Michigan LOSES at home to Toledo

[acealive1]

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Holy Toledo. Michigan's K.C. Lopata missed a 26-yard field goal with 4 seconds left, giving the Rockets a 13-10 win over the once-mighty Wolverines. Toledo coach Tom Amstutz, who has spent most of his life in the city just south of the Michigan border, gazed at the scoreboard displaying the stunning score as he celebrated on the Big House field. "Yeah, I enjoyed looking at it," Amstutz said. "I wasn't in a hurry to get off the field. I lingered a little bit because it was such a great feeling." The Rockets went ahead early in the fourth quarter when Alex Steigerwald's career-long 48-yard field goal bounced off the crossbar. With a chance to seal the victory, Toledo came up short on a fourth down to make a comeback possible for college football's winningest team. Michigan seemed to set up overtime by driving to the Rockets 9, but Lopata's chip shot from the right side of the field sailed to the left of the uprights. "It never goes down on one play," Rodriguez said. "There are a lot of plays we'd like to have back." The Wolverines (2-4) have their worst six-game record since 1967 -- two years before Bo Schembechler started coaching them -- and their streak of playing in 33 straight bowls is in jeopardy. "We're kind of at a crossroads," linebacker Obi Ezeh said. "We could either go downhill or we can hang tough and weather this storm." It will be difficult for Michigan to bounce back this month with matchups at No. 6 Penn State and against No. 23 Michigan State. "This will hurt for 24 hours -- at least," Rodriguez said. "But we can't let it hurt longer because we have a game coming up against a top-10 team." Everyone knew Rodriguez's first season would be a rebuilding one as he installed new schemes with inexperienced players, but this isn't what anybody had in mind. Fast Facts • Michigan, off to its worst start since 1967, lost to a MAC team for the first time ever (now 24-1). • Toledo WR Nick Moore had 167 yards on 20 catches, tied for the fifth-most in FBS history. His QB Aaron Opelt was 33-for-50 for 257 yards in the first-ever meeting between these two schools, separated by just 45 miles. • The Michigan QBs threw three picks, including one that was returned 100 yards for a touchdown. • The last non-BCS conference team (excluding Notre Dame) with a losing record to defeat Michigan was Army in 1954. Army was 0-1 entering its game with Michigan, but finished with a 7-2 record. -- ESPN research "I'm just extremely disappointed and embarrassed," Rodriguez said. Toledo (2-4) pulled off one of the biggest victories in school history -- rivaling wins over No. 9 Pittsburgh in 2003 and Penn State in 2000 -- and blemished Michigan's 24-0 record against the first Mid-American Conference. "This one is special," said Amstutz, who was born in Toledo, played for the Rockets and was a longtime assistant before being named head coach in 2000. "It was a great, great win." Nick Moore caught 20 passes -- a record against Michigan -- for 162 yards. "I never thought I would have that many catches ever -- not even in little league," Moore said. Toledo's Tyrrell Herbert returned one of his two interceptions 100 yards for the first score of the game. Aaron Opelt was 33-of-50 for 257 yards and didn't throw an interception. Michigan's Steven Threet was replaced in the second half because of a bruised elbow after completing 7 of 11 passes for 55 yards with a TD and an interception, a light toss that Herbert stepped in front of in the end zone. Nick Sheridan wasn't much better and that was a problem for the Wolverines. Sheridan was 8-of-16 for 65 yards and threw two interceptions, both of which went off receiver Toney Clemons' hands in the fourth quarter. "I've got to be more accurate," Sheridan said after playing for the first time in three weeks. Michigan's Sam McGuffie ran for 105 yards. He also had a 29-yard reception that left him shaken up, but put his team in position to extend the game -- at least -- after getting the ball at its 33 with 1:32 left. The Wolverines foreshadowed what the afternoon was going to be like by losing 2 yards on their opening drive and throwing an interception on the second drive that was returned the length of the field. "We came in confident and we knew we had a chance to win," Herbert said. "To get a play like that, it just fueled the fire. We knew we could win in this stadium and we could beat these guys." Big House Of Horrors Michigan now has as many losses at home over the last two seasons as the team had in the previous eight seasons combined. Michigan W-L at Home Last 10 Years 2007-08 7-6 1999-2006 46-6

[darth los]

It seems as if playing at the big house is not intimidating anymore. Teams just go in there and handle their business. One of the worst things that can happen to a succesfull team is to lose their mystique. It's just like the yankees now. No one is awed by them or scared to play them anymore.

