1980 Michigan Wolverines football team

1980 Michigan Wolverines football
Big Ten champion
Rose Bowl champion
Rose Bowl, W 23–6 vs. Washington
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 4
APNo. 4
Record10–2 (8–0 Big Ten)
Head coach
Defensive coordinatorBill McCartney
MVPAnthony Carter
Captains
Home stadiumMichigan Stadium
(Capacity: 101,701)
Seasons
← 1979
1981 →
1980 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 4 Michigan $ 8 0 0 10 2 0
No. 15 Ohio State 7 1 0 9 3 0
No. 17 Purdue 7 1 0 9 3 0
Iowa 4 4 0 4 7 0
Minnesota 4 5 0 5 6 0
Indiana 3 5 0 6 5 0
Wisconsin 3 5 0 4 7 0
Illinois 3 5 0 3 7 1
Michigan State 2 6 0 3 8 0
Northwestern 0 9 0 0 11 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1980 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1980 Big Ten Conference football season. In their 12th season under head coach Bo Schembechler, the Wolverines compiled a 10–2 record (8–0 against conference opponents), won the Big Ten Conference championship, defeated Washington in the 1981 Rose Bowl, and outscored all opponents by a total of 322 to 129.[1][2] The Rose Bowl victory was Schembechler's first in a bowl game, following seven bowl games losses. After falling out of the rankings for four weeks, the 1980 Wolverines ended up being ranked No. 4 in both the AP and UPI polls.[3]

After starting the season 1–2 with losses to Notre Dame (on a last-second field goal) and South Carolina (featuring Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers), the defense gathered strength, scored three consecutive shutouts, and did not allow a touchdown in the final 22 quarters of the season. The defense was led by linebacker and co-captain Andy Cannavino and defensive linemen Mike Trgovac and Mel Owens.

The team's statistical leaders included quarterback John Wangler with 1,522 passing yards, running back Butch Woolfolk with 1,042 rushing yards, and wide receiver and All-Americans Anthony Carter with 818 receiving yards and 84 points scored.[1]

Two Michigan players (Anthony Carter and center George Lilja) received first-team honors on the 1980 All-America college football team, and nine, including all five interior offensive linemen (Lilja, Ed Muransky, Bubba Paris, Kurt Becker, and John Powers), received first-team honors on the 1980 All-Big Ten Conference football team.

  1. ^ a b "1980 Michigan Wolverines Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  2. ^ "1980 Football Team". Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  3. ^ "1980 Michigan Wolverines Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 9, 2020.