CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1997 Michigan

12–⁠0 (8–⁠0 Big Ten), coached by Lloyd Carr, finished No. 1 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

Michigan in 1997, game by game: won vs. No. 8 Colorado 27–3; won vs. Baylor 38–3; won vs. Notre Dame 21–14; won at Indiana 37–0; won vs. Northwestern 23–6; won vs. No. 15 Iowa 28–24; won at No. 15 Michigan State 23–7; won vs. Minnesota 24–3; won at No. 2 Penn State 34–8; won at No. 23 Wisconsin 26–16; won vs. No. 4 Ohio State 20–14; won vs. No. 8 Washington State 21–16+37Won 27–3 vs. No. 8 Colorado+24No. 8 ColoradoWon 38–3 vs. Baylor+35BaylorWon 21–14 vs. Notre Dame+7Notre DameWon 37–0 at Indiana+37IndianaWon 23–6 vs. Northwestern+17NorthwesternWon 28–24 vs. No. 15 Iowa+4No. 15 IowaWon 23–7 at No. 15 Michigan State+16No. 15 Michigan StateWon 24–3 vs. Minnesota+21MinnesotaWon 34–8 at No. 2 Penn State+26No. 2 Penn StateWon 26–16 at No. 23 Wisconsin+10No. 23 WisconsinWon 20–14 vs. No. 4 Ohio State+6No. 4 Ohio StateWon 21–16 vs. No. 8 Washington State+5No. 8 Washington State
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below; orange marks an upset win.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 13vs8ColoradoW 27–⁠346%
Sep 20vsBaylorW 38–⁠382%
Sep 27vsNotre DameW 21–⁠1472%
Oct 4atIndianaW 37–⁠075%
Oct 11vsNorthwesternW 23–⁠677%
Oct 18vs15IowaW 28–⁠2467%
Oct 25at15Michigan StateW 23–⁠755%
Nov 1vsMinnesotaW 24–⁠391%
Nov 8at2Penn StateW 34–⁠840%
Nov 15at23WisconsinW 26–⁠1668%
Nov 22vs4Ohio StateW 20–⁠1459%
Jan 1Bowls & playoffvs8Washington StateRose BowlW 21–⁠1674%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Washington State 21–⁠16 in the Rose Bowl; No. 1 in the final AP poll; Big Ten champions.

In program history: The 2nd-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 140 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 1: 14
  2. Wk 2: 15
  3. Wk 3: 14
  4. Wk 4: 14
  5. Wk 5: 8
  6. Wk 6: 6
  7. Wk 7: 6
  8. Wk 8: 6
  9. Wk 9: 5
  10. Wk 10: 5
  11. Wk 11: 4
  12. Wk 12: 4
  13. Wk 13: 1
  14. Wk 14: 1
  15. Wk 15: 1
  16. Wk 16: 1
  17. Wk 17: 1
  18. Final: 1

Players on this team

Before 2004 our records hold honors and the draft; these are the players whose college years here, from their Wikipedia articles or their honors, include 1997.

National championsNo. 1 in the final AP poll, and a title the school claims

Big Ten champions8–⁠0 in the conference

Heisman TrophyCharles Woodson, CB; also the Walter Camp, Thorpe, Nagurski and Bednarik

Consensus All-AmericanCharles Woodson, CB

Walter Camp Coach of the YearLloyd Carr, coach; also the Bear Bryant Award

Broyles AwardJim Herrmann, coach

12–⁠0 with a Rose Bowl win over Washington State, and a share of the national title with Nebraska. Charles Woodson became the first mostly defensive player to win the Heisman.

Record
12–⁠0
Conference
8–⁠0 first in Big Ten
AP final
No. 1 peak No. 1
Points
322–⁠114
Coach
Lloyd Carr
Elo
1819 +206 this season
SP+ rating
26.4 No. 7 of 112; offense No. 43, defense No. 1
SRS
21.5 No. 6 of 112 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Mike DeBord
Defensive coordinator
Jim Herrmann
Captains
Jon Jansen and Eric Mayes
Most valuable player
Charles Woodson

Drafted in 1998

The 1998 draft
Rd 1Charles Woodson DBOakland Raiders
Rd 3Chris Floyd RBNew England Patriots
Rd 3Brian Griese QBDenver Broncos
Rd 4Glen Steele DTCincinnati Bengals
Rd 5Chris Howard RBDenver Broncos

All-Big Ten

10 first team, 3 second team

First team

Second team

From Wikipedia’s 1997 all-conference team article, with the selectors that named each player (AP-1: the Associated Press’s first team).

1997 Big Ten standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
Michigan8–⁠012–⁠01
Ohio State6–⁠210–⁠312
Penn State6–⁠29–⁠316
Purdue6–⁠29–⁠315
Wisconsin5–⁠38–⁠5
Michigan State4–⁠47–⁠5
Iowa4–⁠47–⁠5
Northwestern3–⁠55–⁠7
Minnesota1–⁠73–⁠9
Indiana1–⁠72–⁠9
Illinois0–⁠80–⁠11

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