Michigan Victorious.

At halftime of the Michigan game on Saturday, Section 36 row 57 was about the last place I wanted to be. With 0:00 left on the clock, I didn't want to leave.

Bob Griese said he may have never seen momentum shift so drastically, so quickly. Meanwhile, I didn't think I could imagine a crowd's attitude shift so quickly.

At halftime, the team ran into the locker room; running hoping to find shelter from the boo's.

In the third quarter Steven Threet found Greg Matthews for 13 yard pass and a first down; in what felt like the first moving of the chains since the Lloyd Carr era. This time, the crowd gave no boo's, but they may as well have because the praises were overwhelmingly sarcastic.

But, then Brandon Minor gave us a glimmer of hope with a big TD run. The crowd was tentatively excited, until John Thompson, surrounded by about 8 winged helmets, fell into the endzone with a game changing pick-6. It was the loudest I have ever heard Michigan Stadium. Louder even, than that Penn State game I witnessed, in 2005 when Mario Manningham caught that last second, game winning TD. It was as if everyone finally exhaled and let loose after 10 months of anxiety.

I tell you this story to make a point (I promise). No, I am not claiming this victory will be some sort of beautiful building block towards a great season. But what I do want to tell you is that the atmosphere was different. The students still did their traditional cheers and the season ticket holders still listened in on their personal radios, but the whole stadium didn't sit down for a quarter and a half. The only real time that stadium was quiet during that period was to hear what the call was on the first two-point conversion attempt.

I think, that is a direct reflection on Rich Rodriguez.

He puts exciting players on the field, the offense is fast paced, and its fun to watch (when it works). There is no more running up the middle for 3 yards, instead there is fake hand offs that lead to 60 yard gains by the quarterback. Rich Rod has started something, something not just to the team, but also to the Big House atmosphere. It won't be done overnight, but it is starting already.

It may have been just a big game or a big comeback, but the third and fourth quarters felt like a totally different Michigan football game.

So while I got to see the second Michigan biggest comeback in person, I also got to see, first hand, the beginning of what i believe to be a new atmosphere at the Big House, and that may have been just as special.