Michigan students gather on campus to watch big game

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WOOD) — Michigan fans gathered all over the state Monday to watch the Wolverines win the National Championship game.

One of the biggest watch parties was at the Crisler Center on the University of Michigan’s campus in Ann Arbor. It was exclusively for Michigan students, who lined up outside to get their seats. Once inside, they received freebies like T-shirts and rally towels.

With the hundreds of students in the lower bowl general seating, you might think there was a basketball game. But even though the biggest game in college football was almost 1,300 miles away, the watch party sounded as if the Maize Rage was there.

“There’s a ton of house parties, there’s dorms … every building in Ann Arbor has a watch party,” said Michigan freshman Preston Jackson.

Not like this one.

Hundreds flocked to the Crisler Center to see their Wolverines in the national spotlight. Some of them experiencing it for the first time as a student, like freshman Owen Lipeman.

“This is it, so I got to be with my school here,” he said. “I got to be with my team. Like, we’ve got to be supporting. That’s why I’m here.”

For these young fans, they could’ve gone home or stayed in their dorm or apartment. But they felt like the choice was obvious.

“Thank God we’re not in our living room,” junior Dona Jazrawy laughed. “Even though it’s really cold now and we had to wait, we’re here now.”

“I mean we got everybody else here. Our living room is just us,” added Aishani Moradia, a junior.

Her roommate, junior Maya Bosse, said her reason was simply “the community being surrounded by so many Wolverines. The energy is so much stronger.”

Michigan wins national championship game

It’s an energy the fanbase hasn’t seen since the last time Michigan won a national football title in 1997, well before these undergraduates were born.

“It’s amazing,” Moradia said. “That is not something that we just hear about. That’s something that we get to live through.”

“For such a storied program, it’s kind of amazing to me that it’s been so long,”  freshman Nate Wolfe said while waiting in line. “But it’s just so special to have this team here and be able to watch the game tonight at this venue. It is hard to grasp, though.”

Michigan beat Washington 34-13.

The celebrations throughout Ann Arbor will be going on for a while, since class is not back in session until Wednesday.

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WEST MICHIGAN WATCH PARTY

In Paw Paw, where Michigan offensive lineman Karsen Barnhart is from, The Strand Theater hosted a watch party online and in person.

“We grew up together playing Rocket football. He even played with my older brother as well,” said one fan.

Strand Theater co-owner Eric Cook said it was important to support Barnhart, even if people couldn’t make the trip to Texas.

“I think it will be great to have the community here, cheering, yelling. Obviously, not everyone can get to Texas, but I think this will be the next best thing,” Cook said.

Michigan beat Washington in the College Football Playoff National Championship game 34-13 at NRG Stadium in Houston.

— Amanda Porter contributed to this report.

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