Michigan football countdown to kickoff: 45 days until 2022 season
There’s much anticipation heading into the Michigan Wolverines football season, and TheWolverine.com is counting down the days until the Sept. 3 opener against Colorado State. We’ll discuss current Michigan events, upcoming season and/or take a look at a significant number that correlates with how many days remain until kickoff, whether it be a player’s jersey number, a year, a date, a score, etc.
Michigan and Indiana were tied at 21-a-piece with six seconds remaining Oct. 27, 1979. The Wolverines fans at The Big House were anxious and on their feet as quarterback John Wangler and Co. were set to run one last play in hopes of avoiding a tie (overtime didn’t begin in college football until 1996).
In the huddle before the play, then-freshman wide receiver Anthony Carter reportedly told his signal-caller, “I’ll be open.”
Wangler took the snap under center at the Hoosiers’ 45-yard line, and used a play fake before dropping back to throw. Wangler bounced into his throw, and found a streaking Carter on the right hash of the 20-yard line. Carter broke a tackle immediately, turned toward the end zone and shedded a shoe-string tackle attempt at the five-yard line before scoring.
The Michigan sideline went wild, and the Wolverines mobbed Carter in the end zone.
The play was great, but what made it legendary was radio announcer Bob Ufer‘s call.
“Under center is Wangler at the 45,” Ufer commentated. “He goes back, he’s looking for a receiver, he throws downfield to Carter. Carter has it! Carter is going to score! … Oh my God, Carter scored!
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“Look at those Wolverines — 85 Wolverines go into the end zone. Carter caught the pass!
“Johnny Wangler to Anthony Carter will be heard until another 100 years of Michigan football is played!”
There’s no doubt the play will be watched and talked about for years and decades more to come.
Despite that being one of Carter’s most memorable plays in a Michigan Wolverines uniform, the 1979 season only set the table for what was to come. That play marked 45 of his 462 yards on the year. He finished his career with 161 receptions, 3,076 yards and 37 touchdown catches. He was an All-American three-straight seasons from 1980-82, joining Bennie Oosterbaan (1925-27) as one of two Wolverines to three times be named an All-American.
Michigan football countdown to kickoff
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