Michigan, times are changing

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — To Michigan football, these must be strange, difficult times. All those kids coming around, most with an attitude, each wanting to take their licks.

Whatever happened to respecting your elders knowing your place?

Must have gone out with the typewriter.

Or maybe it's like the punk in your office who's gunning for your job. Half your age but a lot of big ideas, dying to prove things have changed.

Nobody has to tell the Michigan Wolverines all this. Last year they lost their opener to small-fry Appalachian State. This year it was a 25-23 loss to Utah, Saturday at Michigan Stadium.

Yeah, yeah, Tom Harmon and Anthony Carter and Charles Woodson played there a long time ago.

So, hey, wanna go play some Halo?

So much for history. And patience. And mild acquiescence.

Sure, Michigan has more wins than any team in history. It didn't impress the Utes.

"We're not playing their fans, we're not playing their helmets, we're not playing their history," said Ute receiver Jereme Brooks, after the game. "We're just playing those 11 guys."

Go ahead and chalk this one up as the biggest non-conference, regular-season win in Utah history. It wasn't the Utes' best opponent ever, but it was certainly the biggest name they've beaten. Michigan isn't great this year, but heaven knows the Utes weren't at their finest, either. They fumbled away the ball, both on runs and returns, shorted themselves with penalties and set up Michigan for scores. They even looked briefly like they weren't going to pull it off.

But then, abruptly, they did. They leaped momentarily about afterward, as relieved as exhilarated, then rumbled over to a gathering of Utah fans to sing the fight song. Then it was back up the famous tunnel, past another group of Ute fans and inside the locker room.

All that remained were the repeated questions as to how big the win was and whether they were surprised, confident or scared — or a combination thereof.

"We didn't come here to lose," said quarterback Brian Johnson.

For the Utes, it was probably even consoling they didn't play their best. They fumbled four times (losing it twice) threw an interception and allowed a punt and a PAT to be blocked.