Michigan: National Champion to Losing Record in Big 10

 

Is history repeating itself for Michigan football?

Michigan football has had a storied history, with peaks of national championship glory followed by periods of struggle. The program's journey from winning national titles to enduring losing seasons in the Big Ten can be traced through various ups and downs.

### **National Championships**

Michigan football has won multiple national championships, with some of the most notable years being:

- **1948**: Michigan won the national title under head coach Fritz Crisler, finishing with a perfect 11-0 record.

- **1951**: Another national championship under Crisler.

- **1997**: Perhaps the most famous, Michigan shared the national title with Nebraska, winning the Rose Bowl to finish 12-0 under coach Lloyd Carr.

### **Struggles and Decline**

Despite this history of success, there have been periods where Michigan struggled, especially in conference play:

- In the early 2000s, after the 1997 championship, Michigan’s performance was inconsistent. Although they had solid regular-season records, they often fell short of conference titles or national prominence, particularly after the departure of coach Lloyd Carr in 2007.

- **Post-Carr Era**: The late 2000s to the early 2010s saw Michigan struggling with coaching changes. Rich Rodriguez (2008-2010) and Brady Hoke (2011-2014) both faced challenges in rebuilding the program, with Michigan experiencing a number of subpar seasons, including finishing with losing records in the Big Ten.

  

   Under Brady Hoke, Michigan even had a 5-7 record in 2014, missing bowl eligibility entirely, which led to the hiring of Jim Harbaugh, a former Michigan quarterback and highly regarded coach.

### **Jim Harbaugh's Era**

When Jim Harbaugh took over in 2015, Michigan showed immediate improvement, but it wasn’t until the later years that the team began to consistently contend for Big Ten championships and return to national relevance. Harbaugh’s teams, while competitive, often fell short against top rivals like Ohio State, keeping them out of the national title picture for a while. However, in 2021, Harbaugh’s Wolverines finally broke through, winning the Big Ten Championship and securing a spot in the College Football Playoff, signaling a return to prominence.

### **Conclusion**

Michigan football’s journey from national champions to struggling with losing records in the Big Ten trend will continue if the odds-on favorite Buckeyes win at noon Saturday,