Steve Silverman

@#$% Appalachian State!

From now on the tiny school from western North Carolina will be known as @#$% Appalachian State whenever the subject of the Mountaineers comes up in Ann Arbor.

This team did the near-impossible in walking into Michigan Stadium and coming out with the 34-32 upset of a team that was ranked No. 5 in the nation, the Big Ten favorite and had national championship aspirations.

Michigan is a mess right now. After winning 11 straight games at the start of last season, its once-proud defense got shredded by Ohio State and USC, two of the best offenses in the nation.

Coming into the opener against a Football Championship Subdivision team (formerly Division I-AA), Michigan was expected to work the kinks out against Appalachian State in order to get ready for Oregon and Notre Dame. Play on even terms for a quarter, take a lead in the second quarter and run them out in the second half. With a huge advantage in size and strength, the little Mountaineers had no chance of playing 60 minutes against the Wolverines.

It didn’t quite work out that way. Appalachian State got off to a great start, held off a Michigan second-half rally and then responded with poise when the Wolverines managed to take a one-point lead in the fourth quarter. The Mountaineers won the game 34-32 in what may be the biggest upset in the history of college football. Michigan has given up 36.0 ppg and surrendered 11 TD passes in its last three games.

Never before had a team from college football’s lower division beaten a ranked team. To think that it could have happened against perhaps the most storied program in the Big Ten is mind-boggling.

Not to mention humiliating. This is beyond embarrassment, not only for the Wolverines but for the entire Big Ten conference. When the preseason favorite loses at home to Division 1-AA team (now known as the Football Championship Subdivision), there is going to be egg on the faces of every conference member.

Barring an absolute stunning turn of events, Michigan has lost any chance to play for a national title. Teams have overcome early-season losses in the past, but not when they come at home against lower-division teams.

Appalachian State 34, No. 5 Michigan 32 Former I-AA team 'shocked' it won Celizic: No more preseason polls, please Opinion: Michigan should be ashamed Mountaineers happy to dominate, in I-AA Small but speedy team sends message Michigan insists goals still within reach Carr will never live down this stunner LIVE VOTE: How surprising was this?   Discuss: Sound off on upset  |  Summary

Appalachian State didn’t merely take advantage of a few fluky plays to register its off-the-chart upset. Instead, the Mountaineers showed a ton of speed at skill positions, established a running game and made big things happen on special teams and defense.

Sophomore quarterback Armanti Edwards had no problems picking apart Michigan’s secondary. He completed 17-of-23 passes for 227 yards and three touchdowns and he could have had even more if he was not victimized by a couple of key drops. Wide receiver Dexter Jackson caught 3 passes for 93 yards, including two touchdowns. He made the Michigan secondary look as if it was playing in thick, gooey mud.

It wasn’t just Appalachian State’s big plays either. Their running game was quietly efficient as Kevin Richardson picked up 88 yards on 24 carries.

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The Wolverine defense, which lost stars LaMarr Woodley, Alan Branch, David Harris and Leon Hall from last year’s team simply couldn’t cope with the Mountaineers, particularly in the first half.

Michigan was also bitten by head coach Lloyd Carr’s foolhardy decision to go for two on each of the Wolverines’ fourth quarter touchdowns. Had he kicked the extra point after each of Mike Hart’s two TD runs, Julian Rauch’s winning 24-yard field goal would have merely tied the game.

Even with all their gaffes and half-steps, the Wolverines had a miraculous chance to win after Chad Henne completed a 46-yard pass to Mario Manningham gave the Wolverines a first down at the Appalachian State 20. However’ Jason Gingell’s attempt at a game-winning field goal was blocked by Corey Lynch and the Big House went silent as the Wolverines were tagged with a stone cold “L” for the ages.

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The great trio of Henne, Hart and Jake Long had all come to training camp this summer with a purpose. That vaunted trio has been shut out of the win column against Ohio State (three times) and in their bowl games (three losses). Their senior year meant an opportunity for redemption and the ability to gain national respect.

Those dreams are dead on the first day of September. The only thing these Wolverines can do is wipe the egg off their faces and make a giant omelet with it.

No matter what happens the rest of the year, the Wolverines will always be on the wrong side of the biggest upset in the history of college football. That’s a mark that will be on Carr’s legacy for the rest of his coaching career.

Did somebody say cheddar?

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