The Football Gods Conspire

I am not here to say that I believe this is going to happen ... simply that it is an awkward link of coincidences ...

Last year, Michigan and Penn State faced off in the Big House. Penn State was undefeated, with rumors that Joe Paterno should leave the program starting to finally subside. After all, Paterno's Nittany Lions had a stretch of substandard years as of late. Nonetheless, Penn State was back on top of college football with talk of a national championship floating from every corner of Happy Valley.

In Ann Arbor, that all changed. It was one of the most dramatic games in the 2005 college football season; Penn State was up late in the fourth quarter. This would be the last barrier between the Nittany Lions and a title game. Enter Mario Manningham -- a relatively unknown receiver for the Wolverines, who scored with seconds remaining on the clock to beat Penn State and salvage Michigan.

Now we turn to 2006. Michigan is undefeated, with rumors that Lloyd Carr should leave the program starting to finally subside. After all, Carr's Wolverines had a stretch of substandard years as of late. Nonetheless, Michigan is back on top of college football with talk of a national championship floating from every corner of Ann Arbor. However, Michigan will have to face Penn State without last year's difference maker -- Mario Manningham. Perhaps, this will be the game that changes the landscape of the 2006 season.

Michigan and Penn State will play on Saturday at 8 p.m. on ABC. Will history repeat itself?