ANN ARBOR, MI — The University of Michigan football team boarded buses bound for a flight to Houston Friday afternoon to play for their first national football championship since 1997.
About a dozen buses carrying players, staff and the Michigan Marching Band rolled out from the Al Glick Field House near Schembechler Hall on State Street around 1:45 p.m.
No public send-off took place, but a small group of fans, including 20-year season ticket holders Jim and Pam Wiskochil gathered in the building’s driveway to send the team off.
“We love the team, and we love the sport,” Jim Wiskochil said. “We have the best defense in the land, and our offense is second-to-none. I’m very confident.”
The Wiskochils said they’ve made a habit of sending the team off or welcoming them home when they return from away games, including the Jan. 1 Rose Bowl victory over Alabama. They’ve taken dozens of photos with players and coaching staff.
“They’re just good, hardworking honest American young people,” he said.
While there was no official meet-and-greets with players at the send off, Jim Wiskochil did get a high-five from wide receiver Roman Wilson as the senior, whose catch helped send the Rose Bowl into overtime, as he made his way toward the line of buses.
“They’re wonderful, every time you see them they’re gentlemen and they’re willing to stop and take pictures with you,” Pam Wiskochil added. “I think they’re going to win because they have that inner – something – that’s going to pull it off.
The University of Michigan football team embarked on a journey to Houston for their first national football championship since 1997. A fleet of about a dozen buses, carrying players, staff, and the Michigan Marching Band, departed from the Al Glick Field House near Schembechler Hall on State Street around 1:45 p.m. for a flight to their destination.
While there was no formal public send-off, a small group of dedicated fans, including Jim and Pam Wiskochil, who have held season tickets for 20 years, gathered in the building’s driveway to bid farewell to the team. Expressing their confidence in Michigan’s prowess, Jim Wiskochil praised the team’s defense as the best in the land, with an offense he deemed second-to-none.
The Wiskochils, habitual supporters of the team, have a tradition of sending the players off or welcoming them home after away games. They recounted their experiences, including celebrating the Rose Bowl victory over Alabama on January 1, expressing admiration for the players’ character as “good, hardworking honest American young people.”
Despite the lack of official meet-and-greets during the send-off, the couple shared a moment with wide receiver Roman Wilson. Wilson, a senior whose catch played a crucial role in the Rose Bowl’s overtime, gave Jim Wiskochil a high-five as he made his way towards the line of buses. The couple commended the players for their amiable nature, describing them as gentlemen always willing to pause for photos with fans.
Pam Wiskochil expressed her belief in the team’s success, attributing it to an intangible quality within them that would lead them to victory. The couple’s unwavering support and optimism reflect the enthusiasm of Michigan football fans as they anticipate a historic championship bid in Houston.
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