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TheMichigan Wolverines football team represents theUniversity of Michigan incollege football at theNCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level. Michigan has themost all-time wins in college football history.[2][3] The team is known for its distinctivewinged helmet, itsfight song, its record-breaking attendance figures atMichigan Stadium,[4] and its many rivalries, particularly its annual, regular season-endinggame against Ohio State, known simply as "The Game," once voted asESPN's best sports rivalry.[5]
Michigan began competing in intercollegiate football in 1879. The Wolverines joined theBig Ten Conference at its inception in 1896, and other than ahiatus from 1907 to 1916, have been members since. Michigan has won or shared 45 league titles, and since the inception of theAP poll in 1936, has finished in the top ten a total of 39 times. The Wolverines claim twelvenational championships, including three (1948,1997,2023) from the major wire-service: theAP Trophy and/orCoaches' Trophy.[6]
From 1900 to 1989, Michigan was led by a series of nine head coaches, each of whom has been inducted into theCollege Football Hall of Fame either as a player or as a coach.Fielding H. Yost became Michigan's head coach in 1901 and guided his "Point-a-Minute" squads to a streak of 56 games without a defeat, spanning from his arrival until the season finale in 1905, including a victory in the1902 Rose Bowl, the first college footballbowl game ever played.Fritz Crisler brought his winged helmet fromPrinceton University in 1938 and led the1947 Wolverines to a national title and Michigan'ssecond Rose Bowl win.Bo Schembechler coached the team for 21 seasons (1969–1989) in which he won 13 Big Ten titles and 194 games, a program record. The first decade of his tenure was underscored by a fierce competition with his former mentor,Woody Hayes, whoseOhio State Buckeyes squared off against Schembechler's Wolverines in a stretch of the Michigan–Ohio State rivalry dubbed "The Ten Year War".
Following Schembechler's retirement, the program was coached by two of his former assistants,Gary Moeller and thenLloyd Carr, who maintained the program's overall success over the next 18 years, Carr winning a national championship in 1997. However, the program's fortunes declined under the next two coaches,Rich Rodriguez andBrady Hoke, who were both fired after relatively short tenures. Following Hoke's dismissal, Michigan hiredJim Harbaugh on December 30, 2014.[7] Harbaugh is a formerquarterback for the team, having played for Michigan from 1982 to 1986 under Schembechler. Harbaugh led the Wolverines to three consecutive Big Ten titles andCollege Football Playoff appearances during his final three years as head coach, from 2021 to 2023. His final team, the2023 Michigan Wolverines won the program's first national championship since 1997, and first undisputed national championship since 1948 after beatingWashington in the2024 National Championship Game. Following the championship victory, Harbaugh left Michigan to return to coaching in theNational Football League (NFL). Currently, the head coach position is held bySherrone Moore, who had been on Harbaugh's coaching staff since 2018, and had been an offensive coordinator since 2021. He was the acting head coach for four games during the national championship-winning 2023 season. He won them all, including games against ranked opponentsPenn State andOhio State. The Wolverines promoted Moore on January 26, 2024, two days after Harbaugh's departure.[8][9]
The Michigan Wolverines have featured 89 selections that have garnered consensus honors on theCollege Football All-America Team. Three Wolverines have won theHeisman Trophy:Tom Harmon in 1940,Desmond Howard in 1991, andCharles Woodson in 1997.Gerald Ford, who later became the 38thpresident of the United States, started atcenter and was voted most valuable player by his teammates on the1934 team.
On May 30, 1879, Michigan played its first intercollegiate football game againstRacine College atWhite Stocking Park in Chicago. TheChicago Tribune called it "the first rugby-football game to be played west of theAlleghenies."[10] Midway through "the first 'inning',"[11]Irving Kane Pond scored the first touchdown for Michigan.[12][13] According to Will Perry's history of Michigan football, the crowd responded to Pond's plays with cheers of "Pond Forever."[10] In1881, Michigan played againstHarvard in Boston. The game that marked the birth of intersectional football.[14] On their way to a game in Chicago in1887, Michigan players stopped inSouth Bend, Indiana and introduced football to students at theUniversity of Notre Dame. A November 23 contest marked the inception of theNotre Dame Fighting Irish football program and the beginning of theMichigan–Notre Dame rivalry.[15] In1894, Michigan defeatedCornell, which was the "first time in collegiate football history that a western school defeated an established power from the east."[16]
In 1896, the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives—then commonly known as the Western Conference and later as theBig Ten Conference—was formed by theUniversity of Michigan, theUniversity of Chicago, theUniversity of Illinois, theUniversity of Minnesota, theUniversity of Wisconsin,Northwestern University, andPurdue University.[17] The first Western Conference football season was played in1896, with Michigan going 9–1, but losing out on the inaugural Western Conference title with a loss to theChicago Maroons to end the season.[18][19] By 1898Amos Alonzo Stagg was fast at work at turning the University of Chicago football program into a powerhouse. Before the final game of the1898 season, Chicago was 9–1–1 and Michigan was 9–0; a game between the two teams in Chicago decided the third Western Conference championship. Michigan won, 12–11, capturing the program's first conference championship in a game that inspired "The Victors", which later became the school's fight song.[20] Michigan went 8–2 and 7–2–1 in1899 and1900, results that were considered unsatisfactory relative to the 10–0 season of 1898.[21]
After the 1900 season,Charles A. Baird, Michigan's first athletic director, wrote toFielding H. Yost, "Our people are greatly roused up over the defeats of the past two years", and gave Yost an offer to come to Michigan to coach the football team.[22]The New York Times reported that Michigan's margin of victory was "one of the most remarkable ever made in the history of football in the important colleges."[23] At the end of the season, Michigan participated in theinaugural Rose Bowl.[24] Michigan dominated the game so thoroughly that Stanford's captain requested the game be called with eight minutes remaining.Neil Snow scored five touchdowns in the game, which is still the all-time Rose Bowl record.[25] The next year,1902, Michigan outscored its opponents 644 to 12 and finished the season 11–0. In1903, Michigan played a game againstMinnesota that started the rivalry for theLittle Brown Jug, the oldest rivalry trophy in college football.[26] The game marked the only time from 1901 to 1904 that Michigan failed to win.[21] Michigan finished the season at 11–0–1. In1904, Michigan once again went undefeated at 10–0 while recording one of the most lopsided defeats in college football history, a 130–0 defeat of theWest Virginia Mountaineers.[19]
From 1901 through 1904, Michigan didn't lose a single game.[21] The streak was finally halted at the end of the1905 season byAmos Alonzo Stagg'sChicago Maroons, a team that went on to win twoBig 9 (as the Western Conference was now being called with the addition ofIowa andIndiana) titles in the next three years.[18] The game, dubbed "The First Greatest Game of the Century,"[27] broke Michigan's 56-game unbeaten streak and marked the end of the "Point-a-Minute" years. The 1905 Michigan team had outscored opponents 495–0 in its first 12 games. The game was lost in the final ten minutes of play whenDenny Clark was tackled for a safety as he attempted to return a punt from behind the goal line. Michigan tied for another Big 9 title in1906 before opting to go independent for the1907 season.[19] The independent years were not as kind to Yost as his years in the Big 9. Michigan suffered one loss in1907.[21] In1908, Michigan got battered byPenn (a team that went 11–0–1 that year) in a game in which Michigan centerGermany Schulz took such a battering as to have to be dragged off the field.[28] In1909, Michigan suffered its first loss toNotre Dame, leading Yost to refuse to schedule another game against Notre Dame; the schools did not play again until1942.[19] In1910, Michigan played their only undefeated season of the independent years, going 3–0–3.[21] Overall from 1907 to 1916, Michigan lost at least one game every year (with the exception of 1910).[21]
