Somewhere in the App. State football complex on Sunday a lone, unknown soul was whistling the Michigan fight song. Not just getting through it, but belting it out the way my grandfather used to whistle – with gusto and a little snap is his step. Just going to Michigan was cool. Seeing the Michigan band fire up “Hail to the Victors” is one of the great sights in college football. Beating the Wolverines really is one of the great upsets in sports history.

The best part of talking with the Mountaineers on Sunday was hearing them say they believed that they would beat Michigan. That’s fifth ranked Michigan. The favorites to win the Big Ten. National Champion-type Michigan. Dexter Jackson didn’t smile or wink when he told me, “We saw holes in their defense, and once we scored on the 68 yard pass play early, we knew we could score again.”

Head coach Jerry Moore said Jackson’s early touchdown convinced his team, “Maybe the coaches know what they’re talking about.” Coach Moore also said he could tell during Friday’s team meeting that his team was ready. Something about the quiet in the room and the focus in the room told him that THE UPSET was possible.

Player after player explained how they had ended up at App. State instead of one of college football’s big boys. Armanti Edwards simply wanted to play quarterback instead of cornerback like Clemson wanted. Do you think Lloyd Carr wished Edwards was warming up for the Bowden Bowl down in Death Valley? Corey Lynch said he played his high school ball in Florida at a small, Christian school. Only an invitation to an all star game convinced coaches he could play at any level in college. Take out a fortunate invitation to an all star game and Lynch doesn’t block Michigan’s last second kick.

This is that kind of team, only better and more talented than anyone else can believe. App. State had enough speed to play with Michigan, MICHIGAN! and that’s no coincidence. Jerry Moore recruits speed and says he can add weight to players’ frames with a solid workout program and a little time. Moore pointed to some of his offensive lineman and said the big time didn’t want them because they weren’t 6’4” or 6’5”. So ol’ Coach Moore scoops ‘em up and turns ‘em into National Champions.

One by one the players admitted Sunday that it all hasn’t really hit them. Corey Lynch said when he looks on ESPN.com and sees his teammates he just smiles. Everyone was smiling in Boone on Sunday. And one, unknown soul was whistling the Michigan fight song. Have you ever tried to whistle while you smile? It’s not easy, but anything’s possible these days at App. State.