The crowd roared as the 1997 national championship team lined up shoulder-to-shoulder from pylon to pylon along the north end zone.
They stood in ovation for Lloyd Carr − on the day the tunnel was named after the coach of the last national title team − as he took his cap off in return to acknowledge the fan base. And did the same for Charles Woodson, the Heisman trophy winner and heartbeat of the best Michigan team of the modern era, as he pounded his chest to salute the Wolverines faithful.
On the day the program honored the 25-year anniversary of its last national championship team, it felt, at least early on, like the Wolverines were making a statement that they are a contender for another this year.