Michigan rejoined the Big 9 in1917, after which it was called the Big Ten. Yost immediately got back to work. In1918, Michigan played the first game against Stagg's Chicago Maroons since Chicago ended Michigan's winning streak in 1905.[19] Michigan defeated the Maroons, 18–0, on the way to a 5–0 record.[19][21] The next three years were lean, with Michigan going 3–4, 5–2, and 5–1–1, in1919,1920, and1921.[21] However, in1922 Michigan managed to spoil the "Dedication Day" forOhio Stadium, defeating theBuckeyes 19–0.[19] Legend has it that the rotunda at Ohio Stadium is painted with maize flowers on a blue background due to the outcome of the 1922 dedication game.[29] Michigan went 5–0–1 in 1922, capturing a Big Ten title.[18][21] In1923, Michigan went 8–0, winning another conference championship.[18][21] The1924 Wolverines, coached byGeorge Little, saw their 20-game unbeaten streak end at the hands ofRed Grange.[19] After the 1924 season, Little left Michigan to accept the head coach and athletic director positions atWisconsin, returning athletic director Yost to the head coaching position.[30] Although the1925 and1926 seasons did not include a conference title, they were memorable due to the presence of the famous "Benny-to-Bennie" combination, a reference toBenny Friedman andBennie Oosterbaan. The two helped popularize passing the ball in an era when running held dominance. Oosterbaan became a three-time All-American and was selected for the All-Time All-American team in 1951,[31] while Friedman went on to have aHall of Fame NFL career.[32] Also during 1926, Michigan was retroactively awarded national titles for the 1901 and 1902 seasons via the Houlgate System, the first national titles awarded to the program. Other major selectors (such as theNational Championship Foundation andJeff Sagarin) later retroactively awarded Michigan with titles in the 1903, 1904, 1918, 1923, 1925, and 1926 seasons.[33] Michigan claims titles in the 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1918, and 1923 seasons.[34]
Yost stepped aside in 1926 to focus on being Michigan's athletic director, a post he had held since 1921, thus ending the greatest period of success in the history of Michigan football.[35] Under Yost, Michigan posted a 165–29–10 record, winning ten conference championships and six national championships.[18][19][34] One of his main actions as athletic director was to oversee the construction ofMichigan Stadium. Michigan began playing football games in Michigan Stadium in the fall of 1927. At the time Michigan Stadium had a capacity of 72,000, although Yost envisioned eventually expanding the stadium to a capacity well beyond 100,000.[36] Michigan Stadium was formally dedicated during a game against theOhio State Buckeyes that season to the tune of a 21–0 victory.[37]Tad Wieman became Michigan's head coach in1927. That year, Michigan posted a modest 6–2 record.[21] However, the team ended1928 with a losing 3–4–1 record and Wieman was fired.[38][39]
In 1929,Harry Kipke, a former player under Yost, took over as head coach.[40] From 1930 to 1933, Kipke returned Michigan to prominence. During that stretch, Michigan won the Big Ten title every year and the national championship in1932 and1933.[18][34] In 1932, quarterback and futureCollege Football Hall of FamerHarry Newman was a unanimous first-teamAll-American, and the recipient of theDouglas Fairbanks Trophy as Outstanding College Player of the Year (predecessor of theHeisman Trophy), and theHelms Athletic Foundation Player of the Year Award, theChicago Tribune Silver Football trophy as the Most Valuable Player in theBig Ten Conference.[41] During this span Kipke's teams only lost one game, toOhio State.[19][21] After 1933, however, Kipke's teams compiled a 12–22 record from 1934 to 1937.[21] The1934 Michigan team only won one game, againstGeorgia Tech in a controversial contest. Georgia Tech coach and athletic directorW. A. "Bill" Alexander refused to allow his team to take the field ifWillis Ward, an African-American player for Michigan, stepped on the field. Michigan conceded, and the incident reportedly caused Michigan playerGerald R. Ford to consider quitting the team.[42] Overall, Kipke posted a 49–26–4 record at Michigan, winning four conference championships and two national championships.[18][21][34]
In 1938, Michigan hiredFritz Crisler as Kipke's successor.[43] Crisler had been head coach of thePrinceton Tigers and reportedly wasn't excited to leave Princeton.[43] Michigan invited him to name his price, and Crisler demanded what he thought would be unacceptable: the position of athletic director when Yost stepped down and the highest salary in college football.[44] Michigan accepted, and Crisler became the new head coach of the Michigan football program.[43]
Upon arriving at Michigan, Crisler introduced thewinged football helmet, ostensibly to help his players find the receivers down field.[45] Whatever the reasoning, the winged helmet has since become one of the iconic marks of Michigan football.[46] Michigan debuted the winged helmet in a game againstMichigan State in1938.[47] Two years later in1940,Tom Harmon led the Wolverines to a 7–1 record on his way to winning theHeisman Trophy.[21][48] Harmon ended the season by scoring three rushing touchdowns, two passing touchdowns, four extra points, intercepting three passes, and punting three times for an average of 50 yards in a game against theOhio State Buckeyes.[49] The1943 season included a No. 1 (Notre Dame) vs. No. 2 (Michigan) match-up againstNotre Dame, a game the Wolverines lost 35–12.[19] Michigan ended the season at 8–1, winning Crisler's firstBig Ten championship.[18][21]
Crisler had reversed the misfortune of the end of the Kipke era and returned Michigan to one and two-loss seasons. From 1938 to 1944, Michigan posted a 48–11–2 record,[50] although the period lacked a national title and only contained one conference title.[21] Yet, Crisler's biggest mark on the game of football was made in1945, when Michigan faced a loadedArmy squad that featured two Heisman trophy winners,Doc Blanchard andGlenn Davis. Crisler didn't feel that his Michigan team could match up with Army, so he opted to take advantage of a 1941 NCAA rule that allowed players to enter or leave at any point during the game.[44] Crisler divided his team into "offensive" and "defensive" specialists, an act that earned him the nickname "the father of two-platoon football."[51] Michigan still lost the game with Army 28–7,[19] but Crisler's use of two-platoon football shaped the way the game was played in the future. Eventually, Crisler's use of the platoon system propelled his team to a conference championship and a national title in1947, his final season.[18][19][34] The 1947 team, nicknamed the "Mad Magicians" due to their use of two-platoon football, capped their season with a 49–0 victory over theUSC Trojans in the1948 Rose Bowl.[19] Crisler finished with a 116–32–9 record at Michigan, winning two conference titles and one national title.[18][21][34][50]
Crisler continued as athletic director whileBennie Oosterbaan, the same Bennie that had electrified the world while making connections withBenny Friedman 20 years earlier, took over the football program.[52] Things started off well for Oosterbaan in1948 with the Wolverines earning a quality mid-season victory overNo. 3 Northwestern.[19][52] Michigan finished the season undefeated at 9–0, thus winning another national championship.[21][34] Initially, Oosterbaan continued Crisler's tradition of on-field success, winning conference titles each year from 1948 to 1950 and the national title in 1948.[18][34] The1950 season ended in interesting fashion, with Michigan andOhio State combining for 45 punts in a game that came to be known as the "Snow Bowl." Michigan won the game 9–3, winning the Big Ten conference and sending the Wolverines off to the1951 Rose Bowl.[18][19] Subsequently, Michigan's football team began to decline under Oosterbaan. From 1951 to 1958, Michigan compiled a record of 42–26–2, a far cry from the success under Crisler and Yost.[21] Perhaps more importantly, Oosterbaan posted a 2–5–1 record againstMichigan State and a 3–5 record againstOhio State over the same time period.[19] Under mounting pressure, Oosterbaan stepped down after1958.[52]
In place of Oosterbaan steppedBump Elliott, a former Michigan player of Crisler's.[53] Elliott continued many of the struggles that began under Oosterbaan, posting a 51–42–2 record from 1959 through 1968 (including a 2–7–1 record against Michigan State and a 3–7 record against Ohio State).[21] Michigan's only Big Ten title under Elliott came in1964, a season that included a win overOregon State in the1965 Rose Bowl.[18][19] Following a 50-14 drubbing at the hands ofOhio State in1968,[19] Elliott resigned.
