| 1896 Michigan Wolverines football | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Conference | Western Conference |
| Record | 9–1 (2–1 Western) |
| Head coach |
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| Captain | Henry M. Senter |
| Home stadium | Regents Field |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin $ | 2 | – | 0 | – | 1 | 7 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan | 2 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 2 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 6 | – | 1 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chicago | 3 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 15 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 1 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois | 0 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 4 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue | 0 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 4 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1896 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1896 Western Conference football season. In its first and only season under head coach William Ward, the team compiled a 9–1 record (2–1 against conference opponents), tied for second place in the Western Conference, and outscored opponents by a total of 262 to 11.[1][2]
The team started the season with nine consecutive wins in which the Wolverines shut out eight opponents and outscored their opponents by a total of 256 to 4. In the final game of the season, played on Thanksgiving Day at the Chicago Coliseum, the team lost a close game to Amos Alonzo Stagg's Chicago Maroons by a score of 7–6. The 1896 Chicago–Michigan rivalry game was the first college football game played indoors, and the last portion of the game was also played under electric lights.
End Henry M. Senter was the team captain. Halfback Gustave Ferbert was the team's leading scorer with 56 points on six touchdowns (four points each) and 16 kicks for goal from touchdown (two points each). Tackle Frederick "Pa" Henninger led the team in touchdowns with nine. Tackle Frank Villa and halfback Hazen Pingree Jr. (whose father Hazen S. Pingree was elected Governor of Michigan during the football season) scored seven touchdowns each.
- ^ "1896 Football Team". University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
- ^ "1896 Michigan Wolverines Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 8, 2018.