HOUSEBROKEN

Appalachian fans rejoice after the Mountaineers defeated No.-5 Michigan Saturday in Ann Arbor. Despite the game being away, the goalpost at Kidd Brewer came down.

September 1, 2007 - ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) - Dexter Jackson sprinted through the secondary early in the first quarter, taunting nearly 110,000 Michigan fans by putting a finger over his lips en route to the end zone.

Nearly 3 hours later he got the desired result and the Big House was silent: Appalachian State 34, No. 5 Michigan 32.

Julian Rauch kicked a 24-yard field goal with 26 seconds left to put the Mountaineers ahead of the Wolverines and Corey Lynch blocked a field goal in the final seconds to seal a jaw-dropping upset that may have no equal.

"I told them to be quiet _ we're going to be out here all day," Jackson said, explaining the gesture he used after scoring 68-yard touchdown. "We're playmakers. They were talking trash on us, now we've gotten them back.

Mike Hart, Chad Henne and Jake Long, Michigan's trio of offensive stars who put off the NFL and returned for their senior season to chase a national championship, never saw this coming.

Coach Lloyd Carr didn't, either, after tweaking his contract to possibly pave the way for this to be his last season on the sideline. Carr looked ashen as the upset unfolded, and didn't sound much better when he finally arrived at his postgame news conference.

It didn't take long to notice the second-tier power belonged on the same field because it made up for a slight size disadvantage with superior speed and, perhaps, more passion.

The two-time defending champions from former Division I-AA were ahead of the nation's winningest program 28-14 late in the second quarter, before their storybook afternoon seemed to unravel late in the fourth quarter.

Hart's 54-yard run with 4:36 left put the Wolverines ahead for the first time since early in the second quarter.

One snap after the go-ahead touchdown, Michigan's Brandent Englemon intercepted an errant pass, but the Wolverines couldn't capitalize and had their first of two field goals blocked.

Then Appalachian State drove 69 yards without a timeout in 1:11 to set up the go-ahead field goal.

Henne threw a 46-yard pass to Mario Manningham, giving Michigan the ball at Appalachian State's 20 with 6 seconds left and putting the Wolverines in position to win it with a field goal.

Lynch blocked the kick and almost returned 52 yards to the 18 as the final seconds ticked off. His teammates rushed across the field to pile on as the coaching staff and cheerleaders jumped with joy.

"We're still sort of shocked," coach Jerry Moore said after being carried off the field by his players.

Appalachian State has won 15 straight games, the longest streak in the nation. The Mountaineers are favored to win the Football Championship Subdivision, but they weren't expected to put up much of a fight against a team picked to win the Big Ten and contend for the national title.

No Division I-AA team had beaten a team ranked in The Associated Press poll from 1989-2006, and it's unlikely that it happened after Division-I subdivisions were created in 1978.

"It is one of the biggest losses ever, but give all the credit to Appalachian State," Hart said.

The Mountaineers are not eligible to receive votes in the AP Top 25 poll because they're not in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Appalachian State's win does seem to trump the game second-tier programs used to regard as their crowning achievement _ The Citadel's season-opening win in 1992 over Arkansas that led to the firing of Razorbacks coach Jack Crowe following the game.

Carr will not get fired after this upset, but he might be wishing he had retired after last season when the Wolverines won 11 games before closing with losses to Ohio State and USC.

When it was over, he didn't second-guess decisions to go for 2-point conversions twice in the final 15-plus minutes, but did lament many mistakes, penalties and missed opportunities.

"We were not a well-prepared football team," Carr said. "That is my job, and I take full responsibility."

The Mountaineers improved to 7-36-1 against top-tier teams since 1978, the previous six victories all over Wake Forest.

Armanti Edwards threw for 227 yards, three scores and two interceptions, and kept Michigan guessing with his mobility. He also ran for 62 yards. Jackson caught three passes for 92 yards, and scored twice, including his 68-yard reception that tied the game early and provided a glimpse of what was to come.

Hart, who went almost two quarters without a carry because of a thigh injury, ran for 188 yards and three touchdowns. Henne was 19-of-37 for 233 yards in a lackluster game that included a TD and an interception in Mountaineer territory.