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It only took 15 minutes forDon Canham to be sold onBo Schembechler, resulting in Schembechler becoming the 15th coach in Michigan football history.[54] At the time, Schembechler's employer, theMiami RedHawks, could have thrown more money at Schembechler, but Canham managed to sell Schembechler on Michigan's tradition and prestige.[55] Schembechler's first team got off to a moderate start, losing to rival Michigan State and entering the Ohio State game with a 7–2 record.[21] Ohio State, coached by iconWoody Hayes, entered the game at 8–0 and poised to repeat as national champions.[56] The1969 Ohio State team was hailed by some as being the "greatest college football team ever assembled" and came into the game favored by 17 points over Michigan.[57] Michigan shocked the Buckeyes, winning 24–12, going to theRose Bowl, and launchingThe Ten Year War between Hayes and Schembechler.[19] From 1969 to 1978, one of either Ohio State or Michigan won at least a share of theBig Ten title and represented the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl every season.[18] In1970 Schembechler failed to repeat on the magic of 1969, that year losing toOhio State 20–9 and finishing at 9–1.[19] However, in1971, Schembechler led Michigan to an undefeated regular season, only to lose to theStanford Indians in theRose Bowl to finish at 11–1.[21] From 1972 to 1975, Michigan failed to win a game against Ohio State (powered by phenom running backArchie Griffin).[19] However, Michigan did tieOhio State in1973, only missing out on the Rose Bowl due to acontroversial vote that sent Ohio State to theRose Bowl and left Michigan at home.[19] Another notable event occurred during the1975 season, with the first of Michigan's record streak of games with more than 100,000 people in attendance occurring during a game against thePurdue Boilermakers.
From 1976 to 1978, Michigan asserted its own dominance of the rivalry, beating Ohio State, going to the Rose Bowl, and posting a 10–2 record every year.[19][21] After the 1978 season, Woody Hayes was fired for punching an opposing player during the1978 Gator Bowl, thus ending The Ten Year War.[58] Michigan had a slight edge in the war, with Schembechler going 5–4–1 against Hayes. However, while Schembechler successfully placed great emphasis on the rivalry, Michigan's bowl performances were sub-par. Michigan failed to win their last game of the season every year during The Ten Year War.[19] The only year in which Michigan didn't lose its last game of the season was the 1973 tie against Ohio State.[19] After the end of the Ten Year War, Michigan's regular season performance declined, but its post season performance improved. The1979 season included a memorable game againstIndiana that ended with a touchdown pass fromJohn Wangler toAnthony Carter with six seconds left in the game.[59] Michigan went 8–4 on the season, losing toNorth Carolina in the1979 Gator Bowl.[19][21] In1980, Michigan went 10–2 and got theirfirst win in the Rose Bowl under Schembechler, a 23–6 win overWashington.[19][21] Michigan went 9–3 in1981 to get Schembechler's second bowl win in the1981 Bluebonnet Bowl.[19][21] In1982, Michigan won the Big Ten championship while being led by three-timeAll-American wide receiver Anthony Carter.[18][60] Michigan fell toUCLA Bruins in the1983 Rose Bowl.[19] Without Anthony Carter, the Wolverines did not win the Big Ten title in1983, going 9–3.[21] In1984, the Wolverines suffered their worst season under Schembechler, going 6–6 with a loss to national championBYU in the1984 Holiday Bowl.[19][21]
Michigan needed to reverse its fortunes in1985, and they began doing so with new quarterbackJim Harbaugh.[61] Harbaugh led the Wolverines to a 5–0 record, propelling them to a No. 2 ranking heading into a game with theNo. 1 Iowa Hawkeyes.[62] Michigan lost 12–10,[19] but did not lose another game the rest of the season to finish at 10–1–1 with a victory overTom Osborne'sNebraska Cornhuskers in the1986 Fiesta Bowl.[21] In1986 Michigan won the Big Ten at 11–2, suffering a loss to theArizona State Sun Devils in the1987 Rose Bowl.[19][21] The departure of Harbaugh after 1986 once again left Michigan on tough times, by Michigan standards, as Schembechler's team stumbled to an 8–4 record in1987.[21] However, Michigan bounced back again in1988 and1989, winning the Big Ten title outright both years at 9–2–1 and 10–2 with trips to Rose Bowl.[18][21] From 1981 through 1989, Michigan went 80–27–2, winning four Big Ten titles and going to a bowl game every year (withanother Rose Bowl win obtained againstUSC Trojans after the 1988 season).[19] Bo Schembechler retired after the 1989 season, handing the job over to his offensive coordinatorGary Moeller.[63] Under Schembechler, Michigan posted a 194–48–5 record[64] (11–9–1 against Ohio State), and won 13 Big Ten championships.[64]
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Gary Moeller took over from Schembechler for the1990 season, becoming the 16th head coach in Michigan football history.[65] Moeller inherited a talented squad that had just played in the1990 Rose Bowl, including wide receiverDesmond Howard. Moeller led Michigan to a 9–3 record in his first season,[21] tying for theBig Ten championship but losing out on aRose Bowl bid toIowa.[18][19] The next two years, Moeller's teams won the conference outright, setting marks of 10–2 and 9–0–3.[18][21] In1991, Desmond Howard had a memorable season that propelled him to win theHeisman Trophy, the award given to college football's most outstanding player.[66] The1992 team, led by quarterbackElvis Grbac, posted a 9–0–3 record,[21] defeatingWashington in the1993 Rose Bowl.[19] Moeller led Michigan to 8–4 records in both1993 and1994.[21] The 1994 season was marked by an early-seasonloss to Colorado that included aHail Mary pass fromKordell Stewart toMichael Westbrook to end the game, leading to the game being dubbed "The Miracle at Michigan."[67] Moeller was forced out after the 1994 season when intoxicated at a Southfield, MI restaurant in an incident in which Moeller was caught on tape throwing a punch in a police station. According to his lawyers, Moeller was fired, but allowed to publicly save face by resigning.[68][69][70][71][72]
Michigan's athletic director appointedLloyd Carr, an assistant at Michigan since 1980, as interim head coach for the1995 season.[73] However, after an 8–2 start, Michigan dropped the interim tag from Carr's title and named him its 17th head coach.[74] Michigan finished his first season at 9–4.[21][75] Carr had similar success in hissecond season, going 8–4 and earning a trip to the1997 Outback Bowl.[21] Carr returned a strong squad for the1997 season, led by cornerback and punt returnerCharles Woodson.[76] Michigan went undefeated in 1997.[19][21] Overall, the Michigan defense only allowed 9.5 points per game and ended the season ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll, giving Michigan its first national championship since1948 with a victory in the1998 Rose Bowl.[77][78][19][34] For his efforts, Woodson won the Heisman Trophy and was selected 4th overall in the1998 NFL draft by theOakland Raiders.[79]
With Tom Brady as quarterback,[80] Michigan went 10–3 and repeated as Big Ten champions in1998, but in1999 Michigan lost out on the conference championship at 10–2 to theWisconsin Badgers.[18][21]Drew Henson led Michigan to a 9–3 record and a tie for the Big Ten championship in2000.[18][21] Ohio State, Michigan's chief rival, fired their coach John Cooper,[81] who was 2–10–1 against Michigan while at Ohio State, after the 2000 season and replaced him withJim Tressel.[82][83] Tressel immediately ushered in a new era in the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry, upsetting the Wolverines 26–20 in2001.[84] This came on the heels ofanother last-second loss in whichMichigan State defeated Michigan with a pass in the last second of the game in a controversial finish that led to the game being referred to as "Clockgate."[85] Despite these setbacks, Michigan's 2001 squad, led by John Navarre, went 8–4 with an appearance in the2002 Florida Citrus Bowl.[86][19][21] Again under Navarre in2002, Michigan compiled a 10–3 record,[87] but included another loss toOhio State, who went on to win the national championship.[88][19][21] Carr got over the hump against Tressel in2003 as John Navarre andDoak Walker Award winnerChris Perry led the Wolverines to a 10–3 record,[89] a Big Ten championship, and an appearance in the2004 Rose Bowl.[18][19][21]
For the2004 season, Carr turned to highly rated recruit Chad Henne to lead the Wolverines at quarterback.[90] Michigan went 9–3 in 2004[91] to tie for another Big Ten championship and earn a trip to the2005 Rose Bowl, but the season again included a loss toOhio State,[92] who only went 8–4 on the season.[18][19][21]
