Michigan Defense ranked 2nd in the Nation

  After 4 weeks of game play the Michigan Wolverines have broke into the AP Top 25 at 22nd in the nation. This is the first time since 2013 when they peaked at 23rd.  But what is more important the Michigan's Defense is now  ranked 2nd in the nation in total defense.

 Reference
 http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/22

    Many people must agree that   "Defense wins Championships".   Teams are scoring just 7.8 points per game against Michigan. Our Defense and team as a whole have been  improving each week. With the way Michigan is playing don't be surprised if we surpass everyone's expectations at the beginning of the year. 7-8 win season seems like a cake walk with the way Michigan is playing.  This is a nice start to the season D.J. Durkin and Greg Mattison have done an amazing job with this team.

Michigan ranked No. 22 in latest AP Top 25

                                             
It only took Jim Harbaugh four games to get Michigan into the AP Top 25, Wolverines check in at No. 22 after a 31-0 win over BYU. The Wolverines didn't even receive one AP vote last week.

Sunday marked the first time Michigan's been ranked in the AP Top 25 since the Wolverines were No. 23 prior to the loss at Michigan State on November 2, 2013. Ohio State and Michigan State better take Notice!!!

This is a hungry team with lots of talent. I'm looking forward to an amazing conference race. When I look back at all the haters who said Michigan was playing a cupcake Utah team  I could only laugh. I knew Utah was a great team and after the beating Oregon in a convincing manner it looks like I was right. Michigan is only one pick 6 away from being undefeated and that is a fact. Harbaugh has truly turned this team around.....
  

Deveon Smith goes 60 yards against BYU in a 31-0 shutout victory!!!

10 Years Later

Today marks the 10th anniversary of September 11th, the day when the United States suffered a series of terrorist attacks that took the lives of almost 3,000 Americans. Although most the Michigan faithful will likely be celebrating an amazing win over the Irish in the Big House's first ever night game, please take a moment to look back and remember.

The terrorists 10 years ago certainly shook the nation and its citizens, but we can hardly say they shook the bedrock of democracy and freedom in America. It has now been 10 years and the United States and our nation's hearts may have been blemished, but they certainly couldn't blemish our endurance and courage for the future.

Take a moment away from the enthusiasm about Michigan and remember the values September 11th showed the nation. We may have to endure horrible events, but as long as the citizens continue to pursue freedom, the nation can never fail. So enjoy the victory, but remember the significance of today and the toll it took on our country. If you live near campus, there will be a Vigil taking place tonight at 8pm.

Welcome Back Students

As I pack up every last piece of clothing, my furniture, and make sure every utility for my apartment will be turned on, friends and family often ask about my feelings for the upcoming school year. While many assume I would be dissappointed to return to Ann Arbor and the classwork, I find myself excited for the opportunity to return to the experience of a lifetime.

Not only does Ann Arbor and the University offer incredible academics, but they also offer a vibrant city life, a beautiful campus, and incredible athletic teams and facilities. Though I come from a rural country town, Ann Arbor has become like a second home to me. It houses many of the things I'm passionate about including my education, my favorite team, and more importantly, many of my close friends.

For those of you who haven't been around Ann Arbor during late August and early September, move-in and Welcome Week is one of the most exciting times of the year for students. This is not only the first time many students walk around campus, but also the first time many students get to see their friends after roughly 4 months of separation. Often, these reuniting students spend much "quality time" together to start the school year which often includes the night scene of campus and enjoying the opening football game of the season.

The first home game of the season is always distinct, but much more for students since it is the only game of the season students and the campus can enjoy without the stress of classes and homework. With classes beginning on September 6th, (though many professors seem to ignore this date!) students often become absorbed in the academic life and long for the stress-free time period at the beginning of the year.

This is perhaps the biggest reason that returning to school is so exciting for many students. A "stress-free" reunion with friends, campus, and our football team creates a perfect atmosphere for fun and personal enjoyment. So although my life is sure to become much more stressful in the coming weeks, for now I'm looking forward to my move-in like most of the students, with a sense of foreboding and excitement. We know what stress and challenges are to come in the months ahead, but can't help but be excited for the fun and enjoyment of welcome week and the game against Western on September 3rd.

