Division I-AA Appalachian State Upsets Michigan, 34-32

I was at a high school game yesterday -- the first time I've ever been to an American football game -- and the people behind me were talking about how they were going to drive up from western NC to Michigan overnight to make it to the Big House. My guess is that I-75 was a bit busy in the small hours this morning, and that there'll be a bit of a victory procession on the way back. Of course, it wasn't available on TV for most people who couldn't make the trip, thanks to the greedy bastard Big Ten Network. Hilarious. Though not inconceivable for those who've kept track of App State, or even just seen them win their I-AA titles. And it certainly wasn't a lucky win.

posted by etagloh at 03:01 PM - reply - flag:

So much for any hopes of a national title for the maize and blue. Its kind of hard to throw "lost to 1-AA opponent (but they were a really good 1-AA opponent)" on your resume and expect a BCS bid no matter what they do the rest of the year.

posted by kyrilmitch_76 at 03:08 PM - reply - flag:

Having watched App. State through the 1AA playoffs last year, this is not really a huge surprise. These guys are good!!! Of course, it does reflect rather badly on the Michigan coaching staff. One would think they would have had their team a little better prepared.

posted by Howard_T at 03:12 PM - reply - flag:

How can people say this wasn't a surprise? It's the first victory by a I-AA team over a ranked opponent ever, and it happened to a 25-point favorite team at 5 with championship hopes -- not some mid-major sitting at 18 or 20. That's got to qualify as a shock.

posted by rcade at 03:33 PM - reply - flag:

As a Michigan State fan this has got to be the funniest thing I have ever seen. Who would have thought a former I-AA team would take down the "mighty"wolverines ha ha this is great sorry Michigan fans. Not really and yes I know there will be some bashes towards State for this post but hey where 1-0 and still have a slim chance for the Championship.

posted by tanubis34 at 03:34 PM - reply - flag:

Somewhere, Keith Jackson is spinning in his grave ... and the friggin' guy ain't even dead yet. As I read on a Detroit Free Press board a few moments ago, Lloyd Carr gets less done with more talent than any other coach on Earth. Whilst rcade scampers off to register firelloydcarr.com, enjoy this wonderful song about Appalachian State.

posted by wfrazerjr at 04:08 PM - reply - flag:

wfrazerjr never before have I so wanted to be a part of an Appalachian family of smiling faces!

posted by kyrilmitch_76 at 04:18 PM - reply - flag:

Who would have thought a former I-AA team would take down the "mighty"wolverines ha ha Former? No my friend, Appalachian is still a I-AA team. I want to know why Michigan even scheduled this game to begin with. Any team with national championship aspirations should never play a I-AA team. Aren't there enough woodshed games within your own division? They just got what they deserved. I'm very tempted to cruise up to Boone right now and join in the celebration, but I would be surrounded by Florida deadheads.

posted by NoMich at 04:28 PM - reply - flag:

I just found out that it's really common for the I-A teams to play I-AA teams. So, scratch that national championship crack. I still stand by my opinion that Michigan got what it deserved for playing a I-A team.

posted by NoMich at 04:36 PM - reply - flag:

Lloyd Carr, thanks for playing, good bye, so long, have a nice retirement.

posted by Bonkers at 04:43 PM - reply - flag:

You know an upset was big when it makes Drudge. wow anyone catch that UW Huskies win over 'cuse? hmm boy that tasted goooooooood

posted by vito90 at 04:51 PM - reply - flag:

The really fun thing for me is, as pointed out during NBC's GT-ND halftime report, that the Wolverines could have won at the death except they completely screwed up the blocking assignments on the field goal try. After Liverpool's 6-0 romp, to be fair, most things are amusing me today. What a good week to have Torres as captain.

posted by billsaysthis at 04:51 PM - reply - flag:

Whilst rcade scampers off to register firelloydcarr.com ... AppalachianStateNationalChamps .Com

posted by rcade at 04:57 PM - reply - flag:

One of my coworkers was saying how if Michigan won by less then five touchdowns he would be disappointed. I almost feel bad for him.

posted by oxocerite at 05:04 PM - reply - flag:

*cries*

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 06:46 PM - reply - flag:

After Liverpool's 6-0 romp Thanks, Bill. I can't even avoid it in a post about American football. And our over 35s lost our semi final yesterday, too. There's a rock around here I'm going to crawl under...

posted by owlhouse at 06:47 PM - reply - flag:

How can people say this wasn't a surprise? Man Utd losing to non-league opposition in the FA Cup is less of a surprise than them losing to a team two divisions lower. Giant-killing works that way, because the minnows don't know the script. App State went up there with most people thinking they were $400,000 creampuffs, and that may have stung. Heh, do you think Michigan signed the check before or after the game?

posted by etagloh at 06:54 PM - reply - flag:

There's a rock around here I'm going to crawl under... Do you mind if I join you in this crawling under a rock thing?

