The 1997 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1997 Big Ten Conference football season. In its third year under head coach Lloyd Carr, Michigan compiled a perfect 12–0 record, won the Big Ten Conference championship, and defeated Washington State in the 1998 Rose Bowl. Michigan was declared the national champion by the Associated Press, the National Football Foundation, and the Football Writers Association of America. The Wolverines finished second to the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Coaches Poll resulting in a non-consensus national championship.
Michigan's defense was led by cornerback and Heisman Trophy-winner Charles Woodson. Woodson, who intercepted eight passes and also scored touchdowns via pass receptions, runs from scrimmage and punt return, became the first primarily defensive player to win the Heisman. Woodson and defensive end Glen Steele were both first-team selections on the 1997 College Football All-America Team. Other standouts on defense included linebackers James Hall with 8.5 quarterback sacks, Sam Sword with 91 tackles, and Dhani Jones with 90 tackles and six sacks. The defense allowed no fourth quarter points or second half touchdowns in the first eight games of the season. The unit's performance across all games in total defense (222.8 yards per game) and scoring defense (9.5 points per game) are the lowest marks by any Big Ten Conference football team since the 1985 season.
On offense, the 1997 Michigan team had neither a 1000-yard rusher nor a 500-yard receiver. Tai Streets was the leading receiver with 476 receiving yards, and Chris Howard led the team in rushing with 938 rushing yards. Quarterback Brian Griese set Michigan single-season records with 193 pass completions and 307 pass attempts. Tight end Jerame Tuman, who was the only player on the offensive unit selected as a first-team All-American, totaled 437 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Future National Football League (NFL) star Tom Brady was also on the roster, but did not start any games.
Ten members of the team were honored as All-Big Ten Conference selections, and running back Anthony Thomas was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Thirty-one members of the 1997 Wolverines football team went on to play in the NFL. Prior to 1997, the Wolverines had compiled four consecutive four-loss seasons and had not won a national championship since the 1948 Michigan team. This was the most recent national championship for Michigan until the 2023 season.
Schedule
Rankings
Preseason Preseason ranking Going into the 1997 season, the Wolverines were ranked No. 17 in the pre-season Coaches' Poll and had experienced four consecutive four-loss seasons for the first time since the 1934–1937 Michigan Wolverines football teams. Michigan had not won a national championship in nearly 50 years and had not played in a Rose Bowl Game since the 1992 season. The 1997 Michigan team was the first since the 1969 team to have no Rose Bowl veterans. In early September 1997, The Columbus Dispatch wrote off Michigan, noting that "the longtime beast of the Big Ten ... has lost much of its aura" and predicting that Michigan's 1997 schedule "doesn't create a feeling that the pendulum is about to swing back."
Quarterback competition The months before the 1997 season opener featured uncertainty over the quarterback position. Junior Scott Dreisbach had started 11 games for the 1996 team, but fifth-year senior Brian Griese had relieved Driesbach in the Ohio State game after Driesbach was injured and helped the team recover from a 9–0 deficit. Dreisbach and Griese also faced competition from sophomore and future Super Bowl MVP, Tom Brady. Shortly before the season opener, head coach Lloyd Carr announced his selection of Griese as the starting quarterback.
Receiving corps Despite uncertainty at quarterback, Michigan entered the 1997 season with a solid group of receivers, including Tai Streets and Russell Shaw, as well as returning All-Big Ten tight end Jerame Tuman. Analysts believed that a solid season by any of the Michigan quarterbacks could lead to a productive season in the passing game. Moreover, it was anticipated that Charles Woodson, who was regarded as one of the most versatile athletes in college football, would play on offense.
Offensive line The offensive line was another uncertainty for the 1997 team. Three linemen from the 1996 team had been selected in the 1997 NFL draft: center Rod Payne (3rd round, 76th overall), offensive guard Damon Denson (4th round, 97th overall) and defensive tackle William Carr (7th round, 217th overall). As a result, Michigan began the season with only one offensive lineman, offensive tackle Jon Jansen, who had started a game. Jansen, a junior, had 25 consecutive starts entering the season. The offensive line was further weakened when left tackle, Jeff Backus, suffered a ruptured appendix. In spring practice, offensive line coach Terry Malone made a plea for help during a staff meeting, searching for talent to fill in on the line. To fill the holes on the offensive line, two defensive linemen, Steve Hutchinson and Chris Ziemann were moved to the offensive line.
Strength of schedule Adding to the challenges facing the 1997 team, Michigan entered the season with the toughest schedule among the 112 NCAA Division I-A schools based on records from the previous year.("Based on opponents' records last season, Michigan will play the toughest schedule of 112 NCAA Division I-A schools, facing teams that combined to win 65.8 percent of their games.") Days before the season opener, Lloyd Carr compared the daunting schedule to an expedition to Mount Everest. Carr noted, "It's a little akin to climbing Mount Everest. But Mount Everest has been climbed. And with great preparation and determination, and great attitude, which I think our players have, I can assure you we're looking forward to it."
Game summaries Week 1: Colorado
Michigan opened the 1997 season with a home game against Colorado. Three years earlier, Colorado had defeated Michigan in a game nicknamed "The Miracle at Michigan" on Kordell Stewart's 64-yard Hail Mary pass to Michael Westbrook as time ran out.
