16 Saturdays

Football's back, baby. This time last year Harbaugh was on the hot seat. Now we're defending Big Ten Champs, return a bunch of starters, and are ready to take the next step. Oh and did you know that we beat Ohio 42-27?? We relive last year, preview the team, and discuss all the burning topics from the offseason (NIL, expansion, Harbaugh's NFL dalliance).

Four months ago we were contemplating becoming a basketball podcast. Jim Harbaugh was on the hottest seat in America. Michigan was an underdog against Indiana. We won't be national champs (tip of the cap to the dawgs and good luck against Bama), but it's been a helluva ride. We look back on the season that was and relive the moments that made it one to remember. Forever Go Blue.

After 18 years, we can say it and mean it: those who stay will be CHAMPIONS! A team that had a 0.01% chance of making the CFP at the beginning of the year has climbed to rarified air and no matter what happens on NYE, they've got rings coming their way. On this week's episode, we bask in the glory that was Saturday night, thank the players and coaches that made this possible, debate where we should have ended up ranked, and peak ahead to Georgia. Go Blue!

There was snow, there was a Haskins hurdle, there was a halftime scuffle, there was an epic field rush - and at the end, there was a new Big Ten East Champion. On this week's episode, we reflect on the best weekend of our lives as fans, give thanks to Aidan Hutchinson, Hassan Haskins, the team, coaches, and all the great players who never got to taste a victory like this but helped make it possible (here's looking at you Devin Gardner and Mike Hart). We also preview the Big Ten championship(!), break down all of the CFP scenarios, and talk about which ludicrous new coaching contract might pay off.

With travel and Thanksgiving preparations throwing off our normal routine, we condensed the Maryland recap into a live pregame show Saturday morning before what became one of the greatest games of all time. If you missed the live show or just want to relish in the glory that was Saturday, here's the recording. We'll have our Ohio episode out in the next few days (should be one for the ages) and will have another live episode Saturday to get ready for Iowa and a shot at the Big Ten title. Go Blue!

Take that haters. We'll take a ranked road win against a legitimately decent team (with a legitimately terrible run game and half-injured QB...) any day of the week. Plus we've clearly got it better than Texas, Florida, and Washington so we've got that going for us. On this week's episode we definitely don't talk about a game in two weeks and focus all of our attention on recapping Penn State and previewing Maryland. We also break down the CFP projections, discuss rooting interests in the OSU-MSU game, and debate when it's acceptable to rush the field.

A nondescript, comfortable win - that's how Indiana games are supposed to feel. Michigan bounces back to improve to 8-1, and with help from Purdue, we're now one step closer to controlling our own destiny again. This week, we preview a massive trip to Happy Valley, discuss the chaos that is the playoff race, and talk about the right way to eat apple pie.

If only. The refs, the fourth downs, the replay reviews, the false start on 4th down, the two-point conversions, the fumble we lost, the fumble we didn't get. After a heartbreaking Saturday and a few sleepless nights, we're back to break down a game that actually had a lot of positives (hello Andrel!) and talk about Michigan's path going forward (still pretty good).

Nearly 300 yards of rushing. A blocked punt. A stress-free 4th quarter. On this week's episode, we celebrate another victory, discuss how worried we should be about the passing game, and preview the impending Big Ten East round robin. But mostly, we get ready for State and a Saturday showdown in East Lansing. Go Blue!

Hope you had your popcorn ready. What a Saturday. Bama goes down. Oklahoma comes back from down 21. Ole Miss survives a two-point try. Iowa stays unbeaten. And on the plains of Nebraska, Michigan improves to 6-0 in an absolute thriller. We try to make sense of what was quite possibly the greatest day in college football history, celebrate a big road win, and preview the second half of the season.

Another week, another win for Michigan. This time it's a win at Camp Randall for the first time in two decades, and it comes in dominating fashion. On this week's episode, we relish in the afterglow of a magical college football Saturday, give props to the coaching staff, and look ahead to Nebraska. We also look at the chaos that is the broader college football landscape (hello Stanford!), suggest some changes to the Fox broadcast, and preview a massive week 6.

Survive and advance. Or maybe hit the panic button. What started as a pleasant Saturday turned stressful and then almost turned tragic. But Michigan did in fact win and now sits at 4-0 and #14 in the country. On this week's episode, we decide how much we should look into an ugly second half, get ready for a huge trip to Madison, and relive the highs of a great Saturday across the country (hello NC State and BC)!

3-0. Ranked in the top 20. ESPN talking about a playoff run. Is it time to start believing? We break down Michigan's dominating win over Northern Illinois and debate how much we should takeaway from a game that can only be described as a beatdown. We also discuss Notre Dame refusing to let a drum on the field, a coach buying beer for fans, and a host of almost-upsets across the country.

