Countday to kickoff - 35 days

October 30, 1976, Michigan 45 - Minnesota 0

This game would not be on the list if it weren't for it being the first game I attended. Michigan was undefeated and ranked #1 in the country, Minnesota had little going for it except their QB from Jackson, Tony Dungy. Michigan's roster was full of the names I'd heard Bob Ufer talk so much about. Rick Leach, Rob Lytle, Jim Smith, Calvin O'Neal, Dwight Hicks, Harlan Huckleby...

This was my first time in Ann Arbor, They had a pep rally Friday night - it was homecoming and they still did things like that back then. I remember Bo was there, and some of the players. Then we went back to the hotel and saw some of the pep rally on the local news.

I don't remember much about the actual game. I remember coming into the stadium. It really was the case that because of the low profile - before the luxury box additions - the true size of the stadium was hidden until you got inside. I remember thinking "this is big enough for 20 Gladstones!"

My dad got us tickets through Pam Anderson(?), from Gladstone, who worked in the football office somewhere. We were in row A right behind the Minnesota bench. There was a lot of complaining about the players not sitting down so we couldn't see. It was raining throughout the game. And since it got out of hand we were able to move back a few rows to see more of the action.

I can remember a few Michigan games on TV before this, OSU in 74 and 75, Purdue in 74, The Orange Bowl against Oklahoma in 76 and as I mentioned I remember listening to games on the radio; but this made it real and certainly solidified my love for Michigan Football. I've been to bigger and better M games since (34 will be listed here) but none of them will ever be the first.