In2005, Michigan struggled to make a bowl game, only going 7–5, with the season capped with another loss toOhio State.[19][21] Expectations were tempered going into the2006 season; however, a 47–21 blowout ofNo. 2 Notre Dame and an 11–0 start propelled Michigan to the No. 2 rankings going into "The Game" withNo. 1 Ohio State.[93] The2006 Ohio State-Michigan game was hailed by the media as the "Game of the Century." The day before the game, Bo Schembechler died, leading Ohio State to honor him with a moment of silence, one of the few Michigan Men to be so honored inOhio Stadium.[94] The game itself was a back-and-forth affair, with Ohio State winning 42–39 for the right to play in the2007 BCS National Championship Game.[19] Michigan lost toUSC in the2007 Rose Bowl, ending the season at 11–2.[19][21]
Going into2007, Michigan had high expectations.[95] Standout players Chad Henne,Mike Hart, andJake Long all opted to return for their senior seasons for one last crack at Ohio State and a chance at a national championship, causing Michigan to be ranked fifth in the preseason polls.[96] However, Michigan's struggles against the spread offense reared its ugly head again as the Wolverines shockingly lose the opener to theAppalachian State Mountaineers.[97][98][19] The game marked the first win by aDivision I-AA team over a team ranked in theAssociated Press Poll.[99] The next week, Michigan was blown out byOregon.[100][19] Despite the early rough start, Michigan won their next eight games and went into the Ohio State game with a chance to win the Big Ten championship.[19] However, Michigan once again fell to theBuckeyes, this time 14–3.[101][19] After the game, Lloyd Carr announced that he would retire as Michigan head coach after the bowl game.[102] In the2008 Capital One Bowl, Carr's final game, Michigan defeated the defending national championFlorida Gators, led by Heisman Trophy winnerTim Tebow, 41–35.[103] Carr's accomplishments at Michigan included a 122–40 record, five Big Ten championships, and one national championship.[18][19][34]
Following Carr's retirement, Michigan launched a national coaching search that ultimately sawRich Rodriguez lured away from his alma mater,West Virginia.[104] Rodriguez's arrival marked the beginning of major upheaval in the Michigan football program. Rodriguez, a proponent of thespread offense, installed it in place of thepro-style offense that had been used by Carr. The offseason saw significant attrition in Michigan's roster. The expected starting quarterbackRyan Mallett departed the program, stating that he would be unable to fit in a spread offense. Starting wide receiversMario Manningham andAdrian Arrington both decided to forgo their senior seasons and enter theNFL draft.[105] Michigan lost a good deal of its depth and, when the 2008 season began, was forced to start players with very little playing experience. The2008 season was disappointing for Michigan, finishing at 3–9 and suffering its first losing campaign since 1967. Michigan also missed a bowl game invitation for the first time since 1974.The week before the 2009 season began, theDetroit Free Press accused the team of violating the NCAA's practice time limits.[106] While the NCAA conducted investigations, Michigan won its first four games, including a last second victory against its rivalNotre Dame. The season ended in disappointment, however, as Michigan went 1–7 in its last eight games and missed a bowl for the second straight season.
Rodriguez'sfinal season began with new hope in the program, as Robinson was named the starting quarterback over Forcier. Robinson led the Wolverines to a 5–0 start, but after a defeat toMichigan State at home, the Wolverines finished the season 2–5 over their last seven games. Michigan did, however, qualify for a bowl game with a 7–5 record, and clinched its bowl berth in dramatic fashion againstIllinois, with Michigan winning 67–65 in three overtime periods. The game was the highest combined scoring game in Michigan history, and saw Michigan's defense give up the most points in its history.[107] Michigan was invited to theGator Bowl to faceMississippi State, losing 52–14. The Michigan defense set new school records as the worst defense in Michigan history. In the middle of the season, the NCAA announced its penalties against Michigan for the practice time violations. The program was placed on three of years probation and docked 130 practice hours, which was twice the amount Michigan had exceeded.[108]
Rodriguez was fired following the bowl game, with athletic directorDave Brandon citing Rodriguez's failure to meet expectations as the main reason for his dismissal.[109][110] Rodriguez left the program winless against rivals Michigan State and Ohio State and compiled a 15–22 record, the worst record of any head coach in Michigan history.[111]
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On January 11, 2011, Michigan announced the hiring of new head coachBrady Hoke.[112][113] He became the 19th head coach in Michigan football history.[114] Hoke had previously been the head coach at his alma materBall State and thenSan Diego State after serving as an assistant at Michigan underLloyd Carr from 1995 to 2002.[115] In his first season, Hoke led theWolverines to 11 wins, beating rivalNotre Dame with a spectacular comeback in Michigan's first night game atMichigan Stadium. Despite losing toIowa andMichigan State, the Wolverines finished with a 10–2 regular season record with their first win overOhio State in eight years. The Wolverines received an invitation to theSugar Bowl in which they defeatedVirginia Tech, 23–20, in overtime. This was the program's first bowl win since the season of 2007.
In Hoke's second season, theWolverines dropped their season opener to eventual national champions,Alabama in Dallas, Texas. U-M won the next two games at home in non-conference bouts againstAir Force andUMass. Michigan then traveled to face eventual national runner-upNotre Dame. They fell to the Fighting Irish by a 13–6 final. After back-to-back wins overPurdue andIllinois, they defeated in-state rivalMichigan State for the first time since 2007. The win was the 900th in program history, becoming the first program to reach the milestone. U-M finished the season with wins overMinnesota,Northwestern andIowa as well as losses toNebraska andOhio State to finish the regular season. Michigan was selected to participate in theOutback Bowl, where they fell toSouth Carolina by a 33–28 score.
In the 2013 campaign,Michigan finished with a 7–6 record, including a 3–5 record in Big Ten play and a loss toKansas State in theBuffalo Wild Wings Bowl 31–14.[116] On December 2, 2014, Hoke was fired as the head coach after four seasons following a 5–7 record in2014.[117][118] This marked only the third season since1975 in which Michigan missed a bowl game.[119] Hoke compiled a 31–20 record, including an 18–14 record in Big Ten play.[120]
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On December 30, 2014, the University of Michigan announced the hiring ofJim Harbaugh as the team's 20th head coach.[121][122] Harbaugh, who was a starting quarterback for the Wolverines in the mid-1980s underBo Schembechler, had most recently served as head coach of theNFL'sSan Francisco 49ers.[123] He also led an impressive turnaround of theStanford Cardinal football program as the head coach.[124] Harbaugh signed a seven-year contract worth seven million dollars annually, excluding incentives.[125] In his first season in 2015, Harbaugh ledMichigan to a 10–3 record, including a 41–7 win over theFlorida Gators in the2016 Citrus Bowl.[126]
The2016 Wolverines won their first nine games of the season, including wins over No. 8 rankedWisconsin and rivalMichigan State, and reached No. 2 in theCollege Football Playoff rankings. The team then lost atIowa and again atOhio State two weeks later. The season ended with a 33–32 loss toFlorida State in theOrange Bowl on December 30, resulting in a second straight 10–3 record.Jabrill Peppers, who played linebacker and defensive back as well as special teams and offense, was a finalist for theHeisman Trophy, finishing fifth.[127]
In 2017, the team lost many key players on the offensive and defensive side of the ball prior to Harbaugh's third season. TheWolverines went 8–4 in the regular season losing to their main rivals,Michigan State andOhio State. They also lost toSouth Carolina in theOutback Bowl, becoming the only team in theBig Ten Conference to lose its bowl game in the 2017–2018 bowl season, finishing the year 8–5.[128]
Harbaugh's fourth season in2018 started with a loss to rivalNotre Dame, followed by ten consecutive wins. Wins over ranked Big Ten opponentsMichigan State,Wisconsin, andPenn State, all of whom beat Michigan the previous year, led to the team rallying and referring to the season as a "revenge tour."[129] The Wolverines rose to No. 4 in the College Football Playoff rankings, but were upset by rivalOhio State by a score of 62–39 to end the regular season. Ohio State's 62 points set a record for the most points scored against Michigan in regulation. A blowout loss toFlorida in thePeach Bowl ended the season, as they finished at 10–3 for the third time in Harbaugh's four years.
During Harbaugh's fifth season in 2019, theWolverines lost toWisconsin 35–14 and toPenn State 28–21, both on the road. Michigan went on to beat rivalsNotre Dame 45–14 andMichigan State 44–10, but once again lost to No. 1 rankedOhio State by a score of 56–27 to end the regular season. Michigan later lost toAlabama 16–35 in theCitrus Bowl, ending the season with a record of 9–4.
