Tag: Bump Elliott

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Michigan vs Michigan State Football — Looking Back – 1968

Looking Back is a Special Feature by Jeff Cummins Highlighting Key Rivalry Games

Bump Elliott had the misfortune of inheriting a Michigan team that was struggling. After decades of championship play, the Wolverines were now suffering through a period in which both Ohio State and Michigan State had risen to power. Elliott raised the team’s level of play in 1964, but then the bottom fell out.

The fifth and final installment of this year’s series looking back at the football rivalry between Michigan and Michigan State takes us back to 1968. Change was in the air throughout the United States. Protesters rallied throughout the country. Americans watched reports on the war in Vietnam on the nightly news. Even old reliables such as the automobile industry were undergoing changes, as foreign automakers made their presence felt in the marketplace. It almost seemed as it the downturn in Michigan’s football success reflected the feeling of angst in the nation.

But on one, glorious fall afternoon, the Michigan Wolverines gave outgoing coach Bump Elliott a day to remember. A day that recalled times when Michigan was one of the elite powers of college football. For three hours on a Saturday in October, 1968, the Wolverines recalled the memories of previous years, and sent Elliott out with a final victory over rival Michigan State.

In the fourth quarter, Michigan State grabbed the lead when Charles Wedemeyer connected with Frank Foreman on a two-point conversion. The Spartan defense was converging on Michigan quarterback Dennis Brown when Brown found tight end Jim Mandich along the Michigan sideline for the turning point of the game. Mandich made the catch and outraced everyone to the south end zone for a 53-yard touchdown that put Michigan in control to stay, as the Wolverines topped Michigan State, 28-14.

Elliott capped off the season by recruiting a star-studded class of recruits that included offensive lineman Reggie McKenzie and running back Billy Taylor, both of whom led a Michigan resurgence under Bo Schembechler.

Thanks to YouTube poster College Football Historian and YouTube for the highlight film of this game, which has no sound. As always, neither I nor anyone involved with umgoblue.com profits in any way from this blog post, which is intended strictly for the enjoyment of readers.

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Michigan vs Ohio State Football – Looking Back – 1968

Looking Back is a Special Feature Highlighting
Key Rivalry Games by Jeff Cummins

The first installment of this year’s series looking back at the football rivalry between Michigan and Ohio State takes back to 1968. Richard Nixon had just been elected president, the nation watched nightly TV reports on the Vietnam War, and, well, you probably already know that Ohio State routed Michigan, 50-14.

But the truth is, that’s just the outer edges of the story. Anyone who thinks the ’68 Wolverines were bad simply doesn’t see the whole picture. The 1968 team had a roster that was loaded with talent, including running backs Ron Johnson and Grave Craw, tight end Jim Mandich, defensive back Tom Curtis, defensive linemen Tom Goss (future UM AD) and Henry Hill, offensive lineman Dan Diedorf, and junior end Mike Hankwitz, who went on to become one of the best defensive coordinators in college football. After suffering an opening day loss to Cal, the Wolverines reeled off eight consecutive victories, including back-to-back shutouts against Northwestern and Illinois.

The Game occurred on Nov. 23, 1968, and in the first half, Michigan was competitive, with the game tied at 14. Then Ohio State overwhelmed Michigan, and after their final touchdown, the Buckeyes went for two points, and failed. If anything, the attempted two-point conversion may have ignited a spark in the Wolverines for the following season. Shortly after the season ended, Michigan coach Bump Elliott accepted the positions of associate athletic director, and Bo Schembechler was named head coach on Dec. 26, 1968, leading to one of the most interesting offseason in Michigan history.

Thanks to YouTube, ABC Sports, and YouTube poster Dr. Sap for the video clips below. As always, I own nothing and do not profit from this blog post in any way.

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Michigan Football vs Michigan State — Looking Back – 1968

The second installment of this year’s series looking back at the football rivalry between Michigan and Michigan State takes us to 1968. With the notable exception of 1964, the Wolverines hadn’t exactly prospered in the ‘60s. Michigan had two players who were named to several All-America squads in 1968. Running back Ron Johnson gained more than 2,500 yards that season, while defensive back Tom Curtis intercepted 10 passes. The Michigan roster was stocked with many talented players, but the more talented team doesn’t always win the Michigan-Michigan State contest.

In fact, Michigan opened the 1968 season with a loss to California, which made coach Bump Elliott’s seat even warmer than it had been. Going into the game against Michigan State, the Wolverines had a 1-2 record, and they had lost the previous three games against the Spartans. For Johnson, in particular, this game would be his last hope for victory against Michigan State. If the Wolverines didn’t win this one, Johnson, and the other seniors on the Michigan squad, would be haunted by the result for the rest of their lives.

Johnson didn’t take long to make his presence felt, scoring on a 38-yard run to give Michigan the early lead. But in the fourth quarter, Michigan State quarterback Charlie Wedemeyer found receiver Frank Foreman in the end zone, and after the two-point conversion, Michigan State led, 14-13. Facing yet another potential defeat by their rivals, the Wolverines leaned heavily on Johnson, and he delivered. Johnson carried the ball 19 times in the game, gaining 152 yards, and touchdowns by future All-America tight end Jim Mandich and Montclair, New Jersey native Garvie Craw led the Wolverines to a 28-14, giving the outgoing seniors their shining moment in the in-state rivalry.

After college, many members of the 1968 team went on to prominent careers. After prospering in a blue jersey in college, Johnson wore blue with the New York Football Giants, where he became the first player in franchise history to gain at least 1,000 yards in a season. Curtis, too, wore blue in the NFL, where he won Super Bowl V in the 1970 season with the Baltimore Colts. Mandich went on to win two Super Bowls with the Miami Dolphins, and served as the de facto spokesperson for the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins for many years after his retirement. Sadly, both Johnson and Mandich passed away in recent years.

Thanks to YouTube, the University of Michigan, and YouTube poster WolverineHistorian for the following video clip. As always, I do not profit in any way from this blog post and video, which are presented strictly for the enjoyment of blog readers.