The Revenge Tour

The 2018 Michigan Wolverines football team finished with a 10-3 overall record and an 8-1 mark in Big Ten play, tying for first in the East Division (losing the tiebreaker to Ohio State). The Wolverines finished ranked No. 14 in the final AP and Coaches polls. They scored 457 points (35.2 per game) while allowing 252 (19.4 per game). Under fourth-year head coach Jim Harbaugh, the season featured a 10-game winning streak and was often referred to internally as a “revenge tour” after key losses the previous year.

Regular Season: Early Setback and Dominant Run

Michigan opened ranked No. 14 and fell 17-24 at No. 12 Notre Dame in the season opener. The Wolverines then embarked on a 10-game winning streak. Home victories over Western Michigan (49-3), SMU (45-20), and Nebraska (56-10) set the tone. A 20-17 road win at Northwestern was followed by a 42-21 home victory over Maryland.

Michigan continued its surge with a 38-13 home win over No. 15 Wisconsin, a 21-7 road victory at Michigan State to reclaim the Paul Bunyan Trophy, and a decisive 42-7 home win over No. 14 Penn State. Additional wins came at Rutgers (42-7) and against Indiana (31-20).

The streak ended on November 24 in Columbus with a 39-62 loss to No. 10 Ohio State. The Buckeyes’ 62 points set a record for the most scored against Michigan in regulation.

Postseason: Peach Bowl

In the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on December 29 in Atlanta, Michigan faced No. 10 Florida and lost 15-41. The defeat closed the season at 10-3.

Statistical and Contextual Notes

Shea Patterson threw for 2,600 yards and 22 touchdowns after transferring mid-season the previous year. The defense ranked second nationally in total defense (275.2 yards per game) and was among the nation’s best against the pass. Linebacker Devin Bush earned All-America honors, while Chase Winovich, Rashan Gary, and others contributed to a highly productive front. Michigan went 7-0 at home, winning each game by double digits.

The season included wins over three ranked Big Ten opponents (Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Penn State) that had defeated the Wolverines in 2017. Michigan’s only conference loss came against Ohio State.

In the broader historical context, the 2018 campaign represented one of the stronger regular seasons of the early Harbaugh era. It demonstrated defensive excellence and improved offensive balance while highlighting the persistent challenge of the Ohio State rivalry. The year positioned Michigan as a consistent top-15 program but fell short of a Big Ten title and College Football Playoff berth.