Michigan football countdown to kickoff: 40 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.
The 1940 Michigan football season ended with the Wolverines ranked No. 3 in the country after posting a 7-1 record. They smashed arch rival Ohio State, 40-0, to conclude the season, but were tripped up by then second-ranked Minnesota two weeks prior. The Golden Gophers finished the year 8-0 and won the national championship.
Michigan didn’t just have a stellar year in head coach Fritz Crisler‘s third season, but that season marked the first of an 11-campaign streak in which the Maize and Blue finished top 10 in the country, through 1950 — just amazing. That run was highlighted by the 1948 national championship winning squad in Bennie Oosterbaan‘s first year.
No. 40 Michigan jersey number spotlight: Ron Simpkins
Ever read the Michigan football record book? If the answer is ‘yes,’ then you’ve heard of Ron Simpkins, the Wolverines’ former linebacker from 1976-79.
Simpkins was named first-team All-Big Ten in both 1978 and 1979, and was tabbed an All-American in the latter season.
Here are the categories in which he sits atop in the Michigan rankings:
• Double-digit tackle games in a season — 10 in 1977 (he’s also No. 2 on the list for notching nine double-digit tackle outings in 1978
• Double-digit tackle games in a career — 25
• Most tackles in a season — 174 in 1977 (he’s also No. 3 on the list with 168 in 1978)
• Most tackles in a career — 516
• Most fumble recoveries in a season — five in 1977
• Most fumble recoveries in a Michigan career — seven
Michigan football countdown to kickoff
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