In the 2016 season, Michigan football ended their season with a disappointing loss at the Orange Bowl. With a school record of eleven players selected in the 2017 NFL Draft, Michigan came into the season as a relatively young team with high expectations.
Michigan football started the season off strong with an impressive win over 17th-ranked Florida. With veteran quarterback Wilton Speight returning and a strong defensive line, Michigan looked on track for another strong season.
Then tragedy stuck. In the fourth game of the season against Purdue, Speight injured his vertebrae and was out for the season. Coach Harbaugh turned to Michigan’s backup quarterbacks, John O’Korn and Brandon Peters, who were both full of promise but lacking experience with a pro-style offense. In a hyped up rivalry match against Michigan State, Michigan was expected to blow out the unranked Spartans. However, the turnover-prone Michigan team fell to the Spartans 14-10 in a heated night game battle. The next few games didn’t look great either as Michigan edged out an unranked Indiana team in overtime and fell to the firepower of 2nd-ranked Penn State.
Although the football team has fallen in the rankings, Michigan’s hopes have not been diminished. Adjustment to a new quarterback takes time, and the team is young and needs time to grow. Our defensive line is full of potential NFL talent. Offensively, our running backs and extremely young wide receivers look promising despite minor mistakes. This young Michigan team proved its worth in a promising win against Rutgers at the end of October. In early November, Michigan continued to improve, racking up 371 rushing yards in a win over Minnesota. With a 7-2 record, the Wolverines are poised and ready to take on the final stretch of the 2017 season.
During our Thanksgiving break, the Wolverines play their final game of the season against #9 Ohio State. With Michigan’s young team warmed up for the end of the season and quarterbacks O’Korn and Peters with more experience, our team has a realistic chance of beating the Buckeyes and snapping our 5 game losing streak in the greatest collegiate sports rivalry of all time.
If you’re planning on attending the game, please remember Michigan in November is chilly! You don’t have to rep your Michigan Football T-Shirt 24/7. Bundle up in maize and blue, and enjoy the game! If you plan on staying in, please watch and support the team! The Michigan vs. OSU rivalry has been going on for over century, and the game is always a great time, regardless of who comes out on top.
Stay spirited, keep warm, and GO BLUE!
-Contributed by Jiaming Shen, Neighborhood Ambassador, North Ingalls