For the 2020 season,COVID-19 precautions delayed the start of Big Ten play. TheWolverines started with a dominating 49–24 win againstMinnesota. However, in a highly physical game againstMichigan State, the Wolverines incurred many player injuries and narrowly lost 27–24. The next week, Michigan lost toIndiana 38–21. Michigan had beaten Indiana in the previous 24 matchups, not having lost to the Hoosiers since the 1987 season.[130] Michigan hostedWisconsin and suffered its largest halftime deficit at home since Michigan Stadium opened in 1927 (28–0), as well as its largest home loss (49–11) since 1935.[131][132] It was also Harbaugh's first loss at Michigan Stadium to a team other than Michigan State or Ohio State. Michigan hostedPenn State and for the first time in Michigan football history lost to a team that was 0–5 or worse.[133] Michigan was winless at home during the 2020 season, marking the first time in program history that they did not win any games at home.[134] The final three scheduled games of the season, againstMaryland,Ohio State andIowa were canceled due to COVID-19 concerns. Michigan did not play in a postseason bowl game for the first time under Harbaugh. On January 8, 2021, the Michigan administration and Jim Harbaugh agreed to a contract extension with a pay-cut through 2025.[135]
TheWolverines started the 2021 season unranked, but quickly found surged into the rankings. They won their first seven games, which included blowout wins against Washington andWisconsin. The team rose to No. 6 in the polls before a top-ten showdown with rival No. 8 rankedMichigan State. Michigan narrowly lost to their instate rival, but rebounded with wins againstIndiana,Penn State andMaryland in their subsequent three games, setting up a winner-take-all matchup for the Big Ten East division against arch-rivalOhio State. In a top-five showdown, Michigan used a dominant second half performance to beat Ohio State 42–27, giving the Wolverines their first win against the Buckeyes since 2011, and a berth into their first-everBig Ten Championship Game. In theBig Ten Championship Game against Big Ten West championsIowa, the No. 2 ranked Wolverines dominated the Hawkeyes 42–3 to win their first outright Big Ten Championship since 2003. As the second seed in theCollege Football Playoff, the Wolverines lost the semifinal in theOrange Bowl to the eventual national championGeorgia Bulldogs 34–11, finishing the season 12–2. Michigan was ranked No. 3 in the final AP and Coaches Poll of the season. Defensive endAidan Hutchinson finished runner-up in voting for the 2021Heisman Trophy.[136]
In 2022,Michigan began the season ranked No. 8.[137] They won a top-10 showdown against 6-0 No. 10Penn State 41-17,[138] and beatMichigan State 29–7.[139] The Wolverines defeated 11-0 No. 2Ohio State 45–23 in Columbus, marking their first win atOhio Stadium since 2000 and the first time Harbaugh and Michigan beat both Michigan State and Ohio State in the same season. Michigan's perfect 12–0 regular season record earned them their second straight Big Ten East Division championship and an appearance in theBig Ten Championship Game.[140] Michigan would defeat the West Division championsPurdue 43–22, and repeat as conference champions and earn a second consecutiveCollege Football Playoff appearance.[141] In the semifinalFiesta Bowl, Michigan lost toTCU 51–45, finishing the season 13–1. Michigan's 13 wins set a school record for most wins in a single-season and the team was again ranked third in the final AP and Coaches Poll of the season. This marked the first time since 1947 and 1948 that Michigan finished consecutive seasons ranked in the top three.[142] Running backBlake Corum finished seventh in the voting for the 2022Heisman Trophy.[143]
The 2023 season started with the university-imposed three-game suspension of Harbaugh for recruiting violations during the COVID-19 dead period.[144] TheNCAA also opened an investigation intoallegations regarding a Michigan sign-stealing operation against other teams.[145][146] The ensuing controversy led to the firing of linebackers coachChris Partridge and the commissioner,Tony Petitti, imposing a suspension of Harbaugh for the final three games of the 2023 regular season.[147][148]Sherrone Moore took over as acting-head coach and the Wolverines continued to win games, including a road win against top-ten ranked Penn State, a record-setting 1,000th win againstMaryland and a third straight victory over rival Ohio State.[149][150][151] After completing his suspension, Harbaugh coached Michigan to a 26–0 win over No. 16Iowa in the2023 Big Ten Championship Game.[152] Michigan was then ranked No. 1 in both major polls and by theCollege Football Playoff Committee, securing a playoff berth for the third consecutive season. Harbaugh coached Michigan to a 27–20 overtime victory over No. 4Alabama in theRose Bowl, improving their record to 14–0 on the season.[153] Harbaugh then coached Michigan to a 34–13 victory overWashington in theCollege Football Playoff National Championship, setting a single-season program record with 15 wins and zero losses for the season.[154] On January 24, 2024, Harbaugh accepted an offer to become the head coach of the NFL'sLos Angeles Chargers.[155] In his nine-season tenure at Michigan, Harbaugh compiled an 89–25 record, winning three Big Ten championships and one national championship.
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On January 26, 2024, Michigan namedSherrone Moore as its 21st head football coach, making him the first African American to be hired as head coach by the program.[156] In Moore's first season, he led the Michigan Wolverines to an8–5 record on the year, including wins overMichigan State,Ohio State andAlabama. Moore was the first Michigan head coach sinceBennie Oosterbaan in 1948 to defeat Michigan State in his first year.[157] In the regular season finale against the No. 2 ranked Buckeyes, Moore led Michigan to a 13–10 upset victory atOhio Stadium, despite entering as 20.5 pointunderdogs. It marked the fourth consecutive victory for Michigan, the longest streak since 1988 to 1991, and the largest upset in the series history.[158][159] On December 31, 2024, Moore won his first postseason game in theReliaQuest Bowl, as Michigan defeated No. 11 Alabama, 19–13, after entering as 16.5 point underdogs.[160] Michigan became the only program in college football history to beat Alabama twice in the same calendar year (also winning the 2024 Rose Bowl), and the first team since 1978 to win back-to-back games as double digit underdogs.[161][162]
Michigan has played in 53 bowl games in its history, compiling a record of 24–29. Before missing a bowl game in 2008, Michigan had made a bowl game 33 years in a row. From the 1921 to 1945 seasons, theBig Ten Conference did not allow its teams to participate in bowls. From the 1946 to 1974 seasons, only a conference champion or a surrogate representative was allowed to attend a bowl, theRose Bowl, and no team could go two years in a row until the1972 Rose Bowl, with the exception of Minnesota in1961 and1962.
