We had lots of lean years against Michigan going into Jim Tressel’s first game in Ann Arbor. And we didn’t have much reason to believe 2001 would be much different — Steve Bellisari had just been suspended for his DUI, and some guy named Krenzel, a guy from Michigan no less, was starting his first game.

The only real thing to peg any optimism on was Tressel’s introduction at a basketball game just after he was hired, the speech where he famously said we’d be proud of the team “in 310 days, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on the football field.

And we were. Remember Jonathan Wells’ burst for a touchdown? Wow. Mike Doss intercepted two passes. We were up 23-0 at halftime and held on for a win that denied Michigan a conference title.

Just after the game, I announced that all I wanted for Christmas was a white Mike Doss jersey. I got it and that was the jersey that I wore at the Fiesta Bowl the following season.