Wolverine fans take over Houston as excitement builds: 'How could you not be here?'

Houston — Amped up Michigan fans and alumni painted Houston maize and blue Saturday, gearing up for Monday's championship game with a range of activities all over the city ahead of Monday's National Championship game.

More than 1,200 fans, friends and alumni gathered at the Space Center Houston Saturday evening for a massive welcome bash hosted by the UM Alumni Association. Traveling from across the country, they wandered around the center in the shadow of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Independence space shuttle, describing how important it was for them to be in Texas and see what one fan hoped would be a "poetic" end to the season.

"I'm 67 years old. I might not see another natty," said Scott Fowler, a Garden City and 1979 Michigan grad who has lived in Atlanta for 43 years but knew he had to be in Houston for the national championship game after Monday's Rose Bowl victory.

"We have been through the last 15 years of blood, sweat and tears of the Michigan program, and to see them have the opportunity to win the national championship it's just — how could you not be here?"

Blanca Lebron, a 1999 graduate of UM, flew into Houston from San Jose on Saturday. She misses football Saturdays and the school spirit that is unique to Michigan.

Lebron went to the Rose Bowl in 1997 as a student, the last time the Wolverines claimed a national championship. She is planning to reunite with old friends from her dorm, Helen Newberry, and the softball team who have also come to Houston this weekend.

"I'm so excited I'm like a little kid before Christmas," Lebron, 46, said.

Monday will be the third Michigan football game Viesturs Lenss, class of 1983, has ever attended. When Lenss was pursuing his bachelor's and master's degrees in Ann Arbor, he was always too busy with academics. His son, also a UM alumnus, and childhood friend, Ivars Kikulis, finally convinced him to start attending.

"I think it's the last time we're going to have a head-to-head match-up, a traditional one, between the PAC 12 and the Big 10," Lenss, 61, said. Washington is currently part of the PAC-12 conference but will join the Big 10 in August.

Earlier Saturday, fans gathered at the George R. Brown Convention Center for the College Football Fan Central. There were football-throwing competitions, a football-themed rodeo and a mural for fans to sign. Attendees could also get pictures with the Heisman Trophy.

Kara Leal, a resident of Cyprus, Texas, is a Wolverine fan by default since her cousin, Detroit Lions' defensive end, Aiden Hutchinson, used to play for them.

"We have always rooted for the Wolverines... we were so excited" to find out they were coming to Houston, Leal said. "We all watched the game together at our house and then we were cheering them on."

Scott Washington is from Lansing but moved down to Houston in the 1980s and never stopped loving the Wolverines.

"Michigan is, that's my heart and I love the Wolverines," Washington said. "I know one thing, this team has been galvanized. It's not about Harbaugh, it's not about the coaches, this is player-driven."

Raul Aleman Jr. was born in Michigan but now lives in a small town in southern Texas, about five hours from Houston. Raul and his daughters Isabella and Irallina Aleman were up bright and early at Fan Central to catch a glimpse of their favorite players. Isabella is partial to Blake Corum while Raul favors J.J. McCarthy.

Some fans, meanwhile, are still trying to get to Houston.

UM Flint senior Sal DiMaggio, 21, was lucky enough to get a student ticket to the national championship because he had priority after attending nearly every single regular season football game this year.

"Being a Michigan fan for the past year, seeing Michigan make it to the... playoffs the last two years and coming up short, it's just, it's almost poetic that my senior year they finally make it to the national championship and I'm going to make the most out of it and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it," DiMaggio said.

DiMaggio decided that driving the 20-plus hours from Michigan to Houston would be too challenging, and settled on a flight that leaves early Sunday morning and arrives late Sunday evening after two layovers, one in Chicago and one in Dallas.

"I hope for a Michigan win, but I'm looking forward to you know, the tailgating before, just being around all the Michigan fans," Dimaggio said. "I have a really strong feeling that they're gonna win the national championship."

hmackay@detroitnews.com