College Football Road Trips

When I was in college at the University of Michigan, I attended all the football home games the same as most students. I also attended some road games while still a student and shortly thereafter that were memorable events.

I transferred to the U of M in 1977 as a junior and the team finished the regular season with 10 wins and 1 loss. They had entered the season ranked #2. Michigan rose to #1 after its first game but had a hard time beating two lesser opponents, Duke and Navy. When they played Texas A&M in Ann Arbor, they were ranked #3 and everyone was afraid of A&M who was ranked #5 at the time. I believe A&M was actually favored to win the game. A&M scored first with a field goal and then Michigan scored 41 unanswered points to win 41-3. I don't believe A&M even got past the 50 yard line the rest of the game! A couple weeks later, Michigan played undefeated and 14th ranked Wisconsin and beat them 56-0. This vaulted Michigan back into #1 and everyone was happy in Ann Arbor. The next week Michigan traveled up to Minnesota to battle for the Little Brown Jug and lost 16-0. So much for the undefeated season and #1 ranking.

They ended up the season with just that one loss to Minnesota. They played in the Rose Bowl on January 2, 1978 against the Washington Huskies and lost 27-20. I attended this game and despite the loss, the trip was a lot of fun going to the Rose Parade and various Los Angeles area attractions such as Disneyland and Universal Studios.

In the 1979 season, a bunch of us drove to West Lafayette, Indiana to see Michigan beat Purdue. The game was in mid October and it was really cold that day – about 30 degrees with light rain, yuck. Oh, and did Michigan win? No, they lost 24-21. I don’t recall much about the game but I do remember a Purdue fan trying to steal my Michigan hat at that game. They didn’t get it.

In 1980, the year after I graduated, a bunch of us got together to go to South Bend to see Michigan beat Notre Dame. This was a September game and the weather was pleasant. I still clearly remember that football sailing over the goal post by about 18 inches to score the winning field goal for Notre Dame as time expired. I was surrounded by Notre Dame fans and they were happy but also sympathetic to me. A nice bunch of people.

(A side note: Harry Oliver kicked that field goal for Notre Dame. He said after the game that he said a few Hail Marys before the kick. I wondered if this was the origin of the football "Hail Mary Play". It was not but this did qualify as one of those.)

Another road game was at Wisconsin in September, 1981. Wisconsin won this one 21-14. This was the first game of the year for both teams, I believe. Not a good way to start the season (unless you’re a badger fan!).

So, that was four road games and four losses for Michigan. Some people thought I was jinxing our favorite college team.

I went to one more road game, at Purdue, in 1981. Michigan won that one 28-10. So, the jinx was over. That was the last Michigan game I saw in person. Overall, Michigan’s record for games I attended is 20 wins and 7 losses.