The 1969 Michigan vs. Ohio State football game was considered one of the biggest upsets in college football history, as Ohio State came into the game with an 8-0 record, a 22-game winning streak and the #1 ranking in the polls. Michigan defeated Ohio State 24-12 in front of a crowd of 103,588 at Michigan Stadium to win the Big Ten Conference's berth in the Rose Bowl. The game was also the first in a series that came to be known as "The Ten-Year War," a 10-year span during which Michigan under Bo Schembechler battled Ohio State under Woody Hayes, under whom Schembechler had served as both a player at Miami University and an assistant coach at Ohio State. Four times between 1970 and 1975, Ohio State and Michigan were both ranked in the top five of the AP Poll before their matchup.
Bo Schembechler suffered a heart attack the night before the 1970 Rose Bowl game against an undefeated USC team. The Wolverines lost the Rose Bowl in a defensive struggle by a score of 10-3.
Team captain and tight end Jim Mandich was selected as the 1969 team's most valuable player and as a first-team All-American. Defensive back Tom Curtis was also selected as a first-team All-American, and seven members of the team, including Dan Dierdorf, received first-team All-Big Ten honors. Sophomore tailback Billy Taylor was the team's leading rusher and an All-Big Ten honoree. Thirteen members of the 1969 team went on to play professional football, and four players (Mandich, Curtis, Dierdorf and offensive guard Reggie McKenzie) were inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Tom Curtis (No. 25), defensive back, senior, Aurora, Ohio - started all 11 games at safety
Thom Darden (No. 35), defensive back, sophomore, Sandusky, Ohio - started 10 games at wolfman (also started 1 game at left halfback on offense)
Bruce Elliott, defensive back, sophomore, Indianapolis, Indiana - started 1 game at right halfback
Alan Francis, middle guard, senior, Euclid, Ohio
Fred Grambau (No. 92), defensive tackle, sophomore, Ossineke, Michigan - started all 11 games at left defensive tackle (also started 2 games at left tackle on offense)
Frank Gusich, defensive back, sophomore, Garfield Heights, Ohio - started 1 game at wolfman
Brian Healy (No. 24), defensive back, senior, Sandusky, Ohio - started all 11 games at defensive halfback (also started 2 games at right halfback on offense)
Henry Hill (No. 39), middle guard, junior, Detroit - started all 11 games at middle guard (also started 2 games at left guard and 1 at right guard on offense)
Marty Huff (No. 70), linebacker, junior, Toledo, Ohio - started all 11 games at linebacker (also started 2 games at right tackle and 1 at left halfback on offense)
Mike Keller (No. 90), defensive end, sophomore, Grand Rapids, Michigan - started all 11 games at left defensive end (also started 2 games at left end on offense)
Richard McCoy, Jr., defensive tackle, junior, Alliance, Ohio
Edward M. Moore (No. 97), linebacker, junior, Youngstown, Ohio - started 10 games at linebacker (also started 2 games at right end on offense)
Pete Newell (No. 82), defensive tackle, junior, Park Ridge, Illinois - started all 11 games at right defensive tackle (also started 2 games at center and 1 at right tackle on offense)
Daniel Parks, defensive tackle, junior, Birmingham, Michigan
Barry Pierson (No. 29), defensive back, senior, St. Ignace, Michigan - started all 11 games at defensive halfback (also started 1 game at left halfback on offense)
Cecil Pryor (No. 55), defensive end, senior, Corpus Christi, Texas - started all 11 games at right defensive end (also started 1 game at left end and 1 at right end on offense)
Thomas Takach, defensive end, senior, Detroit
Mike Taylor, linebacker, sophomore, Detroit - started 1 game at linebacker
Timothy Wadhams,[7] defensive back, senior, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Eighteen members of the 1969 team went on to play professional football. They are: Tom Beckman (St.Louis Cardinals, 1972, Memphis Grizzlies, 1974-1975), Tom Curtis (Baltimore Colts, 1970-1971), Thom Darden (Cleveland Browns, 1972-1981), Dan Dierdorf (St. Louis Cardinals, 1971-1983), Glenn Doughty (Baltimore Colts, 1972-1979), Fred Grambau (Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Montreal Alouettes);[9][10]Marty Huff (San Francisco 49ers, 1972; Edmonton Eskimos, 1973; Charlotte Hornets, 1974-1975), Mike Keller (Dallas Cowboys, 1972), Jim Mandich (Miami Dolphins, 1970-1977; Pittsburgh Steelers, 1978), Reggie McKenzie (Buffalo Bills, 1972-1982; Seattle Seahawks, 1983-1984), Guy Murdock (Houston Oilers, 1974; Chicago Fire/Winds, 1974-1975), Pete Newell (BC Lions, 1971);[11]Cecil Pryor (Memphis Southmen),[12]Fritz Seyferth (Calgary Stampeders, 1972); Paul Seymour (Buffalo Bills, 1973-1977), Paul Staroba (Cleveland Browns, 1972; Green Bay Packers, 1973), Billy Taylor (Calgary Stampeders, 1972), and Mike Taylor (New York Jets, 1972-73).
↑Coin set the NCAA record in 1971 with 55 consecutive extra points without a miss. He also broke the Michigan record for longest field goal with a 42-yard field goal against Arizona in 1970.
↑Wadhams later became the CEO of Masco, a Fortune 400 company. See here.
