About Blue Blood

The definitive insider account of Michigan's historic championship

"They stayed. They won. This is how."

Matt Lester’s Blue Blood: An Insider’s Journey Through Michigan Football’s Past, Present, and Perfect Season offers a fascinating, behind-the-scenes look at the University of Michigan’s triumphant 15-0 march to the 2023 National Championship. As a lifelong fan and prominent team benefactor, Lester uses his unprecedented access to explore the culture, history, and brotherhood of Michigan football and the best team the storied program ever fielded.

Blue Blood traces the program’s trajectory from Bo Schembechler’s gritty squads to its dramatic rebirth under Jim Harbaugh. From his seat at the training table, on team flights, and in key strategy sessions, Lester reveals how Harbaugh and his star players overcame adversity to dominate college football. Furthermore, his role hosting team-building retreats at his Lake Charlevoix farm and leading a groundbreaking real estate internship program provides an illuminating backdrop to the joy and drive that characterized legendary “Team 144.”

  • "To understand the 2023 Michigan Wolverines, you have to look beyond the scoreboard. Matt Lester has been a trusted ally to this team, pouring his heart into the lives of these coaches and players. His account of this perfect season is written with the passion and enthusiasm of a lifelong fan and the wisdom of a true insider."

    Jack Harbaugh, Michigan defensive backs coach 1973-79 under legendary coach Bo Schembechler

  • "Matt Lester has written the definitive account of Michigan's historic 2023 National Championship season. From the locker room speeches to the strategic maneuvers that defined Jim Harbaugh's final year in Ann Arbor, Blue Blood is the ultimate insider's guide to Team 144."

    Adam Schefter, ESPN’s Senior NFL Insider

  • "Matt has a sharp football mind and an unmatched love for the University of Michigan. He had a front-row seat to the cultural and defensive evolution that culminated in the 2023 national title. If you want to know how championship football is really built, Blue Blood is as authentic as it gets"

    Mike Macdonald, head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, 2026 Super Bowl champions

  • "Everyone wants to know what really happens during a championship season, but unless you’re inside, you’re just guessing. Well, Matt Lester did get inside Michigan’s program for the 2023 title run and delivers first-hand scenes, stories, and insights you’ve never heard before. A must read for any Michigan fan—and really for any fan of college football"

    John U. Bacon, author of  New York Times bestseller “Endzone: The Rise, Fall, and Return of Michigan Football”

  • "We went through battles on the field, but it was the time we spent together off the field that made us unbreakable. Matt Lester gave us the chance to build that brotherhood. Blue Blood is the true story of how we came together to conquer college football"

    Junior Colson, Los Angeles Chargers linebacker.

Delivering gripping recaps of pivotal matchups against Penn State, Ohio State, Alabama, and Washington, Blue Blood highlights the strategic genius of Michigan’s coaching staff and the unflinching focus of its players—ultimately celebrating the enduring power of “the team, the team, the team.”

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