011 Luke Fickell led OSU team, Michigan has beaten OSU once since 2003. They haven't won in Columbus since 2000. That is three coaches, 18 seasons, and what seems like a lifetime ago.
In 2015 when Michigan hired Jim Harbaugh, they brought back the closest thing to a reincarnated version of Bo. This was the man whom all Michigan fans would hope could return Michigan to glory. Harbaugh threw together a recruiting class that year, complete with a signing day flip of a 3-Star RB from Florida named Karan Higdon, and set course to reestablish the program he took such great pride in. Harbaugh and Michigan would go 10-3 that first season, but Meyer would get the best of him 42-13 in the season defining game, setting the pattern for all results to follow.
It wasn't just OSU either. MSU has been a nightmare for Michigan and a season opening loss to ND in another rivalry game made many a Michigan Man wonder...how can we possible beat OSU; is Jim Harbaugh really the guy to get this done; and if not him, will it ever happen?
Then something happened on the way to November 24th, 2018, Michigan built the best defense in college football, a top 25 rushing attack, and they started winning big games, games they have not one since 2006. They came from behind on the road against NW, beat MSU in bad weather in East Lansing , destroyed PSU and Wisconsin at home, and took care of business in all of the weeks in between. Now Michigan rolls into Columbus in position to make the CFP.
This game though isn't about Michigan against OSU, or Harbaugh against Meyer, it is Michigan against Michigan. It is Michigan against the last ten years. Against the house of horrors that is The Shoe. Against what Michigan once was, and what it hopes to be one day again. This isn't just a football game, it is an exorcism of the last decade of Michigan football. A decade of disappointment, and frustration, and irrelevance.
On Saturday, Jim Harbaugh has the chance to deliver the program defining win this fan base so desperately craves, and that this program so desperately needs. Hope, and pride, and trust only last for so long before they begin to wain in the absence of a tangible result. For twelve years Michigan has toiled without an identity, lost in the vastness that is mediocrity. Come Saturday evening that could, and should, all be over, and at long last the hope that arrived in the image of Bo can reestablish the identity of a football program that has been missing one for far too long.
-SW
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