Remembering Michigan’s 1,000th Win

College football would not be the sport it is today without its blue blood programs. Programs like the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Georgia Bulldogs, and the Ohio State Buckeyes are historic and have helped shape the sport as a whole, and they are recognized for their contributions. However, the University of Michigan has a case for being the most influential program in college football history.

The Wolverines are a consistent contender and have maintained that status for the vast majority of their time playing college football. Incredibly, they are the only program in history to win 1,000 games. This article will take a look at the win that allowed them to reach that threshold, a contest against the Maryland Terrapins in 2023.

As Wolverines fans know, the 2023 season was a magical one. The Wolverines entered the game on Nov. 18, 2023 against Maryland with a perfect 10-0 record, led by an incredible run game and a defense that was undoubtedly one of the best in the nation. Those 10 wins included seven straight Big Ten victories leading up to that point, showing the Wolverines' nearly unprecedented dominance that season.

On the other sideline was a Terrapins team that was not half-bad. Maryland was 6-4, with a couple of players on the roster who were considered NFL-caliber talent. A home game against the best opponent in the nation seemed likely to be a blowout, but the Terps were good enough for some fans to hold out hope for a classic college football shocker. 

After a Maryland field goal to get things started, everything went south for the Terrapins. Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy sparked his team with a nine-play drive that culminated in a 2-yard touchdown run by running back Blake Corum. The Michigan defense added a fumble-return touchdown on the very next Maryland possession, and a safety added another couple of points to the board. After a single quarter, the Wolverines had run up a 16-3 lead.

The second quarter did not feature nearly as much action, with each team scoring a single touchdown. Corum was again responsible for the score, while Maryland running back Billy Edwards Jr. countered with his own 1-yard score.

The tide appeared to change in the third quarter, however. The Terrapins remained undeterred, as evidenced by another 1-yard score from Edwards. Not to be outdone, the Wolverines answered with a rushing touchdown of their own, this time from Semaj Morgan, making the score 29-17 after Michigan failed the two-point conversion. That score would have been the death sentence for many opponents, but Maryland kept on fighting, handing Edwards yet another touchdown on the goal line.

Compared to the third quarter, the fourth was a sleepy one. The Michigan defense finally found its footing, keeping Maryland out of the end zone for the remainder of the game and even scoring another safety on quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa. After a bit of a nail-biting third period, the Wolverines ended up coasting to a 31-24 win, extending their perfect streak and earning the 1,000th win in program history. 

The win over Maryland preceded an equally massive game for the Wolverines. Michigan faced Ohio State in one of the best rivalry matchups in college football history, made even more significant by the fact that the teams were ranked third and second in the nation, respectively at the time. The Wolverines took that victory home, too, essentially ensuring that they made the postseason. 

However, the impressive resume did not end there. Next to fall to Michigan was a ranked Iowa Hawkeyes team, launching the Wolverines into a first-round playoff date with the Alabama Crimson Tide. Head coach John Harbaugh's team prevailed in an overtime thriller, setting up a meeting with the Washington Huskies in the national championship game. The Wolverines walloped them 34-13 to capture the school's first title in the modern era.

The list of teams to win 1,000 games of college football is a short one ... the Wolverines, that's the list. It is hard to overstate the importance and the sheer impressiveness of this achievement. This achievement shows a level of consistency that Michigan has maintained since it started playing football as a varsity sport in 1879. That is nearly a century and a half of high-level football. While some of the seasons in that span were obviously disappointing, creating the 1,000-win club remains a remarkable achievement. 

While the Wolverines are alone in the club for now, a host of teams will almost certainly join them within the next few seasons. Ohio State is within striking distance with 978 victories. The Crimson Tide is only 22 wins from the mark, virtually guaranteeing that Alabama reaches the landmark within three campaigns. These teams will certainly join Michigan, but the Wolverines will always be the first team to win 1,000 games of college football.