The Top 25 Michigan athletics moments since 2000: 20-16

We are 25 years into the 2000s, and to celebrate, we’re picking out the Top 25 moments for Michigan athletics. We continue our series with some legendary moments that rank No. 20-16:

Last week, we announced the start of our series on the Top 25 moments in Michigan athletics for the first 25 years of the 2000s. Today, we continue with No. 20-16, which includes several national championship-related items for the Michigan Wolverines .

20. Jake Moody saves season with game-winner against Illinois (2022)

There may not be a single game I have sweated over more in my life than Michigan vs Illinois in 2022. Just about everything that could have gone wrong in that game did. The Illini had a really good team coming into the Big House the week before the most highly anticipated Michigan-Ohio State game in a decade.

To make matters worse, Blake Corum went down with a knee injury right before halftime, putting the game and the season in jeopardy. But man oh man, thank goodness for Jake Moody. He went 4-for-4 in the game, including three fourth-quarter field goals and the eventual game-winner with about a minute left on the clock. The final kick came after a clutch fourth-down conversion from walk-on Isaiah Gash.

19. Michigan Men’s Gymnastics wins national title; Juda proposes (2025)

Paul Juda had a day to remember in late April, leading the way for the Michigan men’s gymnastics team to be crowned national champions while also becoming the Parallel Bars National Champion. Afterwards, he got down on one knee and got engaged:

The Wolverines accomplished this on their home turf in the Crisler Center, for the seventh national championship in program history. Fred Richard took home the NCAA All-Around Title to cap off one of the greatest seasons in program history.

18. Jourdan Lewis’ one-handed INT vs Wisconsin (2016)

A top-10 battle in 2016 between Michigan and Wisconsin was a nail-biter. Two elite defenses were taking turns flexing their muscles. Alex Hornibrook was forced to throw the ball late in the game with hopes of tying the game. Instead, he was picked off twice on the final two possessions to seal the win for Michigan. The last was one of the most ridiculous picks you will ever see, coming from Michigan All-American Jourdan Lewis.

17. Denard Robinson hits Roy Roundtree to win vs ND under the lights (2011)

The first night game in the history of the Big House also included one of its best finishes. Late in the third quarter, Michigan was down, 24-7, and it felt like a blowout was on the way for the Fighting Irish.

Instead, quarterback Denard Robinson took off, leading one of the biggest fourth quarter comebacks in the rivalry’s history. Three touchdowns were scored in the final 1:20, and Michigan was on the right side of the finish as Robinson found Roy Roundtree in the end zone with two seconds left.

16. J.J. McCarthy salvages broken trick play in Rose Bowl (2024)

You will see a couple of moments from Michigan football’s national championship run as we continue in this series. One moment all fans will remember was J.J. McCarthy making a spectacular one-handed catch, doing a 360 and firing a bullet to Roman Wilson in the second quarter of the Rose Bowl :

The Wolverines finished the drive with a touchdown, giving them the lead before halftime.

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For more in this series:

• The Top 25 Michigan athletics moments since 2000: 25-21