All-21st Century teams: Michigan's top squads over the past 25 years, Nos. 20-16
This is the final piece in a 10-part series from the Free Press celebrating the top players, teams and moments over the first 25 years of the 21st century. Go to freep.com/sports to catch up on any you missed.
Welcome to the Free Press’ All-21st Century countdown of the 25 greatest teams from the state of Michigan over the past 25 years!
These are the college and pro teams that have made the biggest impact in Michigan over the 21st century, whether they were national champions, local heroes or simply a memorable group of players and coaches.
We're continuing the countdown with Nos. 16-20, represented heavily by a certain school in Ann Arbor:
The series
Honorable mentions: A pair of playoff wipeouts in 2005-06.
Nos. 21-25: Roses and wild-card berths abound.
Nos. 16-20: Runners-up galore in Ann Arbor and Detroit.
Nos. 11-15: Magglio's moment for the top Tigers team.
Nos. 6-10: U-M's diamond dominators — and a couple of hockey crowns.
Nos. 1-5: A trio of hoops titles — and the Hockey Gods.
20. 2022 Michigan football
Result: 13-1, won Big Ten championship, lost Fiesta Bowl in CFP semifinal.
If the 2021 season was Michigan’s return to prominence, the 2022 season was the one that promised the program’s first national title under coach Jim Harbaugh. And though it didn’t quite end that way for the Wolverines, it was only the start of the team’s best stretch in recent memory.
Michigan went undefeated in the regular season for the first time since 1997, starting the season as the No. 8 team in the nation and never falling below No. 5. The Wolverines' 21-point victory over Ohio State — in Columbus, no less — was Michigan’s biggest victory over its rival since 1993. Everything was lined up for a run at the title, until a pesky TCU team got in the way with a turnover-filled victory over Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona.
19. 2024 Lions
The record: 15-2, lost Divisional Round.
By some measures, the 2024 Lions are the greatest team in the history of the franchise, as they set franchise records with 15 wins, eight Pro Bowlers and 564 total points (albeit in a 17-game schedule).
Maybe most importantly, the 2024 Lions were the first Lions team in many fans' memory that came into the season with legitimate Super Bowl expectations. But a mass of injuries – most notably losing Defensive Player of the Year favorite Aidan Hutchinson in Week 5 to a broken leg – led to a heartbreaking wild-card loss to the Washington Commanders, ending the 2024 season just as every one has in the previous 58 seasons of the Super Bowl era: sitting at home for the NFL's ultimate finale.
18. 2017-18 Michigan basketball
The record: 33-8, lost 2018 NCAA Tournament national final.
Michigan was 19-7 after a 61-52 loss to Northwestern on Feb. 6, 2018 — in line for an NCAA berth, but nowhere near anyone’s radar for title contention. They then rattled off five straight wins to finish the regular season, won the Big Ten tournament (as a No. 5 seed) and then, five NCAA wins later, found themselves in the title game, losing 79-62 to a Villanova team lifting their second championship trophy in three years.
It shouldn’t have been as surprising in retrospect, as the team featured legitimate NBA talent in senior Duncan Robinson, junior Moritz Wagner and freshman Jordan Poole. It was also coach John Beilein’s second trip to the national title game with the Wolverines (the first of which comes up later on this list).
17. 2012 Tigers
The record: 88-74, lost World Series.
The 2012 Tigers had the American League MVP in Miguel Cabrera (who delivered MLB's first Triple Crown since 1967), three current or future Cy Young Award winners in their rotation (Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello) and a new middle-of-the-order masher in Prince Fielder stationed at first base. Is it really a surprise that they made it to the World Series?
Well, based on their regular-season record, which was just sixth-best in the AL ... kind of, yeah. But the Tigers feasted on a weak AL Central and got hot at the right time, with wins in eight of their last 10 regular-season games before running through the playoffs. Their Fall Classic matchup with an even-year San Francisco Giants squad went poorly, but the 2012 team has a case for being the most talented Tigers team of all time.
16. 2012-13 Michigan basketball
The record: 31-8, lost 2013 NCAA Tournament national final.
With a backcourt duo of future NBA stars in Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr., along with a bevy of other freshmen and future NBA'ers, the 2012-13 team was one of the best in school history, rising to No. 1 in the nation midseason with a 20-1 record.
Michigan played .500 basketball from that point forward until March Madness, where the 4-seed Wolverines beat 1-seed Kansas (on Burke's halfcourt 3) in the Sweet 16, 3-seed Florida in the Elite Eight and 4-seed Syracuse in the Final Four in San Antonio, leading up to a matchup with Louisville, the top overall seed. Michigan came close to their second hoops title, too, grabbing a 33-21 lead behind the hot shooting of improbably viral star Spike Albrecht in the first half but eventually falling short in a six-point loss.
You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com
At the quarter-turn
June 1: Tigers.
June 8: Lions offense and defense.
June 15: MSU basketball.
June 22: U-M basketball.
June 29: MSU football offense and defense.
July 6: U-M football offense and defense.
July 13: Pistons.
July 20: Red Wings.
July 27: The best players.
Aug. 3: The best teams.