The 2011 Michigan Wolverines football team, also known as Team 132 in reference to the 132nd year of the Michigan football program,(Hoke: "Team 132 will be the fifth team in (modern) Michigan history to have 11 wins.") represented the University of Michigan in the sport of college football during the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season.

Under first-year head coach Brady Hoke, Michigan compiled a record of 11–2 and finished in second place in the newly formed Legends Division of the Big Ten Conference. Hoke, hired in January 2011 following the firing of previous head coach Rich Rodriguez, was named Big Ten Coach of the Year by both the media and the coaches and was a finalist for national coach of the year honors. Highlights of Michigan's 2011 season included a 35–31 victory over Notre Dame in the first night game ever played at Michigan Stadium, a 45–17 victory over Nebraska in the Cornhuskers' first year in the Big Ten, and the first victory over arch-rival Ohio State since 2003. Michigan's season ended with a 23–20 overtime victory against Virginia Tech in the 2012 Sugar Bowl.

Under first-year defensive coordinator Greg Mattison, Michigan's defense went from being ranked 107th in scoring defense in 2010 (35.2 points per game) to being ranked sixth (17.38 points per game) in 2011. The team's leaders on defense included senior nose tackle Mike Martin, who started 29 consecutive games for Michigan, and safety Jordan Kovacs, who was a quarterfinalist for the Lott Trophy and a semifinalist for the Burlsworth Trophy. Mattison was selected as one of five finalists for the 2011 Broyles Award, awarded to the best assistant coach in college football.

On offense, Michigan had two players, Denard Robinson and Fitzgerald Toussaint, rush for 1,000 yards each for the first time since 1975. Robinson led the Big Ten in total offense per game for the second year in a row and also led the Wolverines in scoring with 96 points. Place-kicker Brendan Gibbons was the team's second leading scorer with 93 points having converted 13 of 17 field goal attempts and 54 of 55 extra points. Senior David Molk won the Rimington Trophy as the best center in college football and also became Michigan's first consensus All-American since 2007. Junior Hemingway was the team's leading receiver with 699 receiving yards and led the conference in yards per reception (20.6) for the second year in a row.

Preseason In 2010, Michigan became bowl eligible for the first time since 2007 and faced the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the Gator Bowl, which Michigan lost 52–14. The 2010 Wolverines finished the season ranked eighth nationally in total offense with quarterback Denard Robinson setting several individual records. However, the defensive unit finished 110th in total defense.

On January 4, 2011, after Michigan's loss in the Gator Bowl, and following a 15–22 record in three seasons under head coach Rich Rodriguez, athletic director Dave Brandon announced that Rodriguez had been fired and a national search was underway to select a new head coach. Brady Hoke was hired as Michigan's new head coach on January 11. Hoke's hiring triggered speculation that Denard Robinson would transfer, as it was believed that Hoke would run a pro-style offense with Michigan's new offensive coordinator Al Borges, but Robinson announced one day after Hoke's hiring that he would return to Michigan for the 2011 season. On defense, Michigan hired defensive coordinator Greg Mattison from the Baltimore Ravens. Mattison had previously been the defensive coordinator for Michigan's 1995 and 1996 teams. Following Hoke's hiring, the team was dubbed "Team 132" in recognition of the 132 seasons of Michigan football.

During the first eight months of 2011, seven Michigan players announced plans to transfer to other schools. The first to go was backup quarterback Tate Forcier who announced on January 22 that he was leaving the team, having previously been declared academically ineligible for the Gator Bowl. The other departures were (1) starting safety Ray Vinopal, who cited personal reasons for transferring to Pittsburgh, (2) cornerback Cullen Christian who also transferred to Pittsburgh, (3) wide receiver D.J. Williamson, (4) incoming offensive guard Tony Posada, (5) wide receiver Je'Ron Stokes who transferred to Bowling Green, and (6) incoming tight end Chris Barnett.

On August 7, 2011, Hoke announced that wide receiver Darryl Stonum (the team's second leading receiver in 2010) was suspended and would be redshirted due to drunken driving related violations. Additionally, due to an unspecified team rules violations, punter Will Hagerup (who had been suspended for one game in 2010) was suspended for the first four games, while wide receiver Terrence Robinson was suspended for the first game.

On August 28, 2011, the team named tight end Kevin Koger, defensive tackle Mike Martin, and center David Molk as its co-captains for the 2011 season. Michigan returned 17 of 22 starters from the 2010 team — ten on offense and seven on defense. In addition to Vinopal, Michigan was forced to replace starters offensive guard Stephen Schilling, linebacker Jonas Mouton, cornerback James Rogers, and defensive Greg Banks, as well as back-up linebacker Obi Ezeh, who was a former starter for the Wolverines. Other 2010 Wolverines in NFL training camps included Martell Webb and Perry Dorrestein. A total of 26 former Wolverine student-athletes were on opening day 53-man NFL active rosters.

