The 2016 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
in the sport of
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
during the
2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season was the highest level of college football competition in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The regular season began on August 26, 2016 and ended on Dec ...
. The Wolverines played in the East Division of the
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...
and played their home games at
Michigan Stadium
Michigan Stadium, nicknamed "The Big House," is the football stadium for the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It is the largest stadium in the United States and the Western Hemisphere, the third largest stadium in the world, and the ...
in
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County, Michigan, Washtenaw County. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851. It is the principal city of the Ann Arbor ...
. Michigan was led by head coach
Jim Harbaugh
James Joseph Harbaugh (; born December 23, 1963) is an American football coach and former quarterback, who is the current and 20th head football coach of the Michigan Wolverines. He played college football at Michigan from 1983 to 1986. He play ...
, who was in his second season.
Coming off the team's first 10-win season in four years in Jim Harbaugh's first season as head coach in
2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
, Michigan began the year with high expectations, being ranked seventh in the preseason
AP Poll
The Associated Press poll (AP poll) provides weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling 62 sportswriters and broadca ...
. They won their three non-conference games in dominant fashion. In the following two games, the Wolverines obtained a top-10 victory over
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
. Michigan continued to win, rising to number two in the
College Football Playoff
The College Football Playoff (CFP) is an annual postseason knockout invitational tournament to determine a national champion for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), the highest level ...
rankings at 9–0 before falling on the road to
Iowa
Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...
on a last-second field goal. Two weeks later, Michigan traveled to
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...
to face arch-rival
Ohio State
The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public ...
with an opportunity to claim a spot in the
2016 Big Ten Football Championship Game
The 2016 Big Ten Football Championship Game was played December 3, 2016 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was the sixth annual Big Ten Football Championship Game to determine the 2016 champion of the Big Ten Conference.
The 2016 ...
with a win. The Wolverines lost in double overtime, 27–30, ending the regular season in third in the Eastern Division behind Ohio State and Penn State. Michigan received an invitation to the
2016 Orange Bowl
The 2016 Orange Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 30, 2016 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, played between the Michigan Wolverines of the Big Ten Conference against the Florida State Seminoles of the Atlant ...
, where they lost to
Florida State
Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...
, 32–33 to end the year at 10–3.
The team was led by
unanimous first-team All-American linebacker
Jabrill Peppers
Jabrill Ahmad Peppers (born October 4, 1995) is an American football strong safety for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Michigan, and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first r ...
, who was the
Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a finalist for the
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard ...
, finishing in fifth. Cornerback
Jourdan Lewis
Jourdan Julian Lewis (born August 31, 1995) is an American football cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Michigan, where he was named First-team All-American and First-team All ...
was also a consensus first-team All-American, as was tight end
Jake Butt, who was the recipient of the
John Mackey Award
The John Mackey Award is presented annually to college football's most outstanding tight end. Established in 2000 by the Nassau County Sports Commission, the award is given annually to the tight end who best exemplifies the play, sportsmanship, a ...
as the nation's top tight end. Quarterback
Wilton Speight led the team in passing, finishing with 2,538 yards and 18 touchdowns on the year.
Preseason
In
2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
, Michigan compiled a 10–3 record (6–2 in conference play) during the regular season and played the
Florida Gators
The Florida Gators are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Florida, located in Gainesville. The University of Florida, its athletic program, its alumni and its sports fans are often collectively referred to as t ...
in the
Citrus Bowl, where Michigan defeated the Gators 41–7. This was Michigan's best record since the
2011 season, which saw Michigan finish with an 11–2 record and a
Sugar Bowl victory over
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also ...
.
Michigan suffered staff attrition when
defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator is a coach responsible for a gridiron football (American football) team's defense. Generally, the defensive coordinator, the offensive coordinator and the special teams coordinator represent the second level of a team's c ...
D. J. Durkin left the program to become the head coach at
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
. On December 21, 2015, Michigan officially announced the hiring of
Don Brown as defensive coordinator. On January 7, 2016, it was officially announced that John Baxter would be leaving Michigan to become the Special Teams coach at
USC
USC most often refers to:
* University of South Carolina, a public research university
** University of South Carolina System, the main university and its satellite campuses
**South Carolina Gamecocks, the school athletic program
* University of ...
. In response to both the Baxter and Durkin departures—Durkin had also coached linebackers for Michigan in addition to his position as defensive coordinator—Michigan promoted their recruiting coordinator Chris Partridge to Special Teams and Linebackers coach. On February 18, 2016,
Greg Jackson left Michigan to become the defensive backs coach of the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
. He was replaced by Brian Smith, who most recently served as an assistant linebackers coach with the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
under
Chip Kelly
Charles Edward Kelly (born November 25, 1963) is an American football coach who is the head coach of the UCLA Bruins. He came to prominence as the head coach of the Oregon Ducks from 2009 to 2012, whom he led to four consecutive BCS bowl game a ...
.
![20160829 Michigan Wolverines and Jumpman logo at Nike Flagship store before opening weekend](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/20160829_Michigan_Wolverines_and_Jumpman_logo_at_Nike_Flagship_store_before_opening_weekend.jpg)
The team conducted four of its spring practices at the
IMG Academy
IMG Academy is a preparatory boarding school and sports training destination in Bradenton, Florida, United States. IMG Academy is set across over 600 acres and features programs consisting of sport camps for youth athletes, adult camps, a board ...
in
Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Manatee County, Florida, Manatee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the city's population is 55,698.
