The 2013 Michigan Wolverines football team, also known as Team 134 in reference to the 134th year of the Michigan football program, represented the University of Michigan in the sport of college football during the 2013 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wolverines played in the Legends Division of the Big Ten Conference and played their home games at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The team was led by head coach Brady Hoke, who was in his third season.
Michigan began the year with five consecutive victories, including a 41–30 victory over rival Notre Dame in just the second night game in Michigan Stadium history. The game set the all-time record for largest crowd attending an American football game at 115,109. However, in their sixth game, the Wolverines were upset on the road by unranked Penn State in four overtimes. Michigan went on to lose five of their final six games, eventually dropping out of the AP poll, ending with a loss to Kansas State in the 2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl. The season ended with a record of 7–6 overall, 3–5 in conference play.
The Wolverines were led on offense by quarterback Devin Gardner, who led the team with 2,960 passing yards and 32 total touchdowns (22 passing and 11 rushing). Wide receiver Jeremy Gallon finished second in the Big Ten with 1,373 receiving yards.
Preseason The 2012 team compiled an 8–5 record under second-year head coach Brady Hoke and faced South Carolina in the Outback Bowl, losing 33–28 on a last-minute touchdown. Michigan lost four games to teams that were ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll.
On March 20, the team announced that returning starting linebacker Jake Ryan suffered a torn ACL and was listed as out indefinitely. On April 1, the team announced that backup quarterback Russell Bellomy had also suffered a torn ACL and would be out indefinitely. On May 7, the team announced that punter Will Hagerup had been reinstated to the team following a suspension for a violation of team rules, but would sit out the season. On August 21, the team announced that wide receiver Amara Darboh would miss the season with a foot injury.
Michigan returns 13 out of 22 starters — six on offense and seven on defense. Michigan will be forced to replace captains quarterback Denard Robinson and safety Jordan Kovacs, as well as starters defensive end Craig Roh, linebacker Kenny Demens, defensive tackle Will Campbell, cornerback J.T. Floyd, center Elliott Mealer, offensive guards Patrick Omameh and Ricky Barnum, tight end Mike Kwiatkowski, and wide receiver Roy Roundtree. Back-up running back Vincent Smith also departed due to graduation. Taylor Lewan, however, decided to return for his senior season.
Recruiting
Recruits Michigan's recruiting class was ranked No. 2 by Scout, No. 5 by Rivals, and No. 6 by ESPN. The program received 27 letters of intent on National Signing Day, February 6, 2013.
Schedule
‡ New Michigan Stadium attendance record, former NCAA attendance record (September 7, 2013 – September 10, 2016)
Rankings Michigan began the season ranked No. 17 in both the AP and Coaches' Polls, and remained there following its week one victory over Central Michigan. Michigan rose to No. 11 in the AP Poll and No. 12 in the Coaches' Poll after its victory over Notre Dame, but fell to No. 15 in the AP Poll and No. 14 in the Coaches' Poll following its narrow victory over Akron, and then fell again to No. 18 in the AP Poll and No. 17 in the Coaches' Poll following its narrow victory over Connecticut.
*Source: ESPN.com: 2013 NCAA Football Rankings
Game summaries Vs. Central Michigan
Sources:
To open the season, Michigan faced the Central Michigan Chippewas. This was the first meeting since 2006, when the game incurred a lightning delay, which was Michigan Stadium's first ever weather delay. Michigan won that game 41–17. Starting safety Thomas Gordon was suspended for the game for a violation of team rules.
Michigan dominated the game, winning 59–9. Michigan opened the scoring in the first quarter when Joe Reynolds returned a blocked punt 30 yards for a touchdown, but Central Michigan responded with a 23-yard field goal from Ron Coluzzi. Michigan ended the scoring in the first quarter with a Devin Gardner 22-yard touchdown run, making the score 14–3. Michigan outscored Central Michigan 21–3 in the second quarter. Fitzgerald Toussaint rushed one-yard for a touchdown before Coluzzi added another field goal for Central Michigan, this time from a distance of 27 yards. Michigan ended the scoring in the first half with a 21-yard touchdown pass from Gardner to Jeremy Gallon and a four-yard touchdown run from Gardner, making the score 35–6 at halftime. Michigan outscored Central Michigan 21–0 in the third quarter via a two-yard touchdown run from Toussaint, a one-yard run from Derrick Green, and a five-yard touchdown run from Thomas Rawls, which made the score 56–6. The teams traded field goals in the fourth quarter, a 33-yard one from Coluzzi for Central Michigan and a 30-yard one from Brendan Gibbons for Michigan to end the scoring.
Michigan's 59 points were the most scored by a Michigan football team in its season opener since 1905—when Michigan defeated Ohio Wesleyan 65–0—and were also the most points scored against a team since Michigan defeated Massachusetts 63–13 in 2012. The blocked punt returned for a touchdown in the first quarter was Michigan's first blocked punt returned for a touchdown since 2009, when Brandon Graham returned one against Delaware State. Michigan's defense recorded four sacks, which matched the previous season's high against Ohio State. 27 freshman made their debuts for Michigan during the game. Backup running back Drake Johnson suffered a torn ACL during the game and will miss the remainder of the season.
