The 1999 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1999 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their fifth year under head coach Lloyd Carr, the Wolverines compiled a 10–2 record (6–2 against conference opponents), tied for second place in the Big Ten, defeated Alabama in the 2000 Orange Bowl, and were ranked No. 5 in the final AP and coaches polls.
After winning a quarterback competition with Drew Henson, Tom Brady completed 180 of 295 passes for 2,217 yards with 16 touchdowns and six interceptions. At the end of the season, Brady received the team's most valuable player award. Anthony Thomas led the team with 1,257 rushing yards, and David Terrell was the team's leading receiver with 61 receptions for 888 yards.
Two Michigan players received first-team honors on the 1999 All-America college football team: offensive guard Steve Hutchinson (PFW, CNNSI); and defensive tackle Rob Renes (TSN). Six Wolverines received first-team honors on the 1999 All-Big Ten Conference football team: Terrell; Hutchinson; Renes; Jeff Backus at offensive tackle; Ian Gold at linebacker; and Tommy Hendricks at safety.
The team played its home games at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Brady, Renes, and Hutchinson were the team captains.
Schedule
Game summaries Notre Dame
On September 4, Michigan defeated Notre Dame, 26–22, before a crowd of 111,523 at Michigan Stadium. Michigan took a 6–0 lead in the first quarter on two field goals by Jeff Del Verne, capping drives of 54 and 38 yards. The second field goal was set up by a Notre Dame fumble at the Michigan 44-yard line.
Early in the second quarter, Notre Dame took a 7–6 lead on four-yard run by Joey Getherall. Michigan retook the lead with a 59-yard drive led by Drew Henson and capped by another field goal from Del Verne. The Fighting Irish then scored on a 12-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jarious Jackson with 51 seconds remaining in the first half. Notre Dame led, 14–9, at halftime.
At the start of the third quarter, Tom Brady led Michigan on an 80-yard touchdown drive, ending with a two-yard touchdown run by Anthony Thomas. Michigan added a fourth Del Verne field goal late in the third quarter and led, 19–14, at the end of three quarters.
Late in the fourth quarter, Jackson led Notre Dame on a 65-yard drive ending with a 20-yard pass from Jackson to a wide open Jabari Holloway, on fourth-and-inches and with 4:08 remaining. The Irish then converted a two-point conversion on a pass from Jackson to Bobby Brown. With the clock running down, Michigan drove 58 yards on seven plays, aided by two key penalties against Notre Dame—one for excessive celebration after Holloway's touchdown and a late hit penalty. Michigan scored the winning touchdown on a one-yard run by Anthony Thomas with 1:38 remaining on the clock.In the final minute-and-a-half, Jackson led the Irish to Michigan's 12-yard line before time expired.
The game continued the quarterback competition between fifth-year senior Tom Brady and sophomore Drew Henson. Brady completed 17 of 24 passes for 197 yards, and Henson completed three of eight passes for 40 yards. Anthony Thomas rushed for 138 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries. David Terrell caught eight passes for 115 yards. After the game, head coach Lloyd Carr said, "I like them both."
Kicker Jeff Del Verne, a walk-on from Sylvania, Ohio. was granted a scholarship after his 15-point performance against Notre Dame.
Rice
On September 11, Michigan defeated Rice, 37–3, before a crowd of 110,501 at Michigan Stadium. Tom Brady led Michigan on a 58-yard drive late in the first quarter, ending with a 24-yard field goal by Jeff Del Verne. In the second quarter, Drew Henson led the Wolverines on a 64-yard drive, starting with a 34-yard pass to David Terrell and ending with Henson sneaking across for the touchdown from the one-yard line. At the end of the second quarter, Henson led Michigan on a 53-yard scoring drive ending with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Henson to Terrell. Michigan led, 20–0, at halftime.Michigan 37 v Rice 3, boxscore on mgoblue.com
The Wolverines extended their lead in the third quarter on a pair of touchdown runs by Anthony Thomas. Thomas' first touchdown, an 11-yard run, was set up by Josh Williams' recovery of a Rice fumble at the Rice 46-yard line. The second touchdown, a four-yard run, was set up by Marquise Walker's block of a Rice punt, recovered and returned by Brandon Williams to the Rice four-yard line. The teams traded field goals in the fourth quarter, Rice finally scoring with 30 seconds remaining in the game.
Michigan's defense held Rice to 157 yards of total offense and did not allow the Owls to cross midfield until the fourth quarter. Quarterbacks Brady and Henson both played well with Brady playing most of the first and third quarters and Henson the entire second quarter and most of the fourth quarter. Brady completed 10 of 15 passes for 59 yards, and Henson completed eight of 14 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown. The team scored 20 points under Henson and 17 points under Brady. Third-string quarterback Jason Kapsner finished the game for Michigan.
Syracuse
On September 18, Michigan defeated Syracuse, 18–13, at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York. Syracuse had defeated Michigan one year earlier in Ann Arbor.
Neither team scored in the first quarter, as Syracuse was held to minus-17 yards and Michigan had a field goal attempt blocked. Drew Henson played well in the second quarter, completing nine of 14 passes for 117 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Shea. Jeff Del Verne added two field goals in the second quarter, and Michigan led, 13–7, at halftime.
