The loss was brutal. I will remember the last play for the rest of my life (I am referring to the interception. I don't even know if there was a kneel-down after that because, after seeing no flags, I quickly exited the bar and headed off into the night). This loss, for me, is the sixth worst ever (1. 2007 Florida 2-4. Pick your favorite Michigan losses from the 1990s 5. MSU 2013).

BUT I AM NOW FINALLY SLIGHTLY POSITIVE/ABLE TO FUNCTION FOR SEVERAL REASONS:

The Past: Michigan 2016 will bring me joy for the rest of my life. If the devil had approached me during the review of JT's 4th and 1 and told me that, in exchange for JT being ruled short, OSU would win the National Championship in 2019, I would have said no. Same decision and same joy regarding 62-39 and 56-27.  Michigan victories are forever. Semifinal losses (even to Clemson) go away after a few weeks. 

The Present: We will finish #3. Far ahead of expectations. A lot could have gone wrong this season but nothing really did until the Clemson game. Sure it would have been nice to have a season where nothing goes wrong, but that is not football or life. If you had asked me before the season, whether I would have been satisfied with this outcome, I would have screamed yes. 

The Future: We will be better next year. Passing game will be off the charts--Fields will be improved, strong backups in case things go wrong, the best WRs in the country; running game will be solid (Master Teague runs a 4.31!) and any letdown will be made up for by the passing game; defense will be strong as always on the line, linebackers will be improved; DBs will be weaker but BIA always seems to come through. And we should be as good or better the next year. 

This said, if Dabo and Trevor beat LSU, I will break my TV and move the loss up to No. 5. Go Joe Burreaux!