History
Late 18th and early 19th centuries ...
between February 29 and March 4, 2016, which coincided with the University's annual
spring break. The final practice was held as an open practice for fans and recruits, and saw an attendance of over 5,000 people. The practices were considered controversial, as coaches from the
SEC and
ACC
ACC most often refers to:
* Atlantic Coast Conference, an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic conference located in the US
*American College of Cardiology, A US-based nonprofit medical association that bestows credentials upon cardiovascular spec ...
protested what they believed to be an attempt to gain an upper hand in recruiting prospective athletes; however, at the time, no NCAA rules stated that the practices would not be allowed to take place. Michigan also conducted several satellite camps—football camps meant to expose prospective student athletes to colleges who might otherwise not find and recruit them due to distance or other factors—in 22 states,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, and
American Samoa
American Samoa ( sm, Amerika Sāmoa, ; also ' or ') is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the island country of Samoa. Its location is centered on . It is east of the International ...
following the NCAA's reversal of a ban enacted only months prior.
Although agreed to many months earlier, in April, the University announced it had signed an 11-year, $127.12 million contract with
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. ( or ) is an American multinational corporation that is engaged in the design, development, manufacturing, and worldwide marketing and sales of footwear, apparel, equipment, accessories, and services. The company is headquartered ne ...
on March 16 that would go into effect on August 1, 2016 for 31
Michigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines comprise 29 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except women's water polo, which competes in the NCAA inter-divisio ...
sports teams to switch from wearing
Adidas
Adidas AG (; stylized as adidas since 1949) is a German multinational corporation, founded and headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing and accessories. It is the largest sportswear manufactur ...
apparel to Nike. The Wolverines became the first football program to wear the
jumpman logo Jumpman may refer to:
Sports
* Jumpman (logo), based on a silhouette of Michael Jordan and first used on Nike's ''Air Jordan'' shoes
Arts
* "Jumpman" (song), the Drake and Future song from ''What a Time to Be Alive''
* ''Jumpman'' (film), 20 ...
and every piece of football apparel donned by the team that is visible is
Jordan Brand
Air Jordan is an American brand of basketball shoes produced by American corporation Nike. The first Air Jordan shoe was produced for Hall of Fame former basketball player Michael Jordan during his time with the Chicago Bulls in late 1984 and ...
attire. Michigan unveiled its new uniforms and gear during a ceremony at the
Ford
Ford commonly refers to:
* Ford Motor Company, an automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford
* Ford (crossing), a shallow crossing on a river
Ford may also refer to:
Ford Motor Company
* Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company
* Ford F ...
Piquette Avenue Plant on August 2. Michigan alumna
Dana Jacobson
Dana Jacobson (born November 5, 1971) is a host and correspondent for CBS News currently serving as a co host for ''CBS Saturday Morning''. She is also an anchor & reporter for CBS Sports and CBS Sports Network. She joined CBS News in 2015, 2 y ...
hosted the event, while former Wolverine great
Charles Woodson was also in attendance.
Recruiting
Position key
Recruits
Michigan's
recruiting class consisted of 28 recruits, including seven that enrolled early. Michigan's recruiting class was ranked No. 6 by
Scout
Scout may refer to:
Youth movement
*Scout (Scouting), a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement
**Scouts (The Scout Association), section for 10-14 year olds in the United Kingdom
**Scouts BSA, sectio ...
, No. 4 by
Rivals
A rivalry is the state of two people or groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each participant o ...
, and No. 6 by
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
. The highlight of the class was the consensus number one recruit in the country,
Rashan Gary
Rashan Abdul Gary (born December 3, 1997) is an American football outside linebacker for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). In 2015, he concluded his high school football career at Paramus Catholic High School in New J ...
.
Schedule
Rankings
Entering the season, Michigan was ranked No. 7 in the AP Poll and No. 8 in the Coaches' Poll. Following its opening victory over Hawaii, Michigan rose to No. 5 in the AP Poll and No. 6 in the Coaches' Poll, and then rose to No. 4 in the AP Poll and No. 5 in the Coaches' Poll following its victory over UCF. Michigan held serve in the polls following its victories over Colorado and Penn State. Michigan rose to No. 4 in the Coaches' Poll following its victory over Wisconsin, and remained at No. 4 in both polls following its win over Rutgers. Michigan rose to No. 3 in the AP Poll during its bye week. Michigan rose to No. 2 in both polls following its victory over Michigan State and was ranked No. 3 in the season's first edition of the College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings. Following its loss to Iowa, Michigan fell to No. 4 in both polls, but remained at No. 3 in the CFP rankings. Michigan rose to No. 3 in the AP Poll following its victory over Indiana, and remained at No. 4 in the Coaches' Poll, and No. 3 in the CFP rankings.
Radio
Radio coverage for all games was broadcast statewide on The
Michigan IMG Sports Network
The Michigan Wolverines Sports Network is an American radio network consisting of 46 radio stations which carry coverage of Michigan Wolverines Michigan Wolverines football, football and Michigan Wolverines men's basketball, men's basketball. WX ...
and on
Sirius XM Satellite Radio
Sirius XM Holdings Inc. is an American broadcasting company headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, New York City that provides satellite radio and online radio services operating in the United States. It was formed by the 2008 merger of Sirius ...