If you told us three weeks ago that Michigan would be 2-0 right now coming off two straight 300+ yard rushing performances and a 31-10 win over Washington, we'd take that any day of the week. On this week's episode, we discuss plans for giving Mike Hart a bonus, decide whether we actually need to throw the football, and cheer on Oregon (go Ducks!). We also recap a crazy weekend of upsets in college football and the heroic saving of a cat in Miami.

College football as it should be. After two years of waiting for a (mostly) normal college football Saturday, the opening weekend did not disappoint. Aidan Hutchinson was unstoppable. Dax Hill was a beast. And speed in space looked like a thing. Competition caveats apply, but at least we got a fun week. Outside of dissecting Michigan's win, we discuss whether we'd skip senior year of high school for $1.4m, shout out a grad assistant turned starting QB, and breakdown lessons learned from around the country in week 1.

We get it. The team's not ranked. The last few seasons haven't been - what's the word..."fun." Ohio is loaded (per usual). We're not here to dwell on that. We're here to remind you that college football is amazing, that there's always hope in new beginnings, and that in a world with lots of problems there's still something special in a fall Saturday at the Big House. On this week's episode, we preview the 2021 season, reminisce about great Michigan moments of yesteryear, and discuss the best (and most underrated) elements of college football.

Another week, another win for Michigan. It feels good to say that even if it took three overtimes and a missed field goal against Rutgers to get there. On this week’s episode, we discuss the Cade McNamara era, reminisce about the days of a functional defense, and remember past poor predictions of Michigan success. We also preview the basketball season, debate which fanbase has it better (or worse): Penn state or Michigan, and decide what we'll do the next time Michigan beats Ohio State. Happy Thanksgiving!

Michigan hockey got off to a great start. The early data on the vaccines is promising. Thanksgiving is next week. Happiness does exist in the world. On this week's episode, we grudgingly discuss the Wisconsin game but spend most of our time on a draft of things we're looking forward to pre and post-vaccine.

Can't believe the season is done this soon. It felt like it was just getting started, and now we've got to adjust to a whole new show. On this week's episode, we discuss Claire's shocking proposal (I wasn't shocked, just disappointed...) and (grudgingly) try to understand what happened to the Michigan secondary, how you jump offsides five times in a half, and where we go from here. We also update our expectations for the rest of the season, debate what it would take for Harbaugh to keep his job, and search for signs of hope (Juwan Howard!).

Oh Michigan football how we've missed you. The Wolverines win in emphatic fashion 49-24 to retain possession of the Little Brown Jug. In the process, it looks like they may have found themselves a quarterback, an offensive line, and an offensive coordinator. On this week's episode, we get excited about the return of football (hello Indiana game finish), decide how much we can read into one game, and prep for a Sparty team that just gave up 38 to Rutgers.

Maybe not quite the same week 1 feeling, but on Saturday night the Wolverines will battle for the Little Brown Jug (knock on wood) and hopefully for three hours we can turn our attention to a simple game. On this episode, 16 Saturdays returns to preview the 2020 season. We debate whether the Joe Milton hype is real, decide how afraid we should be of the cornerbacks (pretty afraid), and prepare for Dax Hill's liftoff. We also suggest giving Chase Winovich permanent mic privileges at Michigan Stadium, preview the Minnesota game, and complain about oddsmakers who have us losing four games.

Predictably distressing. That pretty much sums it up. On this week's episode we're not quite ready to talk about the mishaps of Saturday and instead talk about next year's team, basketball (hooray Juwan!), and the potential of going undefeated into Thanksgiving in 2020. We also pick our conference championship winners and plead with Don Brown to stay in Ann Arbor.

Another week, another rousing victory. Michigan cruises past Indiana 39-14 in the last hurdle before the big one. On this week's episode, we talk a bit about the Wolverines’ win over the Hoosiers and much more about the game that’s been causing us sleepless nights for weeks. We also discuss what Michigan needs to do to beat Ohio, decide what reasonable expectations look like, and wonder what we'd give up for a victory (hint: a lot).

Another week, another rout of a rival. 44-10 Michigan dominates little brother in every phase - in a game that might just be the final blow of the Mark Dantonio era. On this week’s episode we discuss what was possibly the greatest college football Saturday of the past few years, debate whether we’d want Dantonio to stick around for another year, and tip our caps to the evolution of Josh Gattis and Shea Patterson. We also marvel at the abilities of Ronnie Bell, remember Mike Hart, and discuss how Tua's injury shakes up the CFP race.