Vs. Notre Dame
Sources:
Following its game against Central, Michigan hosted the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Notre Dame won the previous meeting 13–6. Billed as "Under the Lights II", this was the second night game in Michigan Stadium's history; the previous game also featured Notre Dame. Tom Harmon was honored as a Michigan Football Legend, and his #98 jersey was unretired and given to quarterback Devin Gardner.
Michigan won the game, 41–30. Michigan opened the scoring in the first quarter with a 44-yard field goal from Brendan Gibbons and added a 61-yard touchdown pass from Devin Gardner to Jeremy Gallon to expand its lead to 10–0. Notre Dame answered with a seven-yard touchdown pass from Tommy Rees to T. J. Jones, making the score at the end of the first quarter 10–7 in favor of Michigan. Notre Dame tied the game in the second quarter with a 44-yard field goal from Kyle Brindza, but Michinga regained the via a two-yard touchdown run from Devin Gardner. After Notre Dame cut Michigan's lead to four via a 24-yard field goal from Brindza, Michigan scored ten unanswered points to end the half—a Gibbons 38-yard field goal and a 12-yard touchdown pass from Gardner to Gallon—making the score 27–13 at halftime. Notre Dame reduced Michigan's lead to seven points in the third quarter on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Rees to Troy Niklas, but Michigan regained its 14-point advantage with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Gardner to Gallon. Notre Dame scored the first ten points of the fourth quarter via a Stephon Tuitt interception in the Michigan endzone for a touchdown and a Brindza 40-yard field goal, making the score 34–30 in favor of Michigan. Michigan, however, would score the final points of the game on a four-yard touchdown pass from Gardner to Drew Dileo.
The game's announced attendance was 115,109, making it the largest crowd ever to watch an American football game (college or NFL). Gardner accounted for 376 yards of Michigan's offense, the ninth highest single-game performance by a Michigan player. The only two Michigan players to contribute more total yards in a single game are Denard Robinson and John Navarre. Wide receiver Jeremy Gallon caught eight passes for 184 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for 14 yards. Gallon's 184 receiving yards against Notre Dame is tied for the sixth highest single-game performance in Michigan history. On defense, cornerback Blake Countess had two interceptions for Michigan, the first two of his career, and became the first Michigan player to have two interceptions in a game since James Rogers against Purdue in 2010. Raymon Taylor recorded a career-high eleven tackles in the game. The win was Michigan's 400th victory at Michigan Stadium and improved its record against Notre Dame to 24–16–1. Gibbons' first-quarter field goal—his 15th straight made field goal attempt—broke the Michigan record for most consecutive field goals made. Remy Hamilton previously held the record. Stephen M. Ross, who donated $200 million to the University of Michigan earlier in the week, was named an honorary captain for the game. In recognition of his performance in the game, Gallon was named the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the Week. Gardner was named Davey O'Brien Quarterback of the Week and one of eight Manning Award Stars of the Week for his 5 touchdown performance, which included a record-tying 4 passing touchdowns.
References to chickens were a widely reported side story to the game. After Notre Dame announced one year earlier that it would terminate the rivalry after the 2014 season, Michigan head coach Brady Hoke said Notre Dame was "chickening out" of the rivalry. When ESPN commentator Lee Corso made his pick for the game during the College GameDay show (which was in Ann Arbor for the game), he brought out several live chickens while picking Notre Dame to win the game, and fans in the background carried signs with poultry references, including "Cluck of the Irish." At the end Michigan's 41–30 victory, in what Chantel Jennings of ESPN.com called the "Dig of the Day", the speakers at Michigan Stadium loudly played the "Chicken Dance" as Michigan fans "danced in the stands."
Vs. Akron
Sources:
Following the game against Notre Dame, Michigan hosted the Akron Zips. This was the first meeting between the two teams.
Michigan avoided a massive upset with a goal line stand at the end of the game, ensuring a 28–24 victory. Michigan opened the scoring in the first quarter with a 48-yard touchdown pass from Devin Gardner to Devin Funchess, but Akron responded with a 45-yard field goal from Robert Stein. Following a scoreless second quarter, Michigan led 7–3 at halftime. Akron opened the scoring in the third quarter with a 28-yard touchdown from Kyle Pohl to Zach D'Orazio, but Michigan responded with two touchdowns of its own—a Gardner 36-yard run and a 33-yard pass from Gardner to Jehu Chesson—giving Michigan a 21–10 lead. Akron responded with 14 points of its own—a Justin March 27-yard interception return for a touchdown and a one-yard touchdown pass from Pohl to Tyrell Goodman—to take a 24–21 lead. Michigan regained the lead and ended the scoring with a two-yard touchdown run from Fitzgerald Toussaint.
Gardner recorded 103 rushing yards, which set a new career high. Brendan Gibbons missed a 45-yard field goal in the second quarter, which ended his streak of 16 consecutive made field goals. Blake Countess recorded his second straight game with an interception, while Jarrod Wilson recorded his first career interception. Akron became the 145th school to play Michigan in a football game, with Michigan's record improving to 116–25–4 in games when facing a new opponent.
At UConn
Sources:
Following its near-upset from Akron, Michigan traveled to East Hartford to face the Connecticut (UConn) Huskies. In the previous meeting in 2010—the rededication of Michigan Stadium—Michigan defeated Connecticut 30–10.