Michigan And Washington’s Surprising Big-Game History

The Washington Huskies football team has long been a Division I program, but are only in their second year as a Big Ten club. They recently transferred over from the Pacific-12, where they resided for more than 100 years. Washington's 422 conference victories rank second in PAC-12's history, and the school's all-time record ranks 22nd by win percentage, but now they call the Big Ten home.

The Michigan Wolverines, meanwhile, are practically synonymous with Big Ten football. They have the most all-time wins in college football history and is known for their multiple conference rivalries. The Huskies feel like something of a rival for the Wolverines, despite just recently joining the Big Ten, thanks to the number of big games these teams have played. Now let's take a look at some of those nail-biting contests.

Michigan won the early meetings between these two teams in the 1950s and 1960s. The Wolverines had five straight victories, including a 50-0 shutout in the first matchup, back in 1953. For a while, the teams didn't meet up until the 1978 Rose Bowl. This game marked the beginning of these teams frequently playing on college football's biggest stages.

Michigan was ranked ninth in the final AP Poll that year, led by quarterback Rick Leach. Washington was ranked 10th and lost three of their first four games of the season. However, the Huskies had legendary coach Don James and quarterback Warren Moon going for them. The Huskies came out strong and led 24-0. The Wolverines had a good push for the comeback, but fell short and lost 27-20. Moon earned Most Valuable Player honors for the game, and Michigan's national title hopes were gone.

Just three years later, in the 1981 Rose Bowl, Michigan and Washington met up again. This time around, the Wolverines were ready to take control. Michigan was ranked fourth, and ended up defeating the 16th-ranked Huskies 23-6. The Wolverines were able to get revenge for their previous Rose Bowl loss, and it finished off a dominant season. This game wasn't as dramatic as the 1978 game, but the victory confirmed that the Huskies and Wolverines were ready to exchange punches in the big games.

This back-and-forth between these two programs continued into the 1990s, where they met up in two more Rose Bowls. In the 1992 Rose Bowl, Washington was undefeated and ranked second. The Huskies got a statement win and beat the sixth-ranked Wolverines 34-14. The win was led by two All-American players in defensive tackle Steve Emtman and quarterback Billy Joe Hobert. Washington led from start to finish, and it put the program up there with some of the nation's best teams.

Of course, Michigan would bounce back and get their revenge in the 1993 Rose Bowl. The Wolverines were ranked fifth, and the Huskies were ranked 11th. The game was very high-scoring, and Michigan running back Tyrone Wheatley had three touchdowns. The Wolverines won 38-31, finished their season with a tie for the Big Ten title, and received a top-10 ranking. These meetups slowly turned into an unexpected, big-game rivalry.

After the 1993 Rose Bowl, the teams would not meet in a major bowl game for decades. However, there were some regular season games that led to some drama. In a thrilling 1983 matchup, Washington edged out Michigan 25-24. That game came down to the final minute, and the Huskies got a game-winning touchdown drive and a two-point conversion. It was one of the best non-conference wins for the Huskies. Then in 2002, the Wolverines kicked a 44-yard field goal and won 31-29.

The most epic game happened in 2024, and that was for the College Football Playoff National Championship. Both teams were undefeated, Michigan was ranked first, and Washington was ranked second. This was definitely the most pressure-filled game between these two programs. Surprisingly, the game wasn't too close and Michigan won 34-13. The Wolverines season was defined by dominance, and it was their first national title in a long time. For Washington, the magic ran out, and it was also their final game as a PAC-12 member before officially becoming conference foes with Michigan.

Now, the Wolverines and Huskies can build on their history by playing each other on a regular basis. This move will create even more high-stakes games, and the teams will have a chance to produce more memorable football games. That 2024 championship game was just the beginning of the revival of this sneaky historical rivalry.

In closing, the football history between Michigan and Washington is interesting because of the distance between the two teams and how much they just went back-and-forth on head-to-head matchup wins, despite playing in different conferences for most of their histories. Both teams have had upsets that basically ruined a few awesome seasons for one another, and they love playing in the critical moments of college football lore.

Sometimes the best matchups aren't from playing the same team every year, but from the ones that know how to get to the big games.