| Date | Bowl | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 1902 | Rose Bowl | Stanford | W 49–0 |
| January 1, 1948 | Rose Bowl | USC | W 49–0 |
| January 1, 1951 | Rose Bowl | California | W 14–6 |
| January 1, 1965 | Rose Bowl | Oregon State | W 34–7 |
| January 1, 1970 | Rose Bowl | USC | L 3–10 |
| January 1, 1972 | Rose Bowl | Stanford | L 12–13 |
| January 1, 1976 | Orange Bowl | Oklahoma | L 6–14 |
| January 1, 1977 | Rose Bowl | USC | L 6–14 |
| January 2, 1978 | Rose Bowl | Washington | L 20–27 |
| January 1, 1979 | Rose Bowl | USC | L 10–17 |
| December 28, 1979 | Gator Bowl | North Carolina | L 15–17 |
| January 1, 1981 | Rose Bowl | Washington | W 23–6 |
| December 31, 1981 | Bluebonnet Bowl | UCLA | W 33–14 |
| January 1, 1983 | Rose Bowl | UCLA | L 14–24 |
| January 2, 1984 | Sugar Bowl | Auburn | L 7–9 |
| December 21, 1984 | Holiday Bowl | BYU | L 17–24 |
| January 1, 1986 | Fiesta Bowl | Nebraska | W 27–23 |
| January 1, 1987 | Rose Bowl | Arizona State | L 15–22 |
| January 2, 1988 | Hall of Fame Bowl | Alabama | W 28–24 |
| January 2, 1989 | Rose Bowl | USC | W 22–14 |
| January 1, 1990 | Rose Bowl | USC | L 10–17 |
| January 1, 1991 | Gator Bowl | Ole Miss | W 35–3 |
| January 1, 1992 | Rose Bowl | Washington | L 14–34 |
| January 1, 1993 | Rose Bowl | Washington | W 38–31 |
| January 1, 1994 | Hall of Fame Bowl | NC State | W 42–7 |
| December 30, 1994 | Holiday Bowl | Colorado State | W 24–14 |
| December 28, 1995 | Alamo Bowl | Texas A&M | L 20–22 |
| January 1, 1997 | Outback Bowl | Alabama | L 14–17 |
| January 1, 1998 | Rose Bowl | Washington State | W 21–16 |
| January 1, 1999 | Citrus Bowl | Arkansas | W 45–31 |
| January 1, 2000 | Orange Bowl | Alabama | W 35–34(OT) |
| January 1, 2001 | Citrus Bowl | Auburn | W 31–28 |
| January 1, 2002 | Citrus Bowl | Tennessee | L 17–45 |
| January 1, 2003 | Outback Bowl | Florida | W 38–30 |
| January 1, 2004 | Rose Bowl | USC | L 14–28 |
| January 1, 2005 | Rose Bowl | Texas | L 37–38 |
| December 28, 2005 | Alamo Bowl | Nebraska | L 28–32 |
| January 1, 2007 | Rose Bowl | USC | L 18–32 |
| January 1, 2008 | Capital One Bowl | Florida | W 41–35 |
| January 1, 2011 | Gator Bowl | Mississippi State | L 14–52 |
| January 3, 2012 | Sugar Bowl | Virginia Tech | W 23–20OT |
| January 1, 2013 | Outback Bowl | South Carolina | L 28–33 |
| December 28, 2013 | Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl | Kansas State | L 14–31 |
| January 1, 2016 | Citrus Bowl | Florida | W 41–7 |
| December 30, 2016 | Orange Bowl † | Florida State | L 32–33 |
| January 1, 2018 | Outback Bowl | South Carolina | L 19–26 |
| December 29, 2018 | Peach Bowl † | Florida | L 15–41 |
| January 1, 2020 | Citrus Bowl | Alabama | L 16–35 |
| December 31, 2021 | Orange Bowl (CFP Semifinal) † | Georgia | L 11–34 |
| December 31, 2022 | Fiesta Bowl (CFP Semifinal) † | TCU | L 45–51 |
| January 1, 2024 | Rose Bowl (CFP Semifinal) † | Alabama | W 27–20OT |
| January 8, 2024 | CFP National Championship | Washington | W 34–13 |
| December 31, 2024 | ReliaQuest Bowl | Alabama | W 19–13 |
| Total | 53 bowl games | 24–29 | 1,237–1,168 |
†New Year's Six bowl game
| Bowl | # | W | L | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alamo Bowl | 2 | 0 | 2 | .000 |
| Bluebonnet Bowl | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| Citrus Bowl (Capital One Bowl) | 6 | 4 | 2 | .667 |
| CFP National Championship Game | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Fiesta Bowl | 2 | 1 | 1 | .500 |
| Gator Bowl | 3 | 1 | 2 | .333 |
| Holiday Bowl | 2 | 1 | 1 | .500 |
| Orange Bowl | 4 | 1 | 3 | .250 |
| Peach Bowl | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| ReliaQuest Bowl (Hall of Fame/Outback Bowl) | 7 | 4 | 3 | .571 |
| Rose Bowl | 21 | 9 | 12 | .428 |
| Sugar Bowl | 2 | 1 | 1 | .500 |
In the early days of Michigan football, Michigan played smaller home games at theWashtenaw County Fairgrounds with larger games being held in Detroit at theDetroit Athletic Club.[163] The Fairgrounds were originally located at the southeast intersection of Hill and Forest, but in 1890 moved to what is now called Burns Park.[163]
In 1890, theBoard of Regents authorized $3,000 ($78,947.37 in 2014 dollars) for the purchase of a parcel of land along South State Street.[164] In 1891 a further $4,500 ($118,421.05 in 2014 dollars) was authorized "for the purpose of fitting up the athletic field."[164] Michigan began play on Regents Field in 1893, with capacity being expanded to over 15,000 by the end of the field's use.[164]
By 1902Regents Field had grown inadequate for the uses of the football team as a result of the sport's increasing popularity.[165] Thanks to donations fromDexter M. Ferry, work began on planning the next home stadium for the Michigan football team. Powered by a $30,000 donation from Ferry,Ferry Field was constructed with a maximum temporary capacity of 18,000 for the 1906 season.[165] Ferry Field was expanded to a capacity of 21,000 in 1914 and 42,000 in 1921.[165] However, attendance was often over-capacity with crowds of 48,000 cramming into the small stadium.[165] This prompted athletic directorFielding Yost to contemplate the construction of a much larger stadium.
Fielding H. Yost anticipated massive crowds as college football's popularity increased and wished to build a stadium with a capacity of at least 80,000.[36] Ultimately, the final plans authorized the construction of a stadium with a capacity of 72,000 with footings to be set in place to expand it beyond 100,000 later.[36]Michigan Stadium was dedicated in 1927 during a game against theOhio State Buckeyes, drawing an over-capacity crowd of 84,401.[166] After World War II, crowd sizes increased, prompting another stadium expansion to a capacity of 93,894 in 1949.[166] Michigan Stadium cracked the 100,000 mark by expanding to 101,001 in 1955.[166] Michigan Stadium temporarily lost the title of "largest stadium" toNeyland Stadium of theTennessee Volunteers in 1996, but recaptured the title in 1998 with another expansion to 107,501.[167] In 2007, theBoard of Regents authorized a $226 million renovation to add a new press box, 83 luxury boxes, and 3,200 club seats.[168] For the 2011 season, lights were installed at Michigan Stadium at the cost of $1.8 million.[169] This allowed Michigan to play its first night game at home againstNotre Dame in 2011.[170] Michigan Stadium underwent a renovation for the 2023–2024 season, installing new screens and LED stadium lighting with color-changing fixtures.[171]
Michigan andOhio State is an arch-rivalry, first played in 1897. The rivalry was particularly enhanced duringThe Ten Year War, a period in which Ohio State was coached byWoody Hayes and Michigan was coached byBo Schembechler. In 2000, the game was ranked byESPN as the greatestNorth American sports rivalry ever.[172] Overall, the Buckeyes and Wolverines football programs have combined for 20 national titles, 84 conference titles, and 10Heisman Trophy winners. Michigan holds a 62–51–6 advantage in the all-time series, last playing in 2024 and winning a fourth consecutive game.[173][158]
Michigan andMichigan State first played each other in 1898. Since Michigan State joined theBig Ten Conference in 1953, the two schools have competed annually for thePaul Bunyan Trophy, with the winner retaining possession of the trophy until the next year's game. Michigan leads the trophy series 42–28–2. The Wolverines have possessed the trophy since 2022, last retaining the trophy with a 31–20 win over the Spartans in 2025. Michigan holds a 75–38–5 advantage in the all-time series.[174]
