The Loss Heard Around the World

The Loss Heard Around the World

Words cannot describe how I felt watching the Michigan game Saturday. I went from jubilation after Mike Hart’s 54-yard scamper to complete sadness and disbelief after the second Michigan field goal was blocked. It felt as my heart had been torn from my chest. It made me so sick to my stomach to know that all of the Ohio State fans already have a wonderful football season.

This was David versus Goliath all over again with Appalachian State slinging the stone that knocked Michigan the Goliath of college football, out of the BCS Title race.

We all knew all about the Jerry Moore-led Appalachian State Mountaineers. We knew about their Division I-AA national championships, their speed, their scrambling quarterback and their spread offense. I thought that the Mountaineers offense posed problems for the big, physical Michigan defense that lost a handful defensive talent to the NFL, but I wasn’t worried. After all, this was Michigan, at home in the Big House. The Big House alone is enough to intimidate and freeze the most seasoned and storied programs, let alone a team from the ‘Sub Division.’ Give credit to head coach Moore and Mountaineer quarterback Armanti Edwards for sticking to their game plan and not being rattled by the pressure and the big crowd.

It was evident from the start of the game that Michigan was rusty and out of shape, but what was more obvious was how Appalachian, a second-tier program, came out ready to play. They more than made up for their size disadvantage with superior team speed, a consistent approach to play calling and perhaps the most shocking, ASU showed more grit and passion.

This was going to be a national championship contending Michigan squad in 2007, a top five-ranked team that returned one of the best Michigan offenses to date. The Michigan superstars like Hart and Jake Long envisioned beating Ohio State and a championship year, but never thought they would stumble this early and this hard.

This may be the biggest upset in college football history. Until now, no Division I-AA team has beaten a ranked Division I-A team in the Associated Press poll, ever. Well they have now.

I do see this game as ONE of the biggest upsets of all-time, and surely, one of the biggest losses Michigan has ever had. You have to go back a long way to find an upset of this caliber, like 80 years. More recently though, we all remember last year and the Oklahoma slamming from Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. That, to me, was one of the biggest upsets in college football history. Also, the University of Temple victory in 1998 over Virginia Tech was a massive upset and that Temple team was far worse than Appalachian State. The Citadel’s win over Arkansas in 1992 was also a big-time upset. We also all remember the Doug Flutie led Boston College team and the win against the supped-up Miami Hurricanes in 1984. That was a huge upset that helped launch Flutie and the BC program. But this is Michigan and not Oklahoma, Arkansas, Virginia Tech or Boston College. Oklahoma is a national powerhouse and Arkansas, Tech and BC have solid programs as well, but we are talking about the leaders and best of college football. Michigan is college football royalty, a program that began playing football since 1881 and has amassed over 800 wins, which is the most all-time. Why did this happen to one of the programs that defines college football and all of college sports?

If an upset of this magnitude is going to go down, it is going to happen in the first few weeks of the college season. Most college teams need to shake the rust off and with no preseason games, teams do start slow, especially Michigan. Michigan historically starts slower than most and with a ton of fresh faces on the defensive side of the ball this year, Michigan found themselves behind early to a faster and more determined Appalachian State team.

Appalachian has maybe a handful of guys that could make the Michigan roster and even see playing time. In fact, the Wolverines may be just one of the few programs that can generate 100,000 plus fans to turn out for, well, Appalachian State. This is Michigan, the biggest powerhouse in college football and is why my jaw, as well has millions of other college football fans jaws, are still dropped.

Appalachian came back time and time again, and yes Michigan was flat for the better part of the first half, but not for the whole game. The Wolverines had their chances, but failed to capitalize, as the Mountaineers stood tall. Head coach Moore had his troops ready for all out war, where Lloyd Carr and the Michigan squad was merely ready for a small skirmish. Michigan failed to utilize their speed receivers and big play threats down the field and Chad Henne looked to be forcing the situation, instead of letting his playmakers make plays for him. Michigan looked extremely slow in key positions on defense, still. Michigan has to fully focus recruiting efforts on defense, going after some much needed defensive speed. Michigan has to get smaller and faster or teams will continue to spread them out and find the miss matches. I remember the strong, fast, dominate Michigan defenses of old. Lately it's been all offense in Ann Arbor. Michigan HAS to find a balance.

Michigan also shot themselves in the foot with costly penalties and poor play on special teams. How hard is blocking on field goal opportunities? Not very. Michigan got out played and out coached by a team and school that that no one had really heard of. Appalachian State is on the map now.

Is Lloyd Carr’s seat hot in Ann Arbor? Yes, it’s ablaze. We now get to see what this Michigan program under Carr is all about. No matter what, Carr is a legend, a national title and five conference championships prove that, but this old coach has to pull more motivation and heart from this superstar-laden program.

This could be the beginning of the end for Carr, as this loss will surely erase just about all the positive memories and victories – college football is different today, it is about winning now and not about wins and championships from years past. Now, Henne, Hart, Long, Mario Manningham and Carr’s legacies are all defined by this one game against Appalachian State.

Will Hart, Long, Manningham and Henne respond and turn what has become the worst Michigan loss into inspiration for another Big-Ten title and Rose Bowl berth? We will find out this Saturday when Oregon comes calling.

The Michigan stars have the rest of the year to prove that this was not one of the biggest upsets in history, but rather the biggest fluke in history. They first have to get over being the Michigan team that SHOULD have played for the BCS Title (the one reason all four came back), but blew it and lost in the season opener to Appalachian State. That could pose as a serious mental hurdle, especially with a strong Oregon team coming to town that likes to operate and do a lot of what Appalachian does offensively.

Michigan’s season is in jeopardy. A loss to Oregon would send colossal shockwaves through this still dominate program. Michigan has to save their season one week at a time.

From My Notepad

• Michigan has now lost three games in a row, this has not happened since 1979.
• Michigan has given up 109 points during this three game loosing streak.  
  
• Michigan had won 13 previous home openers.
• Mighigan had two blocked field goals, as well as two costly turnovers and seven big penalties that cost them the game.
• Michigan could not get their passing game on track- Manningham and Adrian Arrington were held in check for the majority of the game.
• Henne looked just decent, but tried to do too much on his own. He made a poor read on his interception in the second half- I expected more from this senior quarterback.
• Hart played with determination and grit. He is becoming one of my favorite Michigan backs and is closing in on some all-time Michigan rushing records.
• Appalachian State has the longest winning streak in the nation now with 15 straight wins.
• Appalachian State is not eligible to receive votes in the AP Top 25 poll because they are not a Division I-A Football Bowl Subdivision.