Michigan's offense sputtered in the second half as the Wolverines were limited to 64 yards of offense. Michigan's only offensive points in the second half came on a 31-yard field goal by Jeff Del Verne late in the fourth quarter. Michigan also registered two points on a safety in the third quarter when Syracuse quarterback Troy Nunes was penalized for intentional grounding in the end zone. In the closing minutes, quarterback Madei Williams led a Syracuse drive to the Michigan eight-yard line. On fourth and four, Williams threw to Pat Woodcock in the end zone; the pass fell incomplete, though replays appeared to show that Michigan defensive back James Whitley had committed pass interference on the play. The penalty was not called, and Michigan took over on downs with two minutes remaining and was able to run out the clock.
The quarterback competition between Brady and Henson remained a focus of the press. Henson played three quarters in the game, completing 16 of 28 passes for 151 yards, one touchdown, and one interception (the first turnover of the season by Michigan). After the game, Henson commented on the extended playing time: "It's the position I've wanted to be in for years. I got my chance tonight." Brady added: "There's certainly no bitterness or jealousy. . . . We continue to compete. We thrive on one another. That's the way it works."
Wisconsin
On September 25, Michigan defeated Wisconsin, 21–16, before a crowd of 79,037 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. Michigan dominated the first quarter, holding Wisconsin scoreless while Tom Brady led Michigan on two scoring drives. Michigan's first scoring drive ended with an eight-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Aaron Shea. After Ron Dayne fumbled, Michigan recovered the loose ball at the Wisconsin 45-yard line. Davide Terrell the ran 45 yards for the touchdown on a double reverse. Wisconsin took over in the second quarter with a 32-yard field goal and a 34-yard touchdown run by Dayne. Michigan blocked the extra point kick and led, 14–9, at halftime.
Late in the third quarter, Michigan extended its lead to 21–9 on a 27-yard touchdown pass from Brady to DiAllo Johnson. With 1:02 remaining in the game, Brooks Bollinger ran 14 yards for a touchdown. Wisconsin attempted an onside kick, but Anthony Thomas recovered the bouncing ball, and Michigan ran out the clock.
Michigan's defense held 1999 Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne to zero rushing yards in the second half. Tom Brady completed 17 of 27 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns.
Purdue
On October 2, Michigan defeated Purdue, 38–12, before a crowd of 111,468 at Michigan Stadium.
In the first quarter, Tom Brady completed nine of 14 passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns – an 18-yard strike to David Terrell and a 17-yarder to Marcus Knight. Drew Henson took over at quarterback in the second quarter and led Michigan 63 yards on his first drive, ending with a one-yard touchdown run by Anthony Thomas. Late in the second quarter, Thomas fumbled, and Purdue recovered deep in Michigan territory. Michigan's defense held, and Purdue settled for another field goal by Dorsch with 21 seconds remaining in the half. Michigan totaled 272 yards in the first half and led, 21–6, at halftime.
Midway through the second quarter, Purdue scored its only touchdown of the game, as Brees connected with Vinny Sutherland for a 66-yard touchdown. After the long strike by Brees, Michigan's defense shut down Purdue's offense, and Michigan added to its lead with touchdown runs by Thomas and B. J. Askew and a 24-yard field goal by Jeff Del Verne.
The game featured a quarterback matchup between Brees, considered a leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy, and Brady, still fighting to keep his job as Michigan's starting quarterback. Brees completed 20 of 49 passes for 293 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Brady completed 15 of 25 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns. After the game, The Michigan Daily ran a headline, "Drew who? Brady shows up Brees".
David Terrell played on both offense as a wide receiver and on defense as a defensive back. Thomas rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries.
Michigan State
Illinois
On October 23, Michigan lost to Illinois, 35–29, before a crowd of 110,188 at Michigan Stadium. Michigan led, 27–7, late in the third quarter, but Illinois scored 28 unanswered points in the last 18 minutes of the game, including 21 points in the last six-and-a-half minutes. After the game, coach Carr said, "We played as poorly defensively as you can play and suffered the consequences. We're certainly anything but good." Tom Brady completed 23 of 38 passes for 307 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. In assessing the loss, The Michigan Daily found much to blame, including Carr's conservative play-calling, a bad snap by Steve Frazier with 1:48 to play, and "the complete collapse by Michigan's defense."
Indiana
Northwestern
On November 6, Michigan defeated Northwestern, 37–3, before a crowd of 110,794 at Michigan Stadium. Michigan dominated the first half, taking a 27–0 lead at halftime. Tom Brady completed 12 of 23 passes for 185 yards and three touchdowns by David Terrell for 26 yards in the first quarter, Marcus Knight for 45 yards in the second quarter, and Bennie Joppru for 11 yards in the third quarter. Anthony Thomas also rushed for 172 yards on 17 carries and two touchdowns, including a 60-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. On defense, the Wolverines held the Wildcats to 200 yards of total offense. Terrell also had an interception while playing on defense.
Penn State
Ohio State
On November 20, 1999, Michigan defeated Ohio State, 24–17, before a crowd of 111,575 at Michigan Stadium. Prior to the game, Ohio State was unranked with a 6–5 record, and Michigan was ranked No. 10 with an 8–2 record. The Buckeyes took a 7–0 lead in the first quarter on a six-yard touchdown pass from Steve Bellisari to Kevin Houser. Michigan tied the game in the second quarter on a one-yard touchdown run by Anthony Thomas. The Buckeyes then retook the lead on a one-yard touchdown run by Jamar Martin and led, 14–7, at halftime.