. The radio announcers are
Jim Brandstatter
James Patrick Brandstatter (born ) is an American sports announcer. He was the radio play-by-play announcer for the Michigan Wolverines football team. He held the position of color commentator for the Detroit Lions for 31 years until the end o ...
with
play-by-play
In sports broadcasting, a sports commentator (also known as sports announcer or sportscaster) provides a real-time commentary of a game or event, usually during a live broadcast, traditionally delivered in the historical present tense. Radio was ...
,
Dan Dierdorf
Daniel Lee Dierdorf (born June 29, 1949) is an American sportscaster and former football offensive tackle.
A native of Canton, Ohio, Dierdorf played college football for the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1970 and was selected as a conse ...
with
color commentary
A color commentator or expert commentator is a sports commentator who assists the main (play-by-play) commentator, typically by filling in when play is not in progress. The phrase "colour commentator" is primarily used in Canadian English and the ...
, and
Doug Karsch
Doug Karsch (born ) is an American talk radio show host and the Michigan Wolverines football radio play by play announcer (along side Jon Jansen), based in Detroit, Michigan.
Education and early career
Karsch was born in Champaign, Illinois a ...
with
sideline reports.
Game summaries
vs. Hawaii
*Sources:
To open the season, Michigan hosted the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors. This was the first meeting between the teams since 1998, which saw Michigan defeat Hawaii 48–17.
Michigan won in a
blowout, 63–3. Michigan opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 12-yard
touchdown
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Ameri ...
pass from
Wilton Speight to Grant Perry and added to its lead with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Speight to
Jake Butt. Michigan added 21 points in the second quarter via a five-yard touchdown pass from Speight to
Amara Darboh
Amara Darboh (born February 1, 1994) is an Sierra Leonean-born American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft. He played college football at Michigan. A native ...
, a
Lano Hill
Lano Kash-Pride Hill (born Delano Kash-Pride Hill; November 26, 1995) is an American football safety for the Michigan Panthers of the United States Football League (USFL). He played college football at Michigan. He is the older brother of Laver ...
27-yard
interception
In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team b ...
return for a touchdown (pick six), and an 18-yard touchdown run from freshman running back
Chris Evans, which made the score 35–0 in favor of Michigan at
half-time
In several team sports, matches are played in two halves. Half-time (also written halftime or half time) is the name given to the interval between the two halves of the match. Typically, after half-time, teams swap ends of the field of play in or ...
. Michigan extended its lead early in the third quarter with a 43-yard touchdown run from Evans, and then added fourteen more points via a Channing Stribling 51-yard interception return for a touchdown and a four-yard touchdown run from Khalid Hill. Hawaii reduced Michigan's lead to 53 with a 55-yard
field goal
A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. The entire ba ...
from Rigoberto Sanchez, but Michigan ended the scoring with a five-yard touchdown run from
Karan Higdon.
Michigan's honorary captain for the game was
NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
Hall of Famer
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the g ...
, while former Wolverines
Charles Woodson and
Lamarr Woodley
LaMarr Dewayne Woodley (born November 3, 1984) is a former American football outside linebacker. He played college football at Michigan, where he was recognized as a unanimous All-American, and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the seco ...
were also honored during the game. Michigan's 60-point margin of victory was the seventh highest margin of victory in program history and the highest since Michigan defeated
Northwestern 69–0 in
1975
It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe.
Events
January
* January 1 - Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...
. The game marked the fourth time in program history that Michigan did not punt during a game, and the first time since
2009
File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
(against
Delaware State
Delaware State University (DSU or Del State) is a public historically black land-grant research university in Dover, Delaware. DSU also has two satellite campuses: one in Wilmington and one in Georgetown. The university encompasses four colle ...
). This was the first time Michigan had two pick sixes in a game since the
1999 Citrus Bowl against
Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...
and the first time since
2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
that it had two defensive touchdowns in one game. Thirty-three Wolverines made their collegiate debut, while seventeen true freshmen appeared in the game, setting a program record.
[ Evans—appearing in his first college game—rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries. He became just the third Wolverine true freshman to surpass 100 rushing yards in his collegiate debut, joining Walter Cross (104 yards, September 12, 1998) and Chris Perry (103 yards, September 2, 2000).
]
vs. UCF
*Sources:[
Following its opening game against Hawaii, Michigan hosted the Central Florida (UCF) Knights. This was the first ever meeting between the two teams.]
Michigan won in another lopsided victory, 51–14. Michigan opened the scoring in the first quarter via a three-yard touchdown pass from Speight to Butt, and added to its lead via a two-yard touchdown run from Hill and a 45-yard touchdown pass from Speight to Darboh. Michigan added 13 points in the second quarter via a 24-yard, and 36-yard field goal from Allen, and a 14-yard touchdown pass from Speight to Butt. UCF reduced Michigan's lead to 27 points via an 87-yard touchdown run from Adrian Killins, which made the score 34–7 in favor of Michigan at half-time. Michigan extended its lead in the third quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from Hill and a 37-yard field goal by Allen. UCF reduced Michigan's lead to 30 points via a 34-yard touchdown run from Dontravious Wilson. Michigan ended the scoring in the fourth quarter with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Speight to Darboh.