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 07:36 PM - reply - flag:

Takes the sting off the beating that Notre Dame received today from Georgia Tech.

posted by jc at 07:42 PM - reply - flag:

Ooh I hope this trumps Citadel beating Arkansas in '92. Tired of trying to live that one down.

posted by aerotive at 09:18 PM - reply - flag:

I was rubbing it in on my buddy who is a true blue fan and then the Irish took a thumping! Man, what a jip! It was going to be text message mayhem, one ringing wonders! Instead I had to call and say we're even! Damn!

posted by blackdog1968 at 11:51 PM - reply - flag:

Michigan invites the one (under) dog into their house that knows how to hunt.

posted by Newbie Walker at 03:41 AM - reply - flag:

*I love it*

posted by GoBirds at 05:06 AM - reply - flag:

As an ND fan, I am sick that I had to wait 8 mnths. to watch that display. However, I will agree with jc, watching "Big Blue" go down does take the sting out of it! I wonder if ASU is now toying with the idea of a jump to Div. I. Back-to-back national titles at I-AA, plus beating the #5 Div. I team makes for a strong argument...

posted by FonGu at 05:18 AM - reply - flag:

It just goes to show you that you gotta be prepared to play ALWAYS! This happens in sports all the time. If you look past any team, it can come back to bite ya in the butt. I say congrats to the other team. Take it for what it was, a wake up call. ALWAYS come prepared to play the game. Whatever the team, whatever the sport!

posted by robi8259 at 05:49 AM - reply - flag:

I got four words...Rut-gers and Boise State.

posted by GoBirds at 05:59 AM - reply - flag:

That's five words.

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 06:26 AM - reply - flag:

I'd say more like four and a half words. IF Appalachian made the jump to I-A, the Big East would be a good fit.

posted by NoMich at 08:05 AM - reply - flag:

Actually, after the beating the Irish took at the hands of Ga. Tech today, I'm feeling better and better watching the App. St. highlights all night last night and all morning today. No matter what happens to Notre Dame, I guarantee...guarantee!...at least they won't lose to a Div. I-AA team! Relax, Charlie, Big Blue just made your year a lot easier!

posted by The_Black_Hand at 08:09 AM - reply - flag:

This has the same feel to it as Belarus vs Sweden in the 2002 Olympics.

posted by grum@work at 08:04 PM - reply - flag:

somewhere in a highlights show they made mention that Appalachian State University dosn't draw enough fans to be 1-A. Maybe I heard wrong but I think that the announcer said that they would have to average 15,000 fans per game over a four year period. Maybe if they work on getting these guys for the halftime show?

posted by kyrilmitch_76 at 08:19 PM - reply - flag:

Then how does one explain Duke and it's I-A program? Grandfather clause? Maybe?

posted by NoMich at 08:55 PM - reply - flag:

One of the posters on the Hurricanes board I frequent lives up in Boone and had this to say: "I was in the campus club (legends) for the entire game. When Corey Lynch blocked that kicked the place went insane! Everyone ran up to the football field and took down the goal post and carried it to Chancellor Peacocks house."

posted by NoMich at 09:55 PM - reply - flag:

I wonder if ASU is now toying with the idea of a jump to Div. I. How about promotion and relegation? Though, honestly, I think App State are more than happy where they are. The issue isn't necessarily attendances, but expectations, and the whole culture that surrounds an aspiring top-flight college team. You have to pay the going rate for a coach, recruit with the big sides, compete with the alumni millions. Why take up that burden if you can build something that works on a smaller stage? (For fans of the round-ball game, think Crewe and Dario Gradi.) Lou Holtz made a very good point yesterday: App State are in the habit of winning, which marks them out from most creampuff teams. It's basically the same argument as my analogy to non-league giant-killers in the FA Cup.

