2021 Michigan Wolverines football team

2021 Michigan Wolverines football
Big Ten champion
Big Ten East Division co-champion
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
DivisionEast Division
Ranking
CoachesNo. 3
APNo. 3
Record12–2 (8–1 Big Ten)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorJosh Gattis (3rd season)
Co-offensive coordinatorSherrone Moore (1st season)
Offensive schemePro spread
Defensive coordinatorMike Macdonald (1st season)
MVPAidan Hutchinson
Captains
Home stadiumMichigan Stadium
Uniform
Seasons
← 2020
2022 →
2021 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
No. 3 Michigan xy$^   8 1     12 2  
No. 6 Ohio State x   8 1     11 2  
No. 9 Michigan State   7 2     11 2  
Penn State   4 5     7 6  
Maryland   3 6     7 6  
Rutgers   2 7     5 8  
Indiana   0 9     2 10  
West Division
No. 23 Iowa xy   7 2     10 4  
Minnesota   6 3     9 4  
Wisconsin   6 3     9 4  
Purdue   6 3     9 4  
Illinois   4 5     5 7  
Nebraska   1 8     3 9  
Northwestern   1 8     3 9  
Championship: Michigan 42, Iowa 3
  • ^ – College Football Playoff participant
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2021 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan as a member of the East Division of the Big Ten Conference during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. In their seventh year under head coach Jim Harbaugh, the team compiled a 12–2 record (8–1 against conference opponents), won the Big Ten championship, outscored opponents by a total of 501 to 243, and was ranked No. 3 in the final AP and Coaches Polls. The Wolverines advanced to the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history, losing to eventual national champion Georgia in the Orange Bowl.

After starting the season unranked, Michigan won its first seven games, including victories on the road against Wisconsin and Nebraska. On October 30, Michigan (ranked No. 6) lost to Michigan State (ranked No. 8). The Wolverines rebounded with five consecutive wins, including a 42–27 victory over No. 2 Ohio State – Michigan's first victory over its rival since 2011. The Wolverines advanced to the Big Ten Football Championship Game, defeating Iowa, 42–3. It was Michigan's first conference championship since 2004 and its first outright title since 2003.

The team's statistical leaders included Cade McNamara with 2,576 passing yards, Hassan Haskins with 1,327 rushing yards, Cornelius Johnson with 627 receiving yards, Jake Moody with 125 points scored, Josh Ross with 106 total tackles, and Aidan Hutchinson with 14 quarterback sacks.

Aidan Hutchinson won the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award, was a unanimous first-team All-American, and finished second in the voting for the Heisman Trophy. Jake Moody was also a consensus first-team All-American and the recipient of the Lou Groza Award as the nation's top kicker. Harbaugh won the Associated Press College Football Coach of the Year Award, and offensive coordinator Josh Gattis won the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach. The Wolverines' offensive line won the Joe Moore Award. Six Michigan players received first-team honors on the All-Big Ten football team: Hutchinson, Moody, Haskins, David Ojabo, Daxton Hill, and Andrew Stueber.


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