Michigan posted back-to-back 50-plus-point performances for the first time since 1992
File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...
. Michigan combined for 114 total points in its first two games of the season, the most in program history in more than 100 years.[ Over his first two games, Speight has seven touchdown passes, tying him with ]John Navarre
John Robert Navarre (born September 9, 1980) is a former American football quarterback who was a three-year starter for the Michigan Wolverines from 2001 to 2003, leading the Wolverines to the 2003 Big Ten Conference championship in his final year ...
for the most touchdown passes in the first two games of a season by a Michigan quarterback. Butt had seven receptions with two touchdowns for the first multi-touchdown game of his career. Butt's seven receptions give him 100 for his career, moving him into third place for career receptions by a tight end.[
]
vs. Colorado
*Sources:
After playing UCF, Michigan hosted the Colorado Buffaloes. This was the first meeting between the schools since 1997, which saw Michigan win its opener en route to a national championship.
Michigan overcame a 14-point first quarter deficit and won the game 45–28. This was the 14th time that Michigan has overcome a deficit of 14 points or more to win. Colorado opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 37-yard touchdown pass from Sefo Liufau to Devin Ross and added to its lead via an 18-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown by Dere McCartney. Michigan responded with a six-yard blocked punt touchdown return by Grant Perry, which reduced Colorado's lead to seven points. Colorado regained its 14-point lead via a six-yard touchdown pass from Liufau to Devin Ross. Michigan responded with 17 unanswered points in the second quarter: a 17-yard touchdown run from Jehu Chesson, a 39-yard field goal by Kenny Allen, and a 45-yard touchdown pass from Speight to Darboh, which made the score 24–21 in favor of Michigan at half-time. Colorado regained the lead in the third quarter via a 70-yard touchdown pass from Liufau to Shay Fields; Liufau suffered an injury on the play and was replaced by Steven Montez for the remainder of the game. Michigan then regained the lead with a 42-yard touchdown run from De'Veon Smith
De'Veon Le'trell Smith (born November 8, 1994) is an American football running back for the Arlington Renegades of the XFL. He played college football at Michigan, and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Miami Dolphins in 2017. He play ...
. Michigan added to its lead with a one-yard touchdown run from Ty Isaac, and then ended the scoring in the fourth quarter with a 54-yard punt return for a touchdown from Jabrill Peppers
Jabrill Ahmad Peppers (born October 4, 1995) is an American football strong safety for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Michigan, and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first r ...
.
Michigan's honorary captains for the game were former Michigan and current New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
quarterback Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots organization, with which ...
and Activision Blizzard
Activision Blizzard, Inc. is an American video game holding company based in Santa Monica, California. It was founded in July 2008 through the merger of Activision, Inc. (the publicly traded parent company of Activision Publishing) and Vivendi ...
CEO Robert Kotick
Robert A. Kotick (born 1963) is an American businessman who serves as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Activision Blizzard. He became CEO of Activision in 1991 after purchasing a company stake the previous year. Kotick engineered a merger ...
. Michigan has combined for 159 total points over its first three games of the 2016 season, the most over that stretch in program history. Michigan scored two touchdowns off punts returns in a single game for just the second time in program history, and the first time since 1954
Events
January
* January 1 – The Soviet Union ceases to demand war reparations from West Germany.
* January 3 – The Italian broadcaster RAI officially begins transmitting.
* January 7 – Georgetown-IBM experiment: The fir ...
. Jake Butt posted seven receptions for 87 yards and moved into third among Michigan's all-time leaders in receiving yards by a tight end with 1,292.[
]
vs. Penn State
*Sources:[
Following its game against Colorado, Michigan began its Big Ten portion of the schedule when it hosted the Penn State Nittany Lions. Michigan defeated Penn State 28–16 in the previous meeting.]
Michigan won in another blowout, 49–10. Michigan opened the scoring in the first quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from Khalid Hill, and a two-yard touchdown run from De'Veon Smith. Michigan added to its lead in the second quarter via a three-yard touchdown pass from Wilton Speight to Devin Asiasi, and a two-yard touchdown run from Karan Higdon, which made the score 28–0 in favor of Michigan at half-time. Penn State reduced Michigan's lead to 25 with a 21-yard field goal by Tyler Davis in the third quarter. Michigan responded with a three-yard touchdown run from Chris Evans. Penn State opened the scoring in the fourth quarter via an eight-yard pass from Trace McSorley to Chris Godwin. Michigan responded with a 40-yard touchdown run from Karan Higdon, before Ty Isaac added the final points of the game via a three-yard touchdown run.
Michigan's honorary captain for the game was alumnus Don Graham, the founder of Michigan's Graham Sustainability Institute. Michigan has combined for 208 total points over its first four games of the 2016 season, the most over that stretch in program history. Michigan has scored 40 or more points in each of its first four games for the first time since 1947
It was the first year of the Cold War, which would last until 1991, ending with the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Events
January
* January–February – Winter of 1946–47 in the United Kingdom: The worst snowfall in the country in ...
. Michigan posted a season best six sacks, the most in a game since 2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
against Northwestern.[
With the win, the Wolverines also retook the all time college football winning percentage from its rival Notre Dame.
