Wolverines Blogging: A Whole Lot of Ills

Things I'd be saying in the alternate universe where the Wolverines weren't inexplicably refraining from playing football this year and had, in fact, managed to lose their second game in two tries. In this weird, alternate world, by the way, Bo Schembechler is sadly missing from the world, having passed and seemingly taken the Wolverine's hopes with him. They haven't won since he died and fans are beginning to talk of the Ghost of Schembechler haunting the field. That Big House is a lonely place. The fans are even starting to boo their own team. It's a strange, sad place and I'm surprised I can even imagine it.

Here's how the season's gone so far. The first game should have been televised, but it wasn't. The second game shouldn't have been seen by anyone, so, of course, it was nationally broadcast.

Appalachian State, sure, it was a loss but it was a classic, one both teams had a chance to put away but neither did until the final blocked kick. That, of course, shouldn't happen to Michigan against a D-IAA team but if you took the uniforms away that would have been a great game to watch. i would have had to be led to a cozy room lacking sharp corners afterwards, but I'd still like to have seen it.

Oregon on the other hand, was a game I was worried about heading into the season as I knew they had the kind of mobile quarterback the Wolverines struggle with and the Michigan secondary was strong as tissue paper. Throw in injuries, shattered confidences, and a rookie quarterback learning on the job and that game was twelve kinds of ugly.

This, I mean, this is historical levels of bad now. Michigan lost, at home, by 32 points. Worst loss since '68. That's 39 years and before the era of Bo. Michigan has lost four games in a row. First time in 48 years. Michigan lost two games at home. First time in even longer. Michigan lost to D-IAA Appalachian State. The first D-I team to do so ever. Been three years since they beat OSU or won a bowl game. Been 10 years since they split a national title and the glow from that has long since faded.

Appalachian State was an upset. This last game was just an embarrassment.