Nothing too bad. Nothing too good. Felt about how a Maryland game should. On this week's episode, we discuss what (if anything) we can take away from Michigan's 38-7 win over the Terps, preview basketball season, and debate whether next year's d-line could be better than 2016's. We also preview LSU vs. Bama, figure out Michigan's odds of making the Big Ten championship (they exist), and suggest realistic taglines for the companies whose ads we're forced to watch each Saturday.

Oh what a night. Michigan resurrects its season and quite possibly the Harbaugh era with an emphatic 45-14 beatdown of Notre Dame. On this week's episode we relive a rainy (and joyous) trip to the Big House, decide whether drinking 40s is our new good luck charm, and give props to the students for their towel throwing game. We also wonder about the state of the world in 2033, thank God for Don Brown (and Cam McGrone), and debate whether we have any hope against Ohio.

Exhilarating. Excruciating. Encouraging? On this week's episode, we relive the highs and lows of Michigan's heartbreaking loss to Penn State, discuss the growth of the offense, and lament about the breakdowns defensively. We also lobby for PI reviews in college, decide whether we'd stay a night in the Goodyear blimp, and take a peak at next year.

Sometimes awesome. Sometimes not so much. Michigan escapes Champaign with a not-so-satisfying 42-25 win that maybe hints of good things to come. On this week's episode, we give midseason grades (hello Uche and Paye), adjust expectations (so maybe Shea's not headed to NYC), and preview Penn State. We also try to make sense of a thrilling week in the broader college football world (should LSU be favored over Bama? is the loser still in the playoff? does Oklahoma control their destiny? can Wisconsin knock off OSU?).

Despite a lackluster performance by the offense that saw zero points and very few big plays after the midpoint of the 1st quarter, Michigan survives Iowa 10-3 on the back of the dominating defense. On this week's episode we tip our hat to Don Brown, discuss the debacle that is the offense, and make guesses about why we didn't see more deep shots (does Shea get ice cream sundaes for not throwing picks?). We also talk about Rutgers players sitting out the season to hang onto their eligibility, the odds that a Pac-12 team makes the playoff, and this week's pick 'em.

It's hard to tell what larger lessons we can take from it, but Saturday's game was at least enjoyable to watch. On this week's episode, we break down Michigan's 52-0 beatdown of Rutgers, wonder how many wins Will could get as Rutgers' head coach, and ponder how we'd spend $8 million (hard to feel too bad for Chris Ash). We also ask if Josh Gattis is still in control of the offense, tip our cap to Shea and Cam McGrone, and preview Iowa this weekend.

Oof. So that was not fun. On this week's episode, we search in vain for answers to 'what the hell happened' in an all-too-familiar road beatdown against Wisconsin. We also discuss the five stages of grief, theorize at how to salvage the offense, and, reluctantly, ponder the Harbaugh question.

After the most tense and least fun double OT win any of us can remember, Michigan is still 2-0 but with a lot of questions to answer during the bye week. On this week's episode, we discuss whether it's time to hit the panic button, brainstorm ideas for passing the time during endless commercials, and search for some bright spots after week 2 (hello Josh Uche).

It wasn't always pretty, but we'll take 3 first half TDs from Shea, a legit performance from the corners, and the emergence of a star at running back. On this week's episode, we take stock after Michigan's opening week victory over Middle Tennessee, prep for Army, and discuss the SEC's calamitous week 1 performance (poor damn Rocky Top).

The leaves are turning, the apples are ripening, there's a slight chill in the air, and in 4 days, the Maize and Blue will take the field to kickoff the 2019 season. On this week's episode, we recap the highs and lows of the offseason (Michigan baseball!), discuss Shea's path to the Heisman, debate whether this is the year, and go in depth on what to watch for on both sides of the ball.

On this week's episode, we rank our favorite aspects of Thanksgiving, debate the best board games, and decry the invention and continued use of daylight savings time (seriously, it's so dark now). We also (begrudgingly) discuss the alleged events of the past weekend (Nico Collins was good!). But mostly, the football content focuses on 2019 because reasons.

It's official. We can talk about Ohio without knocking on wood. On this week's episode, we call for use of replay in identifying late hits (looking at you IU #72), wonder how many of Jake Moody's field goals Will would hit, and thank god once again for the in-game genius of Don Brown. We also talk about whether players should get suspended for flirting with cheerleaders, urge Kansas to let Bevo (the Texas mascot) on the field, and argue that players saying their rivals suck is uhh... not a big deal. Speaking of which - it's 6:02pm, and Ohio still sucks. Go Blue!

Survive and advance. Michigan improves to 9-1 after a game where both teams seemed to play to avoid injury (fingers crossed Michigan's injuries are minor). On this week's episode we brainstorm safer competitions Michigan and Rutgers could have instead of playing football, praise the development of the passing game, and debate the college football playoff scenarios (go Syracuse!). We also congratulate Northwestern and start to prep for Ohio.