]
vs. Wisconsin
*Sources:[
After facing Penn State, Michigan hosted the Wisconsin Badgers. Despite being in the same conference, these teams had not met since 2010, when Wisconsin defeated Michigan 48–28.]
Michigan defeated Wisconsin in a defensive battle, 14–7. After neither team scored in the first quarter, Michigan opened the scoring in the second quarter via a one-yard touchdown run from Khalid Hill, which made the score 7–0 in favor of Michigan at half-time. Wisconsin responded in the third quarter with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Alex Hornibrook to Dare Ogunbowale. Michigan re-gained the lead and ended the scoring in the fourth quarter via a 46-yard touchdown pass from Speight to Darboh.
Michigan's honorary captain for the game was former faculty athletics representative, and current University of Michigan English professor Anne Curzan. The win was Michigan's first over a top-10 opponent since beating Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
in 2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
, 27–25,[ ending a streak of 12 consecutive such losses (including two under Harbaugh). Michigan was 0 for 3 on Field Goal attempts.
]
at Rutgers
*Sources:[
After its game against Wisconsin, Michigan traveled to New Jersey to face Rutgers in Michigan's first road game of the season. Michigan defeated Rutgers 49–16 in the previous meeting.]
Michigan won in a historic blowout, 78–0. Michigan opened the scoring in the first quarter via a four-yard touchdown run from Ty Isaac. Michigan added to its lead via a 30-yard touchdown pass from Speight to Chesson. Michigan added 29 points in the second quarter via a seven-yard touchdown run from Peppers, two one-yard touchdown runs from Hill, a two-point conversion Garrett Moores rush, and a four-yard touchdown run from Peppers, which made the score 43–0 in favor of Michigan at half-time. Michigan added 14 points in the third quarter via an 11-yard touchdown pass from John O'Korn
John August O'Korn (born November 22, 1994) is a former American football quarterback. After attending St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he led his team to the 2012 FHSAA 7A state high school title, O'Korn chose ...
to Hill, and a 15-yard touchdown run from Karan Higdon. Michigan added 21 points in the fourth quarter via a 13-yard touchdown run from Bobby Henderson, a 44-yard touchdown run from Higdon, and a 34-yard touchdown run from Isaac.
The game was a statistical domination for Michigan. Michigan accumulated 600 yards of offense and eleven touchdowns (nine rushing, two passing); the nine rushing touchdowns tied for the most in modern program history. Khalid Hill recorded three touchdown scores, making him the first Michigan player with three or more scores since Chesson had four in 2015 against Indiana. Michigan improved to 6–0 for the first time since 2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
and recorded its first shutout since the previous season against Northwestern. Michigan's defense held Rutgers to only 39 total yards, two first downs, 14 three-and-outs and 0-for-17 on third down. Michigan recorded its largest margin of victory—during either conference or non-conference play—since it defeated Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
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, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
85–0 in 1939
This year also marks the start of the Second World War, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history.
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 1
** Third Reich
*** Jews are forbidden to ...
. This was also the largest margin of victory in any Big Ten game since the same Michigan victory over Chicago.[ The defeat was Rutgers' worst loss since an 82–0 loss to ]Princeton
Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ni ...
in 1888.
vs. Illinois
*Sources:[
Following its clash with Rutgers and its ]bye week
In sport, a bye is the preferential status of a player or team that is automatically advanced to the next round of a tournament, without having to play an opponent in an early round.
In knockout (elimination) tournaments they can be granted eit ...
, Michigan hosted the Illinois Fighting Illini for its homecoming game. This was the first meeting between the schools since 2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
, which saw Michigan defeat Illinois 45–0.
Michigan won the game, 41–8. Michigan scored 21 points in the first quarter via a three-yard touchdown pass from Wilton Speight to Jake Butt, a 21-yard touchdown pass from Speight to Tyrone Wheatley Jr., and a one-yard touchdown run from Khalid Hill. Michigan added to its lead in the second with a four-yard touchdown run from De'Veon Smith, and a 23-yard field goal by Kenny Allen, which made the score 31–0 in favor of Michigan at half-time. Michigan added to its lead with a 27-yard field goal by Allen in the third quarter. Illinois responded in the fourth quarter with a 43-yard touchdown pass from Jeff George, Jr. to Malik Turner, and a two-point conversion pass from George to Zach Grant, before Michigan added the final points of the game via a 45-yard touchdown run from Karan Higdon.
Michigan's honorary captain for the game was MLB Hall of Famer Hank Aaron
Henry Louis Aaron (February 5, 1934 – January 22, 2021), nicknamed "Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1954 through 1976. One of the gre ...
. Michigan improved to 7–0 for the first time since 2006
File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
. Jake Butt recorded his fourth touchdown of the season—the 11th of his career—to gain sole possession of second place on Michigan's list of career touchdowns by a tight end, four behind leader Jerame Tuman
Jerame Dean Tuman (born March 24, 1976) is a former American football tight end. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He won Super Bowl XL with the Steelers, defeating the Seattle Seahawks. He played ...
(15). Amara Darboh extended his streak of consecutive games with a catch to 27 and now holds sole possession of the sixth spot among Michigan leaders in the category. Michigan's defense held Illinois to 172 total yards, and without a passing yard in the first half. This was the fourth straight game that Michigan has held an opponent to less than 200 yards.[
]
at Michigan State
*Sources:[
After its homecoming game against Illinois, Michigan traveled to East Lansing to face its in-state rival, the Michigan State Spartans, for the Paul Bunyan Trophy. Michigan State defeated Michigan 27–23 in the previous season after returning a fumbled snap for a touchdown with no time remaining in the game.]
