Michigan eager to end drought
Wolverines haven’t beaten team ranked in top 10 since 2008
It took a few historic moments for Michigan to get its last victory against a top- 10 opponent.
Eight years ago Tuesday, No. 9 Wisconsin came to Ann Arbor to face the unranked Wolverines in coach Rich Rodriguez’s fourth game as Michigan’s coach.
Trailing 19- 0 at halftime, the Wolverines rallied for the largest comeback win in Michigan Stadium history, pulling off a 27- 25 stunner in the stadium’s 500th Michigan game.
TheWolverines are still searching for another elite victory.
Eleven games against top- 10 teams, 11 losses ( including six against archrival Ohio State).
This week, the No. 5 Wolverines have their best chance to end that drought, hosting No. 8Wisconsin on Saturday.
“I feel like every program there will be ups and downs through their history,” Michigan offensive lineman Ben Braden says. “At the same time, I think it’s going to be a great game, especially against Wisconsin. Their tradition is they’re a powerhouse, big and physical guys. It’s going to be a real test to our physicality.”
Michigan might be at its physical peak since that 2008 game, with senior- laden offensive and defensive lines coming off elite games in last weekend’s 49- 10 thrashing of Penn State.
Michigan also is ranked higher than it has been in any of those matchups.
Last year’s 10- 3 season was the Wolverines’ re- entrance into the national rankings after 11⁄ years out of the polls, and this season is another step, sitting as a top- 10 team.
Much of fan focus has been on beating longtime rivalsMichigan State and Ohio State, but Saturday could check off another box in the rebuilding process.
“All of our big games will definitely be statement games,” Braden said. “We had a good year last year, but this is really our year tomake a statement, to be consistent. If we can have back- to- back great seasons, I think that will be a statement from our program to what we can do and the future, five years, 10 years, however many years down the road.
“Last year was a good steppingstone, but we’ve got to prove a lot more.”