Flawless. Or as close to it as we can imagine it gets. On this week's episode we heap praise on the king, Don Brown, are thankful for Jon Runyan's extra year of eligibility, and wonder if Josh Uche is Chase Winovich 2.0 (oh ya, and Chase himself is pretty awesome too). We also talk about the gameday environment (best I can remember it), debate the merits of tailgating, and break down the playoff picture (Go BC!).

After what felt like history's longest bye week, we're back and ready for the home stretch of the season. On this week's episode, we preview Penn State, discuss the first edition of the College Football Playoff rankings, and try to figure out what is happening at Maryland. Happy Halloween!

Revenge Tour Part II is complete. Michigan wins 21-7, and Paul Bunyan is back where he belongs. On this week's episode we recap one of the greatest Saturdays we can remember (Boiler up!), heap a lot of praise on the defense, and call out Mark Dantonio for orchestrating the pre-game antics and then lying about his involvement. We also discuss Ohio State's loss and what it means for the Big Ten race, start to look ahead towards Penn State, and wonder if LSU has a prayer against Bama.

It's rivalry week in the state of Michigan, and the stakes couldn't be higher. On this week's episode, we debate whether we'd rather beat State or Ohio, reflect on Mike Hart's little brother comment, and hope for dry weather on Saturday. We also discuss Nick Bosa's decision to leave school and the Rashan Gary rumors, arguing for schools to play a bigger role in purchasing insurance policies for star players.

Well that was fun. Michigan crushes Wisconsin 38-13 in one of the biggest program wins of the last decade. On this week's episode, we start a collection to give Ed Warinner a raise, wonder about the roommate dynamic between Chase Winovich and Shea Patterson, and debate how far back you have to go to find a more important Michigan win. We also recap a wild weekend across the college football world and bring you the Rutgers stat of the week (hint: having twice as many interceptions as completions isn't...good.)

Things are about to get real. Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Penn State. Three games that will define the season and have huge ramifications on the Harbaugh era. On this week's episode, we recap Michigan's dominant win over Maryland, debate the merits of Nick Saban calling out the Alabama student section, and start to preview the upcoming gauntlet. We also agree that Texas is back and pay tribute to John Gagliardi, the winningest coach in college football history.

Survive and advance. After an ugly first quarter, Michigan battled back for a gritty 20-17 win and kept their CFP dreams alive. On this week's episode, we our thankful for the second half defense, Shea Patterson's running ability, and Will Hart's right leg. We also sound off on the excessive number of commercials during games, phantom holding calls, and Jimbo Fisher facemasks.

Well that was fun. On this week's episode, we recap an amazing day at the Big House, discuss how to spend a perfect fall Saturday (including the finer points of apple cider), and wonder what bet Jim Harbaugh must have lost to sport the Dad sunglasses.

Not a good week to be a Big Ten fan. 6-7 overall, including losses to Temple, Akron, and Kansas (by 41!). On this week's episode, we begrudgingly admit that the SEC is the top conference, discuss the emergence of Shea Patterson and DPJ, wonder what happened to our pass D, and try to decide whether Texas players like having Matthew McConaughey as their super fan.

The streaks are over. Michigan has a win. A wide receiver has caught a touchdown. The defense is its dominant self. On this week's episode we recap a much more enjoyable Saturday, discuss how much you can read into a win over a mediocre-at-best MAC team, debate the blue endzones, and drink to a functional passing game (knock on wood). We also wonder if Tom Herman's time is already up in Texas, rank AJ Dillon's Heisman hopes, and marvel at the possibility of a walk-on starting at QB at Nebraska.

While the game that need not be named was taking place in Indiana, there was drama throughout the college football landscape. On this episode, we discuss the biggest games from the opening weekend and preview the week to come. We also welcome Wake Forest Left Tackle Jake Benzinger to the show to talk about how someone from a small high school in rural New England can become a starter in the ACC.

After a disappointing start to the season, we turn to Will Ferrell for motivation (remember "we can't have anyone freaking out out there.") We also take on the naysayers, reset our expectations (14-1 is still good right?), and share our personal stories of attempting to shift momentum in the game.

As the kids say: "Guess who's back, back, back... back again." After eight long months of offseason, 16 Saturdays returns to preview the 2018 season, launch Karan Higdon's Heisman campaign, and share best memories from Notre Dame games past. Who's got it better than us?

Well that was more fun, more frustrating, and certainly more painful than expected. One hell of a performance by the defense, running backs, line, and coaches couldn't cancel out M's hole at quarterback. Next season should be more fun.