Michigan defeated Michigan State, 32–23, for its first win against the Spartans since 2012 and its first win at Spartan Stadium since 2007
File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
. Michigan State opened the scoring in the first quarter with a five-yard touchdown run from LJ Scott, which capped off an opening drive that lasted seven minutes and two seconds. Michigan responded with a three-yard touchdown run from Jabrill Peppers and then took the lead in the second quarter with a one-yard touchdown run from De'Veon Smith. Michigan State reduced Michigan's lead to four with a 52-yard field goal from Michael Geiger, but Kenny Allen answered with a 23-yard field goal for Michigan. Michigan scored twice in the final minute of the half with a five-yard touchdown run from Smith and another 23-yard field goal from Allen, which gave Michigan a 27–10 lead at half-time. Michigan extended its lead to 20 in the fourth quarter with a 45-yard field goal from Allen, and coasted from there. Michigan State reduced Michigan's lead to seven points with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Tyler O'Connor to Donnie Corley with :01 left on the clock. On an ensuing two-point conversion attempt, O'Connor fumbled the ball and Peppers returned it for a two-point conversion for Michigan to close out the game.
Michigan improved to 8–0 for the first time since 2006. Michigan's 5–0 record in Big Ten play is the best start to conference play for Michigan since its 6–0 start in 2007. With three receptions today, Jake Butt passed Jim Mandich (119 catches) for the second-most receptions by a tight end in Michigan history. Butt now has 121 career catches.[
]
vs. Maryland
*Sources:[
After facing Michigan State, Michigan hosted the Maryland Terrapins. Maryland was led by Michigan's former defensive coordinator D. J. Durkin. In the 2015 contest, Michigan defeated Maryland, 28–0.]
Michigan won in another blowout, 59–3. Michigan opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 34-yard touchdown pass from Speight to Darboh. Michigan added to its lead via a ten-yard touchdown run from Speight. Michigan added 21 points in the second quarter via a three-yard touchdown run from De'Veon Smith, a one-yard touchdown run from Khalid Hill and a 33-yard touchdown pass from Speight to Chesson, which made the score 35–0 in favor of Michigan at half-time. Michigan added 10 points in the third quarter via a 29-yard field goal from Kenny Allen, and a one-yard touchdown run from Smith. Maryland opened the scoring in the fourth quarter via a 37-yard field goal from Adam Greene, for their only points of the game. Michigan responded with 14 points via a two-yard touchdown run from Smith, his third rushing touchdown of the game, and a nine-yard touchdown pass from John O'Korn to Kekoa Crawford.
Michigan improved to 9–0 for the first time since 2006. Wilton Speight set a program record for the most passing yards in the first half with 292 yards. The previous record-holder was Denard Robinson
Denard Xavier Robinson (born September 22, 1990) is currently the Assistant Director of Player Personnel for the University of Michigan football program. Robinson is also a former American football running back who played for four seasons in th ...
, who had 262 vs. Illinois in 2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
. This was the first game the Wolverine offense featured a 300-yard passer (Wilton Speight, 362), a 100-yard rusher (De'Veon Smith, 114) and a 100-yard receiver (Jehu Chesson, 112) since October 19, 2013, vs. Indiana. Jake Butt became the program's all-time leader for receiving yards from a tight end (1,521), surpassing the previous record set by Jim Mandich
James Michael Mandich (July 30, 1948 – April 26, 2011), also known as "Mad Dog", was an American football player. Mandich played college football for the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1969 and was recognized as a consensus first-team t ...
(1,508). Michigan's defense combined for 13 tackles-for loss, tying a season record.[
]
at Iowa
*Sources:[
After hosting Maryland, Michigan traveled to Iowa City, Iowa to face the Iowa Hawkeyes. This was the first meeting between the two schools since Iowa defeated Michigan 24–21 in 2013.]
Iowa upset Michigan, 13–14. Michigan opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 26-yard field goal from Kenny Allen. Michigan extended its lead in the second quarter via a seven-yard touchdown run from Ty Isaac. Iowa responded with a Jaleel Johnson safety and a three-yard touchdown pass from C. J. Beathard
Casey Jarrett "C. J." Beathard ( ; born November 16, 1993) is an American football quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Iowa and was drafted in the third round of the 201 ...
to Akrum Wadley, which made the score 10–8 in favor of Michigan at half-time. Iowa took their first lead of the game via a 25-yard field goal from Keith Duncan. Michigan responded with a 51-yard field goal from Allen, to regain the lead, before Duncan scored the game-winning 33-yard field goal as time expired.
Michigan's 37 rushing scores are the third most for the team since 1970
Events
January
* January 1 – Unix time epoch reached at 00:00:00 UTC.
* January 5 – The 7.1 Tonghai earthquake shakes Tonghai County, Yunnan province, China, with a maximum Mercalli intensity scale, Mercalli intensity of X (''Extrem ...
, trailing only the 43 touchdowns scored by the 1976
Events January
* January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force.
* January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea.
