Michigan Wolverines
Record in Title Games: 24-23-1 (.500)
Record in Title Defenses: 16-8 (.667)
Longest Run of Title Game Victories: 8 Wins
2006 Odds: 16 to 1 (3rd)
Highlights and Lowlights
Michigan may be the best example of what does NOT work about the Heavyweight Football Champs concept. The winningest team in college football at the time of this writing, their record doesn't reflect nearly as well in the HWFC record book.
Michigan is really the one true link to the beginnings of Heavyweight College Football History and the modern era. Michigan played in the 38th title game, losing to Princeton 1-0 in 1881, back in the era when a touchdown scored only one point. While it was the 38th championship game, Rutgers is the only other team to have played a championship game previous to that game that is still a Division 1A team.
The part of Michigan's History that shows the weakness of the HWFC system is the early 1900's. Michigan had an incredibly dominant team that decade, including going unbeaten and unscored upon for a full season. Unfortunately for Michigan, Yale accomplished the same feat four times in keeping a dominant hold on the title. Of course, this era also illustrates the largest complaint about college football, the fact that the best teams often don't get a chance to settle it on the field.
The Michigan Wolverines did become the first team west of Pennsylvania to win the title, doing so in 1918. Of course, as noted on Ohio State's team page, Ohio State proved early on they can be a thorn in the side for the Wolverines. Michigan's strongest run was in the 1972 season, with 8 successful title defenses before losing to (you guessed it) Ohio State. If Ohio State can beat Texas early this year, this could become Michigan's chance to turn the tables.
Championship Games
| 1881 | 4-Nov | 1 | Michigan | 0 | |
| 1883 | 21-Nov | Yale | 64 | Michigan | 0 |
| 1914 | 31-Oct | Harvard | 7 | Michigan | 0 |
| 1915 | 6-Nov | Cornell | 34 | Michigan | 7 |
| 1918 | 16-Nov | Michigan | 15 | Syracuse | 0 |
| 1918 | 23-Nov | Michigan | 21 | Michigan State | 6 |
| 1918 | 30-Nov | Michigan | 14 | Ohio State | 0 |
| 1919 | 18-Oct | Michigan | 26 | Michigan State | 0 |
| 1919 | 25-Oct | Ohio State | 13 | Michigan | 3 |
| 1920 | 23-Oct | Illinois | 7 | Michigan | 6 |
| 1921 | 12-Nov | Wisconsin | 7 | Michigan | 7 |
| 1936 | 14-Nov | Northwestern | 9 | Michigan | 0 |
| 1945 | 10-Nov | Navy | 33 | Michigan | 7 |
| 1958 | 1-Nov | Iowa | 37 | Michigan | 14 |
| 1958 | 22-Nov | Ohio State | 20 | Michigan | 14 |
| 1968 | 23-Nov | Ohio State | 50 | Michigan | 14 |
| 1969 | 22-Nov | Michigan | 24 | Ohio State | 12 |
| 1969 | 1-Jan | Southern California | 10 | Michigan | 3 |
| 1972 | 23-Sep | Michigan | 26 | UCLA | 9 |
| 1972 | 30-Sep | Michigan | 41 | Tulane | 7 |
| 1972 | 7-Oct | Michigan | 35 | Navy | 7 |
| 1972 | 14-Oct | Michigan | 10 | Michigan State | 0 |
| 1972 | 21-Oct | Michigan | 31 | Illinois | 7 |
| 1972 | 28-Oct | Michigan | 42 | Minnesota | 0 |
| 1972 | 4-Nov | Michigan | 21 | Indiana | 7 |
| 1972 | 11-Nov | Michigan | 31 | Iowa | 0 |
| 1972 | 18-Nov | Michigan | 9 | Purdue | 6 |
| 1972 | 25-Nov | Ohio State | 14 | Michigan | 11 |
| 1975 | 22-Nov | Ohio State | 21 | Michigan | 14 |
| 1976 | 1-Jan | Southern California | 14 | Michigan | 6 |
| 1978 | 1-Jan | Southern California | 17 | Michigan | 10 |
| 1980 | 1-Jan | Michigan | 23 | Washington | 6 |
| 1981 | 12-Sep | Wisconsin | 21 | Michigan | 14 |
| 1981 | 17-Oct | Iowa | 9 | Michigan | 7 |
| 1981 | 31-Oct | Michigan | 34 | Minnesota | 13 |
| 1981 | 7-Nov | Michigan | 70 | Illinois | 21 |
| 1981 | 14-Nov | Michigan | 28 | Purdue | 10 |
| 1981 | 21-Nov | Ohio State | 14 | Michigan | 9 |
| 1983 | 10-Sep | Michigan | 20 | Washington State | 17 |
| 1983 | 17-Sep | Washington | 25 | Michigan | 24 |
| 1983 | 2-Jan | Auburn | 9 | Michigan | 7 |
| 1984 | 8-Sep | Michigan | 22 | Miami (FL) | 14 |
| 1984 | 15-Sep | Washington | 20 | Michigan | 11 |
| 2003 | 25-Oct | Michigan | 31 | Purdue | 3 |
| 2003 | 1-Nov | Michigan | 27 | Michigan State | 20 |
| 2003 | 15-Nov | Michigan | 41 | Northwestern | 10 |
| 2003 | 22-Nov | Michigan | 35 | Ohio State | 21 |
| 2003 | 1-Jan | Southern California | 28 | Michigan | 14 |
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