ANN ARBOR, Mich. – A sight I believed only could be visioned in dreams was reality Saturday.

National television, 110,971 fans and a crystal-blue sky all helped make up a day I will never forgot as NIU’s football team took on No. 4 Michigan.

Rolling out of bed at 6 a.m., chills ran down my spine as an NIU No. 32 Michael Turner jersey came into view.

The T-shirt underneath it had the two team’s helmets overlapping a football field and had “The Big House September 3, 2005” written underneath it.

With an eight-pack of chocolate long-john donuts and $3 worth of game previews from various newspapers (everything outside of the sports sections found the bottom of a garbage can), the trek to Ann Arbor began.

Traffic was light outside of the construction on I-80/94 and, while in the state of Michigan, Huskie-mobiles were abundant amidst the vehicles covered in maize and blue.

A quick stop at the McDonald’s outside of Kalamazoo, another sports section acquisition, and a refill on gas – only $2.99 per gallon – put the silver Chevy Cavalier within reach of Michigan Stadium.

Though the University of Michigan has parking outside its stadium, “easy-out” parking spots in the locals’ front yards were offered for $20.

The Chevy found its way to the $30 spots, crunched between two of the countless Michigan RV’s rolling into town. The driving range down the street had $10 spots, but the thought of a cracked windshield wasn’t worth the savings.

Then there it was, “The Big House” in all its greatness.

Wolverine gear could be purchased at every corner of the stadium and students were collecting donations for Hurricane Katrina victims at the gate.

A miniature coliseum sits outside the southeast corner that contains engravings of all the athletic teams’ championships at UM.

Michigan fans were very generous to us, the two NIU students donning Turner jerseys who were brave enough to creep down to the front row outside the north end zone.

In awe of the size of the Wolverine’s offensive line that averages 320 pounds, the bigger-than-life image Michigan gave off finally came full circle.

How were NIU defensive tackles Eric Pittman and Marty Wilson, weighing 265 and 257 pounds respectively, going to fend for themselves?

The difference between major and mid-major college football reared its ugly head even further. The height of the Michigan receivers dwarfed the 5-foot-10-inch frames of NIU’s Hansbro twins who start at the cornerback positions for NIU.

But now was not the time to worry as the stadium was packed and the Michigan band filled it with its fight song, “Hail to the Victors.”

Ooo-ah!

It had begun as Michigan took the ball first.

There were rants, taunts and numerous cheers throughout the game, but none of them topped the Michigan crowd’s slow-motion wave – one of the most historic spectacles in sports.

It starts fast, goes around the stadium a few times and slows to a turtle’s pace, taking one elongated trip around the entire stadium from top to bottom.

Simply awesome.

Despite a gut-wrenching and heart-breaking 33-17 loss to No. 4 Michigan, the NIU football team left its claw mark on the collegiate football stage Saturday.

Without NIU running back Garrett Wolfe’s fumble being followed by a Shatone Powers’ muffed punt that brought forth a 14-point swing in the second quarter, NIU would have been in it at games end.

The Huskies outscored UM 7-6 in the second half, but were rushed into passing, and had to stray from their deadly running attack.

Even with a slight improvement in the second half, NIU coach Joe Novak might want to look elsewhere for a Huskie defense.

But don’t get down; the season’s just begun.