Opinion Roundtable: Best Michigan Football Comeback

Michigan football has won 962 games and not all of them were runaways. Sometimes, the maize and blue had to come from behind. In Michigan's storied history (or your lifetime), which comeback was the best?

We discuss....

Brandon Brown

It's well documented that I'm no good at stuff like this but the Under The Lights game against Notre Dame in 2011 jumped to the forefront of my mind when thinking about Michigan comebacks.

Michigan trailed 24-7 late in the third quarter and looked like the losing team for the first 58ish minutes of the game. The final minute and 20 seconds, however, ended up playing out in Michigan's favor. Denard Robinson finished with 446 total yards of total offense. He notched 338 through the air and threw three touchdown passes, while rushing for another 108 yards and an additional score.

Three lead changes in the last 82 seconds of the game was truly spectacular to watch. It was a legendary first-ever night game in The Big House and easily goes down as the best comeback I've ever personally seen by the Wolverines.

Steve Deace

I have to go with Minnesota in 2003 at the old Metrodome on a Friday night. A game that seemed lost several times, as perhaps the best rushing offense the Gophers have had since Bronco Nagurski just gashed Michigan over and over again. And until that night, Michigan had never come back from more than 14 points down in a game in its vaunted history. In one night it looked like a promising 2003 season was both dead, and then suddenly reborn. That game had it all, and if we had social media back then with it being the only game on, Twitter would've lost its damned mind. It was almost Shakespearean, and may stand the test of time as the greatest comeback the Wolverines will ever mount.

Eric Rutter

In terms of comeback victories, Michigan’s first Under The Lights game against Notre Dame in 2011 quickly jumps to mind. That game truly had it all. Denard Robinson turned in a truly stellar and clutch offensive performance with 338 passing yards, four passing touchdowns, 108 rushing yards and another score on the ground.

What helps elevate this game, though, is how clutch Robinson was when the literal lights shined brightest. Michigan needed a 28-point fourth quarter to retake the lead, and the Wolverines logged a pair of touchdowns in the final two minutes to wrap up a big home win. The cinematic elements of the contest combined with Michigan’s first night game against a heated rival in the Fighting Irish created a memorable comeback, and the best of its kind in Michigan history.

Michael Spath

So many great games to choose from. I'm partial to the ones I was physically at - '95 Virginia, '02 Washington, '04 Michigan State, '05 Penn State, '11 Notre Dame - and out of those incredible comebacks, there was nothing like the rally to beat Michigan State in 2004. Trailing 27-10 with 8:43 remaining in the game … the Braylon Edwads' jump-ball touchdowns, the on-side kick recovery, the clutch field goals from Garrett Rivas, the TD to Jason Avant and then one final touchdown from Chad Henne to Edwards. A triple-overtime thriller. I've never seen anything like it and I doubt we will ever again.