Season Review: 2022 Michigan Football
No. 3 Ranking • CFP Semifinalist • B1G Champions
Chad Shepard, Joey Johns
The 2022 Wolverines won 13 games for the first time ever, capping the winningest two-year stretch of University of Michigan Football (25-3) in history. U-M finished No. 3 in the final CFP rankings and in the final AP/Coaches polls. The team became the second Big Ten team to go undefeated and win 10 Big Ten games since the conference title game was introduced in 2011.
The season included U-M's first back-to-back Big Ten championships since 2003-04 and the team's first victory in Columbus at Ohio Stadium since 2000 with an in-season sweep over rivals Michigan State, Penn State, and Ohio State.
Michigan dominated the non-conference schedule with a cumulative scoring average of 166-17. The team then proceeded to defeat its first seven Big Ten opponents by an average of 21.8 points, including wins over the Spartans and Nittany Lions.
A last-second, game-winning field goal lifted the Wolverines over Illinois on Senior Day before the team made history with a beatdown of the Buckeyes, giving U-M back-to-back wins in the rivalry for the first time since 1999-2000.
Michigan captured its conference-leading 44th Big Ten championship with a 43-22 win over Purdue at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Running back Donovan Edwards (186 rushing yards, one touchdown) was named the game's Grange-Griffin Most Valuable Player as U-M became back-to-back Big Ten champs for the first time since 2003-04.
The Wolverines reached College Football's biggest stage for the second year in a row, playing in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona. U-M's finish marked the third time in program history with back-to-back seasons ending in a top-three ranking (1940-41; 1947-48).
JOE MOORE REPEAT
The first-ever team to win in back-to-back years, U-M averaged 238.9 rushing yards per game (No. 5, NCAA) with 41 rushing touchdowns (No. 2, NCAA) while all five starters collected All-Big Ten honors under Sanford Robertson Co-Offensive Coordinator/Donald C. Graham Football Offensive Line Coach Sherrone Moore.
CORUM'S AWARDS
Running Back Blake Corum was named the Chicago Tribune's Big Ten Silver Football Award Winner as the league's MVP as voted by the coaches, finished 7th in the Heisman Trophy balloting, and was named a finalist for the Doak Walker Award after he ran for more yards (1,463) than any U-M back since Mike Hart and scored 19 touchdowns.
OLUWATIMI HONORED
Offensive linemen often do not receive much credit for team success, but center Olusegun Oluwatimi was recognized as the 2022 winner of the Rimington Trophy and the program's first-ever Outland Trophy winner after being charged with zero sacks while supporting the Big Ten's best run game.
MOODY MAKES HISTORY
Two-time Lou Groza Award Finalist Kicker Jake Moody finished his career with program records for the most: points scored in a career (355), points in a single season (147), career field goals (69), single-season field goals (29), single-game field goals (6) and points (19), 40-plus yard field goals in a career (17) and a single season (10), PATs made in a season (60), longest field goal in program history (59 yards), tied-most 50-plus yard field goals (4), and tied-best career PAT percentage (100).
COACHES RECOGNIZED
J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head Football Coach Jim Harbaugh was named the Big Ten's Coach of the Year by the media and his peers, as well as the AFCA Region 3 Coach of the Year. The Wolverines had 15 players earn first or second-team All-Big Ten honors including seven first-teamers and matched a program record with 60 Academic All-Big Ten honorees in 2022. Matthew Lester Family Defensive Coordinator Jesse Minter was also recognized in the award circuit as a finalist for the Broyles Award, honoring the nation's top assistant coach.
Photos by Michigan Photography. To purchase, visit the Michigan Photo Store at MGoBlue.com/photostore.