Event 34 – When the Gales of November Arrive Late in Ann Arbor

Rob and I during the second half.
The snow might have been flying (and the wind blowing) but Rob and I had a great day at Michigan Stadium.

Written Word

Still Photos

  • Rob, me, and Paul at Paul’s tailgate pre-game.
  • Paul provided Rob and I with a road donut and I’m forever grateful.
  • The busses stand ready to take the UM team to Michigan Stadium.
  • Ya gotta love when the local police force goes all-in for the home team.
  • Never mind that I pulled the sign from the garbage heap.
  • A wide shot of the full scope of the GameDay set.
  • Coach Saban was not having any of the smiling or silly faces.
  • Speaking of Saban, here he is with Kirk Herbstreit.
  • Washington State’s ‘Ol Crimson flies over GameDay, yet again.
  • An ussie of Rob and I at the GameDay set.
  • A look at the tailgage scene on Ferry Field.
  • A crowded sidewalk along Hoover Street on our way to Big Noon Saturday.
  • Had to stop for a quick picture in front of the north entrance.
  • FOX Sports brought the robot along.
  • Unsure I ever thought I’d be at both GameDay and Big Noon on the same day.
  • A look at the main stage for Big Noon Saturday.
  • The fella in the beanie I Rob Gronkowski.
  • Crossing Main and Stadium is not for the faint of heart.
  • The two most-recent national championship signs along the Michigan Stadium concourse.
  • President Gerald Ford played at UM.
  • Bennie Oosterbaan was not just a legendary player but also a coach.
  • Tom Harmon was a star for UM in the late 1930s and the father of actor Mark Harmon.
  • Jake Butt was a terrific tight end for Michigan.
  • Aidan Hutchinson is currently starring for the nearby Detroit Lions.
  • Speaking of GameDay, Desmond Howard won a Heisman Trophy his senior season in Ann Arbor.
  • With room for over 100,000 fans, the student section has plenty of space.
  • A look down at the north entry plaza.
  • My initial seat view.
  • Why of course there was a flyover. The F-15E Strike Eagles.
  • The coin flip.
  • The wind was blowing at a stiff clip.
  • The Michigan Marching Band performs during halftime.
  • A scoreboard look at the designs from the MBB.
  • My attempt at an artsy photo;-)
  • The line to the men’s room was lengthy!
  • As the snow fell and the field became covered.
  • Ohio State scrimmages near midfield.
  • A look at the scoreboard shortly before our departure to beat both the traffic and the incoming snow.

Video

Saban and Herby talk x’s and o’s.
Michigan Marching Band Drumline.
Michigan Marching Band Drumline.
Big Noon Saturday set.
Crossing Stadium and Main.
On the Michigan Stadium concourse.
Initial seat view.
Anthem and flyover.
Drum major arches his back.
“The Victors” and moving Block M.
Wolverines take the field.
Buckeyes take the field.
Opening kickoff.
Michigan defensive stand.
Zvada field goal.
OSU band dots the I’s.
Michigan Marching Band halftime.
Michigan Marching Band and crowd fun.

Fun Facts

  • Traveling Party – Me and my friend, Rob.
  • Last Time Visited – I was last at a University of Michigan home football game in November 25, 1995, the opponent was Ohio State. Rob had not attended a UM-OSU game previously and had only been to one other UM game.
  • That’s a Lot of People – I referenced this in my blog post, but the 111,373 in attendance made Michigan Stadium the seventh largest city in Michigan for several hours. What are the top six, you ask: Detroit (638,530), Grand Rapids (198,535), Warren (137,928), Sterling Heights (133,573), Ann Arbor (122,036), and Lansing (113,023). Next on the list is Dearborn (107,423).
  • Where Did the Flyover Come From!?! – A group of four F-15E Strike Eagles from the 389th Fighter Squadron (Mountain Home Air Force Base) flew over Michigan Stadium near the “Star-Spangled Banner” conclusion. While the quartet of fighters took off from Selfridge Air National Guard base northeast of Detroit, their home base is located in southwestern Idaho! Wonder what the cost is/was to have the four of them travel to southeast Michigan and then conduct the fly over? And who gets the bill?
  • Running List of States Traveled To/Through (27 total) – Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, & Wyoming
  • Running List of Countries Traveled To/Through (8 total) – Argentina, Canada (Manitoba, Ontario, & Quebec), England, Japan, Korea, Scotland, United States, & Wales
  • Distance Traveled – 158 miles round trip to Ann Arbor’s Michigan Stadium
  • Cumulative Distance Traveled After 34 Events – 70,771 miles
  • Up Next – Event No. 35 is a University of Wisconsin women’s volleyball NCAA Tournament match against the visiting University of North Carolina. Event No. 36, also in Wisconsin, will be the Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers game December 5, 2025.