* January 11 – The 1976 Phila ...
team and the 47 scored by the 1971 *
The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses ( February 25, July 22 and August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 10, and August 6).
The world population increased by 2.1% this year, the highest increase in history.
Events
Ja ...
team.[ The game was similar to the ]1985
The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1
** The Internet's Domain Name System is created.
** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a ...
match-up between the two teams, when No. 1 ranked Iowa defeated No. 2 ranked Michigan, quarterbacked by now Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, on a game-winning field goal from Rob Houghtlin
Rob Houghtlin (January 4, 1965) is a former kicker for the University of Iowa's football team from 1985 to 1987. He made four game-winning field goals in his career, the most memorable of which led Iowa to a victory over Michigan in 1985.
Early ...
as time expired. After losses by No. 3 ranked Clemson, and No. 4 ranked Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
earlier in the day, and the loss by No. 2 ranked Michigan, this marked the first time since October 19, 1985 that Nos. 2–4 all lost on the same day. In the days following the game, it was erroneously reported by blogger Brian Cook of the "mgoblog" fan website that Speight had endured a broken collarbone during the game and may be lost for the rest of the season. However, he returned for the game against Ohio State.
vs. Indiana
*Sources:[
Following its game against Iowa, Michigan played its final home game against Indiana. Michigan defeated Indiana 48–41 in double overtime the previous season.]
Michigan defeated Indiana, 20–10. After neither team scored in the first quarter, Michigan opened the scoring in the second quarter via a 28-yard field goal from Kenny Allen. Indiana responded with a two-yard touchdown run from Camion Patrick, which made the score 7–3 in favor of Indiana at half-time. Michigan reduced Indiana's lead to one point via a 33-yard field goal from Allen. Indiana extended its lead in the third quarter via a 24-yard field goal from Griffin Oakes
Griffin Oakes (born February 24, 1995) is an American football placekicker for the Indiana Hoosiers.
High school career
Oakes was a one-year letterman in soccer and a three-year letterman for the Greenwood High School football team. Oakes re ...
. Michigan responded with 14 unanswered points via two touchdown runs from De'Veon Smith, one from 34-yards, and one from 39-yards.
Michigan improved to 10–1, achieving back-to-back double-digit win seasons for the first time since 2002
File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
– 03. It is the 28th time in program history that Michigan reached 10 wins. Jim Harbaugh is one of only two coaches in program history to win 10 games in each of his first two seasons as head coach, joining Fielding Yost
Fielding Harris Yost (; April 30, 1871 – August 20, 1946) was an American football player, coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at: Ohio Wesleyan University, the University of Nebraska, the University ...
(1901
Events
January
* January 1 – The Crown colony, British colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria (Australia), Victoria and Western Australia Federation of Australia, federate as the Australia, ...
– 02). Senior quarterback John O'Korn
John August O'Korn (born November 22, 1994) is a former American football quarterback. After attending St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he led his team to the 2012 FHSAA 7A state high school title, O'Korn chose ...
made his first start since the 2014 season. With two pass breakups against the Hoosiers, cornerback Jourdan Lewis
Jourdan Julian Lewis (born August 31, 1995) is an American football cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Michigan, where he was named First-team All-American and First-team All ...
upped his career total to 43 to tie Leon Hall
Leon Lastarza Hall (born December 9, 1984) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football for the University of Michigan, and earned consensus All-American honors. Hall was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first rou ...
(2003–06) for the most in Michigan history.[
]
at Ohio State
*Sources:[
Following its home finale against Indiana, Michigan faced its arch-rivals, the Ohio State Buckeyes, in the 113th meeting of "The Game". In the previous meeting, Ohio State defeated Michigan for the fourth consecutive year, winning 42–13.]
Michigan lost to Ohio State 27–30 in double overtime. After neither team scored in the first quarter, Michigan opened the scoring in the second quarter via a 28-yard field goal from Kenny Allen. Ohio State responded with a 16-yard interception return from Malik Hooker. Michigan closed the scoring in the first half via a one-yard touchdown run from Khalid Hill, which made the score 10–7 in favor of Michigan at halftime. Michigan extended their lead in the third quarter via an eight-yard touchdown pass from Wilton Speight to Hill. Ohio State reduced Michigan's lead to three points via a one-yard touchdown run from Mike Weber
Michael Weber (born December 16, 1987) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. He previously played with the Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL) and Frölunda HC of the Swedish Hockey L ...
, before Tyler Durbin recorded a 23-yard field goal as time expired in the fourth quarter to tie the game and force overtime. In overtime, Ohio State scored via a seven-yard touchdown run from J. T. Barrett
Joe Thomas Barrett IV (born January 23, 1995) is an American football coach and former quarterback who is currently an offensive assistant for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State ...
. Michigan responded with a five-yard touchdown pass from Speight to Amara Darboh to force double overtime. In double overtime, Michigan scored via a 37-yard field goal from Allen, before Curtis Samuel
Curtis Samuel (born August 11, 1996) is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State, where he was a member of the team that won the 2015 Colle ...
recorded a 15-yard touchdown run to win the game, after J. T. Barrett
Joe Thomas Barrett IV (born January 23, 1995) is an American football coach and former quarterback who is currently an offensive assistant for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State ...
was ruled to have converted a 4th down on the previous play. Whether Barrett’s 4th down play had been successful or not would be a major point of discussion following the game.
