Hard to top the duo of 2013 Akron and 2013 Uconn

Posted on September 11, 2026 at 12:21:17 PM by y2wolv

People forget how great the program outlook was prior to Akron.

Hoke had a borderline top five class in 2013.

He was off to a much better start on the field than anyone thought. Great first season and ok second season with a very hard schedule.

Then we open 2013 and beat a ND team that was coming off a title game appearance by 11. He already had commitments from two five star juniors, Peppers (5 star senior) and we led for Hand the number one player.

And then we barely beat Akron, who was basically the 2013 version of this years Umass-they were a bad Mac team who had lost something like 20 straight on the road.

Then to prove it wasn’t a fluke, we had to rally to beat a terrible UConn team that had already lost to a FCS team

In two weeks, the whole program collapsed.

Back to the board

Thread:

I was thinking about the fact that the WMU win was probably the least satisfying win of my UM fandom (which goes back quite a long time). Some other candidates… - By Craig September 11, 2026 at 11:18:33 AM
- Hard to top the duo of 2013 Akron and 2013 Uconn - By y2wolv September 11, 2026 at 12:21:17 PM
- I don't see any of those games as a bad win. Plus, here's my list. October 1998 for the win! - By GritsGoBlue September 11, 2026 at 12:11:48 PM
- can throw in the M00N game, too* - By ajs September 11, 2026 at 11:34:49 AM
- I would offer up 2019 Iowa game. A 10-3 home stinker that left me stupidly questioning where the Harbaugh era was going.* - By yarn September 11, 2026 at 11:31:00 AM
- No one mentioned 2013 Akron just yet.* - By LS&Play September 11, 2026 at 11:30:49 AM
  - Thought about that. I think we kind of all knew, deep down in places we don’t talk about at parties, that we were going to blow in 2013. - By Craig September 11, 2026 at 11:36:17 AM
    - The Akron one was out of nowhere. We had DOMINATED Notre Dame the week before and beat CMU 59-9 in Week 1.* - By LS&Play September 11, 2026 at 11:37:20 AM
      - Oh yeah…I think I conflated 2013 with 2014 (when ND kicked our ass)*** - By Craig September 11, 2026 at 11:45:02 AM
  - Back to back stink ass wins that year. 28-24 over Akron, 24-21 @ UCONN* - By brick September 11, 2026 at 11:33:08 AM
- Agree. I was thinking about the 2019 Army game*** - By Cincywolve September 11, 2026 at 11:30:18 AM
- Disagree vehemently about 2003 Minnesota win. That was an all-timer. About as fun and exciting as a game can be - By brick September 11, 2026 at 11:25:52 AM
  - I don’t know why I remember this so vividly, but immediately after the game ended, I posted something pretty intemperate here… - By Craig September 11, 2026 at 11:47:00 AM
    - LOL. (nm) - By GritsGoBlue September 11, 2026 at 12:14:25 PM
    - Lol. To me, 38-35 with 1,000 yards of offense, a pick-6, a transcontinental, a completed bomb pass and wild comeback on the road in the 4th quarter - By brick September 11, 2026 at 11:53:16 AM
  - Far less satisfying wins, imo: UMass 2010, Army 2019, SMU 2018, Appalachian State 2014, Utah 2002* - By brick September 11, 2026 at 11:30:10 AM

The Victors

Hard to top the duo of 2013 Akron and 2013 Uconn