ANN ARBOR – Just like the Michigan Wolverines are getting ready for Houston, so are the fans in Ann Arbor.
Even before the team rolled out on buses to the airport, fans were there to cheer them on.
For Pam and Jim Wiskochil, it’s become a tradition.
“We come to all the bus leaving’s as many as we can,” said Jim.
Others just want a peek at their favorite player; witnessing their Rose Bowl champs head to the national championship adds to this season’s thrill.
“Every game, I felt like every game was a nailbiter until you start blowing them out,” said Pam.
Between Friday (Jan. 5) and Monday, fans are doing all they can to prepare for the big game.
That includes heading to The M Den on campus.
“I’m picking up some Rose Bowl swag for me and my girlfriend,” said Marcus Harris.
The hope is that this past Monday’s win in Pasadena is just a taste of the sweet victory that’s to come.
“I was an undergraduate student the last time we won the national championship in 1997,” Harris said. “I’m showing my age. I was a junior here; it’s like Deja Vu all over again. “We celebrated in 1997, and we’re going to celebrate in 2024.”
As excitement is building among fans, business is booming for The M Den on campus.
“Throughout the week, it just got busier and busier and busier,” said sM Den Store Manager DeArron Haygood. “Online sales have been huge! In some cases we’ve sold out some product already, before it arrives to our warehouse.”
Haygood said the day after the Rose Bowl victory, people were lined up outside before the store opened. He expects they will get busier the closer it gets to Monday.
“This is kind of different, so at this time in January, we might not be this busy, but because of what’s going on, we have to call in some more troops to really man our stations and keep the stores going,” Haygood said.
Ann Arbor police is getting ready for the crowds as students return to campus from break this weekend.
Interim Ann Arbor police Chief Patrick Maguire said they will have more of a presence, especially on foot.
“We are preparing by getting lots of staff available, talking with our local businesses trying to get plans and make sure everyone knows what their capacity limits are, working with residents and students make sure everybody knows what type of behavior is appropriate,” said Maguire.
They plan to approach Monday night differently.
“Home games, we have a very large crowd mostly in one place,” Maguire said. “There’s some tailgating here and there, but mostly everyone is at the stadium; they come at the same time; they leave. This kind of has people dispersed. We’re anticipating a lot of folks in our bars and restaurants throughout the day and then a lot of house parties.”
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