Dave Adolph
Dave Adolph (June 6, 1937 – February 12, 2017) was an American football coach. He served as defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns from 1986 to 1988. Prior to leaving the Browns in 1985 for the San Diego Chargers, he was the Browns' i ...
served as honorary captain for both Michigan and Ohio State. The game marked the 11th time that Michigan and Ohio State took the field both in the nation's top-five rankings; and is just the second time that both programs were ranked in the nation's top three. The other was the No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup in 2006
File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
at Ohio Stadium. The game also marked the first overtime in the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry. Michigan's defense recorded a season-best eight sacks against Ohio State. It is the program's most since posting nine against Notre Dame on September 15, 2007. The Wolverines have recorded at least three sacks in each of the last four games. Wide receiver Amara Darboh surpassed the 2,000-yard receiving milestone in the contest. Darboh caught eight passes for 68 receiving yards, upping his career total to 2,026. Darboh has recorded a reception in 32 consecutive games, earning a share of the fourth spot among Michigan's all-time leaders in the category. He is tied with Marquise Walker
Marquise Walker (born December 11, 1978) is a former professional American football wide receiver and punt returner who signed to play in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Michigan where he se ...
(1998–2001).[
The Big Ten fined Head Coach Jim Harbaugh and the school $10,000 for violating their sportsmanship policy after he was critical of the officiating crew at a post-game press conference.
Statistics
]
vs. Florida State
*Sources:[
On December 4, Michigan was selected to play in the ]Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Miami metropolitan area. It has been played annually since January 1, 1935, making it, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Sun Bowl, the second-oldest bowl game in th ...
against the Florida State Seminoles. Michigan lost the previous meeting in 1991
File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Phil ...
, by a score of 51–31. This was Michigan's 45th bowl game appearance, and third appearance in the Orange Bowl.[
Playing without Heisman Trophy finalist Jabrill Peppers, Michigan lost to Florida State, 33–32. Florida State opened the scoring in the first quarter via a two-yard touchdown run from ]Dalvin Cook
Dalvin James Cook (born August 10, 1995) is an American football running back for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida State, where he finished his career as the school's all-time lea ...
. Michigan responded with a 19-yard field goal from Kenny Allen. Florida State extended its lead with a 42-yard field goal from Roberto Aguayo
Roberto Jose Aguayo (born May 17, 1994) is an American football placekicker who is a free agent. He played college football at Florida State University, where he was the most accurate kicker in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) history and third ...
and a 92-yard touchdown pass from Deondre Francois
Deondre Francois (born February 12, 1997) is an American football quarterback for the Orlando Guardians of the XFL. He played college football for Hampton University and Florida State University.
Early life and background
When Francois was a ...
to Nyqwan Murray. The teams exchanged field goals in the second quarter, a 28-yard field goal from Allen, and a 38-yard field goal from Roberto Aguayo, which made the score 20–6 in favor of Florida State at half-time. Michigan scored nine points in the third quarter on a 37-yard field goal from Allen, and a 14-yard interception return from Mike McCray, reducing Florida State's lead to five points. Florida State extended its lead in the fourth quarter via a three-yard run from Francois. Michigan responded with 15 unanswered points via an eight-yard touchdown pass from Wilton Speight to Khalid Hill, and a 30-yard touchdown run from Chris Evans to take their first lead of the game. Florida State responded with a 12-yard touchdown pass from Francois to Murray. Florida State's extra point was blocked by Chris Wormley, and Josh Metellus returned it the length of the field for a defensive conversion, making the score 33–32 in favor of the Seminoles. Michigan took over possession at its 25-yard line following the kickoff but was unable to get anything going as a fourth-down pass was intercepted near midfield to seal the game.
Michigan finished the season with 534 points scored, fifth all-time trailing only the 1901–1904 point-a-minute teams. In finishing three-for-three on the day in field goals, Kenny Allen was one shy of the program record for most consecutive field goals made (16). Allen finished his career at 37-for-45, an 82.2-percent clip, just short of passing Bob Bergeron
Robert Damian Bergeron (born November 7, 1961) is a former American football placekicker. He grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and attended Bishop Luers High School. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1980 to 1984. He w ...
(29-of-35; 82.9 percent) as Michigan's all-time most accurate field goal kicker (minimum of 15 attempts). He also closes his career a perfect 95-for-95 on point-after attempts, tied with 10 others atop the program charts. Wide receiver Amara Darboh
Amara Darboh (born February 1, 1994) is an Sierra Leonean-born American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft. He played college football at Michigan. A native ...
finished his career with at least one catch in 33 straight games, the fourth-longest streak in program history. Jeremy Gallon
Jeremy Jermaine Gallon (born February 9, 1990) is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan Wolverines football, Michig ...
owns the record at 39 consecutive games.
2017 NFL Draft
Michigan set a program record with 11 NFL Draft selections, surpassing the previous record of 10, which was set in 1972
Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, me ...
and 1974
Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; f ...
. Nine of this year's selections came in the first four rounds, setting another program record. It was also the most draftees in the 2017 NFL Draft by any school.
Roster
Awards and honors
References
External links
{{Michigan Wolverines football navbox
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
Michigan Wolverines football seasons
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football team represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins in college football history. The team is known for its ...