The Top 25 Michigan athletics moments since 2000: 10-6

We are 25 years into the 2000s, and to celebrate, we’re picking out the Top 25 moments for Michigan athletics this century. We’re headed into some elite territory with key plays from wins over Ohio State and National Championship runs:

We’ve reached the Top-10 of our series highlighting the 25 best moments for the Michigan Wolverines since 2000, and it’s time for some really difficult decisions. From the top plays in recent history against Ohio State , to unforgettable NCAA Tournament shots, there may be more controversy than ever with this list moving forward.

Let’s get into it, and sound off in the comments if you think any of these should be higher!

10. Braylon Edwards scores 3 TDs in comeback win vs MSU (2004)

Michigan has had some impressive wins over Michigan State , but few are more memorable than what happened in 2004. Well into the fourth quarter, the Wolverines found themselves trailing 27-10, and one of the most miraculous comebacks in Michigan history ensued thanks to wide receiver Braylon Edwards.

In the final 8:49, Edwards had two touchdown receptions, including one that forced overtime. He caught the eventual game-winner in triple overtime and ended the game with 11 receptions for 189 yards and three touchdowns.

9. Blake Corum scores TD after Zak Zinter injury vs OSU (2023)

While Michigan earned a massive, program-defining win over Ohio State in 2023, there was also a massive loss within the game itself. Right guard Zak Zinter, a team captain and face of a Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line, went down with a terrible leg injury and left the field on a cart late in the third quarter of a tie game.

It was a devastating injury that left Michigan Stadium in silence. That is, until the fans began chanting “Zak! Zak! Zak!” After the TV timeout, running back Blake Corum stepped up and delivered like he did so many times.

It was one of those moments you will never forget as a sports fan. A defining example of what the team represented throughout the entirety of the championship run — next man up, against all odds.

8. Rod Moore picks off Kyle McCord to seal third straight win over OSU (2023)

From the play that defined the season to the one that sealed its most important regular season win. Michigan’s 2023 defense was the best in college football and made big play after big play to ensure their undefeated national title.

Michigan had a narrow six-point lead against Ohio State following a 13-play, 56-yard drive that ate up seven minutes of game time and ended in a field goal. The Buckeyes took over with exactly one minute to play and they instantly picked up 40+ yards on consecutive deep ball completions to Marvin Harrison Jr. and Julian Fleming. In no time, the Buckeyes were threatening and had the chance to score and take the lead with an extra point.

Instead, Rod Moore called game:

The play secured Michigan’s third straight win over Ohio State, and a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game and the College Football Playoff.

7. Donovan Edwards’ 4th-quarter TDs bury OSU in Columbus (2022)

Michigan won The Game in 2021, but needed to prove in 2022 that it was no fluke in Columbus, where they hadn’t beaten Ohio State since 2000. Both teams were undefeated heading into this matchup for the first time since 2006. Michigan also had to play this game without Blake Corum, who sustained a knee injury a week prior vs. Illinois.

The Buckeyes had a 20-17 lead at halftime, but what happened next was one of the most impressive single-game performances in the history of Michigan football. With a 31-23 lead and Ohio State creeping at a comeback, Donovan Edwards put the Wolverines on his back with consecutive long touchdown runs that kept Michigan ahead for good.

Edwards ended his day with 22 carries for 216 yards and those two touchdowns, forever sealing himself in Michigan lore forever.

6. Trey Burke leads Michigan to national title game (2013)

The 2012-13 season was one of the greatest in the history of Michigan basketball. Trey Burke was a national sensation, winning Big Ten Player of the Year, the Naismith Award and the Wooden Award.

To top it all off, he was the first Wolverine since 1966 to be the National Player of the Year. What may have sealed it was a 21-point outburst in a Top-10 win over Michigan State. He had two steals in the final 22 seconds to secure the win.

From there, the Wolverines entered the NCAA Tournament as a No. 4 seed after an early exit in the Big Ten Tournament . The team handled business in the first two rounds with double-digit wins over South Dakota State and VCU. Sitting in the Sweet Sixteen was the No. 3 overall team in the country and the South Region’s No. 1 seeded Kansas Jayhawks .

Kansas had a stellar game plan for Burke, as he scored zero points in the first half. With about seven minutes left, the Wolverines were down 14 and their season seemed all but over. Instead, Burke led a massive comeback, including eight points in the final 1:15 of regulation, including the most important shot of his career.

A strong performance against Florida led to the Wolverines winning the South Region and reaching their first Final Four (where they beat Syracuse) and NCAA Championship since 1993. Burke led all scorers with 24 points in the natty, and if it were not for a bad foul call against Burke on a clear block, the Wolverines may have been crowned champions. Instead, they fell short, losing to Louisville, 82-76, in one of the best runs of the John Beilein era.

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For more in this series:

• The Top 25 Michigan athletics moments since 2000: 25-21
• The Top 25 Michigan athletics moments since 2000: 20-16
• The Top 25 Michigan athletics moments since 2000: 15-11