posted by etagloh at 11:02 PM - reply - flag:

It wasn't that many years ago that Marshall made the jump to Div. I and they're doing alright.

posted by FonGu at 06:17 AM - reply - flag:

Just to rub it in a little, here's one that Eric Wilbur's blog in the Boston Globe pointed me to. I guess Lloyd Carr had to lip synch his way through the press conference.

posted by Howard_T at 10:21 AM - reply - flag:

Also, how galling that Michigan paid App. State. $400,000 to be the opening day whipping boy. More salt for the wounded, please!

posted by The_Black_Hand at 01:22 PM - reply - flag:

Sam McGuffie is rethinking his decision.

posted by longgreenline at 08:45 PM - reply - flag:

"I got four words...Rut-gers and Boise State. posted by GoBirds at 5:59 AM CDT on September 2 That's five words. posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 6:26 AM CDT on September 2" Sorry, I had been drinking.

posted by GoBirds at 06:51 AM - reply - flag:

Now *that* was five words.

posted by NoMich at 09:04 AM - reply - flag:

I love how the MSU fan's post is riddled with grammatical errors. If you are going to bring the smack, at least make sure that your post is tight! Anyway, being a hockey guy, I will argue that the Holy Cross win over Minnesota in the NCAA tourney 2 seaons ago was a more impressive upset. That Holy Cross team, although being a DI program, was composed entirely of walk-on "gamers" and did not have the kind of history of sucess that App State has. Meanwhile, the Minnesota team that Holy Cross defeated had more pro prospects than the 07 Michigan football team (or quite possibly any Michigan team in the history of its football program). The Minnesota hockey team was also coached by a guy who had already won a national title, unlike the Michigan football team. With hardly any talent to skate with the Golden Gophers, the heart of the Holy Cross team carried them to an OT victory. http://www.uscho.com/recaps/ 20052006/m/03/24/hc-umn.php

posted by BCHockey at 11:00 AM - reply - flag:

The Minnesota hockey team was also coached by a guy who had already won a national title, unlike the Michigan football team. With hardly any talent to skate with the Golden Gophers, the heart of the Holy Cross team carried them to an OT victory. BCHockey, I'm pretty sure Lloyd Carr "led" Michigan to a National Title his first year at Michigan. Obviously this wasn't his team, but rather the one he inherited from his predecessor, but technically he did still win a NT with Michigan.

posted by brainofdtrain at 12:30 PM - reply - flag:

What brain said.

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 01:54 PM - reply - flag:

from #5 to out of the AP 25.

posted by mflinn at 03:59 PM - reply - flag:

Never mind Michigan fans, college football traditionalists HATE it when something like this happens, with a capital H. It's bad enough when one of the top teams through history such as Michigan, USC, or one of the Florida teams gets upset, but this loss and the way it happened is unacceptable to them. It not only upset the apple cart as they knew it, it was blown up with dynamite. College football will NEVER be the same again. I love it.

posted by NerfballPro at 10:16 AM - reply - flag:

I can't remember the last time I saw an AP Top 25 that didn't include Michigan, Notre Dame, or Florida State. In fact, I don't know if I've ever seen it. /grumbait

posted by The_Black_Hand at 10:36 AM - reply - flag:

/grumbait Awesome. That should become a regularpart of Spofi vernacular

posted by brainofdtrain at 12:17 PM - reply - flag:

It already is. It has also been defined by SpoFite McSmokey.

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 02:24 PM - reply - flag:

Seems like it's either a noun or verb. As in, a somewhat off-kilter assertion not backed by stats is grumbait. To make said assertion, knowing you may very well be torn a statistical new one, is to grumbait.

posted by tahoemoj at 03:19 PM - reply - flag:

Actually, I prefer the third definition: As I'm too lazy to do my own research, I'll dangle an open-ended statistical query out there, just hoping it attracts the attention of the fearsome grumbeast, who will then do all the heavy lifting for me, research-wise. Then, later, in the real world, I'll use the stats he digs up to make myself look smart. Well, smarter, anyway.

posted by The_Black_Hand at 04:05 PM - reply - flag:

Appalachian State gear is suspiciously popular in Ohio.

posted by yerfatma at 02:23 PM - reply - flag:

Saturday, September 01, 2007

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