Michigan first playedMinnesota in 1892, and play for the Little Brown Jug trophy. The Little Brown Jug is the most regularly exchanged rivalry trophy in college football and the oldest trophy game inFBS college football.[175] Michigan has possessed the trophy since 2015 and leads the overall series 78–25–3, last playing in 2024.[176]
Michigan andNotre Dame began playing each other in 1887 in Notre Dame's first football game.[177] The rivalry is notable due to the historical success of the football programs, as Michigan and Notre Dame both claim 12 national championships each.[178] Michigan and Notre Dame have played in 42 contests, with Michigan leading 25–17–1. The two teams last played in 2019, with the Wolverines defeating the Fighting Irish 45–14.[179]
Michigan andNorthwestern first played each other in 1892. In 2021, the two universities announced the creation of a new rivalry trophy to be awarded to the game's winner, the George Jewett Trophy. The trophy honorsGeorge Jewett, the first African American player in Big Ten Conference history, having played for both schools. The game is the firstFBS rivalry game named for an African American player.[180] Since the inception of the trophy, the Wolverines hold a 3–0 advantage. Michigan leads 61–15–2 in the all-time series, last playing in 2025.[181]
The rivalry betweenIllinois is one of Michigan's more historic, with the two schools having first played in 1898 and playing 73 consecutive years from 1924 to 1996. Michigan leads the all-time series, 72–24–2. The teams last played in 2024, with the Fighting Illini defeating the Wolverines 21-7 inChampaign; that university’s first win versus Michigan since 2009.[182]
Michigan's rivalry withPenn State is their newest, with the two schools having never played each other before the Nittany Lions joined the Big Ten in 1993. Many of the games have hadBig Ten championship implications, with the two teams playing each season in the Big Ten east division, before the conference divisions were dissolved in 2024. Michigan leads the all-time series, 17–10. The two teams met most recently in 2023, when both teams came in ranked in the top ten in theCollege Football Playoff (CFP) rankings. Michigan went on to win 24-15 inBeaver Stadium under then-acting head coachSherrone Moore, propelling the Wolverines to a national championship that season.[183]
Michigan has been selected 19 times asnational champions by NCAA-designated major selectors, including 3 (1948,1997,2023) from the major wire-service:AP Poll and/orCoaches' Poll.[6] Michigan claims 12 (1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1918, 1923, 1932, 1933, 1947, 1948, 1997, and 2023) of these championships.[184][185][186] Before 1926, there were generally no contemporaneous selectors.[187]
| Year | Coach | Selector | Record | Bowl | Final AP | Final Coaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 | Fielding H. Yost | Billingsley,[188]Helms,Houlgate,NCF[189] | 11–0 | WonRose | ||
| 1902 | Billingsley, Helms, Houlgate, NCF,Parke Davis[189] | 11–0 | ||||
| 1903 | Billingsley,[188] NCF[189] | 11–0–1 | ||||
| 1904 | 10–0 | |||||
| 1918 | Billingsley, NCF[189] | 5–0 | ||||
| 1923 | 8–0 | |||||
| 1932 | Harry G. Kipke | Dickinson, Parke Davis[189] | 8–0 | |||
| 1933 | Berryman (QPRS), Billingsley,Boand,CFRA, Dickinson, Helms, Houlgate, NCF, Parke Davis,Poling,Sagarin[189] | 7–0–1 | ||||
| 1947 | Fritz Crisler | Berryman (QPRS), Billingsley, Boand, CFRA,DeVold,Dunkel, Helms, Houlgate,Litkenhous, NCF, Poling, Sagarin,[189]Special post-bowl Associated Press poll[190][a] | 10–0 | WonRose | No. 2[190] | |
| 1948 | Bennie Oosterbaan | AP, Berryman (QPRS), Billingsley, CFRA, DeVold, Dunkel, Helms, Houlgate, Litkenhous, NCF, Poling, Sagarin,Williamson[189] | 9–0 | No. 1 | ||
| 1997 | Lloyd Carr | AP, Billingsley,FWAA, NCF,NFF,Sporting News[189] | 12–0 | WonRose | No. 1 | No. 2 |
| 2023 | Jim Harbaugh | AP,[191] CCR,[192]College Football Playoff,[193] CFRA,[194] CM,[195] NFF,[196] MCFR,[197] SR,[198]USAT(Coaches Poll)[199] | 15–0 | WonRose (CFP Semifinal) WonCFP National Championship Game | No. 1 | No. 1 |
Michigan has also been selected an additional seven times by various NCAA-designated "major selectors", in 1910,[200] 1925, 1926, 1964, 1973, 1976,[201] and 1985.
Michigan has won 45 conference championships, 19 outright and 26 shared.
| Year | Coach | Overall record | Big Ten record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1898 | Gustave Ferbert | 10–0 | 3–0 |
| 1901† | Fielding H. Yost | 11–0 | 4–0 |
| 1902 | 5–0 | ||
| 1903† | 11–0–1 | 3–0–1 | |
| 1904† | 10–0 | 2–0 | |
| 1906† | 4–1 | 1–0 | |
| 1918† | 5–0 | 2–0 | |
| 1922† | 6–0–1 | 4–0 | |
| 1923† | 8–0 | ||
| 1925 | 7–1 | 5–1 | |
| 1926† | 5–0 | ||
| 1930† | Harry Kipke | 8–0–1 | |
| 1931† | 8–1–1 | 5–1 | |
| 1932† | 8–0 | 6–0 | |
| 1933† | 7–0–1 | 5–0–1 | |
| 1943† | Fritz Crisler | 8–1 | 6–0 |
| 1947 | 10–0 | 6–0 | |
| 1948 | Bennie Oosterbaan | 9–0 | 6–0 |
| 1949† | 6–2–1 | 4–1–1 | |
| 1950 | 6–3–1 | 4–1–1 | |
| 1964 | Bump Elliott | 9–1 | 6–1 |
| 1969† | Bo Schembechler | 8–3 | |
| 1971 | 11–1 | 8–0 | |
| 1972† | 10–1 | 7–1 | |
| 1973† | 10–0–1 | 7–0–1 | |
| 1974† | 10–1 | 7–1 | |
| 1976† | 10–2 | ||
| 1977† | |||
| 1978† | |||
| 1980 | 8–0 | ||
| 1982 | 8–4 | 8–1 | |
| 1986† | 11–2 | 7–1 | |
| 1988 | 9–2–1 | 7–0–1 | |
| 1989 | 10–2 | 8–0 | |
| 1990† | Gary Moeller | 9–3 | 6–2 |
| 1991 | 10–2 | 8–0 | |
| 1992 | 9–0–3 | 6–0–2 | |
| 1997 | Lloyd Carr | 12–0 | 8–0 |
| 1998† | 10–3 | 7–1 | |
| 2000† | 9–3 | 6–2 | |
| 2003 | 10–3 | 7–1 | |
| 2004† | 9–3 | 7–1 | |
| 2021 | Jim Harbaugh | 12–2 | 8–1 |
| 2022 | 13–1 | 9–0 | |
| 2023 | 15–0 | 9–0 |
† Co-champions
Michigan has won four division titles.[202][203]
| Year | Division | Coach | Opponent | CG result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018† | Big Ten – East | Jim Harbaugh | N/A; lost tiebreaker toOhio State | |
| 2021† | Iowa | W 42–3 | ||
| 2022 | Purdue | W 43–22 | ||
| 2023 | Iowa | W 26–0 | ||
† Co-champions
| Michigan Wolverines | |||
| Name | Position | Consecutive season(s) at Michigan in current position | Previous position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sherrone Moore | Head coach | 2nd | Michigan – Offensive coordinator / offensive line (2021–2023) |
| Biff Poggi | Associate head coach | 1st | Charlotte – Head coach (2023–2024) |
| Don Martindale | Defensive coordinator | 2nd | New York Giants – Defensive coordinator (2022–2023) |
| Chip Lindsey | Offensive coordinator /quarterbacks | 1st | North Carolina – Offensive coordinator / quarterbacks (2023–2024) |
| Steve Casula | Co-offensive coordinator /tight ends | 1st | Michigan – Tight ends (2024) |
| Tony Alford | Running backs | 2nd | Ohio State – Assistant head coach / running backs (2015–2023) |
| Ronald Bellamy | Wide receivers | 4th | Michigan –Safeties (2021) |
| Grant Newsome | Offensive line | 2nd | Michigan – Tight ends (2022–2023) |
| LaMar Morgan | Defensive backs | 2nd | Louisiana – Defensive coordinator / defensive backs (2022–2023) |
| Brian Jean-Mary | Linebackers | 2nd | Tennessee - Linebackers (2021–2023) |
| Lou Esposito | Defensive line | 2nd | Western Michigan – Defensive coordinator / defensive line (2017–2023) |
| J.B. Brown | Special teams coordinator | 2nd | Michigan – Special teams analyst (2021–2023) |
