Hoke's Last Year

The 2014 Michigan Wolverines football team finished with a 5-7 overall record and a 3-5 mark in Big Ten play, tying for fourth in the East Division. The Wolverines scored 251 points (20.9 per game) while allowing 269 (22.4 per game). Under fourth-year head coach Brady Hoke, Michigan missed a bowl game for the first time since 2009 and only the third time since 1975. Hoke was dismissed at the end of the season.

Regular Season: Early Promise and Prolonged Struggles

Michigan opened with a 52-14 home win over Appalachian State. A 0-31 road loss at No. 16 Notre Dame followed—the program’s first shutout since 1984 and the most lopsided defeat of the Hoke era. A 34-10 home victory over Miami (Ohio) was then offset by consecutive losses to Utah (10-26), Minnesota (14-30), and at Rutgers (24-26).

A 18-13 home win over Penn State provided a brief respite before a 11-35 road loss at No. 8 Michigan State. Michigan then won consecutive games against Indiana (34-10) and at Northwestern (10-9). Losses to Maryland (16-23) at home and at No. 7 Ohio State (28-42) closed the season.

Statistical and Contextual Notes

Devin Gardner threw for 1,896 yards and 10 touchdowns but also threw 15 interceptions. The offense ranked near the bottom nationally in scoring. Linebacker Jake Ryan earned All-Big Ten recognition and was named team MVP. The defense showed competence in spots but could not consistently support an inconsistent offense.

Michigan went 3-4 at home and 2-3 on the road. The season featured limited offensive production and difficulty competing against stronger Big Ten opponents.

In the broader historical context, the 2014 campaign marked the end of the Brady Hoke era. After a promising 11-2 start in 2011, the program declined steadily, culminating in this losing season and Hoke’s dismissal. The year cleared the way for the hiring of Jim Harbaugh and the beginning of a new chapter in Michigan football history.