Ordinarily those numbers should've been good enough for a win over a small school. Not on this day and not against Appalachian State.

"Someone said it might be one of the big victories in college football," Moore said. "It may be the biggest."

Despite the game being away, Appalachian State fans upended the goalpost from Kidd Brwer Staidum Saturday and parade it through town after the Mountaineers defeated the No. 5-ranked Michigan Wolverines 34-32.

AUGUST 31, 2007 - It’s a story that is as old as sports. The heavy underdog has nothing to lose playing the big, bad, bully favorite.

Yet that’s what Appalachian State has going into its first game of the season at Michigan — nothing to lose.
Well, almost nothing to lose.

Sure, the Mountaineers, ranked No. 1 in the Football Championship Subdivision, put their 14-game winning streak on the line when they hook up with the Wolverines this Saturday in Ann Arbor, Mich.

But they also want to do more than collect the big check they’ll receive for making an appearance in the 107,501-seat Big House. They want to be a better team, win or lose, when the game is over.

“We’re aware of the circumstances we’re going into,” Mountaineers coach Jerry Moore said. “I like the challenge for our team. It makes us a better football team playing people like them. That was the bottom line, to make us a better football team.”

An optimist will look at Appalachian State’s track record against other Football Bowl Subdivision teams (formerally Division I-A) and cite the near victory over Auburn in 1999 (22-15 loss), the 20-16 victory over Wake Forest in 2000 and an outstanding effort in a 24-0 loss to then-No. 5 LSU in a game that saw Appalachian State trail by just a 14-0 score heading into the fourth quarter.

A pessimist points to the beatings Appalachian State took in season openers in 2004 against Wyoming (53-7), Hawaii in 2003 (40-17) and Marshall (50-17) in 2002. To be fair, the

Mountaineers were without starting quarterback Joe Burchette against Marshall and a green redshirt freshman named Richie Williams got his first collegiate start with less than a week’s notice.

Still, the Mountaineers, who lost to North Carolina State 23-10 in their season opener last year, don’t plan on conceeding the game without competing.

“We’ve been having great practices,” Appalachian State quarterback Armanti Edwards said. “Everybody knows what their key is and we’re just trying to put it into play Saturday.”

“The fact is that Michigan has a good football team and we have a good football team,” Moore said. “We would not take a team up there if it wouldn’t compete.”

Michigan, ranked No. 5 by the Associated Press in the Football Bowl Subdivision, returns some of the top offensive weapons in the nation. Quarterback Chad Henne is a four-year starter and is a candidate for the Davey O’Brien Award, which is given to the top quarterback in the country.

Henne and running back Mike Hart are on the Maxwell Award list. That award is given to the top player in the nation by the Maxwell Football Club. Henne has thrown for 7,777 career yards and 70 touchdowns at Michigan and is the key to the Wolverines’ high-octaine offense.

Henne and Edwards have something in common — they became starters in their freshman seasons.

“You listen to some of the rookies in the NFL and the theroy was that a quarterback needed four or five years to develop,” Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. “Today, you see guys coming in and playing right away. At our level, it takes an extrordinary guy to come in and operate without going through spring practice.”

“I’ve seen him play,” Edwards said of Henne. “He’s a pretty good player. He’s pretty big and he’s got great accuracy.”

Hart, who was fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting last year, rushed for 1,562 yads and scored 14 touchdowns.
Michigan also returns an excellent receiver in Mario Manningham, who led the Wolverines with 38 receptions for 703 yards and nine touchdowns.

Mountaineers reach heights as Michigan is laid low

Appalachian State's bench celebrates as kicker Julian Raunch, foreground, watches his 24-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter that beat Michigan, 34-32.

One theory is that Michigan could be suffering from the Curse of the Bo-bino, noting that the Wolverines are 0-3 since the death of former Coach Bo Schembechler.

And it's not a stretch to say that curse could extend to 0-6 with Michigan's next three games -- against Oregon, Notre Dame and Penn State.

"When you have disappointment you can lay down and feel sorry for yourself, but in our case this schedule is about to get tougher," Carr said. "We will see how we respond."