[acealive1]

It seems as if playing at the big house is not intimidating anymore. Teams just go in there and handle their business. One of the worst things that can happen to a succesfull team is to lose their mystique. It's just like the yankees now. No one is awed by them or scared to play them anymore. USC never was scared to play them or ohio state its bad enough they lost at home,but they lost to the the team people are scared to play from the conference no one takes seriously. between 1996 and 2008, toledo knocked off nearly all the big ten teams and more big names from other conferences. heres a VERY brief run down and im obviously missing some teams. purdue penn state minnesota pitt kansas(they were national title contenders the following year) iowa state michigan the year they beat penn state they went 10-1 and DID NOT get a bowl bid. just shows the BCS is basically run by people who are popular and only invite people who they think are "cool" despite having just enough wins to be bowl eligible. a number of teams have ran the trail the toledo blazed for them. boise state, missouri,hawai'i, and kansas come to mind immediately. they werent good enough for a bowl bid,but most of the players who played on those teams are starters in the NFL nick kaczur, chester taylor, lance moore,bruce gradkowski and nate washington are just some of those players.

[SRP76]

Toledo wasn't great. They beat a Penn State team that went 5-7. EVERYBODY beat Penn State that year. Just like this year with Michigan. It's not a big deal. And Toledo couldn't even win their own division that year, much less the MAC, so they have nothing to complain about. The MAC only had two bowls, and they go to the division champions. Toledo wasn't one of them.

[Bub666]

Michigan use to be one of the best teams out there.Now they're just a joke.

[Publius]

Michigan use to be one of the best teams out there.Now they're just a joke. Yeah, it's pathetic. I shoulda gone to UCLA. :P

[darth los]

USC never was scared to play them or ohio state its bad enough they lost at home,but they lost to the the team people are scared to play from the conference no one takes seriously. between 1996 and 2008, toledo knocked off nearly all the big ten teams and more big names from other conferences. heres a VERY brief run down and im obviously missing some teams. purdue penn state minnesota pitt kansas(they were national title contenders the following year) iowa state michigan the year they beat penn state they went 10-1 and DID NOT get a bowl bid. just shows the BCS is basically run by people who are popular and only invite people who they think are "cool" despite having just enough wins to be bowl eligible. a number of teams have ran the trail the toledo blazed for them. boise state, missouri,hawai'i, and kansas come to mind immediately. they werent good enough for a bowl bid,but most of the players who played on those teams are starters in the NFL nick kaczur, chester taylor, lance moore,bruce gradkowski and nate washington are just some of those players. To tell you the truth, the BCS system is a joke. The only true way to determine who the best team is, is by having a playoff system. Think about all the champions that would have never been crowned if not for a playoff system. The New York Giants Last year. The Florida Marlins in 03'. The Pistons in 04'. Even the Patriots in 01'. St. Louis Cardinals in 06'....The list goes on and on. All these teams would have never been champions if there weren't a playoff system because they weren't ranked either #1 or #2. Imo, it doesn't matter what happens in the regular season. The real test is to go head to head. I don't care if it's an #8 seed in the NBA. If the 8 seed is hotter and matches up well with the #1 Seed they can raise all types of hell a might even pull off an upset. Now that's worth watching.