Michigan won the 1997 game 27 to 3, a margin that eliminated the possibility of another last-minute miracle. Griese completed 21 of 28 forward pass attempts for 258 yards and two touchdowns. Tight end Jerame Tuman had five receptions for 126 yards. Defensively, Michigan intercepted four passes thrown by Colorado's John Hessler, while holding him to 141 yards on 15 of 39 passing.
Throughout the game, Michigan relied on man coverage from cornerbacks Woodson and Andre Weathers, blitzes and pressure from the four-man defensive line. Colorado only threw against Woodson five times, and one of those passes was intercepted by Woodson at Michigan's 45-yard-line. Griese and Tuman connected for 53 yards on the very next play. Two plays later Chris Floyd executed a one-yard dive for the first points of the day. Late in the second quarter, Griese completed a 29-yard pass to Woodson, and Kraig Baker kicked a field goal on the final play of the first half to give Michigan a 10–0 lead at halftime.
Michigan opened the second half with an 89-yard, 11-play drive that included a 20-yard pass from Griese to Tuman followed by a roughing the passer penalty. The drive ended in a five-yard touchdown pass from Griese to Chris Howard. In the third quarter, Michigan scored 14 points in a span of one minute and 44 seconds; the second touchdown followed a Clint Copenhaver interception that was returned to the Buffaloes' 14-yard line. The touchdown was scored on a 6-yard pass from Griese to Shaw. Baker closed out the scoring with a 19-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
The loss was Colorado's worst defeat under head coach Rick Neuheisel, its lowest point total in 101 games, and fewest yards of total offense (224) in five years. It was Michigan's fifth consecutive season-opening win and fifth straight win against a top 10 team in the Associated Press poll.
Week 2: Baylor
In the second week of the season, Michigan defeated Baylor 38–3 at Michigan Stadium. Baylor scored first after running back Chris Howard fumbled on Michigan's 29-yard-line. The Bears had a touchdown called back due to an offensive holding penalty, but kicked a 30-yard field goal. Michigan took the lead with 5:39 remaining in the first quarter on a 10-yard wide receiver screen play from Griese to Woodson. Chris Howard added two touchdowns in the second quarter to give Michigan a 21–3 lead at halftime. Howard's second touchdown capped a 14-play, 92-yard drive that consumed four-and-a-half minutes.
True freshman Anthony Thomas scored on a two-yard run in the third quarter to complete Michigan's second 92-yard drive of the day. In the fourth quarter, Woodson had a 34-yard touchdown catch called back due to a false start penalty, but Jay Feely kicked a 51-yard field goal. Tate Schanski scored Michigan's final touchdown on a one-yard run with 2:57 remaining in the game.
Michigan outgained Baylor 532–154 in total offense. The Wolverines totaled 344 rushing yards, including 112 yards by Howard and 122 yards by Thomas. Clarence Williams added 129 yards of total offense, including 77 yards rushing. Griese completed 13 of 22 passes for 169 yards and no interceptions, and Woodson had two receptions for 45 yards.
On defense, the Wolverines held Baylor to 32 yards in the second half, allowing three plays on its first four possessions of the second half. Woodson allowed no catches and made five unassisted tackles (three for a loss). He played 46 downs on defense, six on special teams and five on offense. The win improved Michigan to 16–6–2 against the Big 12 Conference and 9–0 in September under Carr.
Week 3: Notre Dame
For the third game of the season, Michigan faced Notre Dame in the 27th match between college football's winningest programs. Michigan won the game 21–14 in front of a crowd of 106,508, the sixth largest in the history of Michigan Stadium at that time. Under first year coach Bob Davie, Notre Dame had lost consecutive games to Purdue and Michigan State, and entered Michigan Stadium unranked for the first time since the creation of the AP poll in 1936. Notre Dame ended the day with its first three-game losing streak in 12 years.
In the first quarter, Notre Dame scored first on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Ron Powlus to Bobby Brown, culminating a 12-play, 78-yard drive. In the second quarter, the Wolverines tied the game on a 4-yard touchdown run by Clarence Williams to complete an 11-play, 68-yard drive. Notre Dame regained the lead late in the second quarter on a 98-yard drive ending in a two-yard run by Tony Driver with 18 seconds left in the half.
Within the first 24 seconds of the second half, Griese and Streets connected on back-to-back passes of 15 and 41 yards to tie the game at 14. Michigan scored again just over five minutes later on a 14-yard run by Floyd. Michigan's defense overcame three fourth-quarter turnovers and held Notre Dame scoreless in the second half to preserve the 21–14 lead. After Aaron Shea lost a fumble at the Michigan 47-yard line, cornerback Tommy Hendricks made a diving interception in the end zone with 10:34 remaining in the game. When Notre Dame recovered a loose ball two minutes later at the Wolverines 42-yard line, Michigan's defense forced a punt after a three-and-out. The Wolverines suffered a third turnover late in the fourth quarter when Griese and Chris Howard botched a handoff that Notre Dame recovered at the Michigan 28-yard line. Notre Dame drove to the 20-yard line, but Glen Steele and James Hall made a key stop on fourth down. Howard helped Michigan run out the final 3:26 with runs of 27, seven, nine and eight yards.