| Justin Tress | Director of strength and conditioning | 2nd | Michigan – Associate director of strength and conditioning (2018–2023) |
| Reference:[206] | |||
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Twenty-nine Heisman Trophy candidates have played at Michigan. Three have won the award:
Michigan Most Valuable Player Award (1926–1959), Louis B. Hyde Memorial Award (1960–1994),[207] Bo Schembechler Award (1995–present); winners of theChicago Tribune Silver Football as the Big Ten's MVP also noted:[208]
|
The following jersey numbers have been retired by the program:[209]
| Michigan Wolverines retired numbers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Player | Pos. | Tenure | No. ret. |
| 11 | Francis Wistert | T | 1931–1933 | 1949 |
| Albert Wistert | T | 1940–1942 | ||
| Alvin Wistert | T | 1947–1949 | ||
| 21 | Desmond Howard | WR | 1989–1991 | 2015 |
| 47 | Bennie Oosterbaan | E | 1925–1927 | 1927 |
| 48 | Gerald Ford | C | 1932–1934 | 1994 |
| 87 | Ron Kramer | E | 1954–1956 | 1956 |
| 98 | Tom Harmon | HB | 1938–1940 | 1940 |
Beginning in 2011, previously retired numbers of "Michigan Football Legends" were assigned to and worn by players selected by the head coach. The Legends program was discontinued in July 2015, and the numbers again permanently retired.[210][211]
Michigan inductees into the College Football Hall of Fame as of 2024.[212]
| = Inducted primarily due to contributions at different university |
|
|
Michigan inductees to thePro Football Hall of Fame as of 2021.[213]
| Name | Position | Inducted |
|---|---|---|
| George Allen | Coach | 2002 |
| Dan Dierdorf | T | 1996 |
| Len Ford | DE | 1976 |
| Benny Friedman | QB | 2005 |
| Bill Hewitt | E | 1971 |
| Elroy Hirsch | HB/E | 1968 |
| Steve Hutchinson | G | 2020 |
| Ty Law | CB | 2019 |
| Tom Mack | G | 1999 |
| Ralph Wilson | Owner | 2009 |
| Charles Woodson | CB | 2021 |
TheRose Bowl Hall of Fame has inducted the following Michigan players and coaches.[214]
| Name | Position | Inducted |
|---|---|---|
| Mel Anthony | FB | 2002 |
| Lloyd Carr | Coach | 2013 |
| Bob Chappuis | HB/QB | 1992 |
| Bump Elliott | HB | 1989 |
| Brian Griese | QB | 2012 |
| Chuck Ortmann | HB | 2008 |
| Bo Schembechler | Coach | 1993 |
| Ron Simpkins | LB | 2021 |
| Neil Snow | E/FB | 1990 |
| Tyrone Wheatley | RB | 2015 |
| Charles Woodson | CB | 2017 |
| Butch Woolfolk | HB | 1998 |
The University of Michigan has had 64 players selected in the first-round of the draft (AAFC, AFC and NFL), and had at least one player selected in any round in an NCAA record 87 consecutive NFL drafts dating back to 1938.[215][216]
| Draft Year | Pick | Player | Selected by | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | 1 | Tom Harmon | Chicago Bears | Back |
| 1941 | 10 | Forest Evashevski | Washington Redskins | Back |
| 1942 | 5 | Bob Westfall | Detroit Lions | Back |
| 1944 | 7 | Merv Pregulman | Green Bay Packers | Guard |
| 1945 | 5 | Elroy Hirsch | Cleveland Rams | Back |
| 1945 | 7 | Don Lund | Chicago Bears | Back |
| 1947 | 1 | Elmer Madar | Miami Seahawks (AAFC) | End |
| 1947 | 8 | Bob Chappuis | Cleveland Browns (AAFC) | Back |
| 1949 | N/A | Dan Dworsky | Los Angeles Dons (AAFC) | Center |
| 1949 | N/A | Pete Elliott | Chicago Rockets (AAFC) | Back |
| 1949 | N/A | Gene Derricotte | Cleveland Browns (AAFC) | Back |
| 1957 | 4 | Ron Kramer | Green Bay Packers | End |
| 1958 | 8 | Jim Pace | San Francisco 49ers | Back |
| 1960 | N/A | Don Deskins | Minneapolis (AFL) | Tackle |
| 1960 | N/A | George Genyk | New York Titans (AFL) | Guard |
| 1966 | 2 | Tom Mack | Los Angeles Rams | Offensive tackle |
| 1966 | 13 | Bill Yearby | New York Jets (AFL) | Tackle |
| 1967 | 20 | Jim Detwiler | Baltimore Colts | Halfback |
| 1969 | 20 | Ron Johnson | Cleveland Browns | Running back |
| 1972 | 18 | Thom Darden | Cleveland Browns | Defensive back |
| 1972 | 20 | Mike Taylor | New York Jets | Linebacker |
| 1973 | 7 | Paul Seymour | Buffalo Bills | Offensive tackle |
| 1974 | 20 | Dave Gallagher | Chicago Bears | Defensive lineman |
| 1975 | 26 | Dave Brown | Pittsburgh Steelers | Defensive back |
| 1978 | 13 | Mike Kenn | Atlanta Falcons | Offensive tackle |
| 1978 | 26 | John Anderson | Green Bay Packers | Linebacker |
| 1979 | 24 | Jon Giesler | Miami Dolphins | Offensive tackle |
| 1980 | 6 | Curtis Greer | St. Louis Cardinals | Defensive end |
| 1981 | 9 | Mel Owens | Los Angeles Rams | Linebacker |
| 1982 | 18 | Butch Woolfolk | New York Giants | Running back |
| 1985 | 17 | Kevin Brooks | Dallas Cowboys | Defensive end |
| 1987 | 26 | Jim Harbaugh | Chicago Bears | Quarterback |
| 1991 | 27 | Jarrod Bunch | New York Giants | Fullback |
| 1992 | 4 | Desmond Howard | Washington Redskins | Wide Receiver |
| 1993 | 14 | Steve Everitt | Cleveland Browns | Center |
| 1994 | 29 | Derrick Alexander | Cleveland Browns | Wide receiver |
| 1995 | 17 | Tyrone Wheatley | New York Giants | Running back |
| 1995 | 23 | Ty Law | New England Patriots | Cornerback |
| 1995 | 31 | Trezelle Jenkins | Kansas City Chiefs | Offensive tackle |
| 1996 | 8 | Tim Biakabutuka | Carolina Panthers | Running back |
| 1998 | 4 | Charles Woodson | Oakland Raiders | Cornerback |
| 2001 | 8 | David Terrell | Chicago Bears | Wide receiver |
| 2001 | 17 | Steve Hutchinson | Seattle Seahawks | Offensive guard |
| 2001 | 18 | Jeff Backus | Detroit Lions | Offensive tackle |
| 2004 | 26 | Chris Perry | Cincinnati Bengals | Running back |
| 2005 | 3 | Braylon Edwards | Cleveland Browns | Wide receiver |
| 2005 | 29 | Marlin Jackson | Indianapolis Colts | Cornerback |
| 2007 | 18 | Leon Hall | Cincinnati Bengals | Cornerback |
| 2008 | 1 | Jake Long | Miami Dolphins | Offensive tackle |
| 2010 | 13 | Brandon Graham | Philadelphia Eagles | Defensive end |
| 2014 | 11 | Taylor Lewan | Tennessee Titans | Offensive tackle |
| 2017 | 25 | Jabrill Peppers | Cleveland Browns | Safety / linebacker |
| 2017 | 28 | Taco Charlton | Dallas Cowboys | Defensive end |
| 2019 | 10 | Devin Bush Jr. | Pittsburgh Steelers | Linebacker |
| 2019 | 12 | Rashan Gary | Green Bay Packers | Defensive end |
| 2020 | 24 | Cesar Ruiz | New Orleans Saints | Center |
| 2021 | 21 | Kwity Paye | Indianapolis Colts | Defensive end |
| 2022 | 2 | Aidan Hutchinson | Detroit Lions | Defensive end |
| 2022 | 31 | Daxton Hill | Cincinnati Bengals | Defensive back |
| 2023 | 26 | Mazi Smith | Dallas Cowboys | Defensive tackle |
| 2024 | 10 | J. J. McCarthy | Minnesota Vikings | Quarterback |
| 2025 | 5 | Mason Graham | Cleveland Browns | Defensive tackle |
| 2025 | 10 | Colston Loveland | Chicago Bears | Tight end |
| 2025 | 13 | Kenneth Grant | Miami Dolphins | Defensive tackle |
Updated as of November 2025.[217]
Announced schedules as of May 15, 2024[update].[218][219]
| 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 | 2033 | 2034 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Michigan (September 5) | Buffalo (September 4) | Western Michigan (September 1) | Eastern Michigan (September 7) | Notre Dame (September 3) | atNotre Dame (September 2) | |
| Oklahoma (September 12) | atTexas (September 11) | |||||
| UTEP (September 19) | Eastern Michigan (September 18) |
It was November 3, 2001 during a Michigan State vs Michigan game at Spartan Stadium. It was the game also known as '"The Catch", or "Clockgate", or "The Clock Game."
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)1. Michigan 115.2
