All-21st Century teams: Michigan's top squads over the past 25 years, Nos. 25-21
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 our list with numbers 25-21:
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.
25. 2011 Lions
Record: 10-6, lost Wild Card Round.
It's hard to remember, but the 2011 Detroit Lions were one of the most ground-breaking teams in franchise history. It wasn’t just that they had their first winning season since 2000 (and their first 10-win season since 1995), it was the way they got those 10 wins under third-year coach Jim Schwartz.
Namely: through the air. Third-year quarterback Matthew Stafford set single-season franchise records in passing yards (5,038, at the time just the third 5,000-yard season in NFL history) and touchdowns (41), as receiver Calvin Johnson led the league with 105.1 receiving yards per game and a career-high 16 touchdown catches. So it’s only fitting that an even more high-flying offense in the New Orleans Saints, with another 5K-passer in Drew Brees, outgunned the Lions in Detroit's first playoff appearance of the 21st century.
24. 2024 Tigers
Record: 86-76; lost in ALDS.
The 2024 Detroit Tigers, after shipping out several veterans (including right-hander Jack Flaherty) at the July trade deadline, fell to eight games under .500 on Aug. 10 – 13½ back in the American League Central and 10 back in the wild-card chase.
And then they went off, delivering a 31-11 run – including a 15-3 stretch in September – that clinched their first playoff berth since 2014. They then vaulted into an even more surprising AL wild-card series win over the Houston Astros in October before finally falling in the ALDS to the Cleveland Guardians (in the first ever playoff matchup between AL Central teams). The run was especially stunning since it featured a rotation that was mostly AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal and “pitching chaos” leading the way to one of the most exciting summers in recent memory.
23. 2014 Lions
Record: 11-5, lost Wild Card Round.
The 2011 Lions were a fun surprise, but the 2014 Lions under first-year coach Jim Caldwell were legitimately great, with the best run defense in the NFL and a bevy of talent that clinched the team’s second playoff berth in four years.
That season may be better remembered, however, for the team’s 24-20 playoff loss to the Dallas Cowboys, especially with a controversial no-call on an apparent pass interference midway through the fourth quarter with the Lions ahead by three points. And with All-Pro defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh leaving for the Miami Dolphins the following season, it turned out to be the Lions' best shot at a Super Bowl for nearly a decade.
22. 2013 Michigan State football
The record: 13-1, won 2014 Rose Bowl.
There’s an argument to be made here for the 2015 MSU squad, the only Spartans team to make the College Football Playoff. But the 2013 team had just a bit more magic, and even finished with a higher ranking at No. 3 in the coaches poll.
The only blemish for the 2013 Spartans was a four-point loss to Notre Dame in South Bend in late September –otherwise, they were just about perfect. A 29-6 win against Michigan. A 34-24 upset win over No. 2 Ohio State in the Big Ten title game. And then finally, a Jan. 1 win over Stanford that gave the Spartans their first Rose Bowl victory since 1988. As coach Mark Dantonio would find out against Alabama in the CFP a couple years later, it’s usually better to end the season with a win.
21. 2011 Tigers
The record: 95-67, lost ALCS.
The 2011 season was marked by highs (pitcher Justin Verlander’s AL Cy Young and MVP awards), lows (remembering former manager Sparky Anderson, who died in November 2010) and events that defy traditional baseball wisdom (the legend of Don Kelly).
Mix it all together, and you get the Tigers’ first division title since 1987, a title they would successfully defend over the following three seasons. And even though the Tigers fell to the Texas Rangers (and Nelson Cruz's homer-rific run) in six games in the ALCS, they knocked out the New York Yankees in the ALDS … so we’ll just remember the season ending like that.
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.