Guess Who’s On The Losing End Of 5 Of The Most Beloved Games This Century
That's what you can glean from a recent SB Nation poll.
SB Nation asked its readers to name the most beloved games of this century. Sure, the 21st Century is only 16-plus years old, but roll with it. The fans voted and after compiling a shortlist of games, SB Nation unveiled the top 25 most beloved games since 2000 based on another round of fan voting, and wow does the collective public love watching Michigan lose.
The Wolverines are on the losing end of five games on this list.
That's right, out of a Top 25 list Michigan is the loser in 20 percent of all entries. Let's revisit them all.
Michigan State's lone appearance on this list is the game that anointed Jalen Watts-Jackson one of, if not the most, famous special teamer in Spartan history. You can probably still remember the call: "Oh, he has trouble with the snap, and the ball is free!" The broadcaster's voice breaking as even he announces in disbelief what he watches transpires. That game comes in at 21st, and just because it will never get old here it is again.
At No. 18 is Ohio State's overtime win against Michigan in 2016 that saw Michigan fans cry about "The Spot". Never mind the fact that Michigan rushed for 11 yards as a team and on top of not completing a pass all fourth quarter. Wilton Speight also took a sack to total five yards of offense in the last 15 minutes of regulation. But, you know, the spot was bad and that's why Michigan lost.
Coming in at No. 16 it's another Ohio State-Michigan classic, this time the 42-39 "Game of the Century" in 2006 that saw Ohio State clinch its place in the BCS Championship game. This game featured 900 yards of offense and was a de facto play-in game to the national title game, a semifinal before we even had semifinals in college football, if you will.
At lucky No. 13 on the list is the 2005 Rose Bowl. Texas and Michigan have played each other only once, which is crazy to think about given each program's history. Nevertheless, that one time is pretty memorable with Texas beating the Wolverines 38-37 in Pasadena on a field goal as time expired. USC beat Oklahoma in the national championship game this year, but honestly the Michigan-Texas Rose Bowl game was the best game of that bowl season.
And the last Michigan entry on the list and certainly the most painful loss for the Wolverines this century is Appalachian State. The Big Ten Network's first ever live game broadcast -- and I would argue it's most memorable one since the network signed on air -- comes in at No. 5 on SB Nation's list. Fun fact: Corey Lynch, who blocked the kick that sealed the Mountaineers win, saved a woman's life while he was a member of the Cincinnati Bengals. The story was mentioned in the 2008 edition of Hard Knocks. We couldn't find the actual clip but here's Lynch talking about it with a member of the Tampa Bay media.
And of course here's his glorious field goal block.
If that video isn't enough for you just listen to the student radio broadcast from Appalachian State, it is incredible.
In case you were curious, the top five "most beloved games of the century" after Appalachian State vs Michigan are the Kick Six (Auburn over Alabama), Clemson's last-second championship win last season, the 2006 Rose Bowl (Young beats Leinart/Bush) and the 2007 Fiesta Bowl (Hook and Ladder and Statue of Liberty plays).