[SRP76]

The only true way to determine who the best team is, is by having a playoff system. We have a winner! It would be simple to set up, NFL-style: 1. There are 120 I-A (FBS) teams. That breaks down perfectly into 8 conferences, each with exactly 15 teams. 2. 15 teams per conference. Set them up pre-2002 NFL style: 3 divisions in each conference, each with 5 teams. 3. For the 8 conference games, each team plays all 4 teams in their division, and 2 from each of the other two divisions. Easy. 4. Non-conference games get scheduled haphazardly, just like always. 5. Conference Playoffs: each conference has 3 division champions, and 3 wildcard teams (just like pre-2002 NFL), set up the same way: #1 and #2 seed get first-round bye, #3 and #4 seed get home games in wildcard round. 6. 3 rounds of conference playoffs: wildcard (2 games), divisional (2 games), then the Conference Championship Game. 7. At this point, you have 8 Conference Champions. All other teams go to Bowls, just like they do now. That will leave about 40 teams, to fill about 20 bowls each year. 8. The Conference Champions go to the Nationals: 3 rounds to determine the National Champion. Doing it like this, you get a REAL National Champion, while also having all your Bowls. Everyone wins.

[acealive1]

Toledo wasn't great. They beat a Penn State team that went 5-7. EVERYBODY beat Penn State that year. Just like this year with Michigan. It's not a big deal. And Toledo couldn't even win their own division that year, much less the MAC, so they have nothing to complain about. The MAC only had two bowls, and they go to the division champions. Toledo wasn't one of them. everyone didnt beat them, 5 teams lost,right? and thats beside the point....you're a big bad big ten conference team and you're supposed to beat up the little guys and show em whos boss no matter how bad your program is at the time. the fact is, people are and were scared of toledo. theres a reason no big ten teams wanted to schedule toledo when chester taylor played for them. when they did play a mac team, they'd pick bowling green and then brag when they won by 50.

[Bub666]

To tell you the truth, the BCS system is a joke. The only true way to determine who the best team is, is by having a playoff system. I agree 100%.But they'll never have a playoff system,because they make so much money with the bowl games.They will never do away with those bowl game.

[acealive1]

I agree 100%.But they'll never have a playoff system,because they make so much money with the bowl games.They will never do away with those bowl game. no one said do away with them, just make the winners play each other. i'd be happy with this format though. top 30 teams in the country with 4 losses and less play each other in bowl games and no automatic bids for power conferences. meaning if someone from the gateway conference is 10-1 they'd get the bowl bid over an 8-4 team from the big east #1 plays #30 2 plays 29 etc etc same format for the remaining teams.

[Bub666]

Yeah but you have to agree,they have way too many bowl games.They need to at least cut down on the number of bowl games they have.It seems like they create new ones every year.

[acealive1]

Yeah but you have to agree,they have way too many bowl games.They need to at least cut down on the number of bowl games they have.It seems like they create new ones every year. so you're saying cut down bowl games when the best teams dont even get in the BCS games? why? i just sat here and said the whole long paragraph about toledo setting the standard for non bcs teams to get into bowl games and you ignored it. going 10-1 hardly deserves to be left out in the cold like toledo was. i bet you wouldnt say cut bowl games if one loss prevented your team from going to the national title game,right?

[SRP76]

going 10-1 hardly deserves to be left out in the cold like toledo was. i bet you wouldnt say cut bowl games if one loss prevented your team from going to the national title game,right? Toledo sure as hell didn't deserve to be in any National Title game - EVER. Just like all the other teams from trash conferences that go undefeated against cupcakes. Actually play a complete schedule, then try to get a National Championship. Saying, "ooh, we beat ONE 8-4 team this year!" doesn't make you National Champion. Hell, most BCS conference teams down 5 or 6 of those teams each year. And ony TWO of them get to the National Title game. And yes, they do need to cut down the bowls. Who the f*ck cares about seeing Poontang State against Crotchrot Tech in the Tossed Salad Bowl?! Nobody, that's who. Only about 5 bowls each year generate any kind of interest. All the rest are just ignored, so why have them?

[Bub666]

i bet you wouldnt say cut bowl games if one loss prevented your team from going to the national title game,right? You might be right,But my team sucks anyways.They only win like three or four games every year.