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1896 Michigan

9–⁠1 (2–⁠0 Western Conference), coached by William Ward.

Michigan, 1896
Photo: Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Schedule and results

Michigan in 1896, game by game: won vs. Eastern Michigan 18–0; won vs. Grand Rapids High 44–0; won vs. Physicians & Surgeons 28–0; won vs. Lake Forest 66–0; won at Purdue 16–0; won vs. Lehigh 40–0; won at Minnesota 6–4; won vs. Oberlin 10–0; won vs. Wittenberg 28–0; lost at Chicago 6–7+66−1Won 18–0 vs. Eastern Michigan+18Eastern MichiganWon 44–0 vs. Grand Rapids High+44Grand Rapids Hi…Won 28–0 vs. Physicians & Surgeons+28Physicians & Su…Won 66–0 vs. Lake Forest+66Lake ForestWon 16–0 at Purdue+16PurdueWon 40–0 vs. Lehigh+40LehighWon 6–4 at Minnesota+2MinnesotaWon 10–0 vs. Oberlin+10OberlinWon 28–0 vs. Wittenberg+28WittenbergLost 6–7 at Chicago-1Chicago
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Oct 3vsEastern MichiganW 18–⁠097%
Oct 10vsGrand Rapids HighW 44–⁠092%
Oct 15vsPhysicians & SurgeonsW 28–⁠093%
Oct 17vsLake ForestW 66–⁠092%
Oct 24atPurdueW 16–⁠054%
Oct 31vsLehighW 40–⁠091%
Nov 7atMinnesotaW 6–⁠445%
Nov 14vsOberlinW 10–⁠094%
Nov 21vsWittenbergW 28–⁠095%
Nov 26atChicagoL 6–⁠762%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Chicago 7–⁠6; first in the Western Conference.

In program history: The 80th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 140 on file).

Record
9–⁠1
Conference
2–⁠0 first in Western Conference
AP poll
Began in 1936
Points
262–⁠11
Coach
William Ward
Elo
1635 +55 this season
SP+ rating
—
Recruiting class
—
Captain
Henry M. Senter

1896 Western Conference standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
Michigan2–⁠09–⁠1
Wisconsin1–⁠0–⁠17–⁠1–⁠1
Northwestern1–⁠0–⁠16–⁠1–⁠2
Minnesota1–⁠28–⁠2
Illinois0–⁠1–⁠14–⁠2–⁠1
Purdue0–⁠2–⁠14–⁠2–⁠1

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.