For those of you also returning to school, good luck and Go Blue!

University of Michigan Announces 2011/2012 Team Captains!

Mike Martin, #68 Featured Right.

It's official, football season is ALMOST here! Michigan has announced their team captains for the 2011/2012 season voted by their fellow teammates.

• TE Kevin Koger
• C David Molk
• DL Mike Martin

This is a huge honor for these three awesome seniors, who will be missed very much after the season is over. Let's hope they can lead our boys in blue to a successful season on and off the field!

Shoelace Ranked #1 Most Explosive Player in Nation By Rivals!!

Rivals released their top-ten list of what they believe are the most explosive players in the nation. Guess who was number one? A kid we like to call Shoelace in Ann Arbor!

Rivals described Denard as follows:

"Robinson is like a time bomb: Sooner or later, he's going to explode. Each time Robinson tucks the football, opposing fans hold their breath because he always seems one step away from making a big play. Last season, his first as a full-time starter in former coach Rich Rodriguez's spread offense, Robinson had 16 runs that covered at least 20 yards and seven that exceeded 30 yards. He had at least one 20-yard gain in nine of the Wolverines' 13 games last season. He scored touchdowns on runs of 87, 72, 47, 32 and 32 yards. He also had 12 pass completions of more than 40 yards. That's more than Stanford's Andrew Luck. A big question with Robinson is how the new Michigan staff will make use of his talents."

This is a huge honor for Denard, being on top of a list that features awesome talent with the likes of Trent Richardson (RB, Alabama, #10 on list), LaMichael James (RB, Oregon, #3 on list) and Justin Blackmon (WR, Oklahoma State, #2 on list).

Let's hope Denard can live up to all the hype!

AD Announces College Gameday Location

Well, the announcement everybody's been excited to hear came out today. Though fans and the media knew College Gameday, an ESPN broadcast, would be appearing on Michigan's campus for the game against Notre Dame, commonly referred to as Under the Lights, an exact location had yet to be named.

The official announcement, here, stated that the broadcast will take place on Ingalls Mall on the Central Campus. For those of you unfamiliar with campus, this is located right by the "Diag" which is considered the center of campus. Here's a link to the Google Map location of Ingalls Mall.

The location was recently used by SportsNation when they broadcast from Ann Arbor in the fall of 2010. The site features a scenic view of campus and stables such as Burton Tower (the Bell

Tower), the Michigan League (first woman's dorm on campus), the Graduate Library, Angell Hall, and Rackham.

For those of you planning on attending this broadcast, or simply viewing from home, make sure to check out the scenery (not just the fans haha) because you are sure to get some beautiful views of central campus. Many people often forget about the university's academic and scenic values because of its intense national athletic presence.

For more information on the game and the events leading up to the face off with Notre Dame, click here:

Under The Lights

Smoking Ban Hits Michigan Campus

If Wolverine nation didn't think Nebraska's entrance into the Big Ten today was relevant to their lives, they should have no doubt at the relevance of the University of Michigan's new campus smoking ban. Today marked the beginning of a campus-wide ban on smoking.

As a non-smoker, this ban has little actual impact on my life, but many have pointed to it as an infringement on personal liberties, which should impact all citizens. Though I'm not going to go into the political aspects of the ban, I would like to point out what is considered to be a major flaw; no enforcement method. In an e-mail to students, Mary Sue Coleman even admitted that the ban functions through "voluntary compliance" from students and faculty.

This could pose a problem because there is no incentive for smokers to avoid "lighting up" on campus since there are no penalties for their actions. However, I'm not sure this is the purpose of the campus ban on smoking.

With the University of Michigan's intense devotion to health and well-being, especially considering that the University has its own hospital and health system, having any endorsement of smoking seems hypocritical. With that in mind, this ban seems to be just more of a public relations move to come out and state "we are against smoking and its harmful health effects," which I think is something most people can get behind.

Regardless of the motive, I'm excited that Michigan is willing to push topics that may be controversial, but are good for the students' and faculty's health status. So next time you're near campus, remember to avoid "lighting up" or you may start getting dirty looks.

It's Great to Be A Michigan Wolverine and follow me on Twitter here:

Tom