Six Michigan players were listed on preseason watch lists: (1) Denard Robinson for the Walter Camp Award (best college player), Maxwell Award (best offensive player), and Davey O'Brien Award (best quarterback), Paul Hornung Award (most versatile player), and Manning Award (best quarterback), (2) Mike Martin for the Bednarik Trophy (best defensive player), Outland Trophy (best interior lineman), and Lombardi Award (best lineman), (3) David Molk for the Outland Trophy, Lombardi Award, and Rimington Trophy (best center), (4) Kevin Koger for the John Mackey Award (best tight end), (5) Roy Roundtree for the Fred Biletnikoff Award (best wide receiver), and (6) Ryan Van Bergen for the Ted Hendricks Award (best defensive end).

Recruiting

Recruits Michigan's recruiting class was ranked No. 27 by Scout and No. 21 by Rivals. It was not ranked by ESPN. The program received 20 letters of intent on National Signing Day, February 2, 2011.

Schedule

Rankings

Michigan began the season unranked in the Top 25 of both the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll, but by midseason had risen to #10 in the Coaches' Poll and #11 in the AP Poll. After its loss to Michigan State, Michigan fell to #17 in the Coaches' Poll and #18 in the AP Poll. Michigan rose to #13 in the AP and Coaches' Polls and #15 in the BCS Poll before its game against Iowa, falling after the loss to #22 in the AP Poll, #21 in the Coaches' Poll, and #24 in the BCS Poll. Michigan finished the regular season ranked #12 in the Coaches' Poll, and #13 in the AP and BCS Polls. Following its win over Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl, Michigan ended the season ranked #9 in the Coaches' Poll and #12 in the AP Poll.

*Source: ESPN.com: 2011 NCAA Football Rankings

Game summaries Vs. Western Michigan

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In the opening game of the season, Michigan hosted the Western Michigan Broncos. When the teams last met in 2009, the Wolverines won 31–7.

In a game shortened by lightning, Michigan defeated Western Michigan 34–10. Western Michigan scored the only points of the first quarter with a one-yard touchdown run by Antoin Scriven. Michigan answered with three consecutive touchdowns in the second quarter: a one-yard run by Fitzgerald Toussaint, a 94-yard interception return by Brandon Herron (the longest interception return for a touchdown in Michigan program history), and a two-yard touchdown run by Toussaint. Following Michigan's third touchdown, the extra point attempt was blocked. The Broncos scored their final points of the game on a 36-yard field goal by John Potter just before halftime. In the third quarter, Herron returned a fumble 29 yards for a touchdown, and Michael Shaw scored on a 44-yard touchdown run (the longest touchdown run of his career). After two rain delays in the third quarter, the game was stopped due to lightning in the area and Michigan was awarded the win. The temperature on the field at kickoff was over , and by the end of the game it had dropped to , a difference of . This was the first Michigan football game to be ended due to weather before all 60 minutes were played and the second game in Michigan Stadium history that featured a weather delay (the first coming in a 2006 game against Central Michigan).

Jordan Kovacs and Brandon Herron led the defense. Kovacks forced the fumble that was returned for a touchdown, had two quarterback sacks and ten tackles, and was named the Lott Trophy's IMPACT Player of the Week. Herron became the first Michigan player to post two defensive touchdowns and the first since Tom Harmon to have two return touchdowns of any kind in a game. In recognition of his efforts, Herron was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week, National Defensive Performer of Week 1 and National Linebacker Performer of the Week by College Football Performance Awards (CFPA), and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week by College Sports Madness. He was also nominated for Defensive Performance of the Year by Intersport.

The NCAA originally determined that it would not count player and team statistics for the game, because three quarters had not been completed. At the end of November 2011, the NCAA reversed the decision and determined that statistics from the game would be counted.

Vs. Notre Dame

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Following its opener against Western Michigan, Michigan renewed its rivalry with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. In the first night game in Michigan Stadium history, both teams wore "throwback-style" jerseys. Michigan's jerseys did not entirely match any worn in team history; however, they incorporated "design elements from different eras of Michigan football." During the previous meeting, Denard Robinson set a school record for total yardage in a single game at 502 yards, as Michigan defeated Notre Dame 28–24 in a wild affair. Due to the significance of the game, ESPN announced on August 5 that College GameDay would be held in Ann Arbor for the first time since November 17, 2007, when Michigan hosted Ohio State, which was Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr's final regular season game before he retired. At the game, 1991 Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard was honored in recognition of his recent induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. A 1991 consensus All-American, Howard became the first receiver in history to lead the Big Ten Conference in scoring, and he set or tied five NCAA records and 12 single-season Michigan records during his senior year. Charles Woodson was also honored. A C-47 conducted the pre-game flyover and two parachuters from the 101st Airborne Division entered the stadium at halftime.