1892 Michigan Wolverines football team The 1892 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1892 college football season . The team , with Frank Barbour as head coach , compiled a 7 – 5 record and outscored its opponents by a combined score of 298 to 170 . With 298 points scored , the team held the record for the most points scored in a single season by a Michigan football team until 1901 . Season summary . Pre - season . In April 1892 , representatives of several Western colleges met at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Chicago where they formed the Western College Athletic League to compete in football , baseball and track . The members of the new league were the University of Wisconsin , University of Michigan , Northwestern University , and the University of Minnesota . The Western College Athletic League laid the foundation for what later became the Big Ten Conference . With the new alliance in place , Michigan played several teams that would become its long - time rivals . The 1892 season included Michigan ' s first - ever games against Wisconsin , Minnesota , Northwestern , and Chicago . Before the season began , Michigan hired Frank Barbour of Yale as its new head football coach . Twenty men showed up for practice in mid - September . Barbour spent weeks teaching his players the fundamentals of the game . George Jewett , the first African - American to play football at Michigan , was described as the " phenomenon " of the pre - season practice . After the 1892 season , it was more than 40 years before another African American ( Willis Ward ) played for the Michigan football team in 1933 . Michigan Athletic Association ( Oct . 8 ) . On October 8 , 1892 , Michigan opened its season with a 74 – 0 victory over the Michigan Athletic Association team from Detroit . The game was played in 25 - minute halves at Regents Field in Ann Arbor . Michigan scored 36 points in the first half and 38 points in the second half . While the " Detroit Free Press " described the game as a " poor exhibition " and a " walk - away , " it added : " The home team played a good game and brilliant plays were credited to Dygert , Jewett , Grosch [ sic ] and Griffin . " Michigan ' s starting lineup in the game was Hayes ( right end ) , W . W . Griffin ( right tackle ) , Thomas ( right guard ) , Harding ( center ) , Tupper ( left guard ) , Decke ( left tackle ) , Woodruff ( left end ) , Sanderson ( quarterback ) , Grosh ( left halfback ) , Jewett ( right halfback ) , and Dygert ( fullback ) . at Michigan Athletic Association ( Oct . 12 ) . Four days after the season opener , Michigan traveled to Detroit for a Wednesday night game against the Michigan Athletic Association . Michigan won the rematch , 68 – 0 . Michigan scored seven touchdowns ( four points each ) and five goals ( two points each ) in the first half to take a 38 - 0 lead . The Wolverines added to their lead with five touchdowns , four goals , and a safety in the second half . The " Detroit Free Press " wrote afterward that the Michigan team " seems pretty well equipped this year " and added : " From the looks of some of them in the dressing room they have been tackling locomotives and other tough obstacles around the college town , but , like the veterans in the army , they only seem to relish it all the more when once bruised and broken up . " The Michigan Athletic Association team was trained by Keene Fitzpatrick , who later gained fame as the trainer and track coach at Michigan and Princeton . Michigan ' s starting lineup for the second game was Hayes ( right end ) , W . W . Griffin ( right tackle ) , Thomas ( right guard ) , Harding ( center ) , Tupper ( left guard ) , Decke ( left tackle ) , Woodruff ( left end ) , McAllister ( quarterback ) , Grosh ( left halfback ) , Jewett ( right halfback ) , and Dygert ( fullback ) . Sanderson replaced McAllister at quarterback in the second half . at Wisconsin . On October 15 , 1892 , Michigan began a five - game , 15 - day road trip through Wisconsin , Minnesota , Indiana , and Illinois . The first game was the inaugural meeting between the Wolverines and the Wisconsin Badgers . The Wolverines won the game by a score of 10 – 6 at Madison . George Jewett accounted for six of Michigan ' s points with a long touchdown run and a kick for goal in the first half . He set up Michigan ' s second touchdown ( scored by Frank Decke ) with a long run in the second half but missed the kick for goal . In its account of the game , the " Detroit Free Press " credited Jewett with " some brilliant runs . " Michigan ' s starting lineup against Wisconsin was Woodworth ( right end ) , W . W . Griffin ( right tackle ) , Thomas ( right guard ) , Harding ( center ) , Tupper ( left guard ) , Decke ( left tackle ) , Hayes ( left end ) , Sanderson ( quarterback ) , McAllister ( left halfback ) , Jewett ( right halfback ) , and Dygert ( fullback ) . Ten of Michigan ' s eleven starters played the entire game . Starting center Frank Harding was " knocked insensible " near the end of the first half and was replaced by Frederick Henninger . at Minnesota . Two days after playing Wisconsin , Michigan faced Minnesota in Minneapolis . The game was the first of more than 90 meetings in Michigan ' s oldest football rivalry . Minnesota won the game , 14 – 6 . After the Saturday afternoon game in Madison , the Wolverines arrived in Minneapolis at 8 o ' clock on Sunday morning . The team spent Sunday afternoon with alumni in St . Paul and visited Minnehaha Falls on Monday morning . The game was played on Monday afternoon during a hard rain that made the field wet and muddy . Michigan ' s starting