First things first: Appalachian State University is in Boone, N.C.

If you want to find it, just go to Winston-Salem and follow the sounds of celebration.

The Mountaineers beat No. 5 Michigan, 34-32, on Saturday, pulling off what could be the upset of the year in college football.

It's certainly the biggest win by a team from the Football Championship Subdivision, which is what was formerly known as Division I-AA is being called this season. Heck, it could be the biggest upset in college football history. No I-AA team ever defeated a Division I-A (now Bowl Subdivision) top-25 team.

While those in Boone are popping champagne corks, the noise coming out of Ann Arbor, Mich. -- mostly calls for Coach Lloyd Carr's job -- is equally loud.

It was Michigan's first loss in a season opener since Notre Dame defeated the Wolverines in 1998 and the first opening-week loss at home since 1989. Michigan is 106-19-3 all time in season-opening games, and since 1928, only teams from major conferences have defeated the Wolverines on opening day.

So it should come as no surprise the Saturday evening quarterbacks were lighting up message boards at SackLloydCarr.com.

"I have defended Carr in the past. Now I have no idea why," a poster going by the pseudonym "embarassedblue" wrote. "This has got to be the most pathetic, embarrassing loss in NCAA history. I can't even show my face in public. . . . Fire Carr now! I don't care who replaces him."

It's gotten so bad among Michigan fans that they are saying anything -- anything -- would be better than Carr coaching another game, including hiring John Cooper, the former coach at archrival Ohio State remembered mostly for his 2-10-1 record against Michigan.

And then there's this from tagg0819: "When do the Lions play?"

Ouch!

Another ouch: Michigan paid Appalachian State $400,000 to take the game.

A day that will live in college football infamy

I’ll start off this post by saying congratulations to Appalachian State. The team straight up beat Michigan. Did they deserve to win? Absolutely. Am I happy about it? Not in the least bit.

To actually write out the range of emotions I’ve felt from roughly 9:30 Saturday morning to now (which it about 12:30 a.m. on Sunday) would be fruitless because words can’t describe the helplessness I feel right now. This is worse than a gut check or a wake up call. Saturday afternoon’s game (more like a debacle) can be best described as terrawdread. Yes. I just used a completely made up word because no real one can accurately capture this moment.

The loss was so bad I needed a support group before I could even think about writing a post. I had to clear my head before I sat at my computer and dissected what happened at the not-so-Big House. I swore; I called Appalachian State, and its supporters, names I’d never say in front of my mother; I sat at a table with five other people and seethed while we all took sips from our favorite adult beverages. I went so far as saying, “I’ll never let this go.” I blamed the coaches, the players, the fans and the freaking’ drum major! I was looking for anything to help me explain how Michigan, the “Champions of the West,” could drop a game to a Division I-AA opponent. How did the No. 5 team in the nation lose in its own stadium to an underdog?

The more I think about it, the more depressed I get. What transpired on Saturday was more than just a game. Why? The Wolverines didn’t just lose. They became the laughing stock of the entire sports world. And the weight of that distinction was felt on all of our shoulders. Thousands of Maize-clad students did nothing but stare at their feet as they filed out of the stadium; some of them with both their hands on their head. That walk out felt more like a funeral procession than anything else. I even saw one kid who looked like he was about to cry. And normally I’d spend a couple sentences making fun of someone crying at a sporting event over the age of 10, but, as crazy as it sounds; he didn’t seem out of place. It felt like he was the only person who showed true emotion, while the rest of us were just in shock.

The students were so depressed, angry and utterly speechless that when the band played the fight song for the last time, everyone booed. “The Victors” is the bread and butter of a Michigan fan. No matter how terrible the situation, if a fan hears “The Victors” it automatically raises his or her spirits. It’s like a contract we sign when we either become students or fans. But even our fight song, the greatest in the country, couldn’t keep us from showing our displeasure and frustration with the terrible play on the field.

Overall, it was just a crummy day. No. It was a terrawdread day. And I would never wish this on my worst enemy, not even an Ohio State fan.

