〽️ On This Day in Michigan History — September 22: Mike Hart Carries Michigan Past #10 Penn State

September 22 has produced one of Michigan’s great workhorse performances, a remarkable 288-yard rushing day and, fittingly, the birthday of one of the most electrifying Wolverines ever to carry the football.

2007 — Michigan 14, #10 Penn State 9

After the nightmare 0-2 start to the season, Michigan had steadied itself by crushing Notre Dame. Next came unbeaten and No. 10-ranked Penn State.

With Chad Henne injured, freshman Ryan Mallett started at quarterback — so Michigan leaned heavily on Mike Hart.
And heavily really does mean heavily.

Hart carried the ball a school-record 44 times for 153 yards, eventually scoring from one yard out in the fourth quarter to give Michigan a 14-6 lead.
The Wolverines held Penn State without a touchdown, limiting the Nittany Lions to three field goals and 270 total yards.

Michigan won 14-9, its ninth consecutive victory over Penn State, and suddenly the team that had begun the season 0-2 was 2-0 in its next two games.

1990 — #7 Michigan 38, UCLA 15

Jon Vaughn produced one of the greatest back-to-back rushing stretches in Michigan history.

A week after running for 201 yards against Notre Dame, Vaughn exploded for 288 yards against UCLA.

That made him the first Michigan running back ever to record consecutive 200-yard rushing games.

Michigan rebounded from its one-point loss to Notre Dame by beating UCLA 38-15 at the Big House, with Vaughn’s performance remaining one of the highest single-game rushing totals in program history.

2001 — #11 Michigan 38, Western Michigan 21

Michigan returned to the field following the postponement of the previous week’s game in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.

On an afternoon dedicated to those affected by the tragedy, B.J. Askew delivered a career day.

Askew rushed for a career-high 112 yards on 15 carries and scored three touchdowns — two rushing and one receiving — as Michigan defeated Western Michigan 38-21.

The victory moved Lloyd Carr’s Wolverines to 2-1.

🎂 Wolverine Birthday — Denard Robinson

There couldn’t be a better Michigan birthday for September 22.

Denard Robinson was born on this day in 1990.

Shoelace became one of the most exciting players in Michigan history, and in 2010 produced a season unlike any quarterback before him: 1,702 rushing yards and 2,570 passing yards.

He became the first player in NCAA history to both pass and rush for 1,500 yards in the same season and set the Big Ten single-season record with 4,272 yards of total offense.

And there’s a neat September 22 coincidence: on his 22nd birthday in 2012, Robinson became Michigan’s career leader in total offense, passing Chad Henne during the game at Notre Dame.

Mike Hart carrying it 44 times, Jon Vaughn running for 288 yards and Denard Robinson celebrating a birthday — September 22 belongs to Michigan’s runners.

Go Blue! 〽️