center Frank Harding was unable to play due to the injury he sustained against Wisconsin . The " Detroit Free Press " ' s account of the game reported that Michigan was " badly outclassed at center and could not withstand Minnesota ' s rush . " At the end of a 45 - minute first half , Minnesota led 10 - 0 . Michigan ' s only touchdown came on a long run by George Jewett in the second half . Jewett and Ralph Hayes were also praised for making " great tackles . " Michigan ' s starting lineup against Wisconsin was Woodworth ( right end ) , Griffin ( right tackle ) , Thomas ( right guard ) , Henninger ( center ) , Tupper ( left guard ) , Decke ( left tackle ) , Hayes ( left end ) , McAllister ( quarterback ) , Grosh ( left halfback ) , Jewett ( right halfback ) , and Dygert ( fullback ) . The only substitutions for Michigan were McAllister ( replacing Grosh at left halfback in the first half ) , Sanderson ( replacing McAllister at quarterback ) , and Southworth ( replacing Woodworth at right end in the second half ) . vs . DePauw . After the loss to Minnesota , the Wolverines traveled to Indianapolis for a Saturday game against DePauw . Michigan won by a score of 18 – 0 . According to the " Detroit Free Press " , the Wolverines " did sharp work " for the first 15 minutes of the game , scoring all 18 points in that time . The Wolverines reportedly lost their vigor in the remainder of the game . at Purdue . Two days after playing DePauw , Michigan played Purdue at West Lafayette , Indiana on Monday , October 24 , 1892 . The game was the second meeting between the two schools , Michigan having won the first game in 1890 . In the 1892 match , the Boilermakers defeated the Wolverines by a score of 24 – 0 . The strain of playing multiple games in quick succession showed in the play of the Michigan team . A newspaper account described spate of injuries that eventually led to the game ' s early termination : " Michigan ' s team was crippled at several points as it went on the field . Jewett ' s right ankle was very weak , and McAllister ' s back and neck still used up from the De Pauw game . Harding was hurt almost at the beginning , and was forced to retire before the middle of the half . . . . Jewett was in no condition to play the game , and Freund had to take his place soon after Harding retired . . . . At the opening of the second half McAllister had his leg so strained that he gave his place to Woodworth , Southworth playing end . Soon after Dygert ' s ankle gave way and the game was called , since Michigan had no sixteenth man to enter the game . " After the game , Purdue fans celebrated with " ringing of bells , parades and fireworks . " Michigan ' s starting lineup against Purdue was Powers ( right end ) , W . W . Griffin ( right tackle ) , Thomas ( right guard ) , Harding ( center ) , Tupper ( left guard ) , Decke ( left tackle ) , Woodworth ( left end ) , Sanderson ( quarterback ) , McAllister ( left halfback ) , Jewett ( right halfback ) , and Dygert ( fullback ) . Players appearing in the game solely as substitutes for Michigan were Bird ( right guard ) , Freund ( right halfback ) , and Southworth ( left end ) . vs . Northwestern . Michigan concluded its 15 - day road trip with its first - ever football game against Northwestern . The game was played in Chicago on Saturday , October 29 , 1892 , and Michigan lost , 10 – 8 . The Michigan team arrived in Chicago shortly before 8 p . m . on Friday evening and spent the night at the Tremont Hotel . Early in the game , Michigan ' s left tackle Frank Decke recovered a fumble and returned it for a touchdown . George Jewett ' s kick for goal failed , and Michigan led , 4 – 0 . Northwestern then tied the game when it scored a touchdown but missed the kick for goal . Later in the first half , Northwestern scored another touchdown and kicked its goal for a 10 - 4 lead at halftime . Michigan scored a touchdown in the second half with Jewett leading the attack . Michigan ' s touchdown came on a fluke play when a Northwestern punt from deep in its own territory struck a Michigan rusher and bounced into the endzone . Woodworth fell on the ball for the touchdown . Jewett missed his second kick for goal , a kick that would have tied the game . Despite the missed kicks , the newspapers praised Jewett ' s play . The " Chicago Daily Tribune " noted : " In the second half , Jewett the big colored halfback of Ann Arbor , made a number of brilliant rushes . " The " Detroit Free Press " reported that " Bray , Jewett and Decke carried off the honors for the U . of M . " After the game , a large celebration took place on the Northwestern campus in a square on Davis Street . Students blew tin horns , and a large pile of barrels and boxes were set afire . Members of the football team were carried around the fire before the crowd marched to Woman ' s Hall . The game was played in 20 - minute halves with 1 , 000 spectators in attendance . Craig of Cornell was the referee . Michigan ' s starting lineup against Northwestern was Smith ( right end ) , Bray ( right tackle ) , Thomas ( right guard ) , Spangler ( center ) , Griffin ( left guard ) , Decke ( left tackle ) , Woodworth ( left end ) , McAllister ( quarterback ) , Leonard ( left halfback ) , Jewett ( right halfback ) , and Dygert ( fullback ) . Albion . On November 5 , 1892 , Michigan played only its second game of the year on its home field in Ann Arbor . The Wolverines defeated the team from Albion College by a decisive score of 60 – 8 . The " Detroit Free Press " reported : " The university team played a sprinting game , nearly every touchdown being made after long runs and skillful dodging . " George Jewett , in particular , was credited with playing a " great game . " Jewett set a record by kicking nine consecutive goals after touchdown . The score was evenly divided between the two halves , with Michigan scoring 30 points and Albion four points in each half . at Cornell . Three days after playing Albion , Michigan played a Tuesday afternoon game against Cornell in Ithaca , New York . The Wolverines lost the game , 44 – 0 . The team ' s rigorous travel schedule , likely the toughest ever undertaken by a Michigan team , took a toll . The " Detroit Free Press " reported : " The Michigan eleven was really beaten before entering the game . The men had slept but two or three hours Monday night and were consequently in poor trim for the contest . " vs . Chicago . On November 13 , 1892 , Michigan played its first game against the football team from the University of Chicago . Michigan had originally been scheduled to play Lehigh in Toledo , but the opponent was changed on short notice to Chicago . The game was played on a wet and muddy field in front of a crowd estimated by various accounts at between 700 and 1 , 500 spectators at Toledo ' s Olympic Park . Michigan won the inaugural match by a score of 18 - 10 . Amos Alonzo Stagg was both the coach and starting right halfback for the 1892 Chicago Maroons . Michigan ' s starting lineup against Chicago was Hayes ( right end ) , W . W . Griffin ( right tackle ) , Thomas ( right guard ) , C . T Griffin ( center ) , Henninger ( left guard ) , Decke ( left tackle ) , Woodworth ( left end ) , Sanderson ( quarterback ) , Leonard ( left halfback ) , Jewett ( right halfback ) , and Dygert ( fullback ) . Oberlin . On November 19 , 1892 , Michigan played a close game against an Oberlin College team led by player - coach John Heisman . The outcome of the game was , and remains , disputed . Michigan records the game as a 26 – 24 victory , while Oberlin ' s records disallow the final Michigan touchdown and list the game as a 24 – 22 victory for Oberlin . Oberlin came into the game undefeated under its new coach . Michigan led at halftime , 22 – 18 . With less than two minutes left in the game , Oberlin ' s Carl Savage ran 90 yards to set up the go - ahead touchdown , giving Oberlin a 24 – 22 lead with less than a minute remaining . Before Michigan could begin its drive , an Oberlin player serving as the referee declared that time had expired , and the Oberlin team left the field . The umpire was a Michigan follower , and he ruled that four minutes remained to be played as a result of timeouts called by Oberlin . Following the umpire ' s ruling , Michigan ran for a touchdown with no Oberlin players on the field . Michigan declared it had won the game , 26 – 24 . " The Michigan Daily " and " Detroit Tribune " reported that Michigan had won the game , while " The Oberlin News " and " The Oberlin Review " reported that Oberlin had won . vs . Cornell . Michigan concluded its season with a Thanksgiving Day rematch against Cornell . The game was played in front of 3 , 500 spectators , the largest crowd up to that time at the grounds of the Detroit Athletic Club . Cornell led 20 – 0 at halftime . In the second half , Frank Decke scored Michigan ' s first touchdown , and George Jewett kicked the goal to narrow the lead to 20 – 6 . Jewett ran for a 25 - yard gain on a criss - cross play late in the game , but he was ejected from the game for " slugging " Cornell halfback Witherbee . Charles Rittenger , substituting form Jewett , scored Michigan ' s final touchdown . Cornell won the game by a final score of 30 – 10 . Michigan ' s starting lineup against Cornell was Hayes ( right end ) , W . W . Griffin ( right tackle ) , Henninger ( right guard ) , C . T Griffin ( center ) , Thomas ( left guard ) , Decke ( left tackle ) , Woodworth ( left end ) , Sanderson ( quarterback ) , Grosh ( left halfback ) , Jewett ( right halfback ) , and Dygert ( fullback ) . Players appearing in the game as substitutes for Michigan included Freund and Rittenger . The referee was N . G . Williams , Jr . Growing interest among students and alumni . In January 1893 , an article by Ralph Stone ( 1868 - 1956 ) , who later served as a Regent of the University of Michigan , appeared in " The Inlander " . Stone expressed hope that the development of a rivalry with the University of Chicago might help overcome the " woeful " lack of loyalty to " alma mater " manifested in the university ' s alumni . He wrote : " The apparent lack of patriotism among our alumni is largely due to the fact that while in college there was little or no incentive to college spirit , so - called , growing out of contests with other colleges . Michigan has always been without a near - at - hand rival . Therefore , her alumni were born , brought up , and graduated into the world without much of an opportunity to yell , fight and bet upon her college base - ball team , foot - ball team , or crew . Perhaps the University of Chicago , under the leadership of Stagg , may alter matters in this respect in the near future . . . . The athletic competition which is now awakening will rouse a more active display of their latent enthusiasm , and it will do it without sacrificing the real and more serious purpose of the University . While we deplore the excessive attention now paid at times to athletics , we cannot deny that athletic prestige does much to help a university in more substantial ways . " Players . Starting lineup . The following players were listed as members of Michigan ' s 1892 football team in " The Palladium , " the University of Michigan yearbook for the 1892 - 1893 academic year .