I figured this was a good time for my annual compilation of Facts and Myths about Michigan football:
Conventional Wisdom: Michigan is a perennial national power
1. Michigan has won exactly one half of one national championship (1997 co-national champs) in the last 70 years. PSU won two in the same time period and has had five undefeated seasons in the same period.
2. Michigan is 21-26 all time in bowls. They have lost their last three and five out of their last six. It is true that for many years, only the BIG champion went to a bowl game and that was the Rose Bowl. However, since 1976 when this restriction was lifted, UM is 17 – 24. The only conclusion that can be logically drawn is that once you get UM out of the friendly confines of the BIG, they are just another good, but not great, football program. PSU is 29-18-2 all time in bowls and 12-8 since joining the BIG.
3. Since 2004, UM is 3 – 10 in bowls. Since 2004, PSU is 6 – 6 in bowls (even with the sanctions).
4. UM has won 42 BIG championships. However, most of those were won in the days of the Big 2 and the Other 8.
5. UM has never won a BIG East Championship. Therefore, they have never played in the BIG championship game. UM did win a co-championship in 2018, but lost tiebreaker to OSU.
6. UM has not won a BIG championship/co-championship since 2004. PSU won three BIG championships/co-championships in the same time period.
7. UM has lost the last seven games to OSU and has only won once since 2003 going 1-14 against the Buckeyes since 2003. PSU is 5 – 8 vs OSU since 2004.
8. UM is 3 – 8 in the last eleven games against Michigan State. PSU is 5-5 in the last 10 against MSU.
Conventional Wisdom: Bo Schembechler was one of the greatest coaches ever
9. The great Bo Schembechler never won a national championship.
10. Bo won 12 BIG championships/co-championships. All of those were won when Michigan and Ohio State won the Big Ten championship 95% of the time (i.e. the Big 2 – Little 8 era)
11. Bo was 5 – 12 in bowls.
Conventional Wisdom: Jim Harbaugh is a great coach and the second coming of Bo the Great.
12. Since his heralded arrival in Ann Arbor, JH has not beaten Ohio State. He is 0-4 against the Buckeyes.
13. JH is 2-2 against MSU.
14. JH is 3-1 against PSU (should be an asterisk after this one because PSU was just coming out of the sanctions when JH got two of those wins).
15. Harbaugh’s recruiting rankings (Rivals) have been good:
a. 2015 (49th)
b. 2016 (4th)
c. 2017 (4th)
d. 2018 (24th)
e. 2019 (10th)
16. His highest end of season ranking has been 10 in both polls (2016). With the high recruiting rankings in 2016 and 2017, one can argue he has underachieved. This is nothing new for Michigan coaches Lloyd Carr (despite his one co-MNC), Rich Rodriguez, and Brady Hoke have all seemed to underachieve.
17. UM fans are complaining that he hasn’t won a big game yet. They’re also complaining about what they’re paying him.
Conclusions:
a. Once you get UM out of the friendly confines of the BIG, they are a good, but not great football team.
b. For the past 15 years, Michigan has not lived up to its annual pre-season hype.
c. Bo was a good, but not great coach.
d. Harbaugh is a good, but not great coach.
e. The national media loves them and hypes them, but the facts don't support the hype.
Conventional Wisdom: Michigan is a perennial national power
1. Michigan has won exactly one half of one national championship (1997 co-national champs) in the last 70 years. PSU won two in the same time period and has had five undefeated seasons in the same period.
2. Michigan is 21-26 all time in bowls. They have lost their last three and five out of their last six. It is true that for many years, only the BIG champion went to a bowl game and that was the Rose Bowl. However, since 1976 when this restriction was lifted, UM is 17 – 24. The only conclusion that can be logically drawn is that once you get UM out of the friendly confines of the BIG, they are just another good, but not great, football program. PSU is 29-18-2 all time in bowls and 12-8 since joining the BIG.
3. Since 2004, UM is 3 – 10 in bowls. Since 2004, PSU is 6 – 6 in bowls (even with the sanctions).
4. UM has won 42 BIG championships. However, most of those were won in the days of the Big 2 and the Other 8.
5. UM has never won a BIG East Championship. Therefore, they have never played in the BIG championship game. UM did win a co-championship in 2018, but lost tiebreaker to OSU.
6. UM has not won a BIG championship/co-championship since 2004. PSU won three BIG championships/co-championships in the same time period.
7. UM has lost the last seven games to OSU and has only won once since 2003 going 1-14 against the Buckeyes since 2003. PSU is 5 – 8 vs OSU since 2004.
8. UM is 3 – 8 in the last eleven games against Michigan State. PSU is 5-5 in the last 10 against MSU.
Conventional Wisdom: Bo Schembechler was one of the greatest coaches ever
9. The great Bo Schembechler never won a national championship.
10. Bo won 12 BIG championships/co-championships. All of those were won when Michigan and Ohio State won the Big Ten championship 95% of the time (i.e. the Big 2 – Little 8 era)
11. Bo was 5 – 12 in bowls.
Conventional Wisdom: Jim Harbaugh is a great coach and the second coming of Bo the Great.
12. Since his heralded arrival in Ann Arbor, JH has not beaten Ohio State. He is 0-4 against the Buckeyes.
13. JH is 2-2 against MSU.
14. JH is 3-1 against PSU (should be an asterisk after this one because PSU was just coming out of the sanctions when JH got two of those wins).
15. Harbaugh’s recruiting rankings (Rivals) have been good:
a. 2015 (49th)
b. 2016 (4th)
c. 2017 (4th)
d. 2018 (24th)
e. 2019 (10th)
16. His highest end of season ranking has been 10 in both polls (2016). With the high recruiting rankings in 2016 and 2017, one can argue he has underachieved. This is nothing new for Michigan coaches Lloyd Carr (despite his one co-MNC), Rich Rodriguez, and Brady Hoke have all seemed to underachieve.
17. UM fans are complaining that he hasn’t won a big game yet. They’re also complaining about what they’re paying him.
Conclusions:
a. Once you get UM out of the friendly confines of the BIG, they are a good, but not great football team.
b. For the past 15 years, Michigan has not lived up to its annual pre-season hype.
c. Bo was a good, but not great coach.
d. Harbaugh is a good, but not great coach.
e. The national media loves them and hypes them, but the facts don't support the hype.