As always, my (now sad and pathetic) grades for the game that was Michigan v. Appalachian State:

Offense: C- (Mike Hart A+)
False starts and illegal formation penalties are right up their on the list of things you shouldn’t do as a football player (next to dog fighting). The offense may have scored 32 points but it rarely looked dominant. The only time it looked like we had the game is when Hart broke off that 54-yard miracle run. Other than Hart, the offense looked weak. The Mountaineers controlled the trenches all game (a common theme) and revealed to fans that as awesome as Jake Long is, having to replace three starters on the line is not easy. Chad Henne was also way off his game. I’ve never liked Henne, but I always admired his long passes and they’re usually on target. On Saturday, not so much. He overthrew and under threw just about every long pass he made, a rarity for him, and wasn’t much better in the short passes either. And the coaches should never make him throw on the run. He’s just awful at it. To his defense, some players dropped very easy passes as well. (It was just a rough game).

Defense: F (first half) D- (second half)
Wow, when everyone said the defense would be a weakness, I don’t think they expected this. The secondary was horrible as expected and the linebackers didn’t really shine. The most disappointing aspect of the game was the d-line, the most experienced unit coming into the season. As with the o-line, the big hogs up front were pushed around all day by lighter and faster linemen. And the most frustrating thing of the entire game was that the Wolverines reverted to the arm tackling that cost them so many games in 2005. So many tackles were broken because defenders weren’t squaring up with the ball carrier. Honestly guys, this is something you learn in pee wee football. I give the defense credit for stepping up for most of the second half, but that entire final drive for the Mountaineers was just too damn depressing.

Special teams: D
Don’t ever hand a baby over to Johnny Sears. I don’t think I’ve seen that many dropped kick offs and punts in a game by a single player. Now it didn’t really cost the team anything, but having a return man shakier than Steve Breaston isn’t helpful. And while the final play of the game wasn’t his fault (the Mountaineers just bull rushed the line), Jason Gingell’s attempt with a minute and a half to go in the game looked god awful (I haven’t seen a replay, so please let me know if I’m wrong about this). I should mention that Gingell did hit two earlier field goals to even give the Wolverines a chance to lose by two. Zoltan Mesko was the only one on special teams that didn’t make me nervous but that’s not saying much when you’re punter is seeing a lot of action.

Coaching: B-
With the exception of the field goal attempt on 4th-and-6, with a minute and a half to go, there was no play call that made me think, “Wow, what are they thinking.” A lot of the defensive lapses were a result of bone-headed plays by the players, not bad defense. And while the offense wasn’t a spread offense, Carr did call some deep plays (he can only call so many) and had they been executed a little better, this may be a totally different post. But the coaches will get some of the blame for the team not looking prepared. Appalachian State wasn’t the first team Michigan has played that ran a spread offense. I would never imply that the coaches told the team to take a week off, or that they didn’t take the team seriously. But they obviously missed something. I still put most of it on the players, but the coaches didn’t bring their A-game either.

The halftime show: D
I only put this to show how bad a game it was. Even the halftime show, which is something I look forward to, was not good. And I asked around to make sure it wasn’t just me. Everyone I asked agreed the band was off its game.

The fans: B
When the fans out perform everyone but Mike Hart, then that’s a major problem. Michigan Stadium is probably the least intimidating in terms of crowd noise. But today was about as loud as I’ve heard it. Granted, everyone was so desperate to see the team escape a loss, but considering how fair weather the fans can be during the course of the game, I was impressed with the fact that a.) people stuck around and b.) the alumni stood up in the second half. Sure, booing at the end seems a little anti-fan, but you know what, when you put that much effort into your cheering and get so little in return, it’s warranted. Two minor problems: 1.) the whole chanting “You suck” after stopping a team on third down is stupid and uncreative. It’s worse when you do it and Michigan is still trailing … to a Division I-AA school. 2.) Don’t ever … EVER … try to start the Michigan wave in a game when the Wolverines are leading by a point against a team everyone expected them to pound.

Sigh. I’ll write more about this game during the week and talk about the upcoming game against the Ducks.

Until next time … Go Blue

Obi Ezeh, left, and kicker Jason Gingell, right, walk dejectedly off the field after a blocked field goal attempt ended a 34-32 U-M loss to Appalachian State.